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Getting a production to the stage is hard enough. Mounting that production in a school setting is even more difficult. And adding the challenges and unpredictability of an ongoing pandemic into the production mix can make it all feel impossible.  But - The show must go on! - and Theatre teachers around the world have rewritten the rules of production in order to get the audience in and the curtain up. In this PLC, teachers will share their tips and tricks to mounting a successful live production under pandemic conditions.

As we work our way through pandemic teaching, we are hitting a few bumps along the way. One of the biggest hurdles facing teachers right now is absences. The extended absence of one, or more than one, student can drastically increase a teachers workload overnight.  That's when having access to some ready made distance learning materials can be a real lifesaver. And that's why the DTA has a ton of independent projects - appropriate, detailed, and easy to assign - ready when you need them.  In this PLC we are going to identify the top 5 Independent Projects in the DTA, and walk you though how to use them with your students.  You won't want to miss it!

The Dilemma Project is based on a situation that requires a decision: push a button and get a great reward, but there’s also a great consequence. Don’t push the button and there’s no reward.  Claire Broome, author of this project, has been a drama teacher for 20 years and has used this project for 15 out of those 20 years. The Dilemma Project has students meet the following objectives: • To develop a character • To develop an understanding of acting theory and various tools • To write and perform a script  Join Claire Broome as she takes you through how to execute the Dilemma Project, and be ready to add this creative tool to your curriculum.

In the depths of the pandemic, teachers dreamed of a time when they could just go back to "normal".  As the virus slowly released its grip, many teachers joyfully returned to the classroom only to be perplexed, flustered and frustrated to find that "normal" was nowhere to be found!  Teaching and learning changed in the two-plus years of distance learning and instability.  What changed in those years? Can we ever get back to "normal" again?  Does normal even exist anymore?   Join us in this PLC as we look back - and look forward - searching for a new normal.

Ah, mid summer! The past school year is a speck in the rear view mirror and the new school year isn't quite in view yet.  This little oasis of sanity is a great time to contemplate your curriculum and, as the old saying goes, "Adapt, Adjust and Improve".  What worked? What didn't work? What have you always wanted to teach, but never had the time to include?  The best time to plan your curriculum is when you are not in the middle of teaching it! Join us for a laid back, thoughtful discussion about curriculum planning. We will have the authors of the Drama One (Karen Loftus) and the Middle School (Lindsay Johnson) curriculums on the panel, to help with your planning and answer questions about these popular resources in the DTA.

The start of school is just around the corner, (in fact, some of you have already turned that corner!) and it's time to get serious about "Back to School" preparations.  Is your classroom ready? Is your curriculum in order? Do you have the supplies you need? The classroom materials? Scripts? Journal Prompts? Warm ups??  ...Anxiety?!? It's okay! Take a deep breath and relax.  We have tons of tools, techniques and materials for Drama teachers, whether this is your first year, or 50th. In fact, we have so much useful material we are going to dedicate this entire PLC to getting you what you need from the DTA.  It will be like Christmas in August...Join us!

A new school year has begun, and the importance of Social Emotional Learning has never been greater.  With everything that has been going on in the world, teachers and students alike are navigating a very different school environment, and Social Emotional Learning could be the key to establishing a healthy, high-functioning classroom this year.  Join us for an exploration of SEL from concepts to curriculum and everything in between!

The school year is up and running, and so are your students!  Should they be? Classes are settling into routines and this is a good time to review your classroom management strategies and change whatever isn't working. Don't know how to start?  Easy!  Start by joining us in this PLC dedicated to tuning up your classroom management plan.

Your program is doing great things: Skills are being learned! Shows are being staged!  Students are brimming with confidence! Your administrators should be singing your praises to the rooftops! There's just one problem - Your admin has no idea what is going on in your classroom.  It's hard to get your administrations to advocate for your program when you can't tell them what they are advocating for.  This PLC will focus on how to highlight the work you are doing in your classroom in order to get the attention and respect of your admin.

