Chapter 1: Act Like a Teacher: Shaping Future Educators Through Drama-Based Pre-Service Pedagogy

Standing in front of a room of 30 blinking sets of eyeballs can be a daunting step on the journey of any teacher. Insecurities, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt can creep into the brain and shake educators to their core. This is similar to shaky nerves that rattle new actors stepping out on a stage in front of an audience. Actors can hide themselves behind their role, put on the physical mask of a confident professional, speak with strength and authority, and present a compelling, compassionate character to the viewer … and so can teachers. Are educators all that different from performers? Perhaps readers, like the two of us, have been accused of using the “teacher voice” during a heated game night or giving a loved one the “teacher look.” The roles that educators put on in order to teach is more than just codeswitching; it is a putting-on of a role, a persona to engage with youth with more compassion and patience than perhaps we have in our daily lives.