Acting Lessons for Teachers: Using Performance Skills in the Classroom / Edition 2

by Robert T. Tauber, Cathy S. Mester

Overview

Acting Lessons for Teachers presents a solid theoretical foundation for the pedagogical benefits of enthusiastic teaching. Simply put, students are more engaged, misbehave less, and learn better from teachers who teach enthusiastically. A teacher's enthusiasm for his or her subject matter can be contagious. Since the dynamic of the classroom is similar to that of the stage in terms of speaker-listener relationships, the acting craft offers teachers a model for the skills and strategies that could be incorporated in their work to convey more enthusiasm for the material and for the students.

This book presents concrete descriptions of the specific acting strategies that would benefit the teacher: physical and vocal animation, teacher role-playing, strategic entrances and exits, humor, props, suspense and surprise, and creative use of space. Special attention is given to the potential advantage of instructional technology as a modern-day prop. Strategies are explained in terms of their importance and ease of incorporation into the classroom. Each is proposed as a skill that can be learned by any teachers who have the desire to enliven their teaching. Student descriptions of their own experience with teachers' use of acting strategies add real examples for each lesson. Finally, testimony of award-winning classroom teachers from a variety of disciplines and age levels provides evidence of the wide and easy applicability of these strategies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275992040
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/30/2006
Edition description:	2ND
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Robert T. Tauber is Professor Emeritus, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Penn State-Erie, The Behrend College. He has taught and counseled in K-12, and has taught at the university level for 35 years. While at Behrend College he taught a variety of education courses, supervised students on field experience, and served as Dean's Representative for the College of Education. After retiring from Penn State University as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tauber continues to teach graduate courses as an Adjunct Professor at Gannon University, Erie, PA, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. He is well published, both nationally and internationally, and has served two sabbaticals, one at Durham University (UK) and one at the University of Melbourbane (Australia).

Cathy Sargent Mester is Senior Lecturer in Communication, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Penn State-Erie, The Behrend College. Cathy Sargent Mester is a 35-year member of the faculty in Communication and Media Studies at Penn State-Erie where she also currently serves as Program Chair. She has created a specialized course in instructional communication for pre-service teachers and frequently leads workshops for inservice teachers as well as business and community leaders. Co-author of three books and numerous conference papers and articles, Mester has taught at all grade levels, served as a school board president, a faculty organization president and is listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Background
Chapter 1 Teacher Enthusiasm: A Pedagogical Necessity
Chapter 2 Boosting Teacher Enthusiasm: A Crafterperson's Toolbox
Chapter 3 Educational Foundations for Teachers as Actors
Part 2 The Acting Lessons
Chapter 4 Animation in Body
Chapter 5 Animation in Voice
Chapter 6 Classroom Space
Chapter 7 Humor
Chapter 8 Role-Playing
Chapter 9 Props
Chapter 10 Technology Props
Chapter 11 Suspense and Surprise
Chapter 12 Making a Dramatic Entrance and Exit
Part 3 Epilogue
Chapter 13 Behind the Scenes, Loosening Up, and Preparing for That Step across the Classroom Threshold
Chapter 14 Classroom Management
Chapter 15 Enthusiastic Teaching: A Conversation with Friends
Chapter 16 Conclusion
Appendix 1 Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)
Appendix 2 Testimonials from Award-Winner K-12 Teachers and College Professors
References
Subject and Name Index

Editorial Reviews

Tauber and Mester discuss different teaching strategies for those in elementary through university levels. They focus on the idea that there is an acting- teaching parallel that can improve effectiveness and consider what can be learned from the world of acting. Specifically, they describe animation in voice and body, classroom space utilization, humor, role-playing, props, and suspense and surprise, while detailing stage and film examples of these techniques and classroom correlations. Other chapters address educational foundations, the importance of teacher enthusiasm, and classroom management. Acting exercises are provided in one chapter. This edition contains new chapters on instructional technology and classroom entrances and exits. All chapters have been revised to include recent research and descriptions of the experiences of K-12 teachers.” —Reference & Research Book News

“Looking to liven up your teaching? This book describes acting strategies—such as role playing, entrances and exits, props, and suspense and surprise—that can help you add interest to any teaching material.” —Learning Magazine

From the Publisher