Musicals!  There's nothing like them.  Especially if you have never done one before...  Musicals aren't like "regular" theatre - they are so much more: More planning, more performers, more crew, more time, more money...more, more, more!!  It's enough to give a new teacher nightmares - When do you start? How do you organize? Who do you cast? WHY DID I AGREE TO THIS...??   Take a deep breath, relax, and join us for an in depth conversation about the nuts and bolts of producing your first musical.  

A lot has changed in the classroom in the past few years, but one responsibility remains the same: You still need to assess your student’s work.  Assessment has always been a challenge in Theatre classes, but these days there are more challenges than ever when it comes to grading your students and their work.  So hop on to this PLC and join the conversation as we re-examine assessment in the Drama classroom. 

March is Theatre in our Schools month, and we think that is worth celebrating. Why, just look at some of the benefits a theatre program brings to a school and community - Improved test scores, community outreach, growing student self confidence, focused Social Emotional Learning and increasing empathy...and that's just the beginning! Theatre programs (and the people who run them) deserve to be celebrated for the valuable educational services they provide. So join us for this PLC as we celebrate all things Theatre!

Join the creators of People Like Us, and learn more about Teaching Strategies for Students with Disabilities. We know many teachers are looking for step-by-step guidance and practical resources so you can leverage the power of the performing arts in your classroom. Nontraditional and kinesthetic methods, like those in the performing arts, provide more robust educational opportunities for students of all abilities. Learn more from these experts and find out about an upcoming opportunity as a DTA member, to engage in online learning with this leading organization.

If you talk to teachers these days, the same topic pops up over and over: Post pandemic classroom management.  It doesn't matter if they are a highly experienced educator or fresh out of their student teaching, they all say the same thing - the vibe in the classroom has changed.  Teachers say they need new tools in their classrooms to address these changes, so in this PLC we are going to break out the best tool in the toolkit: Social Emotional Learning (SEL).  Join us for a timely conversation about how you can use SEL in your classroom to reset your students and improve your classroom management.

Teachers are people. And people face challenges. Challenges like family illnesses, relationship crises, financial worry, and so much more. What is a teacher to do when a personal crisis hits?  Teachers are expected to navigate personal challenges, yet still effectively teach their classes. That means teachers try to keep these challenges from spilling into the classroom - but can they? Should they? Join our panel for an in-depth discussion on navigating personal challenges as a teacher. 

Join us for tips and tricks on getting your students to make bold physical choices in their work.

Theatre History should be a part of every drama curriculum. But with all the plays and dates and people and places how do you avoid a month of textbooks, tests, and learning by rote? How do you make theatre history come alive in your classroom? Can you make it active? Can you make it fun? Join us for this discussion on bringing the past to life in the present.

The school year is rapidly winding down and you’re knee-deep in assessment, rubrics, and reflections. But as a drama teacher, you also have performances to worry about. Which begs the question: What’s the best way to assess performance? This is the time to discuss strategies with our expert panel, and share your own best practices, as well as ways to fairly assess the performance aspect of the drama classroom.

If you talk to teachers these days, the same topic pops up over and over: Post pandemic classroom management.  It doesn't matter if they are a highly experienced educator or fresh out of their student teaching, they all say the same thing - the vibe in the classroom has changed.  Teachers say they need new tools in their classrooms to address these changes, so in this PLC we are going to break out the best tool in the toolkit: Social Emotional Learning (SEL).  Join us for a timely conversation about how you can use SEL in your classroom to reset your students and improve your classroom management.

Artificial Intelligence is here. In the past few years it has found its way into almost every corner of modern life - including the classroom.  However, important questions remain. Questions like: "Is there a place for AI in the classroom?" "Does that include the Drama classroom?"  and "What does AI in the Drama classroom look like?" These are just some of the questions we will tackle when you join us in this forward thinking PLC.