The theatre missionary exploring the early career teaching exper

Lesley University DigitalCommons@Lesley Educational Studies Dissertations Graduate School of Education (GSOE) 2015 The Theatre Missionary: Exploring the Early Career Teaching Experiences of Theatre Educators through Artistic Inquiry Robert Andrew Strickland Lesley University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.edu/education_dissertations Part of the Art Education Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, and the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons Recommended Citation Strickland, Robert Andrew, "The Theatre Missionary: Exploring the Early Career Teaching Experiences of Theatre Educators through Artistic Inquiry" (2015). Educational Studies Dissertations.edu/education_dissertations/17 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School of Education (GSOE) at DigitalCommons@Lesley. It has been accepted for inclusion in Educational Studies Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Lesley. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@lesley.edu, cvrattos@lesley.

THE THEATRE MISSIONARY: EXPLORING THE EARLY CAREER TEACHING EXPERIENCES OF THEATRE EDUCATORS THROUGH ARTISTIC INQUIRY A DISSERTATION Submitted by R. Andrew Strickland In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Education LESLEY UNIVERSITY Terrence J. (Chair) Lisa Donovan, Ph. Barry Shealy, Ph.

Andrew Strickland All Rights Reserved THE THEATRE MISSIONARY ii Copyright © 2015 by R. Andrew Strickland All Rights Reserved THE THEATRE MISSIONARY iii Abstract For educators entering a fine arts classroom for the first time the transition can be quite difficult. Fine arts teachers are often the only specialists in their subject area at a school, placing them in a new situation without a mentor to guide them through the process. The difficulties can be exacerbated by the ideological, financial, and social marginalization of the arts in many schools.

Despite the challenges faced by new fine arts educators, little research has focused specifically on their transitions into K-12 classrooms. To explore these transitional experiences this study was guided by the research question: How do K-12 theatre educators interpret their early-career teaching experiences through artistic inquiry? The study utilized Metaphor-Scenario (MetaScen), an arts-based qualitative methodology developed by the researcher, to gather and analyze data from the participants, seven American theatre teachers from K-12 schools. MetaScen allowed participants to reflect on their early career teaching experiences, represent them with a metaphor, and finally adapt the metaphor into a short performance piece. Data collection was then completed with semi-structured interviews of the participants.

A multiple cycle coding method was utilized both to analyze data as it specifically referred to the question of teachers’ transitions to the K-12 theatre classroom as well as to explore the efficacy of MetaScen as part of the ongoing work to refine and improve its methodology. The study found that new theatre teachers felt a strong sense of isolation while undergoing a first year marked by extreme emotional swings. The teachers felt a close connection with their students but often lacked the support they needed to succeed and experienced challenges when their programs intersected with other facets of the school. These findings were linked by the primary discovery that new theatre teachers need to be strong advocates for theatre in order to successfully navigate the transition process.

Recommendations were made to theatre education stakeholders for preparing new theatre educators both for the specific challenges of teaching as well as becoming THE THEATRE MISSIONARY iv strong advocates for theatre. Possible future directions and improvements for the MetaScen research methodology were also suggested. THE THEATRE MISSIONARY v Acknowledgements In my way of thinking, this dissertation actually began in 1989 when a college freshman cheekily told the head of the theatre department at the University of Alabama that he wanted to make directing his emphasis when that was not even an option for undergraduates. Instead of kicking me out of his office, Dr.

Ed Williams heard me out and helped me accomplish my goal by making me work harder than I ever had before in my life. In a college career that has carried me to four universities over 27 years, I have been blessed with so many teachers who have encouraged my artistic eccentricities while not letting me shirk the requisite rigors of academia. In addition to Dr. Williams at the University of Alabama, this list of powerful influences on my career includes John Ross and Bill Teague.

At the University of Mississippi, Dr. James Shollenberger, Dr. Scott McCoy, and René Pulliam honed my skills as a director and introduced me to scholarly research. James Thomas at Wayne State University made me realize that I could be a researcher at the doctoral level, while Pat Ansuini gave me my first taste of being treated as a collegial colleague.

Lesley University’s Integrated Teaching through the Arts program fused my love of teaching, my interest in research, and my lifetime devotion to the arts into scholarly success through the efforts of Dr. Mike McCarthy, Dr. Lisa Donovan, and Dr. I returned to Lesley University for my doctoral work and had the great fortune to be assigned Dr.

Terry Keeney as my advisor. I have never had a more supportive presence in my academic life. While I laughingly christened him “Dreamkiller” as he relentlessly encouraged me to focus my research scope, I could not have accomplished this dream without him. He has been my guide through the pitfalls of academia, a push in the back when needed, a tireless advocate for my work, and a true embodiment of what a mentor should be.

I also acknowledge the many other wonderful professors and staff at Lesley University who have had a hand in my THE THEATRE MISSIONARY vi doctoral studies. Thanks go out as well to my doctoral cohort, especially Debra Murphy, Anne Benoit, and Katy Nameth. The three of them helped me through so many of the difficult times and were there to celebrate the successes. It was an honor to go through this process with these three friends.

I will never be able to fully thank my wonderful dissertation committee for their endless efforts on my behalf. My dissertation process was long, yet Dr. Terry Keeney, Dr. Lisa Donovan, and Dr.

Barry Shealy were with me for the entire journey. They are truly my dream team and brought such different perspectives yet similar support and encouragement to me and my research. The administration, staff, and faculty at First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia, where I have taught for more than twelve years were an endless source of prayers, support, and optimism for me. Special thanks to Jonathan Baker (my true brother in the arts) and the rest of the fine arts faculty who live out my research every day.

