Hey Friends!
As most of you may not know, I am student teaching at LaGuardia High School for my final semester at NYU in the Educational Theatre program. Last semester, in my elementary placement, I student taught in a science classroom at The Corlears School and had a beautiful time with my CT (Cooperating Teacher) there. Although I was supposed to be learning how to teach drama, I wanted the chance to learn how to integrate drama in the classroom. Although it was challenging, I learned a lot and had a fulfilling semester.
Much like last semester, I have a lot of OTHER commitments on top of the fact that I am student teaching 20 hours a week. I am currently performing in two Off-Broadway shows, touring a one-hour version of Julius Caesar on Friday mornings, and in rehearsals for two other shows, one going up in March, and the other in April. I perform Sex, Relationships, and Sometimes Love on Thursday nights at 8 pm, and Piggy Nation the Musical on Sundays at 11 am, both in the Jerry Orbach Theater, and then every other night I am in either in rehearsal for A Man of No Importance at Edison Valley Players in New Jersey, or Next to Normal through the Music Education program at Steinhardt at NYU.
How on EARTH do I manage this, and a part-time course load you may ask. Well, I have three tips for you: the four P’s (who I attribute to my wonderful first voice teacher, Stan Dunn).
PASSION/PERSEVERANCE
If you don’t like something you are involved in, stop what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy being in a room rehearsing the show you’re doing, or a class you’re taking, YOU have the power to change how you feel. If that means dropping the class or show all together, you may have to consider it. I find doing what I do much easier when I have a passion and drive for it. And if you love it so much you HAVE to keep going… I mean how can you not if it’s what you love to do? A way you can evaluate this one is asking yourself at the end of the day when you’re exhausted from a long day: did I enjoy myself today? If not, then maybe it was tough and you learned something… but that’s OK too! Which brings me to my next point:
PERSPECTIVE
This one I feel most people forget. I find that gratitude for what we have is so important to one’s individual success. It’s important to give yourself a reality check once in a while. Tell yourself, when you’re feeling tired or stressed, that you are lucky. For me, I tell myself that I am lucky to be in the city that I love so much doing theatre, the thing I NEVER I thought I would be paid to do, and now I am (even though the paycheck is tiny)!
PATIENCE
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut. The hills and valleys in life are inevitable, and sometimes we feel like we are NEVER going to get ourselves out of those really deep valleys. But, all good things come to those who wait. Now, I of all people understand what it’s like to hear that sentence, and I’m sure you have all heard it a million times… but it’s true! I swear!! If you follow the other two P’s, I find that the waiting actually becomes incredibly shorter without you realizing it. The patience I acquired in the last couple of years simply came with practice of passion, perseverance, and perspective.
I hope the other student teachers out there can agree with me. And if any of you have anything more to share, please do! Check out @TheWriteTeach and send us a tweet, or comment below: I know we could all use the support.
Live, Love, Learn,