The right people make a difference

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

– Thomas Edison

When I was eight years old, I broke the Statue of Liberty. A twenty inch tall replica awarded to my father for years of service shattered as it slammed into the floor. Though my failure was accidental, a young girl playing ball in the house, it felt as catastrophic as had I actually broken the real statue. The disappoint in my mother’s face. The anger in my father’s voice. And the shame I felt for letting them down. See, I grew up in a household where mistakes often resulted in anger, yelling and tears. Where nothing short of perfection was tolerated. 

When I began teaching, I noticed the same stress and anxiety I faced in many of my students and I wanted to help them deal with that pressure. It had taken me years to move away form the perfectionist attitude that confined me to one that allows me to celebrate improvement. And I strive to pass on that same mindset to my students by implementing consent-based, trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices in my classroom. I want my students to enjoy every improvement while realizing that failures are there to help them find their path. I want to give students the tools they need to laugh at all of the crazy mistakes. Because at the end of the day, I want to remember the happy things and not how I broke the Statue of Liberty. 

Below are some of the useful tools I use in my classroom to create a nurturing and safe environment:

Consent-based example – Assessment Menu 

When teaching Theatre Appreciation, I invite students to pick a project from a list of choices. They can choose from performing a monologue, designing an element of a play, or writing a script. And if those options don’t appeal to them, they are also welcome to offer a different project suggestion for approval. I’ve found with this assignment that students are more willing to put in the work and more likely to enjoy the journey. I want students to explore areas outside of their comfort zone without being pushed off a cliff.  

Consent-based example – Community Agreements 

At the beginning of each term, I coordinate community agreements where we establish expectations for the course. We also discuss access needs and triggers to avoid when conversing with others. 

Trauma-informed example – Positive Feedback 

When asking students to share feedback on each others work, I stress the importance of sharing positive and constructive feedback. We discuss how they would feel receiving negative criticism without also hearing how they are improving or what they are doing right. I relay study statistics that have shown that it can take up to five positive comments to offset a negative comment and we discuss why this is true and what we can do to lessen the impact of these harmful remarks. I make sure whenever I address items that aren’t working, that I am also relaying the other items that are being completed successfully. I believe this helps to support a growth mindset in my students. 

Culturally Responsive example – Diverse Texts 

When choosing text selections and supportive materials, I look for varying viewpoints and diverse representation to unlock different perspectives. I seek out and bring in stories that highlight marginalized voices. I’ve included texts like Intimate Apparel, Electricdad, and Hidden Figures in recent courses. 

Culturally Responsive example – Inclusive Engagement 

Throughout each semester, I ask questions prompting students to share things that interest them so I can create connections to our studies. For instance, when teaching Screenwriting, one of my students mentioned how they loved Aaron Sorkin and his show Newsroom. Later, when discussing how to create a defining moment for a character, I was able to share multiple examples of scenes including Will McAvoy’s scene from Newsroom. By using a show the student already knew, they were able to easily understand the defining moment concept and felt as if they had been seen.  

Though I have found the tools above very effective in creating a nurturing environment where students feel energized and excited to participate and learn, I think there is still more work to be done.  I hope to develop additional tools for dealing with stress and trauma through researching 

Childhood Trauma and the Perfectionist Attitude

Exploring how childhood trauma often fosters perfectionist attitudes in adulthood and how these patterns influence creative expression. Perfectionism, while frequently perceived as a form of ambition, often develops in young children as a means to safeguard them from harm. This connection can have profound implications for artistic development, often undermining confidence, increasing self doubt and depression, and limiting risk-taking.

I seek to ask 

• How theatre can help redefine failure as growth rather than inadequacy?
• What pedagogical strategies can empower students to transform from a perfectionist attitude to a growth mindset?   

Through this research, I aim to develop trauma-informed, process-oriented teaching practices that prioritize experimentation and iterative learning over rigid standards of success. By creating environments where imperfection is normalized and vulnerability is valued, I seek to empower students to write boldly and authentically, cultivating confidence that extends beyond the classroom.

Allows me to teach creative writing for the stage and screen.

Affords me the opportunity to work as an Artistic Director, Actress and/or Director.

Supports me as I create a publishing company whose mission is to develop new works and provide grants for new productions.

Challenges me to continually improve and grow as a teacher, artist and administrative educator.