“Do something every day that scares you.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
I believe that every student can learn when they believe the subject matter pertains to their lives, and their teacher believes in them. When a student feels safe and respected they want to achieve. We, as human beings, inherently want to learn and improve. Students who are given a safe space to risk and fail, reflect and assess, and risk again will ultimately find success. With these successes, they build the confidence to continue to take larger risks for larger gains. In my classroom, students are asked to take risks in their work, but not without first analyzing what is at stake. It is common for students to have an unrealistically large fear of “doing it wrong.” Our culture has put so much emphasis on choosing the right answer, that students have lost the willingness to explore the “why” of what they are doing and the “what if” of other avenues. We discuss what will realistically happen if what they are doing doesn’t work. We spend time exploring the “what ifs” and celebrating our failures. Failure is necessary to find success. Students must be willing to move forward when what they’re doing isn’t working and have the courage to continue to take those risks that will lead to their growth and ultimate success. Students in my classroom are given a space in which they can safely take risks that will lead to the discovery that can change their entire way of looking at a problem.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” –Wayne Dyer
The risks we take lead us to new discoveries we never knew we needed or were missing. So often students arrive in my class already defeated. They are terrified of making themselves vulnerable. I offer my students guidance but encourage them to find solutions on their own. Students are so quick to ask, “Is this right?” or “How do I…” or “What should I…” My usual response is… “Let’s explore and find some options…” or “What can you find in this situation that you think might work…” In the theatre classroom, so much of what we do is collaborative kinesthetic learning. Students are asked to work and communicate as a group to find new options for finding solutions. I always ask my students to explore the unknown and not settle for what is comfortable. Through their collaborations, they find exciting and new solutions to their challenges. The dynamic of the group adds a new dimension to their challenges and they grow to understand the necessity of the collaborative nature of theatre.
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome” –Arthur Ashe
We are in a world of instant gratification. Most of what we want or need can be delivered to us within two days, if not immediately through the technology that we hold at our fingertips. This marvel creates a false sense of satisfaction, in that we expect everything to be immediate. Students (of all ages) must learn to have patience with the process of growth. Process is a word I use with my students daily. I recognize their frustrations at the beginning of a process and let them know that their trepidation is natural and expected. As we move through the work we continually reflect on what came before in the process and how that informed where we are now. When students see how one step leads to the next, they are more willing to trust the process. I often record parts rehearsals or exercises so that they can watch their work, make observations, and identify the areas that require improvement. They appreciate this opportunity because they can see what we have been discussing. In my classroom, I always encourage my students to explore, to find new paths, and to never settle for good enough. I want them to find joy in the journey more than just working toward a product.
“It is when we allow ourselves to fail and grow from that failure that we can discover our true purpose and realize our fullest potential” –my personal mantra
Risk. Discovery. Journey. Each one plays into the next in my classroom. Students are given the safe space to push themselves beyond the unrealistic boundaries that they (or others) have placed on themselves. They understand that their failures lead them to the greatest discoveries. It is the discovery of new possibilities that lead to beautiful journeys.
Juniper Wallace, Theatre Artist 