Waubonsee Community College

Acting lessons for teachers, using performance skills in the classroom, Robert T. Tauber and Cathy Sargent Mester

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-218) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Acting lessons for teachers

dictionariesbibliography

232549011

Robert T. Tauber and Cathy Sargent Mester

using performance skills in the classroom

Acting Lessons for Teachers presents a solid theoretical foundation for the pedagogical benefits of enthusiastic teaching. The authors maintain that students learn better and misbehave less when taught by teachers who teach enthusiastically. They posit that the dynamic of the classroom is similar to that of the stage in terms of speaker-listener relationships and they demonstrate how the acting craft offers teachers a model for the skills and strategies that help convey more enthusiasm for the material, thus successfully engaging the students

pt. 1 Background -- ch. 1. Teacher enthusiasm : a pedagogical necessity -- Introduction -- Our goal -- Teacher enthusiasm : its relationship to pedagogy -- Teacher enthusiasm : its relationship to student achievement -- "Let's kick it up a notch" -- Teacher evaluations -- Summary -- Search for more on enthusiasm and passion -- ch. 2. Boosting teacher enthusiasm : a craftperson's toolbox -- Introduction -- Boosting teacher effectiveness through performing -- A craftperson's toolbox -- The craftperson himself or herself -- The craftperson's top-tray tools -- The craftperson's other tools -- Acting Skills, teacher enthusiasm, and student achievement -- Enthusiasm rating chart -- Summary -- ch. 3. Educational foundations for teachers as actors -- Introduction -- Educational foundations for teachers as actors : theorists speak -- Educational foundations for teachers as actors : practitioners speak -- The profession's response, or lack thereof -- Summarypt. 2. The acting lessons -- ch. 4. Animation in body -- Introduction -- Value of moderate animation -- Purposes served by physical animation -- Recommendations for productive teacher animation -- Facial expression -- Eye contact -- Gestures -- Posture and overall movement -- Behaviors to avoid -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on animation in body -- The master's voice -- ch. 5. Animation in voice -- Introduction -- Vocal fitness -- Vocal variations : paralanguage -- Spontaneous variations -- Deliberate variations -- Pitch -- Volume -- Quality -- Rate -- Creating characters -- Influencing credibility -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on animation in voice -- The master's voice -- ch. 6. Classroom space -- Introduction -- Proxemics -- Space and its limitations -- Blocking the scene -- Blocking the class period -- Classroom seating -- Spontaneous use of space -- Accommodating special needs -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on space utilization -- The master's voice -- ch. 7. Humor -- Introduction -- Humor : its impact on teaching -- Categories of humor -- Gender and grade-level differences -- Cartoons : a safe first step -- Bringing humor into the classroom, a gaggle of ideas -- A possible "humorous" benefit of humor -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on humor -- The master's voice -- ch. 8. Role-playing -- Introduction -- Creation of your professional persona -- Creation of a character -- Goals and values -- The process -- Applications -- Storytelling -- Mime -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on role-playing -- The master's voice -- ch. 9. Props -- Introduction -- Classroom-appropriate props -- Props generic to all classrooms -- Props unique to specific subject matter -- Using students as props -- Prop box -- Guidelines for using the props -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on props -- The master's voice -- ch. 10. Technology props -- Introduction -- Purposes and opportunities -- Limitations and risks -- Best practices -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on technology props -- The master's voice -- ch. 11. Suspense and surprise -- Introduction -- Creating the two elements -- The unpredictable real world -- Storytelling -- Relationship to other acting skills -- Bringing suspense and surprise into the classroom -- Summary -- Through the students' eyes -- Search for more on suspense and surprise -- The master's voice -- ch. 12. Making a dramatic entrance and exit -- Introduction -- Beginning and ending : the communication principle -- Memorable entrances -- Pageantry and entrances -- Entrances (and opening lines) -- Ending on a high note : exits (and closing lines) -- A marquee : the physical side of an entrance -- What is on the marquee? -- Summary -- Search for more on dramatic entrances and exitspt. 3. Epilogue -- ch. 13. Behind the scenes, loosening up, and preparing for that step across the classroom threshold -- Introduction -- Internal preparation -- Loosening up -- Well before class : practicing alone -- Well before class : practicing with others -- Just before class begins -- Once class begins -- Summary -- ch. 14. Classroom management -- Introduction -- Putting on an act -- Animation in voice -- Animation in body -- Classroom space -- Humor -- Humor with "down-under" slant -- Suspense and surprise -- Using actions to convey expectations -- "Thanks, I'd appreciate that" -- Music to soothe the savage breast -- Summary -- Search for more on classroom management -- ch. 15. Enthusiastic teaching : a conversation with friends -- Introduction -- Friends who share our enthusiasm -- Karen Joy Agne -- Linc Fisch -- Alan C. Friedman -- Carl List-Handley -- Rod Hart -- Robert Keiper -- Richard W. Leblanc -- Paddy Miller -- Sheila Newberry -- Roger Soenksen -- Rick Thorn -- ch. 16. Conclusion -- Introduction -- Spearheading professional development at your institution -- Research and reading -- Workshops and seminars -- Partnership and practice -- Willingness and courage -- A teacher's manner and method -- The curtain comes down -- Appendix 1. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) -- Appendix 2. Testimonials from award winning K-12 teachers and college professors