Being a theater education major has been one of the strangest parts of my time here at Emerson. I am in a constant flow between people not knowing I exist outside the department and people refusing to acknowledge my credibility within. I get it! We’re a small major within a huge performing arts program. However, we’re still here, and the people who are studying theater ed. are some of the most fantastic and passionate human beings I’ve ever met. This is why I get so frustrated at anyone who suggests that our job is easy.
We’ve all heard the saying, “those who can’t do, teach.” It’s probably the number one joke across high school drama teachers, dance teachers, music teachers, art teachers, and so many others. However, being a teacher isn’t a job to be taken lightly or something anyone can do. In fact, as someone who has had a range of teachers in the arts, I can assure that if you weren’t very good in your field, then you probably won’t be so great at teaching it. To illuminate the arts for someone else, you have to fully understand your area of expertise and, to be completely honest, not everyone does. There’s specific training for gaining this kind of knowledge. Why do you think I pay $65,000 a year for it? The people who are education majors choose this over just acting because it meant something else to them.
It takes a special kind of person to share the arts with the world. We obviously have a love for our field, but there is a specific reason why we choose not to go down that path. Anyone who is in the performing arts recognizes the rush one gets when demonstrating their passion. The people who choose education get that sense of enlightenment, but amplified completely when they are able to watch someone grow and love the arts. We get the unique opportunity to watch a child fall for the arts in the purest form it comes in.
So, here’s what I’m asking you to do if you still continue to say that being a teacher is your backup plan: educate yourself. Give yourself the right tools to become the most caring and compassionate teacher you can be, because it’s not just about you anymore. It is one thing to be an artist and create and another thing to show someone how to create. Being a teacher isn’t a joke.
