Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Category
Visual and Performing Arts (includes Creative Writing; sculpture, painting, video, dancing, music, reading, etc.)
Abstract/Artist Statement
It is a lucky researcher indeed who has the opportunity to test out strategies in a fully-operational laboratory! I graduated from UM’s School of Theatre and Dance in 2021 with an MFA in Theatre – and subsequently enrolled in the School of Education’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I have had the opportunity to apply the privileges of my terminal degree (as an instructor) while studying a new – albeit related – field. Specifically, I accepted a one-year contract as a full-time lecturer at Gonzaga University in the Theatre and Dance department – while taking University of Montana courses remotely. Thus, I have paid particular attention to the nature and needs of artistic students through the lens of counseling theory.
In my work at Gonzaga, I considered the mental and emotional well-being of my students as they (predominately) entered into an on-campus environment for the first time after a year of synchronous and/or asynchronous remote learning. Bearing in mind that awkward transition and the ongoing pandemic, I chose to take a person-centered approach to education in the vein of counseling theorist Carl Rogers.
Of course, I didn’t attempt to practice actual counseling on my students, but I made special priority to “hold space” for students’ mental and emotional needs in a manner I’d never employed before in my other teaching experiences. That approach coupled with the Ignatian “presupposition of good intent” (a core tenet for the Jesuit Gonzaga), yielded tangible results in the form of student feedback, faculty observations and personal analysis and reflection.
I was the instructor of record for Theatre History, Acting 1 and a practicum production of a musical (The Mystery of Edwin Drood), which I also directed.
I am not yet prepared to draw broad conclusions for others’ pedagogical work. Nevertheless, In this presentation, I will share the feedback data and how it informs my current teaching philosophies – and what ramifications it may have for my subsequent experiences in education and counseling – with hope that as I gather more data I may be able to help inform more universally applicable pedagogical strategies for arts instruction.
Mentor Name
Veronica Johnson
Personal Statement
Studying the arts is a deeply subjective and frequently fraught experience. As creative beings whose work is highly personal, vulnerable and difficult to objectively assess – artists can flail around for an identity, guided by those whose personal aesthetics may, however well-meaning, infringe upon their students’ sense of self. This is a conundrum I confront every time I teach. I have been working for decades as a voice coach and theatre director, and since 2018 I have taught theatre at the university level. I have always been struck by the danger I pose to my students. Whether it be a flippant turn of phrase, a mistimed critique or a failure to grasp what to a student might be of crucial importance – I have the power and position to lastingly influence a student, for better or worse. My personal journey over the last ten years or so has been to consider the student in their wholeness – as opposed to vocationally-oriented instruction. Initially, I strove to help my students “get work” in the industry. Upon reflection, I believe this approach to have been misguided. I have come to believe that any artistic exploration (professional, amateur or educational) should consider the well-being of the participants over the perceived (again, subjective) quality of the product. Thus, despite receiving my MFA, I was disenchanted with the skill-oriented knowledge I’d acquired. I didn’t feel as though I was a more effective teacher from my studies (apart from my classroom experiences as part of an assistantship). I knew more, sure, but was I more effective at reaching a student? So I enrolled in a subsequent graduate program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with the aim of learning how to help students and clients self-actualize. As I have encountered my counseling courses, I have integrated the new skills with my artistic knowledge and pedagogical sensibilities. I am nowhere near a completed educator – I’m sure I’ll never be – but the philosophies I’m exploring bring a far deeper satisfaction than anything I have experienced to date in an educational format. Now more than ever, we are in need of loving mentors and educators. I’m proud that I am learning new skills that will help bring my heart and my intentions to demonstrable techniques.
Jadd Davis recording
Applying Counseling Theory in Arts Education
UC North Ballroom
It is a lucky researcher indeed who has the opportunity to test out strategies in a fully-operational laboratory! I graduated from UM’s School of Theatre and Dance in 2021 with an MFA in Theatre – and subsequently enrolled in the School of Education’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I have had the opportunity to apply the privileges of my terminal degree (as an instructor) while studying a new – albeit related – field. Specifically, I accepted a one-year contract as a full-time lecturer at Gonzaga University in the Theatre and Dance department – while taking University of Montana courses remotely. Thus, I have paid particular attention to the nature and needs of artistic students through the lens of counseling theory.
In my work at Gonzaga, I considered the mental and emotional well-being of my students as they (predominately) entered into an on-campus environment for the first time after a year of synchronous and/or asynchronous remote learning. Bearing in mind that awkward transition and the ongoing pandemic, I chose to take a person-centered approach to education in the vein of counseling theorist Carl Rogers.
Of course, I didn’t attempt to practice actual counseling on my students, but I made special priority to “hold space” for students’ mental and emotional needs in a manner I’d never employed before in my other teaching experiences. That approach coupled with the Ignatian “presupposition of good intent” (a core tenet for the Jesuit Gonzaga), yielded tangible results in the form of student feedback, faculty observations and personal analysis and reflection.
I was the instructor of record for Theatre History, Acting 1 and a practicum production of a musical (The Mystery of Edwin Drood), which I also directed.
I am not yet prepared to draw broad conclusions for others’ pedagogical work. Nevertheless, In this presentation, I will share the feedback data and how it informs my current teaching philosophies – and what ramifications it may have for my subsequent experiences in education and counseling – with hope that as I gather more data I may be able to help inform more universally applicable pedagogical strategies for arts instruction.