Theatre is so much more, than plays or musicals, and I believe experiencing it as an art form is essential for children to thrive. I believe in teaching the whole child, and that includes; social skills, building confidence, collaboration, thinking outside of the box, creativity, and imagination. These are all things theatre has been proven to do. Children ages 4-18 are ready to learn, create, grow and imagine if only given the chance. I aim to create a space for them to do just that. There are many reasons I value theatre, one is the proven statistics that arts and theatre education raises test scores, creates higher capacity for cognitive thinking, and improves mood and focus. But more importantly, theatre education gives children confidence and freedom. It lets imaginations run wild long after its time to "grow up".
I wish to teach because I want to inspire as many children as I can to play, imagine, and create. I hope to teach children how to dream big and shoot for the stars. I long for children to grow up with a sense of wonder and self-worth. I desire that all children know how beautiful and special they are for their own unique talents. I need children to know they are so much more than a number on a page. These values are important to me because children are important to me.
Children deserve the opportunity to be themselves without judgement or fear. My priority will always be my students. My job is to create a great experience for them, and my evaluations will be based on how each project goes. I would offer the opportunity for families and students to fill out a survey or evaluation at the end of each project and semester so that I can learn what is working for my students individually. This will also help in my reflection process as I decide if I should or should not reuse these lessons. I would also invoke an open door policy to model the environment of inclusion, and positive collaboration. In addition to modeling what I expect, my students can expect a reliable, trustworthy teacher who genuinely loves what they do. They can expect a detailed, well-planned year with high expectations for success. I believe that every student can be successful. Everyone can learn, and grow with the right combination of light, water, and soil. However, if we are constantly asking fish to climb trees- we will never allow them to show us how capable they are of swimming. This is where student centered instruction and project based learning becomes extremely important. By differentiating based on your students' needs and allowing them the opportunity to show you how they learn best, they will excel. Build respect and rapport, listen to your students, let them tell you what they need. Children are so much more capable than we give them credit for. I am not of the mind that my students should go off and do whatever they wish. But I sure am of the mind that when my student wants to rap her final instead of give a presentation, because that's how she feels she can best succeed, that she should go ahead and soar!
My passion for this work lies so deep within me, I do not know where it begins or ends. I work hard, and I go after what I want with determination and confidence. I hope that in leading by example I can instill these as traits and expectations in my classroom. These traits will serve my students long after leaving the safety of my four walls. I believe that this work is very important. I will never get tired of seeing a child's eyes filled with excitement after a performance. Watching a student's confidence grow, seeing pride fill their entire body after working hard on a new challenge. These little moments are what educating is all about, because they are the biggest most important moments of all. If I can help one student who needs theatre, then I will have done my job.