I have been working with kids for about 10 years and over that time I’ve learnt quite a bit about what works and what doesn’t. This list is in no way a ‘must do’ but merely a few tips about what I’ve found helpful. It’s also a forum for you to express your ideas. I learn to use new tools all the time and would love to hear views from other teachers, mentors and directors. Obviously, my area of expertise lies in performance and mentoring - the classroom is a totally different field - but hopefully some of these might cross over. I’m also aware that I’m probably not saying anything new.
1) ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES
Whether from home or school, the hope is that a child will come to us with a certain set of boundaries and within them, rules of behaviour. This is by no means guaranteed however, and it can really help to set your own boundaries when you first meet a group or individual. Setting expectations early can help to avoid future disappointment and misunderstanding.
Establishing boundaries will help keep your group focused whilst maintaining good discipline and understanding of the working and/or playing environment. Boundaries are vital in creating a strong sense of ensemble and keeping everyone working under the same umbrella. Without them, you will find that the group lacks cohesion, focus and will often go round and round in circles over the same struggles.
Rather than restricting our work, boundaries actually help to create freedom. For example, a good actor will approach a performance having a strong sense of the boundaries of their character. They will know how far they can go so as not to lose their hold on what is truthful. But within those boundaries there will be huge scope for expressing the character. The boundaries allow for a focus and power and keep the actor from straying into flaky performances. It is exactly the same with kids. They are free to explore everything within those set boundaries. It is only in crossing the line that they restrict their own freedom. I’ve found that it’s often best to concentrate on this freedom by pinpointing how boundaries have really helped improve results, rather than focusing on the restrictions. Try to champion the positive differences that keeping within the boundaries creates.
Be confident in the boundaries you set and stick to a clear understanding of where the lines are drawn. I would suggest that moving boundaries early for any reason is a bad idea. Even if you realise that you’ve been too rigid or too strict, keep consistent so that the kids have a strong foundation from which to work. If at any time you relax the boundaries make it out as a reward and underline clearly why you are doing it.
2) BE A ROLE-MODEL
Often we can fall into the trap that we expect kids to have had a similar upbringing to ourselves, to act in a certain way or to have the same understanding of good and bad behaviour. Similarly, we often complain about the lack of good role models in our culture. In my opinion one of the biggest privileges when working with kids is having an opportunity to champion the very best qualities of character like integrity, honesty and hard work.
From a very early age, kids learn their patterns of behaviour and mannerisms from the adults around them so being the best that we can be will often bring out the best in them. Be confident in your expectations in terms of behaviour, manners and treatment of others but don’t expect them to see things as you do right from the start.
Do expect them to challenge and test you. Whether positive or negative, they have expectations of adults and will be watching to see if you live up to those expectations. If you have set certain rules then make sure that you also stick to them. Don’t expect your children to turn up on time if you are constantly five minutes late!
3) HONEST AND INTEGRITY AT ALL TIMES
This is one of the biggest things for me and comes back to the idea that we are all role models. I also think that kids are usually a lot more truthful than us adults. They understand what truth is very naturally and it is only as they grow older that they might learn how to lie. Within an audience, a child will be the first one to lose interest if the actors aren’t displaying truthful relationships and scenes.
They will also hold us hugely accountable. If we promise a type of game then they will remind us; if we promise a performance then they will feel let down if they are left with nothing to perform. One of my biggest issues with looking at teaching styles is when young actors are told that their performance was ‘great’ or ‘wonderful’ when it was actually a load of rubbish. If children are to understand honesty and integrity from an early age then we have to be honest with them. Furthermore, when it comes to performance, don’t we want them to have an understanding of what is actually good?
I have to admit I do find this difficult at times and I would say that you really need to know a child (and their parents) before you start being ‘too’ honest. But I guess that what I’m saying is, don’t be tempted to settle for half truths just to make your job easier!
4) SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS
I’ve never seen the point in telling a child that they can’t achieve something. I think there’s a danger when working with kids that we judge them on their age or their previous achievements rather than expecting them to excel. Part of this is also about how we set our own expectations. Do we believe that our teaching, directing or mentoring is worth it? Do we believe that we can actually have a positive and potentially life changing effect on our group of kids? If we expect that of ourselves then surely we’re more likely to achieve our goals? I truly believe that if we know the kids we’re working with then we can help them reach a level of excellence in so many different areas. Let’s set those expectations high!
One thing I always remember is that when a teacher believed in me and my work, I worked damn hard to match their expectations of me. We tell children that they can be anything but do we actually believe that ourselves? I feel that if a child is striving then they are at once both feeling challenged and aiming high and hence interested and focused on whatever they are doing.
In the same way, how much bigger is the sense of achievement when we and they achieve something great?
Furthermore, when I was young some of the very best moments were when an adult would congratulate me on a success or a good effort. I think that positive reinforcement and encouragement does so much for both children and adults but can really help to create strong and confident identity in a child. In the same way, I would recommend pointing out when one of your kids fails at something. I don’t mean to actually call them a failure but to recognise and explain why something was wrong or not to a good standard. Otherwise, how else will a child understand quality from rubbish?
