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The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide
"This is a terrific and instructive book, and an essential reminder of how inspiring and empowering a good drama teacher can be. I hope it's read widely and that new generations of pupils and teachers benefit from its wisdom and its verve." Nick Hytner
Drama teaching is at a critical juncture. With new qualifications in the market, changes in government approach to the arts in education and hundreds of thousands of students wanting to be part of the country's hugely successful performing arts industry, the pressures on drama teachers are enormous.
Many don't have a specialist background in drama and theatre and end up taking on the role of drama teacher; others feel disconnected from current theatre practice because of the time-demands of teaching; plenty of drama teachers feel they could be serving their students better, if only they had the resources and the support. For all of those teachers, this book will come as welcome relief.
The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide provides support, inspirational ideas and rock-solid guidance for secondary drama teachers. It outlines the fundamental principles of a creative drama curriculum, and looks at how teachers can facilitate this and deliver inspiring lessons to fulfill the potential of their learners. It addresses head-on the common and numerous challenges that drama teachers face, from having to design their own creative curriculum to understanding how students learn. The author's own advice and expertise is supplemented by case studies, thereby collating and offering up the best advice and experience available.
Written by Matthew Nichols, drama teacher for 12 years, this book offers a range of strategies, case studies and methods that really work.
Drama teaching is at a critical juncture. With new qualifications in the market, changes in government approach to the arts in education and hundreds of thousands of students wanting to be part of the country's hugely successful performing arts industry, the pressures on drama teachers are enormous.
Many don't have a specialist background in drama and theatre and end up taking on the role of drama teacher; others feel disconnected from current theatre practice because of the time-demands of teaching; plenty of drama teachers feel they could be serving their students better, if only they had the resources and the support. For all of those teachers, this book will come as welcome relief.
The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide provides support, inspirational ideas and rock-solid guidance for secondary drama teachers. It outlines the fundamental principles of a creative drama curriculum, and looks at how teachers can facilitate this and deliver inspiring lessons to fulfill the potential of their learners. It addresses head-on the common and numerous challenges that drama teachers face, from having to design their own creative curriculum to understanding how students learn. The author's own advice and expertise is supplemented by case studies, thereby collating and offering up the best advice and experience available.
Written by Matthew Nichols, drama teacher for 12 years, this book offers a range of strategies, case studies and methods that really work.
216 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 22, 2021
Really inspirational and helpful to a newbie Drama teacher. I read this as part of my CPD for QTLS and it really helped give me a genuine and authentic idea of the day to day life of a Drama teacher with some interesting points about the lack of funding and lack of respect Drama as a school subject gets. Must read for any new or experienced Drama teacher.
September 12, 2024
As someone who has very much benefitted from Matt nichols' expertise, this was an enjoyable, at times inspirational read. Especially impressed by his determination to inspire intellectual hunger in old lags like myself. His call to arms to read more, see more, change more made a lot of sense, even when tempered by a deep understanding of the stresses and challenges of the job.
February 5, 2026
quite enjoyed this. helped me get my head back into the drama space after all these years.
June 1, 2024
Literally the best thing I have ever read.
No, really. I have genuinely never felt like this after reading a book and have never felt so deeply and intrinsically connected to a piece of writing. This book really does feel like it was written personally for me. It's an absolute masterclass in putting a series of letters into a specific order to make words and then those words into a series of sentences that make nothing less than *ABSOLUTE* sense.
I am coming towards the end of my second year of teaching and for me, after my own personal career experiences thus far, I read this book at exactly the right time. The author (Matthew Nichols) is utterly and completely inside my brain and understands my day to day with a scary amount of detail.
He speaks with clarity from a wealth of undeniable subject expertise, passion and experience (of over 20 years) in a way that lets you, the reader know for certain that he really does care about Drama in our Schools. I challenge anyone to write anything more relevant, well informed and understanding of our subject, its history & its place in our education system and the challenges its teachers and practitioners face in modern times day to day.
