For the past month, I have had the privilege to get to know students at Tampa Day School. I have found Tampa Day School students to be brimming with creativity.
I teach performing arts with a strong theater focus and even though they are learning, there is much laughing along the way!

Since the start of the year, 1st through 3rd grade have focused on stories that center on friendship. We explored the theme of “What makes a good friend,” and how to practice those characteristics. The students retold stories as they eagerly acted out their favorite character.

1st grade students act out “May We Sleep Here Tonight,” by Tan Koide

In 4th and 5th grade, students learned about Florida history using theater. We have focused on identity, family origin, and the importance of telling their personal history as they looked closely at the first Floridians and how they passed along their stories. Alongside Florida history, students engaged in theater exercises that reiterated the importance of teamwork, communication, and the actor’s tools of voice, body, and imagination.

4th grade creates a gigantic letter “H.” Students could only use eye contact, body language, and gesture to create letters of the alphabet together in a physical warm up.

6th grade is a highly inventive class. They work well together and often surprise me with their clever imaginations. Students learned about the actor’s tools, stage presence, collaboration and stage directions. Recently, I allowed a few students to take the role of director and lead their peers by using specific stage directions and giving their classmates a particular action or task to do onstage. It proved to be so much fun! Students have also invented machines as we explored how to be a team player, and work as an ensemble.

6th Graders created a human machine by incorporating specific sounds and motions.

All in all, I am thrilled to be working with such incredible students. All of my classes have learned the characteristics of a respectful audience member. They are already proving to be observant and well-mannered audience members for their peers. I’m anticipating an artistic year filled with expression, imaginative stories, and a ton of laughter.

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