Building Connection and Understanding

The stereotype of athletics vs. arts is a tired one.

I realize that the tension is present in some schools and communities, but I believe it is time to move past that. If education is truly for the benefit of the whole child, then creating a culture (in school, at home, in the neighborhood, wherever...) where a student's participation in athletics, arts, and academics is paramount.

I am fortunate to be in a school district where that idea is a reality. There are great people in the athletic department and administrative chairs who see the value in what we do in the arts programs. I frequently connect with coaches to ensure students can be on stage and on a team. Many of those same students excel in Honors and AP level coursework, too. However, it takes work. It requires conversations and sacrifice and recognizing the common ground between us. In my school, we've done this through conversations (largely on social media, of all places) about leadership and coaching and the values we seek to instill in our students. (I've posted about my perspective on what school theatre is for here and here).

Whether you have the privilege to be in an environment like mine, or struggle in a place that does not see the value in arts education, I encourage you to reach out to community. Ask questions of stakeholders and detractors. Identify areas of common ground. Use your advocacy tools to demonstrate that value. Nothing is a panacea, but is a place to start. 

I'm curious to hear from you. What are relationships like where you are? How can we work to build understanding and connection among programs, activities, and factions that are traditionally viewed as opposed to one another?

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Who is school theatre for?

Back in March, I wrote a post exploring my initial thoughts about the role of a school theatre program within the larger school community. A few weeks later, I created a brief survey that I sent to the membership of my high school drama club to gain insight on students' perspectives of the program and its function. About 20% of the students who received the survey provided a response. The results were generally what I expected:

students participated in their school theatre program as a creative outlet and because it was a place where they felt comfortable to be themselves

Those within the drama club frequently refer to it as a "family". I've only been at the school for two years, but what I've seen supports the kind of inclusion you might assume when you read or hear that word.

On the flip side, families can be exclusive groups, too. The next logical step is to explore the perception of the program from those who are outside the family... or is it?

Who is school theatre for? The quick and obvious answer is it is for the students who are active members; however, the primary function of the club is to present stories that are seen by those who exist outside of the family. It is an interesting tight rope to maneuver. That dichotomy also makes school theatre an incredible training ground for collaboration, empathy, and leadership.

More on that in a future post. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you balance the need for school theatre to serve its students members and the community audience? Is there a point where one may take precedence over the other?

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