30 Ways to Use Radio Theater in Any Subject
30 Ways to Use Radio Theater in Any Subject When people hear the term radio theater, they often assume it belongs exclusively in a drama classroom. After all, theater and acting seem like natural partners. This post expands on ideas I recently shared in my Edutopia article about radio theater and student engagement. While that […]
Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class
Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class This blog post, Engaging Reluctant Students in Drama Class, began with considering every drama teacher eventually faces: students sitting in class who never intended to be there in the first place. When I taught a large middle school drama class which was a pre-elective, more than 500 sixth graders […]
Why Drama Is the Ultimate Life Skills Curriculum
Drama Is Life Skills: How the Classroom Becomes Real-World Practice I believe drama class is life skills. One of my favorite classroom memories explains exactly why Drama Is Life Skills: How the Classroom Becomes Real-World Practice — and it doesn’t involve a standing ovation. It involves a triangle. The Power of Being Needed Years ago, […]
Should Middle School Directors Cast Every Student?
Should Middle School Directors Cast Every Student? Part of my weekly activities is reading various Facebook drama teachers group posts. One subject is mentioned at least once a month. So let’s discuss Should Middle School Directors Cast Every Student? No matter the grade level, whenever you direct (and produce) a youth theater play, one of […]
How Sound Design Brings Characters to Life
How Sound Design Brings Characters to Life Have you ever stopped to think about how much a single sound—or even the tone of a voice—shapes how we feel about a character? I always notice the sounds of the film–the soft purr of a Disney heroine and the Lion in the film of Wizard of Oz. […]
Who Is Springboard to Action and Why It Matters
Every so often, someone reaches out to me and asks if I can help spread the word about an organization that’s making a real difference in theater education. I’m always willing to consider it. That’s part of my mission statement. When I see a program that opens doors for students and inspires teachers, I’m always […]