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My teaching philosophy is built upon what I believe are four major principles of theatre practice: PRESENCE, COLLABORATION, CREATIVITY, and RISK-TAKING. Often, I have experienced the vitality these qualities bring to the craft of teaching and learning; this has become particularly evident in classrooms where I hope to guide students toward personal growth and the pursuit of balance, compassion, ambition, knowledge, and citizenry in a diverse global society. As such, presence, collaboration, creativity, and risk-taking are the cornerstones of my teaching philosophy:

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PRESENCE

I strive to be a positive presence in the classroom. Presence is more than “showing up” or being the person with the most power or attention. Presence is an act of full awareness and engagement in the immediate moment. My desires are to impart my intense passion for drama and theatre and to radiate clear, focused, and direct energy that motivates students to fully commit to their learning and artistic processes. Presence includes actively listening to the needs of your class community or ensemble and respecting everyone’s moral and ethical standards. I aim to establish a social contract in the classroom where everyone promotes each person’s learning goals for the good of the ensemble and is mindful of everyone’s time and energy. This contract is established in the first class meeting when I ask students to outline and agree upon their expectations of everyone in the space including me. Presence and commitment often appear first on students’ lists of expectations.

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COLLABORATION

Theatre is a collaborative art. Even a one-person performance is most successful when produced by a team in constant collaboration with the actor. Sometimes teaching may feel like a one-woman show, but I have learned that it truly is not. I consider my students and myself as co-creators of knowledge and unique experiences. There is as much, if not more, to learn from my students as they learn from me. I show interest in my students as people and allies rather than receptacles of my knowledge and skills. A student is more inclined to commit to her work when a teacher refrains from treating her as separate from her unique experiences or, worse, as a naïve being. I work to gain my students’ respect and trust as I do with all people. My greatest accomplishments involve mentoring my students. I often meet with students on an individual basis so I can provide a clearer understanding of what is expected and so I may gain greater understanding of individual learning styles.

 

I encourage students to collaborate through group and ensemble related work. Lev Vygotsky’s theories of cultural mediation and interpersonal connections—which point to the importance of students learning from each other—assist me as I craft session designs that provide multiple opportunities to develop strong and diverse interpersonal relationships. Many of my practical classes involve students from various backgrounds working as ensembles to devise original theatre and community-based art. Additionally, when teaching theory and criticism classes such as Dramatic Literature, I ask students to participate in peer-reviews and small group dialogue sessions so they might share mutual governance of their learning through analysis of various texts. It is important to encourage theatre students to reach outside the classroom and beyond their individuality to connect with people and communities outside the scope of their everyday. This leads to deeper knowledge, greater empathy toward others, and initiation of important dialogues that might not otherwise occur.

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CREATIVITY

It is crucial for students to understand the structures inherent in theatre practice and theory so they can experiment and play within those structures. In my classrooms, learning is embodied and actively practiced through dramatic activities or hands-on theatrical projects that ask students to be resourceful problem-solvers and innovators in their chosen fields. These types of experiences encourage students to embrace their creativity and artistry. Students who make original theatre or design unique programs in communities using practical skills they acquire in my classes tend to push their imaginations as far outside the box as they can reach. I fully support students as they incorporate inventive mediums and digital technology in their physical and written work.

 

RISK-TAKING

I believe in critical pedagogies that promote learning as liberatory practice such as those outlined by Freire, hooks, and Giroux. It is a student’s right to risk articulating her thoughts—oral and written—through detailed, clear, and critical analysis of texts regardless of the possible response. I continue to urge my students to “read” all types of representations closely so they might feel empowered to freely question and challenge normative ideologies and systems of oppression. This type of critical pedagogy is important to me, as I believe that it inspires self-confident learners who take risks in and out of the classroom and initiate positive social change in their communities. My objectives do not include demanding that students achieve mastery or perfection. I aim to create a safe learning environment where students are held to high performance standards, where they are comfortable taking risks, thinking critically, and respecting everyone’s constructive feedback. However, I hope they also feel safe enough to challenge criticism and opposing ideologies and to perform their individual and collective agency.

 

One of my favorite sayings, borrowed from a respected mentor, is “dare to fail.” I believe it is necessary for everyone in the classroom to be vulnerable and for all of us to risk trying and failing. Everyone learns from successes as well as disappointments. At one point students enrolled in my Theatre for Social Change course expressed fear of being vulnerable and “putting themselves out there” or causing more harm than good when creating partnerships with people affected by serious social issues. My response was: “Fear is important; fear indicates the presence of passion and sensitivity. If you are not afraid it might mean you do not care as much as you should.” If I remain conscious of my students’ individual needs and I encourage them to care deeply and risk being amazing, amazing things will happen for all of us.