ABOUT ME

I frequently begin by introducing the Talking Circle method of sharing, which originated with First Nations leaders, to promote respect, equality, and openness. I use a variety of methods to engage students seriously in the discussion. They include three-person timed Listening Labs, Step-In Step-Out to identify commonalities and nurture responsible social perspectives, plentiful opportunities for self-assessment and sharing, positive acknowledgement of risk-taking, and the use of divergent questions.

Once a personal connection is made, and relationships begin to develop among the participants and myself, participants are ready to take positive risks with their projects, extend their creativity, and challenge themselves.

A flow state of being is when students are so immersed, they forget that they’re learning. I have found that centering each workshop around a singular creative challenge establishes engagement. I customize the activity to be “low risk and high success” so participants begin the workshop with a win.

When creating theater, I use personal stories to inspire students to see theater as a catalyst for positive change in the world. I share stories from my own experiences of making theater in homeless shelters, detention facilities, and centers for teens who have been abused or sexually trafficked. I talk about performing internationally in a war zone, and using theater to change the lives of both the performers and the audience.

When leading professional development, I make sure to integrate participants previous knowledge and strengths, while simultaneously asking them to reach beyond their comfort zones.

Although I provide a clear and transparent grading rubric that outlines all deliverables, I hold each student to high expectations of achievement based on their individual starting points.

Each workshop ends with a reflection circle. During that time, each student shares which new learning struck a chord with them, then shares a positive, forward-facing goal for the day or week. I find that this personal, thoughtful approach to learning, one that is connected to students’ own lived experiences, results in a deeper, more creative, and more fulling educational experience.