Success

Being a drama teacher can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. Between managing students, navigating school demands, and balancing your own well-being, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or question your impact. In those tough moments, remember this: what you do matters — deeply. Here are 10 reminders to help you see the value in your work, even on the hardest days. 1. You provide a brave space. For many students, your drama class is the one place they feel comfortable being themselves. You create an environment where they can express their feelings, take risks, and build confidence without fear of judgment. That type of space is invaluable. 2. You foster creativity. In a world that often emphasizes tests and data, you give students the freedom to imagine, explore, and create. The skills they develop in your class will serve them far beyond the stage. Remember that student who turned a simple prop into a brilliant comedic moment? That’s creativity in action. 3. You build life skills. From teamwork and communication to problem-solving and adaptability, your students are learning skills that will benefit them in every aspect of their lives. Drama teaches students how to collaborate, listen, and think critically. 4. You create lasting memories. Think about the students who will look back on their time in your drama program and remember it as one of the best parts of their school experience. The friendships, performances, and moments of triumph you help create will stick with them for years. 5. You inspire confidence. For some students, stepping on stage feels impossible at first. But with your guidance and encouragement, they find their voice and build the confidence to take center stage — whether in a performance or in life. 6. You celebrate individuality. Drama isn’t one-size-fits-all, and you embrace that. You help students see that their unique talents, ideas, and perspectives are worth sharing. That validation can change lives. 7. You offer an emotional outlet. Your class may be the only place some students feel comfortable expressing their emotions. Drama gives them a healthy way to process feelings, build empathy, and connect with others. 8. You encourage resilience. Theatre teaches students to handle mistakes, adapt when things go wrong, and keep going no matter what. Those lessons are crucial in school, on stage, and throughout life. Think of the student who kept going after forgetting their lines — that’s resilience in action. 9. You champion the arts. In a world that sometimes sidelines creative subjects, your dedication to drama keeps the arts alive and thriving in your school community. That advocacy is vital for students who find their passion in performance. 10. You change lives. Never underestimate the power of your influence. Students may not always express it, but your guidance, encouragement, and belief in them can shape their path in incredible ways. You are making a difference, one rehearsal, one performance, one student at a time. Final thought: On the days when you feel like what you do isn’t enough, remember this: you are giving your students more than just a class. You’re giving them a space to grow, connect, and discover their potential. Think back to a student who surprised you - what role did your support play in their journey? Drama teachers everywhere face these same challenges, and together, we keep making magic happen. Your commitment, dedication, and support matter more than you know. Additional Reading:Developing a Drama Teacher Community How do you Define Success as a Drama Teacher What Motivational Words Would You Offer a Struggling Drama Teacher? Drama Teachers: We See You. We Hear You. We Are With You.

There are many reasons to get into teaching theatre. Whether it comes from a love of teaching or a love of theatre, it’s important to take a deep breath and enjoy the journey. Learn from the challenges and celebrate the successes. But sometimes it can be tough to determine what success looks like. So we went straight to the source to get the inside scoop from those who’ve been there: drama teachers. We asked: How do you define success as a drama teacher? Keeping in touchThe amazing successes of so many students. Even more importantly, how so many of them have stayed in contact through the years. I have loved each and every one of them and it means so much to still be in contact. I love being able to congratulate them on their many achievements. (Kim) Former students, as long ago as 15 years, writing me letters of appreciation and realizing the good effects that drama had on them. I love it when I’m invited to their weddings too! (Tina) Today I went to see a play at a local theater and one of my former students was in it (I didn’t realize until I saw the program). She was so excited to see me and told me I made her day, because I was her favorite teacher ever. To me, that is success. (Jennifer) Groups of students who remain friends and creative collaborators after leaving my class and come back to visit me sharing about their latest projects. Letters written by students advocating for the preservation of the school drama program citing the impact it’s had on their lives. (Diana) Developing life skillsAre the students learning skills and stretching whatever it is they need to