Most of my theater students will not pursue a career in the professional theater. Most arrive without any formal training, and very little acting experience. With a median class size of twelve students, they may come from as many towns, as the magnet high school where I teach serves fifteen districts. Admission is by a lottery system, requiring only an interest in a particular arts discipline.
Discipline is what my students apparently lack the most. They do not fall short on robust energy, cultivating an active social life, or seeking fun in every venture. During a recent professional development day for my high school’s faculty, a group of nine teachers received the task of collectively describing their students. I was in this group. We considered aspects of their lives including family life, religion, nutrition, work ethics, goals and attitudes. This task at first seemed impossible, since our students come from fifteen towns, and their backgrounds are all so different. But soon enough, we identified some commonalties, and possible contributing factors.
Many of our students live in single-parent homes. Many receive low exposure to culture and areas outside their local vicinities. Most students do not have a daily meeting when their whole family sits together to talk or share a meal. Most play video games, use a computer, and watch television daily. Preaching rather than practicing religion, minimal participation in organized sports, ineffective nutrition, and a lack of determination to find humanitarian role models contribute to a low self-esteem. Most do not read or write for fun, or to effect change in their community. The students are prone to swearing, violence, peer pressure, and a very low respect for authority. Overall, most students possess no work ethic.
