Teaching Philosophy
Theatre artists create worlds. Theatre is a discipline that teaches how to construct morning using gels and lights, how to hammer and paint until a home emerges, how to stitch and press scraps until the illusion of luxury appears. Theatre teaches how to look at a life unlike your own and find the humanity in it that is twin to your soul.
Theatre education develops the physical, intellectual, and empathy skills necessary to fully know the world. Theatre students must recognize the issues embedded in a play or other works, and identify their perspectives on those issues. They must seek to understand other possible viewpoints and ways in which those viewpoints have validity. They must ascertain assumptions and consider context. Once they have mastered those tasks they will be able to effectively express the ideas they want to share with in world. The ability to execute these skills inspires creativity, builds empathy across differences, and promotes effective cross-cultural exchanges.
Theatre artists must broaden their self-concept. They must examine the constructs they have grown up with and evaluate how these beliefs constrain or expand their perception of the world. They must reconsider who they are and what they might become as artists. It is only after examining how they came to be who they are, that they can consciously chose who they will be as artists and human being going forward.
As an artist who teaches and a teacher who creates, I work to create safe learning environments that support exploration and foster growth. I want to be beside my students as they venture in new directions and discover new worlds. I want to guide, but not constrain, to shine a light on the path ahead and warn students of upcoming obstacles. I want to wait beside them as they pick themselves up after a stumble and resume their journey towards success.
Theatre education develops the physical, intellectual, and empathy skills necessary to fully know the world. Theatre students must recognize the issues embedded in a play or other works, and identify their perspectives on those issues. They must seek to understand other possible viewpoints and ways in which those viewpoints have validity. They must ascertain assumptions and consider context. Once they have mastered those tasks they will be able to effectively express the ideas they want to share with in world. The ability to execute these skills inspires creativity, builds empathy across differences, and promotes effective cross-cultural exchanges.
Theatre artists must broaden their self-concept. They must examine the constructs they have grown up with and evaluate how these beliefs constrain or expand their perception of the world. They must reconsider who they are and what they might become as artists. It is only after examining how they came to be who they are, that they can consciously chose who they will be as artists and human being going forward.
As an artist who teaches and a teacher who creates, I work to create safe learning environments that support exploration and foster growth. I want to be beside my students as they venture in new directions and discover new worlds. I want to guide, but not constrain, to shine a light on the path ahead and warn students of upcoming obstacles. I want to wait beside them as they pick themselves up after a stumble and resume their journey towards success.