My students at FPD were an endless source of inspiration and joy for me as well. Thank you to all of my “theatre kids” for cheering me on every step of the way. And finally, thank you to my family. My parents, Robert and Janice Strickland, not only gave me life but also my love of theatre and teaching.

They constantly set the example for me with their lives. I am not sure I can ever reach the high bar they have set, but they encourage me to keep reaching every day. My grandmother, Verla Miles, has been my lifetime partner in mischief and is the absolute embodiment of love and support. My in-laws, Charles and Mildred Strickland, were so loving and understanding as I became a hermit in their back bedroom, typing madly away.

But most of all, my wife Janet and sons Luke and Caedmon are the life behind all of my efforts. Thank you for making everything in my life possible and wonderful. THE THEATRE MISSIONARY vii Dedicated to: My parents, Robert and Janice Strickland, for giving me the dream. My wife, Janet Strickland, for being my dream come true.

My sons, Luke and Caedmon Strickland, for being my dream of the future. THE THEATRE MISSIONARY viii Table of Contents Abstract. v List of Tables. xii Chapter 1: Introduction.

1 Background and Context. 6 Statement of Purpose and Research Questions. 10 Rationale and Significance. 11 Definitions of Key Terminology Used in this Study.

11 Chapter 2: Literature Review. 13 Arts Educators as Adults: Adult Learning Theory and Adult Development. 14 Arts Educators as Artists: Learning Styles. 21 Arts Educators as New Teachers: Induction.

24 Induction: A Phase in Learning to Teach. 25 Induction: A Socialization Process. 27 Induction: A Formal Program. 28 Arts Educators as New Arts Teachers: Teacher Induction in a Fine Arts Context.

30 Arts Educators as Protégés: Mentoring in a Fine Arts Context. 45 Rationale for Qualitative Research. 45 Rationale for Artistic Inquiry. 47 The Research Participants.

49 Information Needed to Conduct the Study. 51 THE THEATRE MISSIONARY ix Overview of Research Design. 52 Data Collection Phase 1: Metaphor-Scenario Process. 52 Data Collection Phase 2: Interviews.

57 Methods for Data Analysis and Synthesis. 58 First Coding Cycle. 59 Second Coding Cycle. 60 Final Analysis and Synthesis.

62 Issues of Trustworthiness. 65 Chapter 4: Presentation of Findings. 67 The Research Participants. 72 The Findings and Their Organizing Central Metaphor.

72 Discussion of the Findings. 75 The Emotional Findings. 75 The Sociological Findings. 88 The Primary Finding.

112 Chapter 5: Analysis of Findings. 114 Analysis Step 1: Participant Analysis. 115 How did the participants perceive their transitions? What factors assisted or hindered them as they assumed their new places in the classroom?. 116 THE THEATRE MISSIONARY x What suggestions would the participants make to new theatre educators beginning the transition to the classroom?.

123 Analysis Step 2: The Researcher’s Metaphor-Scenario Analysis. 133 Researcher’s Analysis of the Artistic Inquiry Process. 141 Analysis Step 3: Pragmatic Analysis. 147 Revisitation of Researcher Assumptions.

147 Revisitation of Reviewed Literature. 156 Pragmatic Challenges to Improving Theatre Teacher Induction. 156 New Directions for Theatre Teacher Induction. 158 Recommendations for College Theatre Education Programs.

159 Recommendations for Theatre Organizations. 160 Recommendations for School Administrators. 163 Recommendation for Current Theatre Teachers and Fine Arts Department Chairs. 164 Recommendations for New Theatre Teachers.

165 Chapter 7: Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Metaphor-Scenario Research Method. 166 Learning the Method. 178 Participant Evaluations of MetaScen and Recommendations. 183 THE THEATRE MISSIONARY xi Recommendations for MetaScen.

200 Appendix A – IRB Approval Letter. 200 Appendix B – Study Recruitment Webpage. 201 Appendix C – Participant Interest Survey. 202 Appendix D – MetaScen Instructions and Examples.

203 Appendix E – Interview Protocol. 206 Appendix F – Participant Informed Consent Form. 207 Appendix G – Participant Video/Photograph Informed Consent Form. 210 Appendix H – Additional Performer Video/Photograph Informed Consent Form.

211 Appendix I – Additional Minor Performer Video/Photograph Informed Consent Form. 212 Appendix J – Erin’s Artistic Inquiry. 213 Appendix K – Brook’s Artistic Inquiry. 220 Appendix L – Bard’s Artistic Inquiry.

223 Appendix M – Lulu’s Artistic Inquiry. 234 Appendix N – Jack’s Artistic Inquiry. 236 Appendix O – Josephine’s Artistic Inquiry. 241 THE THEATRE MISSIONARY xii List of Tables Table 3.1: Scenario for Analysis Artistic Inquiry .1: Participants’ Use of MetaScen Step 1: Reflection .2: Participants’ Use of MetaScen Step 2: Theming .3: Participants’ Use of MetaScen Step 3: Metaphor .4: Participants’ Use of MetaScen Step 4: Scenario .5: Participants’ Use of MetaScen Step 5: Performance.

178 THE THEATRE MISSIONARY 1 Chapter 1: Introduction For educators entering a fine arts classroom for the first time, the transition can be quite difficult. Fine arts teachers are often the only specialists in their subject area at a school, placing them in a new situation without a mentor to guide them through the process. Administrators may have little knowledge of the needs of arts teachers and their programs. The difficulties can be exacerbated by the ideological, financial, and social marginalization of the arts in many schools.