stretch… voice, confidence, movement, intentions, teamwork, awareness, listening, posture, eye contact, diction, focus, staying in character, playing increasingly more difficult characters, more in period, etc., and are they enjoying it after a performance/success? (Deborah) Students learning empathy for others and how to be unapologetically their most authentic selves. (Kelly) Social awareness of something greater than oneself rooted in actions fueled with empathy. (Pam) Being told by a parent of a dyslexic student that they never thought their child would be capable of confidence with reading, but seeing them on a stage in front of a crowd having memorized lines blew them away. (Eryn) Confidence buildingWhen that shyest of kids opens up and owns his scene to the delight of the audience. And watching him feel that joy. (Kelly) Seeing a shy little kiddo come to class at the beginning of the year, and leave at the end of the year being able to stand up and perform confidently in front of the class is the most rewarding for me. Building confidence and helping them believe in themselves! (Ashleigh) Having students forcibly hug me after their performance, saying, ‘“You said I could do it and you were right, you believed in me more than I did!” (Vicky) Happy, confident kids. (Kris) Getting a kid who previously had stage fright to act as the lead in your show. (Jeff) Not having to be backstage ever because the students are so confident in their ability to get the job done. (Meg) If my students leave my care having more confidence in themselves than when I got them.(RHS) When I see my actors fully committed and fearless in their characters. (Jeannette) The smiles on their faces when they finish performing and they thought they could never do it. (MMS) Students finding their placeA place for kids to belong, to find their thing, just like any kid who loves basketball, music, etc. The pride they feel putting on a show, the joy they get from playing a game, losing themselves in a character… so many things. (Tara) When a parent tells me, “My kid loves this, he found his people.” (Shannon) My favorite part of theater education is the kinship and feeling of family that comes from the shared effort of putting together a show. When I see even the quirkiest kids finding solace in the safe space that I strive to create, that to me is the biggest success I could achieve. (Leigh) As a neurodivergent teacher, theater saved school for me. I hope to be that place for my kids. (Amanda) Small things. That one freshman that came after school to finish painting that set piece you assigned during class who gradually gets to know the rehearsing drama kids and then when an ensemble member drops, she’s there to step in and within a month, she’s found her theater family and she’ll be a drama kid for life, and in those tiny, one-student-at-a-time moments, magic is made and faith is restored and I am once again in love with what I do. Small things. (Terry) Seeing students come into their ownObserving and being part of their development as artists and human beings. That moment when you see them come into their own is so satisfying! (Amy) Growth! My favorite thing in the world is feedback saying, “I never expected that from [troubled/shy/athletic/etc. student name]!” (Caryn) The ownership of actors and tech on the night of the opening show! They own it. Joy! (Betsy) Developing a love of theatreWhen people who experience their first few classes suddenly realise that drama is an essential subject and should be taught to all ages and levels. Bingo right there. (Amina) When the final curtain falls at the end of a run and all of the students run to you and beg to do one more performance or start asking what the next show will be. (Bill) Students who leave my class loving theatre. (Roxanne) Just when we start rehearsals on an end-of-course showcase and one student asks, “After this one are we going to do another show?!” (Ranya) When students leave the room excitedly chatting about what they just experienced in class. (Kathi)

This is a fun project to do with your students at the end of the year. At first glance it looks like an art project (and it is!) but when you peel back the layers, you’ll see that it helps students develop their decision-making and reflection skills as well. On top of that, the final piece is a visual representation of students’ successes and happy memories in their drama class. So grab your markers and get to crafting! And if you aren’t artsy or craftsy yourself, feel free to let your students take the lead on this one. Materials Needed• Small, colourful pieces of paper to make cutouts (approximately post-it note size, but use whatever is appropriate for your students) • Scissors • Markers • Tape or glue • A large piece of poster board (or another item to make the base of the poster/art piece) • Any additional decorations you wish Instruction1. As a class, have your students choose a small symbol that is easy to reproduce or cut out. You might choose hearts, snowflakes, speech bubbles, stars, clouds, leaves, or whatever you like. You can also use found items such as postcards, Instax photos, ribbons, magazine cutouts, leaves that have fallen to the ground — whatever makes sense for your class and is easily available to you. Students will be writing on the cutouts — more details on that below. Ideally, your class will