This information is drawn from my 2021 article titled Communication and Resilience in Acting Students: A Qualitative Study, which can be read in full at https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2021.1892287.
It is intended to provide suggestions for training institutions and trainers about how they might build resilience in their students, through individual and institutional processes, language choices, and teaching approaches. More research is needed in this area, but these are findings are drawn from a study I undertook, and a review of the existing research. It is in no way definitive.
Why do we need it?
Acting students are at a formative stage in their lives, they are engaging in work which can be destabilising, and they might be grappling with feelings of competitiveness, and the need to be 'liked' by their trainers and peers. All of this can contribute to feelings of anxiety, and can interfere with productive learning.
Professional actors face unstable careers, with wave-like highs and lows. Studies show greater levels of depression, and higher use of alcohol to self-medicate and 'de-role'.
This is why we need to help students build resilience at the start of their careers. And these are some suggestions of how it might best be done.
1. Integrate formal activities into the course to promote well-being and resilience. These might include:
2. Be specific and task-based in your language choices.
Research shows that vague or over-personal feedback can contribute to feelings of anxiety in students, and is less effective than specific, task-based feedback. So rather than labelling a scene as 'boring', or saying an actor has a 'shrill' voice, breakdown why you think these things are occurring, and offer constructive and actionable feedback instead. For example, the actor may not have been listening and responding in the scene - set them a task to work on listening. And the 'shrill'-voiced actor might be taking a high breath and working with constriction in the larynx.
Leaving student actors to interpret vague instructions and generalised feedback isn't helpful.
3. Know your students
Students bring different backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles into the classroom. An effective trainer will pay attention to the whole person. Offer different 'ways in' - visual, aural, kinaesthetic, imagery-based and technical approaches. Students appreciate trainers who understand how they, as individuals, learn best.
4. Strike a balance
While students do not want overly harsh feedback, they also don't want to be 'babied'. In order to build resilience, students must be presented with challenges and supported as they tackle them. Other ways trainers can strike a balance is in how they deliver feedback across groups. If one student is consistently being praised, and another consistently being criticised, perceptions (right or wrong) of favouritism can arise. Instead, is there a way to find constructive feedback for each student, which includes strengths and weaknesses? Students comparing themselves to others, seeking validation, and observing class 'favourites' isn't conducive to a positive and effective learning environment. If the trainer can address and stabilise these imbalances, and neutralise the (sometimes oppressive) power dynamic in the studio, students can take more risks and embrace failure.
5. Stay current and educated
As trainers, and industry professionals, we need to stay current in our area. As a voice teacher, it's important that I read new studies, attend workshops and conferences, and continually interrogate my knowledge and the ways in which I transfer that knowledge. However, we also must continue to learn about issues which affect our students in a broader sense. Students have noted that issues around gender and cultural sensitivity, in particular, could be better understood and handled by staff. It's important that we adapt our language and methodology too, where necessary. As a voice teacher, throwing out references to "female" and "male" voices is a start. A practitioner interviewed in the research changed her references to "high" and "low" voices. A small change, but a worthwhile one.
6. Model professionalism
It is important to set up boundaries and expectations for students, and to be consistent. While it's fine for different trainers to employ different teaching styles (we're allowed to be human, too), students do thrive on consistency within each class. Set out your expectations around behaviour in the studio, peer interaction, punctuality, language choices (and more) at the beginning of training. Then stick to your guns, and model those behaviours yourself.
8. Develop relationships
Trust between trainers and students encourages help-seeking behaviour, and allows students to engage wholeheartedly with challenging work. These relationships must be professional, clear, consistent, and operate within well-defined boundaries. But without them, students will be less inclined to take risks and seek help, so their learning and wellbeing might both suffer.
8. Empower the students
The days of gurus in the classroom are (mostly - thankfully) over. It's vital that we try not to bring our egos in to the room, and we remain focussed on empowering and equipping the students. One way to do this is to gradually encourage students to lead their own refections. Ask open ended questions to encourage their ability to self-assess. One trainer spoke about a 'scaffolding' approach, where, by third year, students have taken much more control of their learning and can operate in a more self-directed way. A personal example of this (though many voice practitioners take this approach, so it's certainly not unique to me), is to teach student dialect acquisition, not just specific dialects. By making this pedagogical choice, we're giving students the tools to breakdown and learn an accent on their own, rather than relying on an external source as the 'holder of the wisdom' (as a guruistic teacher might prefer).
9. Prepare students for realities of the industry
It is far more likely that students will be called on to audition for television commercials than main stage theatre productions when they graduate. Teach skills that will serve students in these situations, facilitate discussions with industry representatives, and have open, honest chats with students before they enter the profession.
10. Care for yourself
While this particular article doesn't delve deeply into this point, it's an important point to make. Teaching with care, attention, presence and professionalism is tiring. It's exhilarating too sometimes, but without a doubt, it can take it out of us. Burnout isn't limited to students. Seek help when you need it, take time for yourself, and set personal and professional boundaries. We are in an industry where people often take home extra work 'for the love of it'. That's all very well, but you can't fire on all cylinders if your fuel reserves are low. You are doing an important job - look after yourself.
It is intended to provide suggestions for training institutions and trainers about how they might build resilience in their students, through individual and institutional processes, language choices, and teaching approaches. More research is needed in this area, but these are findings are drawn from a study I undertook, and a review of the existing research. It is in no way definitive.
