Open Forum

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
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My guess is you've already had a bunch of folks recommend Theatre Folk.
International Thespian Society but I'm not sure what age their "juniors" program is?
Educational Theatre Association is part of ^ ITS.
Other than that do what I do: you just gotta love the internet and searching for something as specific as "drama curriciulum for third graders" will offer you oodles of pages, I'm sure.

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Valerie O'Riordan
Drama Director, MFA, AEA, Russi House Provincial
Archbishop Riordan High School
San Francisco CA voriordan@riordanhs.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

Here's a video I made this summer for new drama teachers. Hope this helps! Tips for New or Transferring Theatre Teachers- Summer Tasks

YouTube		remove preview
Tips for New or Transferring Theatre Teachers- Summer Tasks Here are my summer survival tips to get you ready to either start your theatre teaching career, or how to have a smooth transfer to a new school. View this on YouTube >

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Kala Chaffin
Drama Teacher
Lexington KY
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

As a new teacher you need to get your room in shape. Go online and get all the educational theatre posters from Ludlam Dramatics! I also recommend you have your students download The Amazing Improv Generator app. So handy!

------------------------------
Matt Ludlam
Instructor
Flower Mound TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

Dear Thomas,
Will you be attending the National Conference in Nashville? On Friday afternoon I will be offering the Master Class in Michael Chekhov's Techniques that are terrific for the age range you will be teaching. If you can attend, you will walk away with wonderful practical concepts that are fun, healthy, concentration and imagination building, ensemble cultivating activities. Here's a link to an article that outlines the pedagogy The Art of Michael Chekhov's Chart: A Training Sequence for Contemporary Practice in Professional Studios and Academia.  There's lots of information about this youth-friendly, movement-imagination based approach at the National Michael Chekhov Association.  NMCA produces intensive theater workshops for actors, teachers and directors using Michael Chekhov's techniques as the main basis

Critical Stages/Scènes Critiques		remove preview
The Art of Michael Chekhov's Chart: A Training Sequence for Contemporary Practice in Professional Studios and Academia

------------------------------
Lisa Dalton
Fort Worth, TX
National Michael Chekhov Association, Pres, Certifying Master Teacher
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

Congratulations! What about tech? Besides teaching acting, what are your responsibilities regarding tech? What is your facility like, and are you expected to also provide technical support and/or teach tech to your students?  At what grades will your students be allowed to start tech? What is your own tech background? If you don't have a separate tech teacher or theatre TD/TM, it's best to be prepared to wear a lot of hats. It's also important to be safety savvy. USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) is a good national organization to join (as well as EdTA of course!) - they are primarily college-focused and don't have the added regulations of minors working in school theatres, but they have a lot of great resources for tech theatre. For tech curriculum may I recommend "The Stage and the School" for a good general curriculum to build from. The EdTA online store also has a lot of resources for tech theatre. Break a leg!

------------------------------
Beth Rand
High School Theatre Operations Coach

Next HS Theatre Management Training for Drama Teachers online course: Fall Session starts Sept. 11. Spaces still available.

Author of "High School Theatre Operations" and "High School Theatre Safety Manual" and several more books on Amazon.

www.PRESETT.org
Westminster, CO
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

Curriculum is so specific to districts. I'd start by checking with yours to see if there is anything specific already in place. If there isn't anything I'd let your state standards guide you. Arizona has strong standards in place if you need ideas and your state hasn't created new standards in a while.

As a new teacher remember that you won't be able to accomplish everything you want right away. You need to be flexible enough to downsize your expectations to what you can actually accomplish without killing yourself. You're going to have an amazing program. Trust yourself enough to allow the time it will take to build your program to what is inside your head. It'll get there.

In terms of organizations... they've been hit pretty well before me. Check with your State Board for suggestions that are specific to your area. They'll be able to guide you more completely than those of us who are sporadically spaced around the country. 

If you need some simple lessons plans shoot me a message. I have some assignments from my intro class that you could probably adjust for younger students pretty easily.

------------------------------
Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------

Thomas,

Congratulations!  Teaching theatre is a great way to enjoy waking up every day and heading to work!

I have one piece of advice for you:  Decide right away what your long term goals are FOR YOUR STUDENTS*.  Do you want them to remember a really good show they were once in?  Do you want them to leave you and be able to give it a go on Broadway?  (You might ask how many of them even want to try).  Do you want them to have skills, like public speaking or creativity, that will help them in other careers?  Do you want them to learn how to work with others toward a higher goal, be committed to something, and achieve greatness they could not have done alone?  

There are skills we teach through drama that make students better people.  I believe that if we keep those skills as the FIRST objective, and then go after the others (projection, characterization, stage presence...) we will help our students thrive as adults, and--while we are at it--they will enjoy making great theatre, as well.  With these goals in mind, you will make different decisions than if you are focused first on the play or the class or the audience.


*These goals are different than those for the program, which include enrollment, equipment, marketing, etc.

------------------------------
Mark Phillips
Springboro OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2017 15:33
From: Thomas Turner
Subject: New Drama Teacher

Greetings,

In two weeks I will be starting as a new Drama Teacher for grades 3-12.  Below are three questions I would be really thankful for any input.

1.  What are any recomendations for curriculum content?

2.  What advice do you have for a new Drama Teacher?

3.  What are any national organizations I should look into for both myself and my students?

Thank you,

------------------------------
Thomas Turner
Phoenix AZ
------------------------------