Billy and Annie discuss 9 New Year's Resolution to implement in the new year/semester. 

1. Stay positive

2. Spice up your classroom routine

3. Build fitness into your classroom

4.  Get Your Work/Life Balance in Order

5. Give Individual Time & Attention to Students

6. Get Organized – Work Smarter, Not Harder

7. Don’t Let Admin & School Policies Get You Down

8. Set Goals & Avoid Autopilot Mode

9. Get Students Involved/Empowered

 

Sources: 

Think Happy. Be Happy. Art, Inspiration, Joy

https://www.teachhub.com/top-12-new-school-year-resolutions-teachers By: Annie Condron

David LaFleche is Membership Director for the Educational Theatre Association. The Educational Theatre Association, founded in 1929, is the professional association for theatre education. EdTA is a national nonprofit organization with approximately 250,000 student and professional members. In this episode, Billy and Annie interview David to find out how EdTa can benefit your program.

https://www.schooltheatre.org/home

www.EducatioalTheatreConsultants.com

Billy and Annie Discuss how they respond to students and parents who question casting. 

Handbook Statement: The director will not discuss questions regarding casting. It is unprofessional to question the director.

Production Contract: Director has right to change casting if it is needed. 

Set expectations up by meeting with students & Parents

www.EducationalTheatreConsultants.com

Today Billy and Annie talk Tim McDonald from iTheatrics in NYC. 

https://itheatrics.com/

OUR MISSION: TO ENSURE YOUNG PEOPLE EVERYWHERE HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAMS BY…

Adapting Broadway musicals for performance by elementary, middle, and high school students

Building intuitive teaching resources that guarantee educators have a successful experience producing one of our shows

Creating study guides and innovative educational programs for Broadway shows

Creating new musicals for family audiences like The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, The Ant and the Elephant, and Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter

Constantly researching and developing the absolute best practices that allow educators to create successful, cost-effective, and sustainable musical theatre programs

 

https://juniortheaterfestival.com/

https://juniortheaterfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/JTF_2020_brochure.pdf

 

www.EducationalTheatreConsultants.com

We are taking a break for Thanksgiving, but want to hear from you. We need two things.

1. We need to know what you would like us to discuss. 

2. We need your stories for Billy's book. Please visit our website to give us your stories of how theatre has impacted your life. 

Many people have asked how they can support us and this podcast. Please visit your favorite podcast app and give us a rating. If you share the podcast with a friend, that will help us, too. 

Link to input stories for Billy's Book .

https://forms.gle/mkrELeaGStmFd55i8

www.RedDragonPlayers.com

As British professor Dylan Wiliam notes, “The amount of feedback we can give our students is limited. In the longer term, the most productive strategy is to develop our students’ ability to give themselves feedback.”

When students are in charge of their own learning, they feel a sense of belonging—the classroom & stage becomes a space defined by them. And in providing greater autonomy for students, teachers are more important than ever because only a skilled teacher & director can set up the scaffolding for this kind of learning experience and thoughtfully guide students through each step of the process.

Like adults, students feel valued and respected when an experience challenges them, reflects their interests, and allows their voices to be heard. And when they are the authors of their own stories, they attend to each moment because they care deeply about the rising action, the falling action, and the resolution—the triumphs and the lessons are their own.

Billy and Annie discuss ways to keep your students engaged in their learning and performance. This episode offers several things to think about and do. 

 

References

www.EducationalTheatreConstultants.com

https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/12/24/ctq_powell_strengths.html

Music has been used for millions of years to heal and to enhance theatrical productions. Billy and Annie discuss how music can be a stress management tool as well as a tool to use in the classroom. 

References

https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070156

www.EducationalTheatreConsultants.com

In this episode, Billy discusses with Annie some of the most influential  one-act plays he has ever seen. 

The Play That Changed My Life: America's Foremost Playwrights on the Plays That Influenced Them (Applause Books) Paperback – November 1, 2009

 

Educational Theatre Consultants

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-it9yx-12bd8fc

Teamwork in an ensemble creates a sense of unity and enthusiasm for the common interests and a desire to share in fulfilling responsibilities assigned to the ensemble.

These helps students recognize that

People have different skills; People are different and have different talents. We each have varied life experiences that make us better at one thing more than another.

You may have skills you didn't think you had – Students realize you have more in common with your character than you thought you did.

Will make your production & your department stronger.

True Colors Personality Inventory

https://truecolorsintl.com/the-four-color-personalities/

https://my-personality-test.com/true-colours

Graves Systems of Values

https://mechanicsofwhy.com/tools/diagnostic-skills/values-and-value-systems/

Annie and Billy share their Flipped model for lesson planning for the theatre classroom. 

"Many of us were taught a specific way to write a lesson plan. I was taught the method of direct instruction, generally referred to as the Madeline Hunter Method. It includes seven elements: objectives; standards; anticipatory set; teaching; guided practice; closure; and independent practice. Teaching includes the acts of input, modeling, and checking for understanding."

I love that model, but many scholars say it doesn’t work in the 21st century. I think it does and I say rather than reinvent the wheel, all we need to do is Flit it.

My definition of blended learning is a type of learning where students are often given control over the pace of their learning while the teacher acts as a facilitator. This is blended with traditional styles of teaching like lecturing and note-taking in class.

Think about it, Blended leaning is what we have been doing in theatre for years. Some instruction/some performance/some games/some reading.

 

Episode 13 is sponsored by Dragaud Soujourns

Dragaud Custom Sojourns is dedicated to creating extraordinary educational experiences for you and your students. They will give you a unique opportunity to embrace the true culture of a city or region, and to immerse yourself in all its quirks and charms. It truly is a different way of traveling.  I’ve used them now for 17 years and I will never use anyone else.  They’re the best.  I know, because I grew up with the owner. If you have been considering taking your students to New York or  anywhere around the world, check them out at give them a call at (800) 554-7537

https://dragaudsojourns.com