Matthew gives a detailed and insightful breakdown of our subject, from its humble beginnings and place in our Schools and how and why this has changed over time. He writes with passion and vigour about the importance and relevance of Drama whilst being practical and realistic about the sad fact that it is, unfortunately, probably going to be a never ending battle for us Drama subject specialists. A never ending battle in making the simply unknowing or uninformed majority understand and see the real value in this incredible subject. He speaks with clarity and detail about the contents of a solid Drama curriculum and how this should be ever changing for each cohort of students. He inspires and motivates you to be the absolute best version of yourself and offers experience based advice on how to grow and learn as a Drama teacher.
This has honestly been a moving experience for me. I have laughed until it hurts and other times almost cried. It is actually quite emotional just knowing that there are people (and not just the author, but quite possibly the other people like me reading this book) out there who understand and know the problems we - Drama subject specialists - collectively face in this incredible and ESSENTIAL subject.
I am so grateful that this book exists and will recommend this to everyone I know at any given opportunity. An absolute MUST read for any Drama teachers but I would also argue that this should be a must read for any Senior leaders - if nothing more than to broaden their understanding of just what our beautiful subject is and why it matters.
I now feel massively rejuvenated, inspired and motivated to continue fighting the never ending battle. To challenge misconceptions, lazy stereotypes and shockingly wrong opinions of our subject - all whilst working hard to constantly and consciously develop my own knowledge and expertise, frequently refresh my curriculum and reflect on my teaching and delivery with the end goal of one day being that fantastic Drama teacher that Matthew obviously is.
If I can make one other person see the true beauty and value in our subject to the level that I do now, then I will consider my job done. Then I will find peace in knowing that the fight goes on...
5/5 - MUST READ.
No, really. I have genuinely never felt like this after reading a book and have never felt so deeply and intrinsically connected to a piece of writing. This book really does feel like it was written personally for me. It's an absolute masterclass in putting a series of letters into a specific order to make words and then those words into a series of sentences that make nothing less than *ABSOLUTE* sense.
I am coming towards the end of my second year of teaching and for me, after my own personal career experiences thus far, I read this book at exactly the right time. The author (Matthew Nichols) is utterly and completely inside my brain and understands my day to day with a scary amount of detail.
He speaks with clarity from a wealth of undeniable subject expertise, passion and experience (of over 20 years) in a way that lets you, the reader know for certain that he really does care about Drama in our Schools. I challenge anyone to write anything more relevant, well informed and understanding of our subject, its history & its place in our education system and the challenges its teachers and practitioners face in modern times day to day.
Matthew gives a detailed and insightful breakdown of our subject, from its humble beginnings and place in our Schools and how and why this has changed over time. He writes with passion and vigour about the importance and relevance of Drama whilst being practical and realistic about the sad fact that it is, unfortunately, probably going to be a never ending battle for us Drama subject specialists. A never ending battle in making the simply unknowing or uninformed majority understand and see the real value in this incredible subject. He speaks with clarity and detail about the contents of a solid Drama curriculum and how this should be ever changing for each cohort of students. He inspires and motivates you to be the absolute best version of yourself and offers experience based advice on how to grow and learn as a Drama teacher.
This has honestly been a moving experience for me. I have laughed until it hurts and other times almost cried. It is actually quite emotional just knowing that there are people (and not just the author, but quite possibly the other people like me reading this book) out there who understand and know the problems we - Drama subject specialists - collectively face in this incredible and ESSENTIAL subject.
I am so grateful that this book exists and will recommend this to everyone I know at any given opportunity. An absolute MUST read for any Drama teachers but I would also argue that this should be a must read for any Senior leaders - if nothing more than to broaden their understanding of just what our beautiful subject is and why it matters.
I now feel massively rejuvenated, inspired and motivated to continue fighting the never ending battle. To challenge misconceptions, lazy stereotypes and shockingly wrong opinions of our subject - all whilst working hard to constantly and consciously develop my own knowledge and expertise, frequently refresh my curriculum and reflect on my teaching and delivery with the end goal of one day being that fantastic Drama teacher that Matthew obviously is.
If I can make one other person see the true beauty and value in our subject to the level that I do now, then I will consider my job done. Then I will find peace in knowing that the fight goes on...
5/5 - MUST READ.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews