Olathe theater teacher says classroom drama builds teamwork, belonging and life skills

David Hastings, theater teacher at Olathe South High School, described how classroom theater helps students find belonging, build teamwork skills and prepare for life beyond high school. "My name is David Hastings, and I'm the theater teacher at Olathe South High School. This is my 20 third year here at Olathe South and my 20 sixth year teaching overall," he said.

Hastings told meeting attendees that theater taught him and his students to work as a team, organize, stand up for beliefs and accomplish goals with others. "Everything that I learned in theater helped me be part of a team, helped me stand up for things that I believed in, helped me organize, helped me accomplish things with other people," he said.

He said theater classrooms give students a sense of home and belonging during difficult personal circumstances, and that participation helps students who face family or financial challenges discover confidence and collaborate across subjects. "For me, that's what theater is all about. I feel like every student should take theater because the skills that are involved with theater are what make you a well rounded, great person," Hastings said.

Hastings described the classroom outcomes he values: students who feel safe, challenged and curious; the payoff when former students return to report applying lessons from theater in other parts of their lives; and the lasting notes and messages former students have sent him years after graduation. "I have a notebook that barely holds all the notes that people have given me over the years," he said.

He concluded by saying teaching theater has allowed him to make a lasting impact on students' lives by helping them form friendships and solve problems together.