choose something personalized and representative of the subject or the students themselves. If you did a class production, you might choose something related to your show. For example, if you studied The Gorgon Sisters in your class, you might make cutouts in the shape of snakes (representing the snake-hair strands). If your class really enjoyed a unit on technical theatre, you could use cutouts of lights and microphones, or you could use fabric swatches for a class that loved costume work. If your class went on a field trip or had a guest speaker that really made an impact, you could design the cutout symbols around that. 2. Each student will take one of the cutouts and write down something they’ve achieved during the class (a success, a moment they’re proud of, something they learned, etc.). Keep the memories positive and encourage students to write in their own words: “I loved playing Heracles in The Gorgon Sisters,” “I learned so much from our stage makeup unit,” “I’ll never forget laughing really hard during improv class,” “I made so many new friends this semester,” “I’m proud of myself for performing a monologue for the first time.” It’s up to you whether you want your students to sign their cutouts or not. 3. Use the cutouts to make a poster or art piece, and display it with the class title and date, semester, or year. There are many different ways to create the piece. Going with the example of The Gorgon Sisters above, you might try one of the following: • Mount the production poster or a group photo of the students on a piece of poster board and attach the students’ cutouts to it. • Have a student who is a good artist draw or paint Stheno’s head on the poster board and place the snake cutouts around her head like hair. • Create a 3D art piece by decorating a mannequin head or foam head and attaching the cutouts. • Get a snake plushie and attach the cutouts to it with safety pins. 4. Eventually, if you continue this project over different classes and semesters, you can create an art installation with celebration posters/pieces from multiple drama classes to use as classroom décor. This way your drama students can look at the pieces and remember the good moments and their successes, and new students can look at the pieces as inspiration for the future. 5. If you wish, have students complete an exit slip at the end of the class (click the link below to get it!).

This month we’re focusing on helping different types of students in your drama class succeed. In the fourth and final part of this series, we’re focusing on the class clowns. Going back to the High School Musical comparison, the class clowns are your outspoken and outgoing Chad Danforth types. They are loud and funny students who love to draw attention to themselves with their goofiness. They often take drama class because they think it’s an easy grade. They may secretly enjoy drama class but don’t want to admit it. Class clowns have wonderful energy and a great sense of humour, and they’re often talented performers because they’re fearless. They’re eager to show off and make their friends laugh. They excel at theatrical techniques such as improv, sketch comedy, and clowning (of course). They usually enjoy playing theatre games but will often try to stretch or bend the rules to suit their own sense of humour. Class clowns, however, are notorious for being disruptive in the classroom. They may irritate the drama enthusiasts because they don’t always take their work seriously; frustrate the writer/composers because they often improvise instead of sticking to the script; overwhelm the introverts with their boisterousness; and annoy teachers by distracting the rest of the class. The challenge for the drama teacher is to encourage the class clowns to maintain their enthusiasm and zest, while keeping them focused and on task. Here are some tips to help your class clowns succeed:• Be clear about behavioural expectations_ _right away. Although drama class isn’t about sitting silently and reading textbooks, students still must observe the rules. There is a time and place for silliness in drama class, but it isn’t all class, every class. • Class clowns may or may not realize how their disruptive actions affect others. Work on exercises that encourage teamwork, active listening, and nonverbal communication to help your students gain a more ensemble-based focus. • Class clowns love being funny, but sometimes their jokes are only funny to themselves. Spend a unit focusing on various types of comedy throughout history, such as slapstick, commedia dell’Arte, or Shakespeare’s comedies, and let your class clowns discover where the funny comes from. • Partner up your class clowns with your writer/composers and have them study comedy writing. Have them research comedy writers from their favourite television shows or movies and learn about their processes, and then write a sketch or scene based on one of those writers’ styles. • Your class clowns may also enjoy doing a research project on their favourite comedians and sharing how those performers’ work influences them. • Invite a fight director to teach your class safe techniques for pratfalls, trips, slaps, and other moves used in physical comedy. • Try the warm-up game below, Keep Adding On, to practice creating safe physical humour, while working on listening and focusing.

