By Dasia Hood

Stacey Boone wanted to be an actor after taking drama in high school. But then Boone, who comes from a family of educators, discovered she had a natural ability for teaching the process of staging a play.

So, in August 1993, Boone became a teacher like her mom.

Boone has since distinguished herself through her dedication to her craft. And in May, the Jay M. Robinson Middle School theater teacher was named a 2023 ASC Cato Excellence in Teaching Award recipient. The honor comes with a $1,500 award and original artwork.

Positive Theater Classroom Experiences

“[Drama] is thrilling and exciting. It’s fun and engaging,” Boone chuckles, “I think I have more fun than the kids.”

She likes working with middle schoolers and feels lucky because students have taught her about different life experiences, keeping her young. It brings her joy to ensure they have a good experience. Boone believes that although the kids may not say or show that they enjoy the class, they will remember as long as she positively impacts them.

She focuses on looking for the good and her strengths in the classroom as an energetic director who includes storytelling and creation when planning classes.

“It’s almost like you do a whole production,” she said. “It’s like you’re creating an experience for the kids.”

A typical experience in her classroom includes lessons and games in story building, scene building, playwriting and improvisation.

“I think kids have stories to tell,” Boone said. She organizes her drama curriculum into two quarters: the first is about creative drama (characters, improv, pantomime, etc.), and the second is more theater-centered (scripts, lighting, etc.). Boone also turned half of her classroom into a black box theater using black paint where eighth grade honors drama students perform plays for their parents. She uses the school’s cafetorium for festival competitions and musicals.

Outside the classroom, Boone tries to reach out to parents positively about their children daily by sending an email complimenting their student’s performance in class.

Overcoming Challenges for Arts Teachers

The Covid pandemic created a massive challenge for art teachers. During the height of the pandemic, Boone had to do the same theater things remotely, but it was different. Although she is proud of making it work, she hopes a pandemic never happens again because it is hard on students and inexperienced teachers.

So, new teachers should take Boone’s advice: Take care of yourself and get lots of rest. Being a teacher is like being on stage for six hours. Pick your battles wisely and don’t sweat the small stuff. Boone is looking forward to the future of education. She wants every kid to feel welcome in her classroom.