Apprentice Report: My work has influenced how I see the world
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Imagine’s Teaching Artist Apprentice Kaileykielle Hoga has just wrapped up her time with us and we asked her to share a little of what she’s learned over the past few months. Here’s what she had to say:
At the start of my journey as a Teaching Artist Apprentice with Imagine, I had very little clue about what Teaching Artists did. I applied for the internship because, through the support from the Teaching Artists I’ve had in my life, I am now a dedicated theatre artist. Arts engagement professionals have provided me with a theatrical experience at times that I wouldn’t have been able to access otherwise and shared elements of theatre through the teaching of Shakespeare. At first, I thought there was only one way to be a Teaching Artist and it took exemplary skills and specialty. Through my time at Imagine, I’ve learned that Teaching Artists come in all different shapes, sizes, theatre styles, and curriculums, and they can be even more than I ever imagined.
Here at Imagine, I got exposure to teaching diversity and belongingness curriculum through a Forum Theatre style. Forum Theatre is when students can inspect what goes on in a scene, identify if they would do something differently, and then if they’d like to, try it out themselves.
I got the pleasure to support Safa’s Story for my first program. What I appreciated so much was that I was able to take on the work at my own pace. I am a person that benefits from observing something done before I try it out. Though I would have been open to diving in, we found a schedule that allowed me to observe, assist, and then lead all within one day. I never imagined that I would be in the position to facilitate conversations around diversity and belongingness. These topics can be difficult for anyone to navigate but this experience boosted my confidence by supporting me with tactics to best take advantage of these conversations.
I learned the dynamics of student-centered learning where we, as Teaching Artists, follow where the students go and guide them towards conclusions through dialogue. It’s within these conversations we find that there is hope for people to treat each other better in the future.
Imagine introduced me to the world of educational theatre, where we don’t just create access to theatre but also give people a chance to connect throughout the experiences offered. We start conversations that we hope will continue outside of our time with students and highlight everyday issues that may be getting swept under the rug. We aim to bring our students hope that the world can be better, and through each program, they bring us hope that they will lead us there. My work with Imagine has influenced how I see the world and who I am. I am so excited to continue to learn about theatre, educational theatre, and to grow into my own version of a Teaching Artist.