Throughout my teaching experience, the one thing that has remained a constant has been that nothing is, in fact, constant. No two students will have exactly the same needs, no lecture will take the exact same shape twice, and no concepts will remain exactly the same as time passes and the world evolves. As an instructor in the classroom, a mentor in the scene shop and at the tech table, and a listening ear during office hours, my teaching philosophy focuses on eliminating obstacles in student learning, allowing students autonomy to shape their own academic experience, presenting information through a variety of instructional methods, and empowering students to find their own professional and artistic styles.

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Obstacles in student learning can present in numerous ways. Whether it’s anxiety about sharing creative ideas with the class, financial hardship that makes purchasing expensive materials and textbooks an undue burden, or chronic illness that makes certain physical requirements of the traditional scene shop environment painful or impossible, there are countless ways in which a traditional theatre education can prove unattainable or unrealistic for many. My philosophy is that if a student is unable to perform the task at hand, then it is my duty as the instructor to work with the student to identify a way around the barriers or eliminate them entirely. In practice, this involves prioritizing affordable learning materials, presenting multiple methods to achieve desired outcomes, and maintaining flexibility in processes so long as safety and quality are not compromised. Accommodation leads to innovation, and often the more accessible an experience is for an individual, the better it is for everyone involved. As a result of making adjustments in the classroom setting, I am able to utilize new practices to improve production processes and create safer, healthier working environments for all.

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Autonomy in shaping academic experience is crucial to student investment in a course. While curricular requirements and professional standards must be the foundation of every course, by allowing students to share what their specific interests and needs are, I can shape the finer details of a course to ensure individual needs are being met and students remain engaged. One of the ways in which I do this is to offer variations on projects whenever possible. Students will have certain baseline parameters they must meet, but may be encouraged to take on additional challenges based on skill level or primary area of interest. For example, a project requiring students to build a flat may offer opportunities to further explore skills in welding, prepare soft flats to use as paint surfaces, or engineer units outside of stock measurements. All students will be required to follow standard construction methods and demonstrate basic drafting skills, but by allowing students to shape their own experience, I have found that they are far more invested in the project or lesson at hand.

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A variety of instructional methods allows students to learn the way that suits them best. As every educator knows, students learn through different styles, and can fall behind if their learning needs are going unmet. For this reason, I present all information in multiple ways whenever possible. Typically, material is first presented in terms of reading, either from a textbook, an article, a professional website, or another credible source. This allows students to clearly see everything written out and explained, and to process at their own pace. Next, the material is addressed through lectures or demonstrations in class. Students who prefer to hear material or see how it happens in real time get the chance to observe and ask questions without the added pressure of “doing” yet. Finally, students move into a hands-on approach, demonstrating the skills they have learned. This not only covers the students who learn best in this style, but also prepares all students for practical application of topics. Through repetition, key pedagogical practices are reinforced, leading to higher levels of retention.

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Empowering students to become independent artists confident in their own style and abilities is what I love most about being an educator. For every student I mentor, I consider the ways in which I can help them grow as an artist and a professional, discovering their own identity within a rapidly changing industry. In all areas, I prioritize standards of safety and professionalism as the base line. Beyond this, it is crucial to allow students the opportunity to discover how they work rather than just how I work. I will share with a student what I would do in a situation and the rationale behind it, but whenever possible, I also provide examples of methods that have been successful for others. With more options to choose from, students can grow as critical thinkers who can consider why they select a particular approach and hopefully apply similar constructive processes in future situations. When providing feedback, I am sure to explain to a student the rationale behind my critique to allow for further growth in adjacent skill areas. I also try to emphasize integrity as an artist and professional. So often, students are put in positions that are unjust or unsafe, and they feel as though they are powerless to speak up for themselves or their peers. By working with students to identify what the issues are, why they are happening, how to address them, and what the ideal outcome would be, I can empower students to create the type of environment they need in order to excel, and ultimately the type of culture our industry needs to move towards.