Methods of Teaching Theatre: A Teacher Toolkit

by Matthew Webster

If you are a new teacher, or are still in your teacher training, this book will prepare you to plan for and execute a well-run classroom.

The digital edition of Methods of Teaching Theatre: A Teacher Toolkit is available for free for Drama Teacher Academy members. Visit DramaTeacherAcademy.com to download or learn more about becoming a Drama Teacher Academy member.

Methods of Teaching Theatre: A Teacher Toolkit examines four fundamental building blocks of teaching: Classroom Setup, Classroom Management, Lesson Planning, and Assessment. It also provides you with tools and activities that will help you integrate these fundamentals into a drama classroom.

If you are a new teacher, or are still in your teacher training, these tools will provide you with a lot of supplemental, practical information that will help you prepare for your first few years of teaching.

Be ready before a student ever walks through the door.

Matthew Webster

Matt Webster is a Theatre Educator who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He holds a BA in Theatre from California State University at San Bernardino, an MA in Theatre Education from The University of New Mexico, and an MFA in Theatre for Youth from The University of Hawaii at Manoa. From 1996 to 2010, he was a tenured Associate Professor of Theatre Education/ Theatre for Youth at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During his time there, Matt was the director of the UNCC Theatre Education and Licensing program and was responsible for teaching, training, and certifying Theatre Education students. In 2010, Matt left the university to become the chair of a brand new Fine Arts Department at Rocky River High School in Mint Hill, North Carolina.

Matt left full-time classroom teaching in 2016 to become the curriculum consultant for The Drama Teacher Academy, a membership website that provides professional development, curriculum, resources, and support for theatre teachers around the world. Through the DTA, Matt creates materials and presents workshops to teachers, both online and at various Theatre Education conferences around the country. He is currently an adjunct professor of theatre at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

In addition to teaching, Matt is an actor and director who has worked with both children and adults for theatre companies from coast to coast, including Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Silver Bear Theatre in Albuquerque, Theatre Charlotte, Davidson Community Players, Matthews Playhouse, and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte.

Matt is also an award-winning, published playwright. His plays are available through Theatrefolk.