# New High School Teacher searching for answers in the Booth.



## jddgg22 (Apr 5, 2012)

Just heard about this forum a couple of weeks ago and figured that I would stop by and see what it is all about.

I am a High School technical theater and photography teacher in Colorado with a BA in Technical Theater (Scenic Design Emphasis) and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction. Having worked mostly as a designer, stage manager and a props artisan I figure I will still have plenty of questions regarding light and sound, and am thankful to have found such an excellent resource for information!

Hopefully I'll be able to contribute to some of the construction / props / design or potential education questions, and thank you all in advance for your future help!


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## Clifford (Apr 5, 2012)

jddgg22 said:


> I am a High School technical theater and photography student...



In the sense we're always learning, or a typo? 

Anyhow, welcome to ControlBooth! Answer the questions you know the answers to, and ask the ones you don't. Don't forget to check out the excellent Wiki and Articles for general information.


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## chausman (Apr 5, 2012)

Welcome to CB!


Clifford said:


> In the sense we're always learning, or a typo?



And I didn't even see something wrong when I read it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jddgg22 (Apr 6, 2012)

Good find Clifford,
Sorry about the typo guys, and yes, I suppose in regards to this forum I am more a student than I teacher I would imagine.


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## patlienemann (Apr 6, 2012)

welcome to the booth!
as you seem to have question you want answered, i have questions for you that i would like answered! 
do you enjoy teaching high school theatre?


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## jddgg22 (Apr 7, 2012)

I got my undergrad at a college that did 36 productions per season in four spaces, 12 of which were main stage plays, operas or musicals. We had approximately 45 technicians / carpenters / painters / stage managers / technical directors / props artisans / designers etc to complete all of the work. As a technical theater high school teacher I can honestly say I have never been more busy in my life, and I do pretty much all of that work for half to three quarters of the pay of a professional technical director.

However, there is definitely a payoff when you begin to recognize that you are helping theater survive in a time when theater is becoming more and more endangered. The opportunity to see how excited students become about theater, and the level of dedication that they put into a show is highly rewarding in a different manner. The majority of your teaching truly takes place after school has let out, and everything that you do during school seems almost superficial in comparison to the lessons the students learn during crews calls.

I will admit that there are many times that I truly miss working with a professional crews; a simpler time when you didn't have to worry about whether or not your electricians could safely climb a catwalks ladder, or whether your carpenters knew how to use a table saw, but it is better that they learn how to do it in high school than never at all (or college)!

So yes, to make a long answer short I would say that the majority of the time I quite enjoy teaching high school theater.

Why do you ask?


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## josh88 (Apr 7, 2012)

I hear ya on that. My college wasn't that busy, but we did a lot, and now doing everything myself and trying to teach on top of it, its just tiring at times. There are days I think boy, it'd be nice to just go be a carpenter for a theatre somewhere, less responsibility, easier, better pay probably... but I'm still here haha


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## patlienemann (Apr 8, 2012)

well in my short few years in the theater I have come across very excellent educators who are quite motivating and inspirational. When I originally started college a few years back I wanted to be a music teacher, and now that I'm going back to college with theater in mind I always thought education might be "plan b". I always liked the thought of helping the youth and showing them how to experience life and how to learn and do better than I ever could. Just never got a chance to actually ask someone if it's worth it to them... Thanks


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## LBCSeattle (Apr 25, 2012)

jddgg22 said:


> The opportunity to see how excited students become about theater, and the level of dedication that they put into a show is highly rewarding in a different manner. The majority of your teaching truly takes place after school has let out, and everything that you do during school seems almost superficial in comparison to the lessons the students learn during crews calls.
> 
> I will admit that there are many times that I truly miss working with a professional crews; a simpler time when you didn't have to worry about whether or not your electricians could safely climb a catwalks ladder, or whether your carpenters knew how to use a table saw, but it is better that they learn how to do it in high school than never at all (or college)!
> 
> So yes, to make a long answer short I would say that the majority of the time I quite enjoy teaching high school theater.



True that! I worked in a high school performing arts center for almost 10 years after many years as a professional stagehand. I moved and now work part-time at an arts college, take stagehand calls through my local IA, and am trying to establish a little freelance consulting and training business. I got a BFA in Tech Theatre from U of Colorado (a long time ago). Say hi to the Rocky Mountains for me! I really enjoy working with young techs and designers. The students could be frustrating at times, but they are so dynamic it was exciting to work with them and rewarding to see them develop as technicians. They were not the hardest part of high school; it was the administrative drudgery.

FYI: I just joined CB myself. This is my first post. Need to figure out how it works.


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## ruinexplorer (Apr 25, 2012)

Welcome to the booth. Grog12 is just up 25 in Denver. Just sayin'. I learned theater on the other side of the mountains before setting out professionally. Anyhow, if you need help navigating the forums, don't hesitate to contact a mod or member of the senior team. We don't bite (even though we may be snarky at times).


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