I just recently got my first gig teaching, an on-camera acting class. I teach on-camera acting as well as theater for middle school and high school students at a local theater as a part of summer camp, it’s pretty awesome. At first, I wasn’t sure about taking the chance and accepting the position, and had to think about it for some time. To many, becoming a teacher is an act of throwing in the towel for whatever profession you’re in, or something you do at the end of your career to pass on all the golden knowledge you’ve acquired. I’ve always been the type to try my best to see the bigger picture…. , which in this case is that…teaching is a form of artistry in and of itself, as well as a WONDERFUL way of sharpening the skills you’ve already acquired.
Teaching on-camera acting to these students has been such an amazing journey, its rekindled my love for acting and sharpened my own performance skills. Reviewing techniques and delving into each student’s theory on the art of performing is so refreshing, giving me both a different and unique perspective. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned has also been patience. While I love working with children, there seems to be a much needed set of characteristics one should have when trying to convey your views, thoughts and passion to a group of twelve year olds, and for that you definitely NEED patience!
Having both my parents as professors, my assumption of the ideal instructor has always been someone who is able to convey/explain one idea in ten different ways in order for the material to be relatable to the student. However, another unique lesson I never thought of learning from this experience was making sure to cultivate and keep my own excitement and love for the subject material alive! One too many times I’ve seen burned out teachers and professors who don’t even seem to have an appreciation for their subject matter anymore and are just running on autopilot. I now realize this was the missing piece in a class where student engagement was lacking. I think that what instructors fail to understand is that students feed off of their passion and excitement or lack there of. It is not enough to be an expert in your field or extremely knowledgeable. Just like in show-business, where you are selling your personality this is also the case in the classroom. Yes, children are sponges and absorb knowledge but they also absorb your energy.
This is a unique lesson that I would otherwise never have learned, had I not been open to this new experience. So, I want to thank my students for the beautiful life lesson and revival of my own love for the craft. If you ever get the opportunity to teach, take it! Whether it be at a school or volunteering at your local theater I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone and doing it. The website http://www.arteducators.org is a great start.