Monday, November 21, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
The show is over...
Last night was closing night for the fall production, Up the Down Staircase.
Sometimes I wonder why I am drawn to a certain show at a certian time. I wonder if the kids learn as much as I do during the process. This week was a little surreal. THe show went well. Attendance was down a little, about 270 total...nothing to frown about though!
As I watched the show develop I wondered which teacher I was like. Am I Sylvia? Bea? Paul? McCabe? I also had to ask myself if I am a good teacher. Am I helping my students? Are they learning? I want to be a good teacher...no that isn't true. I want to be a great teacher. I want to make a difference. But, is that selfish?
There are a number of things that happened this week that really hurt, though. Some people did some very hurtful and mean things. Why do I take these things so seriously? Sometimes I feel like if I could make myself not care it would be easier. But is easier what I want?
I hear sylvia talk about teaching because she wants to make a difference in the life of a child. That could be me speaking. I want to make a difference. Sometimes I wonder if I am.
We were circled up before the last show and we were sharing this time. So many of the kids said so many amazing things. I was humbled. I reflect on these sometime. Sometimes I am afraid that I'm doing this for the wrong reasons. Am I doing this job for them or am I doing it for me...I hope it is the former.
I know I am suffering from production hang-over...post-production stress disorder. Maybe that's what it is...
I do hope the kids know I love them dearly and that I am so proud of them. They did an awesome job and touched so many people. They make the difference in the life of a teacher.
Sometimes I wonder why I am drawn to a certain show at a certian time. I wonder if the kids learn as much as I do during the process. This week was a little surreal. THe show went well. Attendance was down a little, about 270 total...nothing to frown about though!
As I watched the show develop I wondered which teacher I was like. Am I Sylvia? Bea? Paul? McCabe? I also had to ask myself if I am a good teacher. Am I helping my students? Are they learning? I want to be a good teacher...no that isn't true. I want to be a great teacher. I want to make a difference. But, is that selfish?
There are a number of things that happened this week that really hurt, though. Some people did some very hurtful and mean things. Why do I take these things so seriously? Sometimes I feel like if I could make myself not care it would be easier. But is easier what I want?
I hear sylvia talk about teaching because she wants to make a difference in the life of a child. That could be me speaking. I want to make a difference. Sometimes I wonder if I am.
We were circled up before the last show and we were sharing this time. So many of the kids said so many amazing things. I was humbled. I reflect on these sometime. Sometimes I am afraid that I'm doing this for the wrong reasons. Am I doing this job for them or am I doing it for me...I hope it is the former.
I know I am suffering from production hang-over...post-production stress disorder. Maybe that's what it is...
I do hope the kids know I love them dearly and that I am so proud of them. They did an awesome job and touched so many people. They make the difference in the life of a teacher.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
The letter that made my day...
I received this letter from a wonderful friend this week. As I read it I couldn't help but cry. So many talk about 'these kids today' and 'how bad teens are'; however, every day I get to witness what is good, true and right with 'those teens'...obviously my friend does as well. My students teach me so much every day...and these students (living about 12 hours from where I do) have taught me as well.
May I never grow too old to learn...
Hey all,
Hang with me on this one folks…. It’s worth it. On Friday night, Michael Marks from Hattiesburg High School in Mississippi emailed me a script for a new show they are trying to produce: The Katrina Project; Hell or High Water. It is based on survivors’ stories from the Katrina Disaster and uses the same techniques that the Tectonic Theatre Project used to create “The Laramie Project” Their school has approximately 200 New Orleans evacuees as new students, a great deal of their own students displaced or without permanent homes, and their shop was devastated, although their school was spared. The school and theatre represents a point of stability for those still dealing with the aftermath of Katrina. Michael and his students had no way of creating a set for their show and were seeking help in doing so…Their show is December 3rd.
Now I get to brag on my students: When I told them about the situation these fellow theatre students were facing, they responded by saying, “why don’t we build the set for them?” I wasn’t sure we could do it. I didn’t want to take time away from prepping for state, and I certainly didn’t want to spend the week doing another set for a show that we weren’t even doing. They convinced me. They offered to work around the clock, and were as good as their offer.
I spent Saturday developing a concept for the scene design, and Sunday developing shop drawings.
Monday rolls around and I had 24 students show up for after school work on the “new Orleans” set. We worked until 10pm.
By the end of the day we had the biggest part of the set built, the secondary elements started, and a very tired crew.
Tuesday – we worked some during the day, but all afterschool stuff was cancelled due to weather. I worked for a little while, but got little done without my crew.
Wednesday – 30 students show up afterschool and we work late again. Now we have a dressed set for the major pieces, the smaller elements are in process and we are rolling along.
Thursday – Scott (one of the directors), from Hattiesburg is going to be here by three…I have never seen a group of kids more motivated. They worked their little butts off. I am so proud of them. We not only did a last minute design change, but created a whole new set element that was needed in a little under 6 hours.
Scott shows up…At first he was very quiet and said little. I thought he was disappointed in the set. He later told me that he didn’t want to cry in front of my students because he was so overwhelmed by what they had done for his students. He told me stories about the kids of New Orleans and what they have gone through…the devastation of homes, and lives along the coast and in his area, as well as the hope they had…
Tonight, we rehearsed our play for the first time since district. It was fine. Not great but fine…
Tonight, I learned more from my students than I think they will ever learn from me. Tonight, they told me that they are more proud of the fact that we created a set in three days, for total strangers, just because they needed it…and that they were ok with however our play did as long as the kids from Hattiesburg did well.
