Relate Theater to Your Major

When asked to relate the art of theater to my major, I thought it was going to be very difficult to do. Throughout this semester, I learned that theater can be applied to really anything in our every day lives. Theater isn’t just about acting on a stage; it’s about so much more than that. Theater is about portraying a role and doing everything you can to do your best at it. Every occupation in life needs to be taken seriously. When a person enters the work force, they take on a role. This person should put his or her heart and soul into the job in order to do her best. This is simply why every student at Indiana University can use theater in their major.
Ever since I was in the 9th grade, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I love little kids; knowing that I can be an influence and a hero for them really warms my heart. In January, when this semester first started, my classmates and I were told that our theater class will help us with our future occupations. At first, I thought the idea was really stupid. I didn’t want to take the class in the first place, because I didn’t think I would need it in any way for my major. Basically, I thought the class was going to be a waste of time. During the first few weeks of the class, I thought I was right. Later, when we started getting out of the background of theater, and started to actually learn new things, the class proved me wrong, and I started to become a lot more interested and was happier to be there.
All majors need some kind of theater experience. Nurses and doctors need to be empathetic and be able to understand their patients on an emotional level. Writers need to know how to relate to their readers and stay on the same level with them. Some markers and publicist work with the theater department, so of course they are going to have to know a lot about theater. They have to make theater their life, because it is their job. I certainly learned that applying theater to your career will make you more successful, and will also make your job a lot easier.
I now realize what all theater can do for me, when I become a teacher. Dealing with small children is going to be a challenge for any new teacher at first. In order to be a really good elementary teacher, the adult has to think like a child. Children’s minds are undeveloped when they are a small age. If you can think like them and go down to their level, this will make your job so much easier. Also, a teacher has to learn how to be silly and let loose when they are in the classroom. I definitely learned this throughout the course of my theater class. Breaking down that wall of adulthood and becoming a kid again will make my job as a teacher so much easier. This will also create a better bond with me and my students as well. I feel this class really helped me. I know now that I need to relate to my students; this class definitely helped me on my path to teaching.