Personal Statement

Here is a more updated personal statement that i have decided to use for my PGCE application.

I have been teaching in after school clubs and Saturday schools since I was 17 and now that I am close to finishing my degree I am ambitious to complete my PGCE to become a secondary Drama teacher.

I have been studying Drama since I was 7, performing in shows and completing my LAMDA qualifications, after gaining an A for GCSE Drama I was awarded a Scholarship at the age of 16 to Study Drama and Musical Theatre in a private college in Covent Garden called The Urdang Academy.

3 years of intense training taught me professionalism, discipline and techniques such as voice, body language, accents, script reading, improvisation, narration, mask, pantomime, classical and modern acting skills, directing and much more. I also studied writers and playwrights such as Chekov and Shakespeare.

Whilst at college I taught Drama to 5-16 year olds at Stagecoach Theatre arts, at the age of 17 this gave me great experience and I realised my love for teaching, I was able to experiment with my own syllabus and learn what the children enjoyed and helped them progress the most. It also helped me in Drama myself as at such a young age I was (and still am) learning myself. Whilst at college I also attended a part time Method Acting course that lasted 3 months.

After finishing my training with a Higher National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre, I decided I wanted to Perform so auditioned and landed a job performing on a Cruise ship, I extended my contract and ended up performing on board two cruise ships for two years. This enabled me to travel the world and was an invaluable experience to pass on to students who I teach.

When I returned from the cruise ship I felt ready to start teaching again, I taught at a primary school part time and studied acting again at the London Actors Workshop to refresh my techniques and take part in a showcase in Camden London.

I now am the head of Drama at a growing Performing Arts Saturday school in Swanley and again am able to create my own syllabus, creating a mix of the most valuable lessons I have been taught and the experiences I have had teaching and performing. I have seen a huge improvement in my students and their confidence has grown tremendously. The students at the school take part in shows, which I direct and are also preparing for internal exams in the summer.

I now feel I am at the right stage in my career to teach full time, I am enthusiastic about Drama and eager to teach at secondary level. I am driven and keen to progress. Aswell as creating my own briefs I am confident following an agenda or syllabus. I feel my mix of technical training and performing experience aswell as my passion for Drama will motivate and encourage the students.