5) BE CONSISTENT
Whether we are rewarding good work and behaviour or recognising and dealing with bad, it is vital to keep consistent in our words and actions. There is nothing that will provoke kids more than rewarding one student and ignoring another when they have both achieved the same result. Similarly, if one student is disciplined for bad behaviour and then another is let off for a similar misdemeanour, we have immediately destroyed our integrity and it will be much harder to give weight to future rewards or punishments. They will also actively seek and expect a certain reward and understand what will happen if they step out of line. Once the children see that we mean what we say they will be much more likely to trust us and respect us. Keep a good memory or even try to keep a written record of students who have been punished or rewarded and the reasons for each. Kids are like elephants and will not forget!
I would also suggest that you put in place certain routines for various aspects of class. For example, if the children are entering the space make sure that they know what is expected of them. Do they put their bags somewhere specific? Do they sit quietly on the carpet and wait for others to arrive, or is this their time to blow off steam before the class begins? Do they have a specific spot for break-time, or do you have a word, tune or phrase that they recognise as heralding the beginning of class? I’ve found that these types of consistent routines can really help in maintaining control whilst giving your group a strong sense of identity.
6) TRUST WHAT THEY BRING AND WHO THEY ARE
Kids are the most powerfully imaginative human beings on the planet. I’ve often been struggling with a small problem and procrastinating endlessly before handing the problem over to the kids. Sometimes they might come up with an immediate solution but other times they are more likely to inspire you to find answers.
Kids are discovering life now - in the present second – and dealing with it now, that second. There is no putting off to tomorrow or analysing it before passing judgement. They react truthfully to everything. It’s up to us to embrace that.
In the area of acting, up until about the age of 12, kids are the most natural and wonderful actors. It is only when the difficulties and strains of teenage years hit that they begin to lose that natural imagination and playful attitude vital to great acting. Worries of image and failure can start to creep in. If we empower who they are at a young age, when they begin to change so drastically both physically and mentally, they are more equipped to deal with it all. They have learnt that what they do naturally ‘works’ and they have the confidence to manage the changes whilst maintaining a strong sense of their own identity. What an amazing privilege therefore to be able to listen to and watch closely what they bring to class. It is so often something wonderful!
7) JOIN THE DOTS
When working with kids, particularly in a subject that may be new to them, be sure to create a clear path of development. Start simply and keep going back to earlier principles and games. Imagine building a large tower and at each new level you need to go back and check that the foundations are still secure, add a little more cement and check that what you left is still strong. But also, don’t be afraid to keep building. The taller the tower, the bigger the achievement. This can work wonderfully if you’re studying acting and rehearsing dialogue heavy scripts. Starting with one line or even a single word is often wiser than trying to perform the whole piece from scratch.
8) CONTROL THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM
As I’ve previously said, kids tend to imitate the adults around them, therefore if you’re having a bad day, are hung over, not bothered or have very little energy then it’s likely that this will be reflected in the way that they kids work that day (although hopefully they won’t be hung over!). I tend to aim for a strong and focused approach when working with kids. I try to keep the energy in my voice light and positive. If I need to deal with an issue arising from bad behaviour or lack of hard work then I will change the energy briefly, let it settle and then click immediately back into the standard energy. The danger is that one child can change the energy of the room by constantly misbehaving and similarly bringing your energy down. If you have created a consistent level of energy in the room then it will make the changes all the more powerful and therefore a stern word will land all the more heavily before it vanishes just as quickly once the culprit has been dealt with. Try not to let them control the room or influence the energy too negatively. Rather, take charge and if you have to send a child out of the room, don’t worry. This idea also works when you are trying to meet tight deadlines. If you can ignite the room with a sense of urgent energy then the kids will respond.
9) ENSEMBLE RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL
Our society tends to focus purely on the individual. It’s about your needs, your wants, your dreams and your life. I have found that this attitude gets in the way of working with kids, particularly in the field of performance. I believe that the best learning occurs in team, where we can celebrate each other, learn from each other and support each other with our focus being on learning together rather than our own needs. In ensemble work we become accountable to each other but we also learn to care for each other. If one child is having a bad day, then isn’t it wonderful if five of their friends are there to support them?
I got a huge reminder of this last year. I had been working with one group of children for about 8 months. Over that time we had fully championed the ensemble spirit and hence there was a great atmosphere of ‘we’re all in this together.’ Around this time I set up a new after-school drama club and was shocked at how individualist the children were. There was a distinct culture of blame and selfishness. But then, why should I have expected any different? Our society is based purely around the individual so why should we expect our kids to challenge that?
Previous ‘X-Factors’ have continually told us that performance is purely about the individual star but it was great to see a group winning this year and perhaps that’s a sign of how we are beginning to recognise ensemble and small groups as the way forward in creating positive and high achieving work. Certainly if you learn from a young age that you need other people in order to reach the heights of your dreams and be the best that you can be then aren’t you much more likely to create community in later years?
I believe that as human beings we cannot survive on our own and need to embrace and strive for community, however small. I also believe that this starts in our youth, starts in the classroom and starts with your and my group of children.
10) BE HUMAN WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR
It’s fine to have a bad day and if you’ve already established good relationships with your group then it’s also fine to tell them! My best teachers were always the ones who spoke about things outside of the classroom. If I liked a teacher then I would work hard for them. Don’t worry about letting the work focus slip now and then. It’s often the little moments where you simply chat to the kids that the best relationships begin to form. Don’t be afraid to find out about their days, their struggles, their relationships and their joys. If they feel valued as individuals then they not only love working with you but will also begin to see what they do as having value.
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