Teaching Philosophy

Like other parents, my mom was my first teacher, and she taught others professionally. Before I was born, she inspired many young people teaching dance in Utah high schools, and I will always look up to her. She has a natural instinct to teach others that I recognize in myself as I embark on the same journey. Like my mom, I have the passion and drive to teach and inspire a new generation. I have always loved theater, and most of my life has been spent training and performing in the arts. I want to use the knowledge I have accumulated to educate students about theater and how beautiful and important art is to our society. 

In addition, my mentors, Randall Hickman and Doug Davis, were influential in pushing me toward the path of theatre teaching. I worked for several summers with them at their theater company, The Broadway Vista. They have always encouraged my teaching journey and inspired me since I started their program at age nine. Every summer, I get the joy of helping kids learn more about theatre and get a taste of what it is like to perform. We teach kids of all skill levels, and when I see them break out of their shells and take risks, it inspires me to keep teaching.  I remember what it was like when I was a kid going through their program, and I would not have the social-emotional skills I have today without theatre. Students who may have started the program feeling shy and scared end the two-week session with more confidence in public speaking and in performing. It’s a great source of pride for everyone involved. 

Words I live by as both a teacher and an individual are acceptance, compassion, and empathy. Theatre is an important art form that has the ability to create a space that can inspire social change and self-discovery. Even grown adults can learn and explore empathy through theatrical performance. Theatre can be a space where students feel safe to be themselves and explore fully without judgment. Many students do not have a space to explore self-expression without fear and criticism from friends or family. My middle and high school drama classes were places where, unlike anywhere else, I could truly be myself and explore. I want to create that environment for my students so that they too can feel accepted and safe. Theatre is a massively collaborative art form, which allows students to work with people they may not normally talk to in school. It provides a space for students to learn empathy and develop compassion and acceptance for their peers. My classroom will always be a space where students feel safe to take risks, try new things, and be their true selves without judgment. 

Theatre can influence everyone’s lives, regardless of whether or not they choose to pursue it. Students can apply the skills learned in theatre classes to any future career path, with an emphasis in public speaking, collaborative work, active listening, and much more. Theatre also teaches teenagers how to be empathetic, accepting people: the types of people we desperately need today. I truly believe that by providing a safe, accepting, and brave space for teenagers who are coming to terms with themselves, it will benefit their development and aid in their exploration as a person.