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  • 1.  Setting Priorities

    Posted 07-05-2016 17:18

    While facilitating Best Practices: 101 Tips workshops at ITF 2016 with Pat Santanello, we discussed setting priorities by creating a personal mission statement, a professional mission statement, a departmental, and perhaps a Thespian troupe mission statement to help focusing on key issues and preventing burnout. We shared how with our various mission statements and strategic goals we give ourselves permission to be authentic and can say, "yes" or "no" to prevent over-involvement.

    While teaching our Theatre Teachers Boot Camp which Krista Carson Elhai and I created, we ask that our participants create their mission statements. 

    I am sharing the concise mission-setting goals tips: An establishment of what is important; connecting with your own unique purpose; core values, beliefs; an articulation of what you're all about and what success looks like to you. 

    Personal Mission Statement 1. Identify past successes:  try to identify whether there is a common theme(s) 2. Identify core values; a list of attributes that you believe identify who you are and what your priorities are; 3. Identify contributions; a list of ways you could make a difference; how could you contribute to the world in general, your family, your employer, your friends, your community. 4. Identify goals; personal goals, which are short term-3 years, or long-term-5 years. 

    Professional Mission Statement-a philosophy which is very short 30-50 words; the mission can ground you, motivate you, help you remember why you entered the profession. 1. List 4 characteristics about yourself. 2. List 4 ways you interact with others. 3. Complete the following sentence. . . "My perfect world is a place where. . ." 4. combine 2 nouns, 2 verbs, and your definition of a perfect world into a sentence that has fewer than 30 words. 5. Edit and tweak the statement until you have it just right. Remember that what you write today is a Works in Progress. 

    While teaching the Leadership Academy PDI at ITF along with Frank Pruet, Debbie Corbin, Krista Carson Elhai, and Matt Conover, and assistant Jo Lane,  we distributed a multitude of material on why setting goals is important and how to create mission statements. You can sign up for the the Leadership Academy PDI at the national EdTA Vegas Conference. 

    Hope this information can be valuable. 

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    Gai Jones
    gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
    gai@gaijones.com

    www.gaijones.com
    Co-Founder/Faculty Member Summer Theatre Teacher Bootcamp
    Inspirational Speaker for PD, Student Leaderships, Conferences
    RAISING THE CURTAIN www.perfectionlearning.com
    BREAK A LEG, A LOVE LETTER TO THEATRE EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS www.gaijones.com
    THE STUDENT ACTOR PREPARES: ACTING FOR LIFE www.intellectbooks.com e-Book on Amazon
    CURTAIN GOIN' UP...TRUISMS AND TIPS FOR COMMUNITY THEATER ACTORS, DIRECTORS, TECHNICIANS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS www.gaijones.com https://www.facebook.com/GaiJonesTheatreEducator
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  • 2.  RE: Setting Priorities

    Posted 07-08-2016 19:06

    Thank you, Gai.

    Our Troupe just developed its mission statement this year and I really do like the idea of expanding to personal mission, etc. I am the new Troupe director this year and it will come in handy. 

    I'll be sure to look you up in Vegas.

    Yours in Art,

    Jason

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    Jason Robert LeClair, MA
    Artist/Arts Educator
    Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
    Woonsocket, RI
    Director, Thespian Troupe 7444