Bachelor of Arts in Theatre - Theatre Teacher Education

The Theatre Education sequence at Illinois State University is dedicated to preparing highly qualified artists/teachers to meet the challenges of teaching in the secondary school system. Illinois State University is recognized nationally as the second largest producer of teachers among institutions certified by the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. Nearly one of every seven teachers in Illinois public school classrooms holds a degree from Illinois State. Why Study Theatre Teacher Education? As an undergraduate theatre education major you will receive a solid foundation of basic skills in traditional theatre courses, such as acting, directing, design, theatre history, and dramatic literature. At the same time, you will follow a course of instruction specifically focused on teaching theatre at the secondary level. Your teaching skills will be enhanced by Professional Studies classes taught through the College of Education. The strength of the ISU Theatre Education program lies partly in the variety of clinical experiences you will experience while working in a high school setting. These include the opportunity to assist master teachers in extracurricular speech and theatre activities; presenting workshops; and demonstrating teaching lessons in the classroom. The culminating experience for Theatre Education students comes when you take complete responsibility for a fully mounted theatrical production at a local high school. During your last year at Illinois State University, you will teach in a high school classroom for ten weeks under the supervision of a master teacher.