Search the Drama Teacher Academy

Want to try a playwriting unit but have no idea where to start? Or have you tried introducing playwriting in the past but didn’t get the results you hoped for? We’ve got a great panel of playwright/teachers who are here to share their most successful approaches and strategies.

Does your lizard brain make itself heard loud and clear? Do you sometimes feel like you’re living in your very own version of The Play That Goes Wrong? Or The Class That Goes Wrong? You are not alone. Let’s get together and discover how to plan for and even embrace failure. Failure can be a good thing for both you and your students!

You have a script, you have a space, you have some actors. What you don’t have is money! Can you still do a show? Will it be any good? Is there a way to get Broadway effects on a Main street budget? Join us to talk about low budget solutions to typical theatre problems and pinch those pennies ‘til they sing!

Monologues are the backbone of the performance process. They are a super-concentrated way for students to learn such skills as memorization, characterization, objective and tactics. But how does a teacher juggle 20+ monologues at a time and still give the kind of feedback that will help their students improve? Join us for a discussion about monologues in the drama classroom and find out how it’s done.

Your show opens in a week, but your kids aren’t ready, or worse still, they were ready a week ago! How do you keep them focused and fresh? How do you push them over the finish line? How does this seem to happen every year?? Join us for a conversation about ways to manage your rehearsals late into the rehearsal process so that everything comes together just right in the end.

Being a teacher makes its hard to say no. Being a Drama teacher makes it almost impossible! Drama teachers wear so many hats - instructor, director, designer, councilor (not to mention parent and partner!) that there is always something, or someone, that needs your time and attention. It’s just a matter of time before a ball is dropped and everything comes crashing down. It’s no wonder that drama teachers burn out! With so many people and projects fighting for your time how do you find balance? Sometimes you just have to say…No! Join us to talk about finding balance between life, work and art.

Drama teachers are professional problem solvers. Give a Drama teacher some cardboard, a staple gun and a can of green beans and they can take over the world! However, sometimes you get stuck on a problem and just don’t know where to turn. That’s where we come in! Send us your questions and we will access the hive-mind to maximum effect. In this special PLC we help solve your most nagging problems and get you back on track.

Reflection is a fundamental component of teaching. It is also a cornerstone of running a successful program or production. It can be hard to ask the tough questions once the year is over and all you want to do is just forget it all and move on. But that post-mortem is where the real learning happens! When you reflect on the successes and failures of the previous season or year, you bypass future mistakes before they have a chance to take root, and sow the seeds of a successful new year. So join us for the Year End Post-Mortem: What did you try, what did you skip, what worked, what didn’t. It’s time to build the foundations of the new year on the ashes of the old.

Summer is upon us and it is time to plan how we are going to spend those glorious months! Rest? Relax? Recuperate? Of course! But also Read, Recharge and Reimagine! These summer months are a great time to take a breath and recover from the stresses of the previous year, but they are also a great time to apply some professional “Me Time” in order to get you excited and prepared for the year to come. Remember: A small investment in the summer will pay big returns during the school year. This PLC will cover some of the summertime basics that will get you charged up and ready to tackle a new year.

When a student walks through the door of your classroom for the first time, they are looking for clues as to what kind of teacher you are and what kind of classroom you run. Whether they are expecting a serious Drama experience or unstructured "play-time", they will know within the first five minutes of the first day what kind of class this is, and what kind it isn't. And they will know it based solely on the tone you set on DAY ONE! So join us for this special PLC on setting the tone in your drama classroom, and be prepared for whoever walks through your door...

The new school year is a few weeks in, and we are using this PLC to count down the most important preparations you can implement right from the beginning. From setting up your classroom, to setting goals/rules/responsibilities, to the best games and activities to engage new students, this PLC will prepare you to blast off to a successful new year!

Every teacher will tell you that the hardest part of teaching is dealing with 'That kid'. The kid who has a rotten attitude. The kid who is disruptive. The kid that won't participate. The kid who just doesn't care. Every teacher can tell you a story about 'That kid'. They are the kid we obsess over, lose sleep over, and cry over. Teaching careers have ended because of 'That kid'. Join us for a very special PLC to discuss the best way to deal with 'That kid'.

Nothing says "21st Century Teacher" like the skillful use of technology in the classroom. But for theatre teachers, it can be challenging to find technology that benefits our students and enhances our lessons. That's why we are dedicating this PLC to the use of technology in the drama classroom. We will explore such programs as Google Tools and Google Classroom, as well as other beneficial technology for classroom and stage. So join us to talk tech and face the 21st century head on!

You and your students want a good story and script, even if you have to write it yourselves! But what does that look like? Who's in control? How would that work? How exactly do you devise new work with students? Join us in this PLC on Devising to learn the ins and outs of generating new works with your students.

Drama teachers often face a difficult dilemma: There are times when you need to be two or three places at once, and you need back up. But where can you turn for help? How about your class roster! Never underestimate the power of a dedicated student leader. By delegating duties and assigning responsibilities to your trusted students, you give yourself some breathing room, and you give them valuable leadership experience. Join us for this PLC on Student Leadership and set up your back up.

As the fall semester comes to a close it's a great time to take a quick look back at the recently concluded term, and take note of what went well and what could be improved next time. From discipline, to curriculum to productions, there is always something to learn and a new semester is a great time to either continue full speed ahead - or press the reset button! Join us for a review of the semester that was.

Your show opens in a week and it is a train wreck! Actors aren’t off book, the set is just a pile of lumber, and you haven’t sold a single advanced ticket. Cancelling the show is the only option. Or is it…? Cancelling a show is one of the hardest decisions any drama teacher has to make, and it should never be taken lightly. Join us as we hash out the pros and cons of cancelling a show (or not!).

The only thing worse than a problem student, is a problem parent! Whether they are being woefully unsupportive, painfully overeager, or anything in between, it is a challenge to dial in the exact amount of parent involvement that will benefit your program. Join us for a conversation about dealing with parents so you can solve any problems BEFORE they start.

Every good teacher knows that learning never stops. That’s why teachers are always looking for ways to improve their education and expand their horizons. Unfortunately drama teachers are limited in time, subjects and resources, and need some help when it comes to continuing education. That’s where we come in! Join us for a discussion about the ins and outs of continuing education for drama teachers.

Taking a show to competition is always a roller coaster ride. But the highs and lows of performance don't stop when the curtain comes down: You still have to unravel the adjudicators comments and find a way to make them meaningful to your students! Join us for a talk about talkbacks, and learn to interpret that special language we call "Adjudication".