TEACHING
I began teaching in post-secondary institutions in 1990, since this time I have tried to contribute a unique vision and pedagogical approach to the theory and practice of theatre in the various institutions across Canada and the U.K., where I’ve worked. When I arrived at the University of Waterloo in 2002, I was excited to work within a liberal arts model of pedagogy because the interdisciplinary potential of such a model suggested to me we could think-through and plan a process of learning that would inspire students to not only understand the foundations of the discipline but inspire the re-invention of practices and professional approaches to theatre and performance creation, drawing upon the knowledges of other disciplines, and thereby crafting approaches relevant to our contemporary world.
Teaching the building blocks of theatre, the contexts and the modes of creation
In my introductory courses, I want my students to understand the building blocks of theatre, the contexts and the modes of creation, so they may fashion responses to the circumstances in which they find themselves. I have re-created several courses in our program’s curriculum, from introductory courses in theatre and performance to devising, theory, dramaturgy, and literature courses in political and post-dramatic theatre.
Approaches to Pedagogy
The Building Blocks
In every course, I have cut back the lecture format and expanded the practical exploration of theory, research and pedagogical models and contexts from the past. I have transformed intermediate level acting courses from the rote learning of skills to the examination of the body in performance and the consideration of the ‘bodiescape’ as a resource for creation. I establish an artist-researcher approach to classes and productions alike, as I believe I must prepare my students to be keen and creative researchers.
I make a point of breaking down the arbitrary barrier that often exists between research and teaching, as well as between pedagogy and professional practice. My approach is Socratic in so far as I am approaching learning alongside my students, and we are sharing our insights on how best to proceed. It is easy for a teacher to become an opaque substitute for the learning experience, presenting themself as the substitute for the material and experience of learning. In my mind, the ultimate goal of teaching is to get out of the way of my students’ pursuit of knowledge, to allow the authority of the material and the learning process to emerge.
Embodiment
