The British Theatre Guide: What They Didn't Teach You at College

School & Youth Theatre

What They Didn't Teach You in College

You no doubt learned lots of valuable things on your teaching course - psychology, child development, and all that incredibly interesting stuff - but, for some reason, Drama students are not taught some of the most important things, things that they need to know to survive.

So - here they are!

Never, never, ever, let the caretaker know you have gaffer tape. You may lock it away from other members of staff, even the Head, but the caretaker has keys to everywhere, and he has 1001 uses for gaffer!
Large, clear spaces (like drama studios or other rooms used for drama) are at a premium in schools, so they're the odd-on favourites to be used for parents' evenings, PTA meetings, and all sorts of after-school events. Therefore you will spend the last lesson of the afternoon before the meeting and the first lesson of the morning after, either setting up the room or restoring it to its normal function. Don't imagine your protests will avail anything: after all, it's only drama.
As a drama teacher you don't have any marking to do, so it won't matter if you lose more non-contact time to sit for absent colleagues than anyone else. Huh!
You are not entitled to any technician support or extra non-contact time to maintain equipment. Everyone knows that stage lighting and sound equipment, scenery, costumes, props etc. look after themselves.
They told you that you have to make your lessons bright and exciting to held the kids' interest. True! What they didn't tell you - 'cos they don't know! - is how to get them quiet enough to realise that your lessons are bright etc.....!
This is a general rule which applies to any teacher of any subject. It's basic, but they never tell you this in college. The three most important people in any school are the caretaker, the secretary(-ies) and the cook. Get on their right side and you'll have a much easier life: annoy them and you may as well resign now.