Open Forum

  • 1.  State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-07-2015 00:38

    What states require theatre teachers to have an actual theatre teacher license or endorsement?

    If your state has a requirement, how long has it been in place? What keeps the requirement from being eliminated? How does it help your state theatre teachers in terms of strength and unity, job security, legitimacy, etc.?

    If your state does not, did it before? If so, when did it go away and why? If it never did, is there any movement with getting one in place?

    I'm curious since I believe all states require art and music educators to hold a license. I think theatre is poised to make some changes in that direction, and then we need to help our partners in dance with theirs.

    Just curious how we can advocate for equitable licensure.

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    Jo Strom Lane
    Theatre Teacher and Director

    Roosevelt High School
    Portland Public Schools
    Portland OR
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  • 2.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-07-2015 10:14

    In WA teachers are meant to be "Highly Qualified", which means that a drama teacher needs to have a Theatre Arts endorsement on their certificate.  That said, may teachers with only an English endorsement are allowed to teach drama - because knowing about literature means you know how to direct, right?

    The other part of the puzzle is that tech theatre and acting are really two different kettle of fish, and most drama teachers who had to take courses in tech theatre when they were in college, don't know much tech, and aren't comfortable with it, and are being charged with building sets, designing lights, etc.  Technically in WA State the WACs and the Dept of L&I say that minors shall not perform tech theatre functions (using power tools, working at heights, hoisting weights, using sewing machines, etc) unless they are enrolled in a CTE (Career and Technical Education) class with a Technical Theatre CTE endorsed teacher.  But so many high schools have total disregard for this.  So while there are requirements, the school district administrations don't enforce them, regardless of any advocacy - which I was once told was "over advocating".  

    I'm afraid I don't yet have a solution, but the more we get this issue out in the open, the better!

    Regards,

    Beth


    ------------------------------
    Elizabeth Rand
    High School Theatre Consultant
    Rand Consulting and Design
    Woodinville WA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-08-2015 09:31

    When I left Kansas in 1996 - I was certified in Theater, Drama, Debate, and Speech just by having a minor emphasis (don't remember the number of hours).  I moved to Tennessee in 1996.  Tennessee required the Praxis Theater Test for certification.  I did not take it then because there was already a  theater teacher in that school and continued to teach my major degree.  A few years ago she started talking about retirement.  I started teaching one class of Theatre (in Tennessee - you can teach one class outside your certification area)  The program has started to build so this last summer - i took the Praxis so that I will now be certified to teach theatre at my school.  (the only one certified to teach theatre).  Hope that helps - it is possible to teach theatre without certification (one class per semester) but a full time teacher requires certification with Praxis test.



  • 4.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-08-2015 10:00

    The state offers theatre certifications & endorsements. My district also requires us to be Highly Qualified, which equates to a Master's Degree in theatre, which qualifies you for the theatre endorsement on state certification.

    In addition, we are required to be CTE certified to teach technical theatre. To receive that endorsement on state certification we have to have 1,000 verifiable hours in the field. 

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    Jeana Whitaker
    Theatre Director
    Mesa AZ
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-09-2015 06:37

    My Master's degree in theatre does me for my Florida certification. I think the certification covers me for Technical Theatre, as the FL DOE states that the '30 hours' should include technical theatre credits, among others. I cut and pasted what the DOE says regarding the requirements for Drama 6-12 certification:

    "Specialization Requirements for Certification in Drama (Grades 6-12)--Academic Class.

    (1) Plan One. A bachelor's or higher degree with an undergraduate or graduate major in drama, or

    (2) Plan Two. A bachelor's or higher degree with thirty (30) semester hours in drama to include credit in the areas specified below:

    (a) Theater history,

    (b) Acting,

    (c) Theory and practice of directing,

    (d) Technical theater or stagecraft, and

    (e) Theater management, production or performance.

    Specific Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1001.02, 1012.54, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. History–New 12-4-89, Amended 7-17-00."

    Hope this helps!



    ------------------------------
    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Hillsborough County Schools
    Ruskin FL
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-28-2015 16:32

      Ohio has a multi-age Drama/ Theatre specialist license. It is valid for teaching learners ages three through twenty-one and prekindergarten through grade twelve.  Many years ago (when I was certified) the license was a 7-12 Speech Communications license that included theatre.  

      



    ------------------------------
    Patricia J. Santanello
    Ohio Educational Theatre Association
    Co-Chapter Director
    Dublin Scioto High School
    psdirector2003@hotmail.com
    614.288.8786 614.718.8313
    Dublin, Ohio
    ------------------------------


    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 07-29-2015 15:26

    North Carolina has a K-12 License for Theatre Arts but it is only required if you teach .5 in that content. The requirement has been in place for at least 19 years, and it allows us to make sure those teaching theatre for at least half the day to be considered "highly qualified" in areas they teach.  Even though all the arts have faced some struggles in the past by having the license requirement it makes it feel as though we are valued. 

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    Christopher Veneris
    Theatre Educator
    Guilford County Schools
    Greensboro NC
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 08-07-2015 10:46

    This is such an important discussion! Excellent questions and suggestions, Jo.

    the music and visual arts teachers do have the kind of security that we should be seeking for theatre arts.  The home office probably has a list of states that require certification to teach theatre.  I think California has been fighting this battle for a while.  Gai Jones would know.

    In Missouri, speech and theatre are the same certification.  In Illinois there is a specific certification for theatre and speech is included in language arts.  Many schools in Illinois avoid using certified teachers by making theatre an extra-curricular activity only. Ugh!

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    Lana Hagan
    Department of Theatre/Dance
    Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville/retired
    Clayton MO
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE:State Theatre Teacher licensure

    Posted 08-08-2015 00:27
    CA is going on 40 years to reinstate the Theatre and Dance credentials. Give us accolades for persistence but not being able to convince CTA, a powerful anti-proliferation of any new credential teachers' union, whose members think if you can teach Shakespeare that you can teach Theatre. Any PE credentialed teacher can teach Dance. We will not give up.

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    Gai Jones
    Ojai CA
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