Why do we need it?
Acting students are at a formative stage in their lives, they are engaging in work which can be destabilising, and they might be grappling with feelings of competitiveness, and the need to be 'liked' by their trainers and peers. All of this can contribute to feelings of anxiety, and can interfere with productive learning.
Professional actors face unstable careers, with wave-like highs and lows. Studies show greater levels of depression, and higher use of alcohol to self-medicate and 'de-role'.
This is why we need to help students build resilience at the start of their careers. And these are some suggestions of how it might best be done.
1. Integrate formal activities into the course to promote well-being and resilience. These might include:
- yoga
- journaling
- group discussions
- debriefing sessions
- training in, and regular practice of, 'de-roling' techniques
- subjects which educate students about strategies for coping with stress, self-criticism, burnout. Work with a therapist to develop these, unless you have the appropriate qualifications
- provide access to available therapists, who understand the unique challenges of acting and actor training
- sensory distraction when students are getting 'stuck in their heads' and trying to 'get it right' (or 'end gaining' to use an expression from the Alexander Technique) - play some music to distract
2. Be specific and task-based in your language choices.
Research shows that vague or over-personal feedback can contribute to feelings of anxiety in students, and is less effective than specific, task-based feedback. So rather than labelling a scene as 'boring', or saying an actor has a 'shrill' voice, breakdown why you think these things are occurring, and offer constructive and actionable feedback instead. For example, the actor may not have been listening and responding in the scene - set them a task to work on listening. And the 'shrill'-voiced actor might be taking a high breath and working with constriction in the larynx.
Leaving student actors to interpret vague instructions and generalised feedback isn't helpful.
3. Know your students
Students bring different backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles into the classroom. An effective trainer will pay attention to the whole person. Offer different 'ways in' - visual, aural, kinaesthetic, imagery-based and technical approaches. Students appreciate trainers who understand how they, as individuals, learn best.
4. Strike a balance
While students do not want overly harsh feedback, they also don't want to be 'babied'. In order to build resilience, students must be presented with challenges and supported as they tackle them. Other ways trainers can strike a balance is in how they deliver feedback across groups. If one student is consistently being praised, and another consistently being criticised, perceptions (right or wrong) of favouritism can arise. Instead, is there a way to find constructive feedback for each student, which includes strengths and weaknesses? Students comparing themselves to others, seeking validation, and observing class 'favourites' isn't conducive to a positive and effective learning environment. If the trainer can address and stabilise these imbalances, and neutralise the (sometimes oppressive) power dynamic in the studio, students can take more risks and embrace failure.
5. Stay current and educated
As trainers, and industry professionals, we need to stay current in our area. As a voice teacher, it's important that I read new studies, attend workshops and conferences, and continually interrogate my knowledge and the ways in which I transfer that knowledge. However, we also must continue to learn about issues which affect our students in a broader sense. Students have noted that issues around gender and cultural sensitivity, in particular, could be better understood and handled by staff. It's important that we adapt our language and methodology too, where necessary. As a voice teacher, throwing out references to "female" and "male" voices is a start. A practitioner interviewed in the research changed her references to "high" and "low" voices. A small change, but a worthwhile one.
6. Model professionalism
It is important to set up boundaries and expectations for students, and to be consistent. While it's fine for different trainers to employ different teaching styles (we're allowed to be human, too), students do thrive on consistency within each class. Set out your expectations around behaviour in the studio, peer interaction, punctuality, language choices (and more) at the beginning of training. Then stick to your guns, and model those behaviours yourself.
8. Develop relationships
Trust between trainers and students encourages help-seeking behaviour, and allows students to engage wholeheartedly with challenging work. These relationships must be professional, clear, consistent, and operate within well-defined boundaries. But without them, students will be less inclined to take risks and seek help, so their learning and wellbeing might both suffer.
8. Empower the students
The days of gurus in the classroom are (mostly - thankfully) over. It's vital that we try not to bring our egos in to the room, and we remain focussed on empowering and equipping the students. One way to do this is to gradually encourage students to lead their own refections. Ask open ended questions to encourage their ability to self-assess. One trainer spoke about a 'scaffolding' approach, where, by third year, students have taken much more control of their learning and can operate in a more self-directed way. A personal example of this (though many voice practitioners take this approach, so it's certainly not unique to me), is to teach student dialect acquisition, not just specific dialects. By making this pedagogical choice, we're giving students the tools to breakdown and learn an accent on their own, rather than relying on an external source as the 'holder of the wisdom' (as a guruistic teacher might prefer).
9. Prepare students for realities of the industry
It is far more likely that students will be called on to audition for television commercials than main stage theatre productions when they graduate. Teach skills that will serve students in these situations, facilitate discussions with industry representatives, and have open, honest chats with students before they enter the profession.
10. Care for yourself
While this particular article doesn't delve deeply into this point, it's an important point to make. Teaching with care, attention, presence and professionalism is tiring. It's exhilarating too sometimes, but without a doubt, it can take it out of us. Burnout isn't limited to students. Seek help when you need it, take time for yourself, and set personal and professional boundaries. We are in an industry where people often take home extra work 'for the love of it'. That's all very well, but you can't fire on all cylinders if your fuel reserves are low. You are doing an important job - look after yourself.
Jennifer Innes 2024