Teaching Philosophy

Jane Wilder-O’Connor

 

 

One of my favorite aspects of teaching is the constant learning to which I am exposed. Each student I encounter gives me the opportunity to learn something new. In my view, in order to motivate the student to learn, the teacher must also show an excitement to both the subject and the learning environment.

 

There are several approaches available to assist in capturing the student’s attention and thereby facilitating their education. The most important aspect of teaching is to provide a sense of safety for each student in order to experiment and find successes; treating learning experiences as just that, opportunities to discover what works in a process and what might be improved upon. Every class provides me with new insight into how to help students learn, and for that reason I find myself constantly editing my syllabus.

 

Students learn in a variety of manners, and so I provide demonstrations with my lectures and involve the students in both. I also incorporate readings and videos to support the material being offered. In the costume and makeup areas of theatre, the skills needed involve detail and techniques perhaps unfamiliar to many students, while other students may have advanced sewing and makeup application skills. Initially, I encourage the partnership of more advanced students with beginning students in order to build a sense of the collaborative effort, vital to all theatre productions. I spend time with each student offering encouragement, building upon each success in order to move the student to the next level. I adjust individual attention to suit the needs of each student, allowing advanced students more freedom, while helping new students with the fundamentals of skills necessary for success in the classroom.

 

A technique that receives positive feedback from the student is attaching these new skills to their everyday life. It is important for students to understand how they might apply every learning experience in a practical manner. Another method I use to promote learning is to encourage the students to find questions in their readings and research to which I may not know the answer. This supports active participation on both our parts and we are all challenged to strive for new heights in our understanding of the topics. Additionally, I reinforce the need for a broad education by pointing out the necessity of coursework outside of theatre and how these other subjects such as math, history and languages can be applied in the theatre.

 

Other approaches include providing the student with opportunities to express themselves through written assignments, oral presentations, research and partnered projects. Embracing the computer programs available to us today, I encourage the use of technology. I promote the use of computer programs such as Photoshop, Vectorworks, Painter, and PatternMaster Boutique in the classroom.

 

I strongly believe that learning is a basic human need, and as an educator, it is my job to find as many academic approaches as possible to motivate the student not only to excel, but to be able to apply that knowledge to their lives as well as to their careers. We are students and teachers together in this journey of education.