Theatre: a non-judgmental, creative space for learning, where thinking is challenged, and possibilities are endless.

I have been fortunate enough to have had many wonderful mentors and learning opportunities in my life, but probably the most influential learning period for me was my time in theatre school in Toronto. As a young 20 year old, the art of living was so fresh and new. I had always been (though I did not realize this until years later) an emotionally closed off person; I was someone who liked to maintain the utmost order and control. When I started this new and extremely scary experience, I was suddenly surrounded by many other young, creative people. In school, we were given assignments that challenged our thinking more than I ever thought was possible, and out of school we were either working through those assignments together, or out experiencing The Big Smoke in every way possible. My walls started to break down. I eventually became vulnerable, open, raw, receptive, and responsive. I became a good listener; I spent a great deal of time thinking about how people think so I could step into the shoes of my characters; I collaborated and created and asked questions; I was pushed, encouraged and challenged by both my teachers and peers; Here I built the strongest relationships I have ever known.

This is my teaching metaphor…Teaching is like theatre. Teaching is building relationships, connecting and reacting to the people around you. Teaching is being vulnerable. Teaching is having humility, grit, and resilience. Teaching is being a good listener, but also knowing your scene partners so well you can anticipate how they may respond. If “Acting is Reacting”, teaching is also reacting, whether that be in the form of formative assessment, or classroom management. Most importantly, to be both an actor and a teacher, is to be a learner. The more you know about every “subject” of life, the better equipped you are to help your audience/students deal with life, whether that is on a stage or in a classroom.