TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
As a theatre educator, my primary goal is to facilitate individuals in advancing to the next level in their training and eventual career in theater. I encourage growth through practical application so each student develops the confidence necessary to pursue goals. To foster this confidence, I help students develop positive social identities as practitioners through course work, discussion and practice. This is achieved through guided course work and practical experience on productions.
As I teach a variety of subject matters in technical theatre, I have multiple tools in which to foster diversity and inclusion in my classes. One constant practice I apply is the understanding that during lectures and discussions, all individuals’ points of view are welcome and we as practitioners are more effective when we look to understand others’ unique experiences, strengths, and ideas. I encourage open discussion about topics and employ role playing scenarios to allow for alternative points of view to be presented. I regularly adjust my reading lists in classes, to provide texts and plays with voices from a variety of individuals, cultures, and backgrounds.
My goal is to get a firm grasp on each student’s strengths and weaknesses so I can begin catering instruction directly to them, while getting to know them individually. I achieve this through both group and one-on-one discussions as well as through in-class projects. In this way I can focus on the materials they need to learn and the best way to present that material to them. By taking a more personalized approach in training, students will understand the production process and how they fit into it. Through this practice I foster a sense of inclusion for all individuals in our classrooms and work spaces.
I do not believe that theater can be learned in a classroom alone. For a student to truly understand and excel in theater, they must create theater. This begins with hands-on laboratory experience in which they serve in a variety of shop positions under guided instruction and alongside other learners with different skill sets and backgrounds. Students are guided towards a variety of crew positions for productions, giving them greater and greater responsibilities as they expand their knowledge and gain confidence in their abilities. By doing this they have the opportunity to apply the information obtained in the classroom to a real-life experience and create a firmer grasp on theories learned in the classroom. In turn they appreciate the rewards of classroom study. This understanding leads to deeper subject examination and continued success on the stage.
In both the class and in the laboratory, I mimic a real world application that walks each student through the design and tech process. Students are first taught the principles of design and how they are utilized. Their training then expands to a shop position in paints or properties followed by an assistant design position for a production. Finally after success in these positions, they are mentored through a scenic design of their own. Completing tasks and processes of increasing difficulty, students develop into self-reliant, critical-thinking learners. Providing this opportunity in a safe and supportive environment, allows hesitant students to blossom into engaged, critical-thinking leaders.
Overall, my goal is to instill in my students a lifelong love of theater and to constantly pursue excellence in it or whatever field of endeavor they enter. I hope to achieve this by putting the reins in their hands and guiding them to success.
As a theatre educator, my primary goal is to facilitate individuals in advancing to the next level in their training and eventual career in theater. I encourage growth through practical application so each student develops the confidence necessary to pursue goals. To foster this confidence, I help students develop positive social identities as practitioners through course work, discussion and practice. This is achieved through guided course work and practical experience on productions.
As I teach a variety of subject matters in technical theatre, I have multiple tools in which to foster diversity and inclusion in my classes. One constant practice I apply is the understanding that during lectures and discussions, all individuals’ points of view are welcome and we as practitioners are more effective when we look to understand others’ unique experiences, strengths, and ideas. I encourage open discussion about topics and employ role playing scenarios to allow for alternative points of view to be presented. I regularly adjust my reading lists in classes, to provide texts and plays with voices from a variety of individuals, cultures, and backgrounds.
My goal is to get a firm grasp on each student’s strengths and weaknesses so I can begin catering instruction directly to them, while getting to know them individually. I achieve this through both group and one-on-one discussions as well as through in-class projects. In this way I can focus on the materials they need to learn and the best way to present that material to them. By taking a more personalized approach in training, students will understand the production process and how they fit into it. Through this practice I foster a sense of inclusion for all individuals in our classrooms and work spaces.
I do not believe that theater can be learned in a classroom alone. For a student to truly understand and excel in theater, they must create theater. This begins with hands-on laboratory experience in which they serve in a variety of shop positions under guided instruction and alongside other learners with different skill sets and backgrounds. Students are guided towards a variety of crew positions for productions, giving them greater and greater responsibilities as they expand their knowledge and gain confidence in their abilities. By doing this they have the opportunity to apply the information obtained in the classroom to a real-life experience and create a firmer grasp on theories learned in the classroom. In turn they appreciate the rewards of classroom study. This understanding leads to deeper subject examination and continued success on the stage.
In both the class and in the laboratory, I mimic a real world application that walks each student through the design and tech process. Students are first taught the principles of design and how they are utilized. Their training then expands to a shop position in paints or properties followed by an assistant design position for a production. Finally after success in these positions, they are mentored through a scenic design of their own. Completing tasks and processes of increasing difficulty, students develop into self-reliant, critical-thinking learners. Providing this opportunity in a safe and supportive environment, allows hesitant students to blossom into engaged, critical-thinking leaders.
Overall, my goal is to instill in my students a lifelong love of theater and to constantly pursue excellence in it or whatever field of endeavor they enter. I hope to achieve this by putting the reins in their hands and guiding them to success.
