7 Essential Tips for New Drama Teachers

Congratulations, you got a job as a drama teacher! Here are seven essential tips that will help you make it through your first year of teaching theatre.

1. Be prepared.

This is the number one tip for new drama teachers: Be prepared. That means do your homework and be ready with a curriculum, lesson plans, and a structure for your classes BEFORE the school year starts. Once students walk through your door, you will not have the energy to catch up on basic classroom planning, so have these materials ready ahead of time. Do your best to have lesson plans and materials ready at least a day or two before you need them, and work to stay ahead of schedule. It may be exhausting for the first couple of weeks, but if you get behind early your entire calendar can unravel, and that is incredibly stressful. So make it a priority to be prepared and stay prepared.

2. Have a classroom management plan.

Having a classroom management plan is as important, if not more important, than having lesson plans. If your classroom is in a constant state of chaos it doesn’t matter how great your lesson plans are, your students are never going to learn anything. That’s why it’s important to create a functional classroom management plan. This plan should include your rules and expectations for how students will behave in your classroom, as well as the consequences for breaking those rules or not meeting those expectations. Once you have a plan, teach it to your students early and often, and be stubbornly consistent in following it. Your students will enjoy your classes much more when they recognize that there are effective rules and regulations in place. Professional consistency with classroom management is a hallmark of highly effective teaching, so have a plan and stick to it.

3. Organize your space.

Drama teachers often get placed in “alternative” teaching spaces. That means your classes could be held in a classroom, an auditorium, a “cafetorium,” or simply a large open space that is available somewhere in the school. No matter what space you are assigned, take the time before classes start to inspect and organize it for your classes. Think in terms of managing the space in all the different configurations you will use (lecture, rehearsal, research, performance, etc.), and how students will interact with the space. Try to minimize or eliminate areas where students can hide or get into mischief. Think of your classroom as a “work” space, not a “play” space, and then organize it for maximum efficiency.

4. Check your technology.
No matter what classroom space you’re assigned, you will need working technology. Whether it is a functioning smart board or reliable access to the internet, a modern classroom cannot function without technology. However, as a drama teacher, there is no guarantee that your classroom space will have any technology at all, let alone functional technology. Spaces like the auditorium or gymnasium may not have any technology assigned to them at all, so get into your space as quickly as possible and determine what technology is available. If you find your space is missing necessary equipment, or if your equipment isn’t working, let your administration know IMMEDIATELY. Fixing these kinds of problems can take weeks, and until your classroom is technologically proficient, you will not be fully functional.

5. Coordinate with your team.

New teachers have a steep learning curve. In your first weeks and months of teaching you will need to learn everything from how to complete “mandatory district initiatives” to where the teacher’s bathroom is. However, you should not have to learn all of this by yourself. As a new teacher there should be support from your administration and fellow teachers, especially teachers in your department. Seek out your department chair or area coordinator and ask if you can be assigned a mentor for your first few years. Most experienced educators are happy to take a new teacher under their wing and show them the ropes. In addition, there are often assistant principals who are assigned to supervise and support new teachers, so find out who your assigned admin is and establish a good relationship with them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek help when you need it.

6. Know (and execute) your duties.

In addition to your teaching assignments you will also be assigned “duties.” These are school-wide tasks and responsibilities that are assigned to teachers, such as monitoring the cafeteria or supervising the bus lot. You will be assigned these duties by your administration based on the needs of the school and your schedule availability. Make sure you know your duties and take them seriously. If you are unable to complete your assigned duties, let your admin know immediately. Administrators expect you to execute your assigned duties every day without fail, and you can expect to hear from your administration if you are not at your assigned post.

7. Protect your voice.

If you have never been a full-time teacher before, you probably aren’t aware of the strain it puts on your voice. It’s not uncommon for new teachers to lose their voice in the first week of school, and when they do, there is little time for recovery. As you are preparing for the start of the school year, have a plan for self-care that includes protecting your voice: Drink plenty of water, try not to yell, and rest your voice when you can. Full-time teaching is exhausting, so plan, prepare, and get plenty of rest. Remember, the school year is a marathon, not a sprint, and you will need to pace yourself to last the entire year.

Additional Reading:
Advice for New Drama Teachers Series: Planning Ahead
What are your best tips for new drama teachers?