Help
FAQ and Site Tour for the Drama Teacher Academy
Using the Site
Membership
How do I renew my membership?
Request a quote for annual or multi-month renewal. It will be emailed directly to you and include payment options for your to pass on to your admin.
Is there a time commitment?
The Drama Teacher Academy is a monthly membership site. Your card is charged on the same day each month, just like a gym membership. You can cancel your membership whenever you like. If you’re interested in annual billing through a school PO, learn about annual billing.
How long does it take for my membership to become active?
Your account is activated as soon as your credit card goes through and you receive your receipt.
How long is my fee good for?
The Drama Teacher Academy is a monthly membership/subscription site so your fee is good for one month. We will charge your card on the same day each month and you’ll receive a receipt.
If you decide you want to pay yearly ($444), or better still your school is paying for you, your membership is good for one year from the date we charge your card, or we receive the PO from your school.
How do I cancel my DTA membership?
You can cancel your membership at any time. You can come and go as you please, no questions asked. Learn how to cancel.
What will I receive each month?
You will receive unlimited access to the Drama Teacher Academy website with courses designed just for drama teachers, full curriculum plans and units, and classroom resources to print off, watch or download. You’ll also receive access to community support through the private, members-only Facebook group, and virtual PLC’s.
Do I have to be a teacher to sign up?
Not at all! Maybe you’re a freelance teaching artist or substitute, or you’re studying to become a teacher. Just know that the site’s focus will always be on drama educators.
Can I share my membership with a friend?
DTA memberships are for individuals. The more members we have in DTA, the more we’re going to be able to do for you, the more interesting instructors we’re going to be able to bring in, and the more resources we’ll be able to provide. So it’s in your best interest to encourage your friends to sign up for themselves!
Do you have a student discount?
Not at this time. We feel the fee is very competitive and offers a great value.
My school might pay for a yearly membership but they are skeptical. Do you have documentation for administrators?
Some school districts have funds available (curriculum / library / technology) that aren’t normally available to drama teachers. We’ve been asked for documentation to assure them that your professional development meets their requirements.
Send your district reps or administrators to the Drama Teacher Academy Executive Summary, a page just for them. The Executive Summary describes the DTA in details and demonstrates how their teachers benefit by being DTA members.
Take a look at this online tutorial to help you learn about funding opportunities within your school or district for the DTA.
How does the DTA cost compare to other P.D. opportunities for drama teachers?
On a monthly basis ($37) the cost is barely more than a dollar a day for unlimited access to courses, lessons, and resources designed just for the drama teacher. Not to mention the virtual PLC’s and online support community.
Compare a year’s membership ($37 x 12 = $444) to the cost of a workshop or conference. If you go to a live conference you’re going to pay at least that, perhaps more because of hotel, flight, and incidentals.
How many workshops can you attend over a weekend? What about reviewing the material afterward? Will you have access to exactly what the instructor said?
In the DTA you have unlimited access to the materials and can access them whenever/wherever you wish.
PD Courses
How many courses can I take at a time? Are there limits?
As long as you are a member of the DTA, you have access to all of the materials, 24/7. You can take as many courses as you’d like, download as many materials as you’d like, and participate in as many PLC’s as you’d like. It’s all designed for you to go at your own pace, on your own time. No restrictions.
Are you a licensed PD provider??
For many states and districts, DTA Completion Certificates are all that’s needed to provide proof of PD for license renewal or annual requirements. See approved states and requirements.
We recommend seeking pre-approval with your district or school board.
Use this justification letter template if you need help getting started.
How long is the average course?
Our courses are generally split up into 9-10 lessons, each lesson running an average of 10 minutes. You can choose to watch the course video on any device, download the course MP3 audio and listen in your car, or download the transcript or slide deck.
You go at your own pace in the time that works for you.
Do I get credit for courses and PLC’s?
Each course comes with a Certificate of Completion. It will automatically show up in your account, completed with your name and time spent taking the course, upon completion. If you participate in a virtual PLC event or watch a replay, we offer a Certificate of Attendance.
It’s up to your individual district/board, but we have found that many teachers use the DTA courses as credit towards recertification. See details on specific states
Curriculum and Resources
How will I know when something new is on the DTA?
You’ll receive email newsletters each month, telling you about new courses, lesson plans, and resources. We add new material all the time! You’ll also be informed about what’s coming up, and what we have planned.
How can I find what I need on the DTA without clicking through all of the categories?
On the left hand side of the DTA site, and at the top of most pages, you’ll see a ‘search DTA’ box. Start there! If you type ‘Improv’, for example, you’ll see results (see an example) from courses, lesson plans, and resources. So it searches the entire database for you - easy peasy!
You can also narrow down your search results by using the filters on the left hand side of the screen once you’ve completed a search.
All of our materials are also ‘tagged.’ So if you’re looking at a resource or lesson plan and want more material like it, just click on the tag and you’ll see all of the courses, lessons, and resources with that same tag.
How do I bookmark or save something for later?
There is a button called ‘Add to My Stuff’ beside each lesson, resource, or unit. Click that button, and the material will be saved in your ‘My Stuff’ folder which can be accessed anytime on the left hand side of any page.
Community and PLC’s
How do the virtual PLC’s work?
The DTA hosts a virtual PLC events designed just for members. You can see past PLCs here for examples.
The PLC is hosted on a members-only live page with a chat forum, so that our guests can answer questions from participants throughout the PLC. PLC’s are recorded and transcribed. They are posted in the Resources section of the DTA website.
See upcoming PLCs. We take on a different topic each time, all driven by the needs of our members.
I’m really excited about the PLC’s designed just for drama teachers. What if I can’t attend one?
We maintain a PLC calendar and we aim to plan our PLC’s about 3 months in advance, so you have lots of time to plan to attend. However, we also post the replays of our live events so if you’re unable to attend in person, you can watch the replay and download the transcript. You won’t miss out on the learning!
See upcoming PLCs. Once you’re a member, you can sign up right away and sync the details with your own calendar, so you don’t miss a thing!
How do I join the private Facebook group?
Once your membership is activated, you’ll see a link to the Facebook group in the Community section of the DTA site. On the Facebook group page, ask to join the group. We’ll match up your name with your DTA membership and approve your join request.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If your Facebook name is different than your name in the DTA then let us know. The DTA Facebook group is only for DTA members so if we don’t recognize your name we might decline the group join request by accident. We want you there!
