The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide

Drama teaching is at a critical juncture

With new qualifications in the market, changes in government approach to the arts in education and hundreds of thousands of students wanting to be part of the country's hugely successful performing arts industry, the pressures on drama teachers are enormous

Many don't have a specialist background in drama and theatre and end up taking on the role of drama teacher

Others feel disconnected from current theatre practice because of the time-demands of teaching

Plenty of drama teachers feel they could be serving their students better, if only they had the resources and the support

For all of those teachers, this book will come as welcome relief

The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide provides support, inspirational ideas and rock-solid guidance for secondary drama teachers

It outlines the fundamental principles of a creative drama curriculum, and looks at how teachers can facilitate this and deliver inspiring lessons to fulfill the potential of their learners

It addresses head-on the common and numerous challenges that drama teachers face, from having to design their own creative curriculum to understanding how students learn

The author's own advice and expertise is supplemented by case studies, thereby collating and offering up the best advice and experience available

Written by Matthew Nichols, drama teacher for 12 years, this book offers a range of strategies, case studies and methods that really work

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements

Introduction

What Is A Drama Teacher?

Building a Curriculum

Creating, Performing, Responding

Surviving: The Pressure Points

Engaging with Contemporary Work

The Bits in Between

Afterword
Index

REVIEWS

"This is a terrific and instructive book, and an essential reminder of how inspiring and empowering a good drama teacher can be. I hope it's read widely and that new generations of pupils and teachers benefit from its wisdom and its verve" ~ Nick Hytner