 Photo by Asiya Khaki '09 |
Meredith Hill ’07, Student Teacher
Interview by Julie Yang '08
Last fall, Meredith Hill '07 was the recipient of an Eleanor T. Elliott
Internship Fellows Program grant, funded by the Foundation for Child
Development. The grant supported Hill’s internships at Mott Hall II
Middle School and the Morningside Area Alliance. Here, Hill—a theatre
major and education minor—talks about applying lessons learned at
Barnard to her own teaching.
Did you consider working in theatre education before you came to Barnard?
I had done theatre when I was younger, all different forms, including dance, and performance. I worked as a counselor for kids ages 7 through 14 at a theatre camp during middle school and high school, and that gave me a look at theatre education. I also did choreography for a theatre company that I worked with—I taught dance workshops and classes for kids and adults. And I choreographed productions. So, I had done arts education-related work before coming here.
What's most rewarding about introducing children to theatre?
Theatre helps kids to express themselves in a way that is not always possible in regular classroom endeavors. Being in the Barnard Education Program and focusing on social justice and multicultural education, I'm finding different ways for them to learn and to experience the material. On the very first day you will have some who really want to get out and perform and some who are shy. Some might just get up and work something out with a scene. Through theatre, students can explore what they personally can do and find a form of self-expression. Also, it builds other skills like speaking and working with others.
How have you applied lessons learned here to your teaching?
Many courses in our theatre department focus on both western and non-western theatre. The world theatre class includes Eastern performances, ones that would be characterized as non-European, and non-American. I've been able to use different forms of drama to teach the kids. We've done Italian comedy and method acting based on courses I took. Also, just being in the education program has contributed to my concept of education and public schools and the need for arts-based education. Having those resources allowed me to emphasize the need for them to think outside the box, and to see theatre as something they can do—they don't have to be a movie star or on TV to be able to do it. They can make art themselves.
What will you do after graduation?
I want to teach for a while, and I'm interested in education reform—I'd like to find ways to enhance education through the arts. Because of requirements, "no child left behind," and current education politics, teachers often have to teach a set curriculum that's straight from the books. Sometimes that doesn't work as well as it should. I'd like to more actively involve students in education. I'm also interested in directing. So, I hope to find a combination of these.
How have your plans been shaped by your internships?
I came to Barnard thinking I would major in a million different things. I didn't know I was going to focus on theatre education. I went home to Massachusetts after my first year and worked in a summer program for kids. I realized how much I miss working with them in New York. That's why I wound up directing musicals and teaching theatre classes at Mott Hall, and working with the Morningside Area Alliance.
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