by BRIAN BOZANICH, MFA
The 4 Ways to Advocate for Theatre
Education
Over
the last twenty-five years I participated in many discussions about drama
education, some of them were, shall we say, highly animated. In an atmosphere
of common core, standardized tests, and authentic assessment, we are often
asked to justify our existence as part of the curriculum and school community.
The
opponents of theatre classes will say that arts classes have no career
potential. They point to unemployment figures for those with theatre degrees.
Anecdotally, I was told not to study theatre and to live in the real world by
my parents. My family gradually came to accept, if not support, my course of
study. Another adult, when they learned I taught high school theatre, told me I
was "preparing kids for a career at the drive through window."
This struck a nerve with me and I started to think of high schools as merely a place for career training. Should students be judged simply by their employment prospects? If a student wants to take AP Chemistry, adults never quote the failure rate of undergrad Organic Chemistry students. They are allowed to explore their limitless potential. Similarly, if a teacher looked at a student and said “law school is hard, you should have a fall back career” parents would, rightfully, question the teacher’s counsel. The teacher might even be accused of crushing that young person’s dream. If a child dares to aspire to a creative career, parents have encouraged me to discourage such ideas.
This struck a nerve with me and I started to think of high schools as merely a place for career training. Should students be judged simply by their employment prospects? If a student wants to take AP Chemistry, adults never quote the failure rate of undergrad Organic Chemistry students. They are allowed to explore their limitless potential. Similarly, if a teacher looked at a student and said “law school is hard, you should have a fall back career” parents would, rightfully, question the teacher’s counsel. The teacher might even be accused of crushing that young person’s dream. If a child dares to aspire to a creative career, parents have encouraged me to discourage such ideas.
How
should we speak about arts education in a digital age? Here are the four things
I have found to be effective counterpoints to opposition to theatre education.
11.) Do not make the argument to those who agree with
you.
Many
drama teachers focus on the emotional benefits of arts participation. It helps
the outcasts, it gives an outlet for students who have different learning
modalities, or it helps emotional growth. All of these are true but, they are
not persuasive to those who want to marginalize arts ed. Opponents will dismiss
those points as touchy feely.
22.) Focus on the soft skills theatre teaches.
I
decided to change the way I speak about the value of a theatre education. I now
stand in front of parent groups and tell them that drama will teach students to
work with others to communicate an idea on a deadline. If they can name any job
that does not require those skills (communication, collaboration, and time
management) I will consider my class simply playtime and give all students A’s
just for participation.
33.) Look at the successes in athletic programs.
In
an environment of limited resources, arts programs often fight for time and
money with athletic programs. I have not heard of a single successful campaign
to redirect athletic money to the arts. That energy would be better spent
examining where the athletic program is successful. At my school, athletics
announces the scores and news daily. I instituted a plan where the arts PR
person announces auditions, community appearances, and upcoming
performances. Just as the coaches meet
the parents at the start of each season, I hold a parent meeting for the cast
to outline the rehearsal schedule and talk about the show. School pride is a
core value of my program. A program that sets itself as an island apart for the
rest of campus should not be surprised when the campus community does not
support the work.
44.) Do outstanding work
The
single best advocacy for arts education is to make good theatre. I have had
many parents ambushed by the quality of the shows. They walk in with painfully
low expectations and leave amazed at the students work. When they continue to
attend I make sure to show a breadth of talent and material, so they realize
the students’ capacity for achievement.
The
benefit of these arguments, besides their accuracy, is they open those who
might oppose the arts as frivolous. The process of understanding the skills and
impact of a theatre education can lead to parents who become vocal advocates
for your program.
Brian Bozanich
Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator
Saint Joseph High School
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