This month we’re focusing on helping different types of students in your drama class succeed. In Part 3 of this series, we’re focusing on the introverts. Going back to the High School Musical comparison, the introverts are your talented but shy and insecure Gabriellas, who often surprise everyone with their skills once they gather the courage to participate. However, the introvert category can also include less obvious students, like Troy Bolton. These students are popular and confident when they’re in their comfort zones (in Troy’s case, the basketball court), but once they’re in drama class their confidence falters. These students have a desire to participate in drama but may be worried about what their friends think. Your introverts enjoy drama class and want to succeed, but are often overwhelmed by your drama enthusiasts or intimidated by your writer/composers. They may not have as much (or any) previous training or experience in drama. They’re easily overlooked because they tend to be quiet and they don’t cause trouble in class, but they certainly don’t want to be forgotten. Given the chance, your introverts have the ability to shine, but you’ll need to help them to overcome their shyness or lack of self-confidence. They may take longer to warm up to certain activities, or they may wish to hang in the background for a while. They may think they don’t have the skills or experience to take on leadership roles. A good drama teacher must push them out of their comfort zone, without pushing so hard that these students retreat into their shells again. Here are some tips to help your introverts succeed:• Find out if they have any previous drama experience. If they don’t, give them the opportunity to learn more about the basics. • Explore non-verbal acting techniques early in the term, such as mime, tableau, mask work, and clown work. This will give students the opportunity to get creative in the classroom without the pressure of having to speak right away. • Give your students advance notice about what order they will present or perform in, so your introverts can mentally prepare themselves and not feel put on the spot. • As much as possible, balance full class work, small group work, and partner exercises with solo or individual work. Some introverted students prefer working in groups because it gives them the opportunity to try out different theatrical techniques without the pressure of being the only one performing. Conversely, some introverted students can find group work overwhelming and need individual working time to decompress. • When working on scripted scenes in class, rotate your casting so all students, including your introverts, have the opportunity to read/perform larger roles. • Encourage your introverts to take on leadership positions and/or audition for leading roles if it seems like they want to. Challenge them to push themselves further than they think they’re capable of. • Teach them techniques to help them overcome stage fright. • Observe how your introverts respond to praise and feedback. Some don’t like being singled out or feel put on the spot if they’re praised publicly, so for those students, offer written feedback or pull them aside after class. Others gain confidence from verbal praise in front of others. Use what works best for each student. • Have students come up with a series of theatrical affirmations that can be made into posters and displayed around the classroom. Use the affirmations included in the giveaway as a starting point, and brainstorm more with your students. If your students are feeling unsure of themselves, remind them of these affirmations.

This month we’re focusing on helping different types of students in your drama class succeed. In Part 2 of this series, we’re focusing on the writer/composers. Going back to the High School Musical comparison, these are your quietly brilliant Kelsi Nielsens. Like your drama enthusiasts, these students love drama class and are usually involved in school productions, as well as up to date on all the Broadway news. They might be musically inclined and play at least one instrument. They’re often well spoken and quite witty once you get to know them, and they do well in other classes such as creative writing, English, and music. They may or may not be eager performers in class, but they participate and contribute effectively. These lovely students are creative, smart, and talented, but sometimes they can be introverted and quiet. This can lead to them being overshadowed or spoken over by their more extroverted classmates. Their creative ideas and writing skills are definitely assets, but they can be relegated to the workhorse role in group work and they don’t always get the credit they deserve for their contributions. They also may feel like they don’t fit in with their peers in drama class; as writers and composers, they don’t easily fall into the performer or crew categories. Your writer/composers may need reassurance that their contributions are valuable and, indeed, necessary for your drama class. They are the ones who will come up with material that is relevant, fresh, and interesting to your drama students. Who knows, your students might be the creators of the next big hit someday! Encourage your writer/composers to write/compose daily, and to share their work as much as possible to grow and get feedback. Challenge them to take the lead on group playwriting activities. There are many articles and exercises here at Theatrefolk about playwriting that you can use to inspire your students. At the same time, participating in a variety of onstage and technical production roles will benefit your writer/composers and allow them to gain practical