Since we are in charge of directing the show, we are the ones ultimately responsible for its success or failure. It is quite easy to give in to the pressure others put on you to achieve perfection in your work. When it comes to children and young people, putting too much focus on perfectionism can usually backfire. This is especially true when it comes to academic achievement. We’d like to take this opportunity to discuss, in honor of #WorldStorytellingDay, how it’s often preferable to let go of control and just let things flow.
A case of getting caught in the headmaster’s net
A director who is extremely hostile to his cast members. Actors losing interest can be caused by too many directions. Don’t interrupt them when they are telling their story.
When you give your students too much direction, they may see you as a dictator, which can cause them to withdraw from the learning process.
When I ask young people why they don’t like drama, the answer I get too often is that they had a bad experience with it in the past and that’s why they don’t like it. They participated in a drama class at school or club and the teacher was quite critical of them and their performances. They were never given the opportunity to add their own opinions and were constantly given directions every step of the way. There was a disproportionately high pressure. Doesn’t hold my interest! I asked a group of people visiting Speke Community Center the day before yesterday if they were interested in starting a drama club and we ended up having this very debate about it. I spent a lot of time explaining my approach and trying to convince them to try it by describing it to them in great detail. Ultimately, I was unsuccessful in my efforts. It is terrible if a child’s reluctance to engage can be traced back to just one negative event, but there are undoubtedly many other things to consider in this regard as well. In this regard, it is important to consider as many of these other elements as possible.
Those who teach drama usually have previous experience of acting or directing in some capacity. This is true most of the time. If you studied in a field related to theater or the film business, you probably always wanted to be the best at whatever you did. This is especially true if you went to school for a field that is related to acting. Compared to working in any other field, being a theater educator is a completely unique experience. Disseminating information to students should be your main focus, not putting on the most impressive show possible. This perspective adjustment may take some time, but if you put the children’s education at the center of the process, you will eventually find that things begin to run more smoothly. This change in perspective may take some time to take place.
Give them a chance to talk about their experiences.
Two young women sit at a desk and write down their thoughts. Keeping children engaged in the process throughout can be an effective way of helping to maintain high levels of enthusiasm.
When students are given opportunities to participate in the process, this can be helpful in maintaining students’ interest as well as their sense of responsibility for their actions.
Cooperation is necessary for the growth of successful production to achieve the goals. By paying attention to what students have to say and allowing them to express their ideas, you are giving them the opportunity to take ownership of the program in which they are participating. They will be more enthusiastic throughout the process, resulting in fewer problems with queues, absenteeism and other problems of a similar nature, if people feel that their opinions are being taken into account. They will take responsibility not only for the show, but also for how they behave, which will take a lot of stress off your shoulders as the production director. You’ll even be able to get a more passionate performance out of them, which is one of the most important aspects to consider when deciding whether a show is entertaining or not.