Organized Playtime for Thinking Adults

About a dozen or so students have approached me to ask me if they could switch out of their current elective and into my drama class. It's great to hear that students have an interest in my class. However, I wasn't sure how to reply. On one hand, I hate to turn students away, especially because the selection process for the electives was really unclear. On the other hand, my students have spent the past 8 weeks learning and growing and acting and playing and learning how to express themselves. I didn't think it was fair to bring other students into our group now that we've become so close. We are our own circle of trust.

So, I decided to ask my drama students about it. Their class, their experience, their choice, I thought. First, I asked them if they would be willing to allow new students into the class. Then, I proposed that we hold auditions to fill however many new spots we are willing to allow.

At first, they weren't sure about these new people. They agreed that it would difficult to catch up after all this time. One student said, "We learn and progress each week and a new person could never catch up." Another student said we shouldn't allow anyone new because "they might think that we don't do any work and that it's just an easy A." And yet another student said that we are like a "family" now and it would be weird to invite new people into the family. "More people might mean more boys for our scenes," argued someone else. In the end we decided to allow a maximum of three new people.

As far as the auditions go, my students had a few opinions about that as well. They were really concerned about why students wanted to switch electives. They said that each auditionee should fill out a form before auditioning. These new people must take drama class seriously. Also decided by my students was the fact that we need to be on the lookout for groups of friends that want to join. No slackers! During the audition itself, it was decided that the students auditioning need to complete a few distinct types of exercises that we've done in class, not just one kind, because we need to see what skills they have.

Basically, my students inadvertently expressed to me how important drama class is to them. It's meaningful. It's important. It's not just an easy A. This is a personal triumph for me. I've often wondered if I treat theater too lightly: allowing for too much fidgeting, too much chatting, and too much laughter. Turns out, theater is meaningful and life-changing no matter how one teaches it. For example, I enjoyed hearing my students defend the serious nature of theater class, despite how everything we do in class is play with our voices and move our bodies in new ways. This is the power of theater.

Honestly, I got a little teary eyed while the students weren't looking. English class is definitely all-business this year (until we get to Romeo and Juliet that is), but drama has been refreshing. It's all the things I love about literature and characters, but with zero grammar! In fact, a number of my students have told me how different of a teacher I am in English class than in drama class. Apparently, I'm really "shy" and "reserved" in English class, but in drama I let loose! I'm glad I do.

Really, isn't that the point of theater? Organized playtime for thinking adults.


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Now for some GOOD NEWS!

Misty, the fifth-grader who was kidnapped last Friday, was returned home yesterday, safe and sound. She is doing well according to Mark, her teacher. Her kidnappers kept her for nearly a week, but Misty seems comfortable sharing about her experience, so it seems that like no physical harm was done to her. Also, there is a possibility that Misty was with other kidnapped kids. It's very strange to feel glad that she wasn't alone, but horrified at the idea of a group of kids hanging out at the kidnappers' lair.

Flashback! I never posted pictures from my trip to White Cloud, MI to visit my brother, Mike, and his wife, Tracy. They're stained glass artists:

These pictures were taken at their studio, where all the magic happens. I miss them and all my loved ones in the Mitten.

Take care!

All my best and a thousand hugs from Honduras,

Julie