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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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Theater professor pushes for ‘honesty’
Like other excellent teachers, Eatman’s passion for his subject and enjoyment of student interaction contribute to an environment that is conducive to learning. Eatman teaches a number of different courses within the theater curriculum, but says his studio courses in acting are “perhaps the core of what I’m about here.” Eatman draws upon skills from his lifelong love of performing and directing to point out “places where students are falling short of the mark,” but, more important, trusts students’ ability “to sense what works and what doesn’t.” Feedback Understanding the importance of how students process information, Eatman himself models the critical communication skills of giving and receiving feedback. “I stress how feedback is incredibly important—how a speaker must watch listeners carefully for signs of connection, resistance, or lack of comprehension. Therefore, when a student is before a group and simply reads an excerpt or recites a memorized passage, I point out that lack of awareness of one’s audience badly impairs communication. I’m personally indebted to all the caring teachers, critical students, and helpful colleagues who have showed me what it’s like to constantly read audience feedback; therefore, I try to demonstrate this in my courses because awareness of one’s audience is critical to teaching, learning, and effective communication.” Camaraderie Honesty How does Eatman teach honesty? “We do many exercises and improvisations. Much of our work is totally nonverbal; words are actually the last step. Honesty begins before we speak, and concentration is key. It’s important to learn to stay focused on the mental development of a role: who we are, where we are, where we have been, and what we hope to do. For example, I bring a file of photos that induce a reaction. A student looks privately at a photo, steps before the group, conjures a mental image from the photo, and uses his body as a kind of projector. The other students see the image reflected in ways like facial expression, eyes, body adjustments, and breathing rate. They have no idea what this person has seen, but when they begin discussing it, they are often amazingly accurate—almost like they are mind-reading. To allow that image to permeate oneself is an important skill to learn.” Eatman, himself, applies dramatic skills beyond the classroom and stage. He points out, theater skills “have a lot to offer public education.” In working with gifted elementary school students in reading the poetry of Shel Silverstein, he has found that theater skills provide “an incredible way for youngsters to examine literature.” | ||||||||||||||
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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for
pressing students “to stretch their imaginative and creative muscles”;
however, the UP-Johnstown theater instructor comments, “I have discovered,
to my joy, that the pushing, eventually, is not just done by me. If
I can get students excited and motivated, they tend to become the arbiters
of quality.”