Tonight, I was taught a lesson in humility and grace by a group of teenagers, who could have been selfish, who could have been anything but willing to sacrifice. Instead, they gave of themselves and created something for someone else.
Isn’t that what theatre is really all about?
You give of yourself and create something for someone else. We never see the shows we are in, or that we stage manage, or that we run as set crew. We only see the audience afterwards and gauge our success by them.
My students taught me a lesson in humility, compassion, and what being a TRUE theatre artist really means.
“be true to thine own self” has never meant more to me than tonight when I watched my students leave after they finished the last details on someone else’s set…
May I never grow too old to learn...
Hey all,
Hang with me on this one folks…. It’s worth it. On Friday night, Michael Marks from Hattiesburg High School in Mississippi emailed me a script for a new show they are trying to produce: The Katrina Project; Hell or High Water. It is based on survivors’ stories from the Katrina Disaster and uses the same techniques that the Tectonic Theatre Project used to create “The Laramie Project” Their school has approximately 200 New Orleans evacuees as new students, a great deal of their own students displaced or without permanent homes, and their shop was devastated, although their school was spared. The school and theatre represents a point of stability for those still dealing with the aftermath of Katrina. Michael and his students had no way of creating a set for their show and were seeking help in doing so…Their show is December 3rd.
Now I get to brag on my students: When I told them about the situation these fellow theatre students were facing, they responded by saying, “why don’t we build the set for them?” I wasn’t sure we could do it. I didn’t want to take time away from prepping for state, and I certainly didn’t want to spend the week doing another set for a show that we weren’t even doing. They convinced me. They offered to work around the clock, and were as good as their offer.
I spent Saturday developing a concept for the scene design, and Sunday developing shop drawings.
Monday rolls around and I had 24 students show up for after school work on the “new Orleans” set. We worked until 10pm.
By the end of the day we had the biggest part of the set built, the secondary elements started, and a very tired crew.
Tuesday – we worked some during the day, but all afterschool stuff was cancelled due to weather. I worked for a little while, but got little done without my crew.
Wednesday – 30 students show up afterschool and we work late again. Now we have a dressed set for the major pieces, the smaller elements are in process and we are rolling along.
Thursday – Scott (one of the directors), from Hattiesburg is going to be here by three…I have never seen a group of kids more motivated. They worked their little butts off. I am so proud of them. We not only did a last minute design change, but created a whole new set element that was needed in a little under 6 hours.
Scott shows up…At first he was very quiet and said little. I thought he was disappointed in the set. He later told me that he didn’t want to cry in front of my students because he was so overwhelmed by what they had done for his students. He told me stories about the kids of New Orleans and what they have gone through…the devastation of homes, and lives along the coast and in his area, as well as the hope they had…
Tonight, we rehearsed our play for the first time since district. It was fine. Not great but fine…
Tonight, I learned more from my students than I think they will ever learn from me. Tonight, they told me that they are more proud of the fact that we created a set in three days, for total strangers, just because they needed it…and that they were ok with however our play did as long as the kids from Hattiesburg did well.
Tonight, I was taught a lesson in humility and grace by a group of teenagers, who could have been selfish, who could have been anything but willing to sacrifice. Instead, they gave of themselves and created something for someone else.
Isn’t that what theatre is really all about?
You give of yourself and create something for someone else. We never see the shows we are in, or that we stage manage, or that we run as set crew. We only see the audience afterwards and gauge our success by them.
My students taught me a lesson in humility, compassion, and what being a TRUE theatre artist really means.
“be true to thine own self” has never meant more to me than tonight when I watched my students leave after they finished the last details on someone else’s set…
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Driving home
I left the school today around 5:30pm (a 10.5 hour day). It was lightly raining and the sun was setting. Actually it was quite nice and pretty outside. When I pulled my car out of its parking space I looked up to see a beautiful rainbow framed in my windshield. The full rainbow was easily seen and all of the colors were perfectly shown against the grey-blue sky. WOW...AMAZING! Words don't seem to be enough to capture all that was there. I wonder how many people saw it and took the time to wonder at what a miracle it was.
I guess every time I see a rainbow I have to think back to Noah and God's promise to us all. How can people look to the sky, see something like that and still claim there is no God??? All I could do was praise him for all of his creation all the way home. I couldn't stop myself from singing!!!
Speaking of creations...I witnessed a beautiful one this weekend. I held a 12 day old baby, my niece 'Sarala Joy'. What a miracle she is. Sarala's sister, Kellyn, is such a miracle as well. Spending time with the girls and their mom and dad (my sister/wonderful friend and her husband) just filled my heart with such affirmation and love. I really can't wait to get to go back for another visit soon.
My drive home from their home was similar to today. I was filled with such awe and love. I felt God's presence in such a big way. I saw a deer along the road on the way home and was struck by how beautiful it was...how amazing all of God's creations are. My heart was overflowing with prayer and song!
I guess every time I see a rainbow I have to think back to Noah and God's promise to us all. How can people look to the sky, see something like that and still claim there is no God??? All I could do was praise him for all of his creation all the way home. I couldn't stop myself from singing!!!
Speaking of creations...I witnessed a beautiful one this weekend. I held a 12 day old baby, my niece 'Sarala Joy'. What a miracle she is. Sarala's sister, Kellyn, is such a miracle as well. Spending time with the girls and their mom and dad (my sister/wonderful friend and her husband) just filled my heart with such affirmation and love. I really can't wait to get to go back for another visit soon.
My drive home from their home was similar to today. I was filled with such awe and love. I felt God's presence in such a big way. I saw a deer along the road on the way home and was struck by how beautiful it was...how amazing all of God's creations are. My heart was overflowing with prayer and song!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)