🎓 Teaching Overview
As a certified Drama and English instructor for grades 7-12, I have developed and executed comprehensive theatre programs that adhere to Colorado, AVID, and IB standards. My students have not only participated in festivals but also taken charge by directing their shows, earning recognition throughout our district for their creativity, professionalism, and leadership within their ensembles.
🧱 Curriculum Features
Trauma-informed, SEL-integrated instruction
Culturally responsive design and inclusive casting practices
Project-based learning that prepares students for artistic and academic leadership
Trauma-responsive rehearsal protocols and restorative dialogue
Coaching for students working with banned or controversial texts
Drama techniques: mask work, mime, shadow work
🎭 Performance Pathways: Courses for the Stage
🎨 Design & Backstage Arts
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TECHNICAL THEATRE I
Hands-on course focused on constructing and painting scenery, operating technical equipment, and supporting production with backstage roles. The curriculum promotes collaborative teamwork, critical self-expression, and reflective evaluation, cultivating students' technical skills while prioritizing emotional safety and equitable access to leadership opportunities behind the scenes.
Curriculum updated in Spring 2024 to center student empowerment and inclusivity
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STAGECRAFT
A holistic introduction to theatrical design where students select a focus in lighting, sound, set, or costume design. The curriculum emphasizes equity by supporting diverse learning styles and fostering student agency through portfolio development, design interviews, and collaborative project-based learning. Practical experience in HHS Drama productions offers students real-world leadership roles and community service credit. Updates integrated trauma-informed practices and aligned the scope and sequence with Colorado academic standards, reinforcing inclusion and cultural responsiveness in theatre design education.
Curriculum designed and continuously refined by me, with significant updates in Spring 2024
🎬 Theatre Leadership & Production Management
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THEATRE MANAGEMENT
Students learn budgeting, fundraising, organizational skills, and collaborative problem-solving to create sustainable, student-led theatre programs that reflect community diversity and promote equitable participation.
Curriculum developed to emphasize leadership equity, resource accessibility, and inclusive production management
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DIRECTING
Students develop directing skills emphasizing emotional safety, inclusivity, and empowering actor agency, enabling them to lead productions that balance artistic vision with ethical leadership and holistic care for the cast and crew.
Designed a student-centered curriculum focused on ensemble building and trauma-informed rehearsal processes
✍️ Academic Courses
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AVID 9:
Focus on academic goal setting, thesis writing, study skills, and college readiness in a collaborative learning environment. Students practice money mindfulness (budgeting, loans, driver's license), grit and growth mindset, emotional maturity, and trauma awareness. Uses theatre techniques like mask work, miming, and 10-minute playwriting to develop leadership, independence, self-advocacy, and critical thinking within a holistic, equity-driven framework
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ENGLISH I (9th Grade):
Foundational freshman English course emphasizing literacy development through thematic texts. Integrates creative writing, critical analysis, and collaborative projects to foster student voice, cultural awareness, and leadership skills. Employs drama-based activities and reflective practices to support social-emotional growth and build a strong academic and personal foundation.