theatrical experiences that will inform their future written creations. If possible, look into creating special focus projects and opportunities for your writer/composers, such as: • Workshopping scenes they’ve written by having their classmates read or perform them in class • Editing or acting as dramaturgs for other students’ written work • Writing the script or composing music for a class performance project • Composing a new school song • Challenging them to try different styles of writing, such as sketch comedy or spoken word poetry • Creating original underscores to accompany mime, tableau, mask, or otherwise silent scene work • Composing pre-show, scene change, intermission, or post-show music for your school production • Creating a series of improv scene or playwriting prompts for you to use in your classroom Try this playwriting exercise to get your writer/composers’ brains going quickly and creatively (as well as the brains of the rest of your class!). Students will complete this exercise in groups of 2-4. 3 Items Playwriting Exercise• Select three items visible in the drama classroom. For example: • A hoodie, a pencil sharpener, and a chair • A backpack, a poster, and a piece of chalk • A day planner, a granola bar, and a dustpan • Students have 10-15 minutes to write a one-page scene that has the same number of characters as group members and uses, mentions, or involves the three items in some way. The rest of the scene elements (characters, location, topic, style) are up to the group. The scene must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. • When time is up, each group will read the scene out loud for the rest of the class, with each group member reading one of the roles. • If time permits, have a class discussion about the various creative ways the same three items were used differently in each scene. • Alternate option: Students may compose a short song or rap, set to the tune of an existing song or an original melody, using the three items. As with the scene, students will perform the song or rap out loud for the rest of the class.

This month we’re focusing on helping different types of students in your drama class succeed. First, let’s start with the drama enthusiasts. Imagine the Disney Channel movie High School Musical. These are your outspoken Sharpays and your talented Ryans. These students live for school productions and drama is their favourite class. They’re often highly skilled and/or experienced in theatrical techniques and they may participate in related activities outside of school, such as dance training or vocal lessons. On one hand, they can be a blessing. They’re eager to answer questions and lead theatrical discussions, they’re up to date on all the hottest shows and theatre news, and they’re fearless about trying new exercises and drama games. They aspire to study drama in university or college, move to New York, and take Broadway by storm. On the other hand, drama enthusiasts can take all these wonderful traits too far – they can be know-it-alls and intimidate less outgoing students with their fervour, they may feel entitled to bigger roles and greater responsibilities because of their continued participation in the drama program, or they can alienate other students by taking themselves and their commitment to drama too seriously. It’s easy for drama enthusiasts to take their love of drama too far, and cause drama off the stage. The trick with your drama enthusiasts is to encourage their passion for drama class while ensuring that they aren’t taking over the class. While you don’t want to dampen their enthusiasm, these students need to learn that they aren’t the only ones in drama class. Try these suggestions to help your drama enthusiasts succeed:• DO encourage them to take on leadership roles, such as leading a warm-up game. • DON’T always allow them to go first, answer every question, or monopolize discussions. If necessary, go in alphabetical order or use another method of taking turns. Reassure them that their thoughts and opinions are valued, but that other students need a chance to share as well. • DO use your drama enthusiasts’ knowledge to keep up to date on what’s cool in the theatre world. They’ll be the ones to know all the best new plays and musicals, Broadway gossip, and what shows your students are into at the moment. They’ll appreciate your taking the time to listen to them. • DON’T allow them to act like divas. Your drama enthusiasts might have a “me first” attitude. Just because they’ve participated in every production or they pursue performing outside of school doesn’t entitle them to special treatment. Discourage gossip, catty behaviour, and off-stage drama if it arises. • DO help them become team players by emphasizing an ensemble mindset. • DON’T encourage them to pursue only performing roles. Challenge them to try all kinds of theatrical endeavours, such as technical and backstage roles, playwriting, stage management, choreography, and more. This will help them develop an even greater knowledge base and appreciation of the work that everyone does, and will help them in their future studies and employment in the arts. • DO remember that drama enthusiasts can be hiding insecurities. The arts are often overshadowed in schools by academics or athletics. Your drama enthusiasts might feel that drama is the only thing they’re good at. Drama class is their small place to shine. • DON’T forget to let your drama enthusiasts know how much you appreciate their love of theatre and drama class. These students can truly be the backbone of your program, and when their passion and enthusiasm is focused, they can be great assets to your classes and productions.