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Drama - Meet the Teacher

 Miss Beddoes (Teacher of Drama)

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT SHS?
I am in my fourth year here and I still love it!

2. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER JOBS BEFORE YOU BECAME A TEACHER?
I have had various jobs whilst i was a student! My favourite was leading Drama sessions at a Summer Play Scheme. Following University, I worked for a year in a school office, before starting my Teacher Training.

3. WHAT MADE YOU GO INTO YOUR SUBJECT AREA?
Drama has always been a passion of mine and it was started by my love of film. I love being able to create work, raise awareness of issues, make an audience feel different emotions, make them think about things in new ways. I can’t think of a better way to spend my days. There were no opportunities for Drama at my secondary school and I feel very privileged to be able to work with young people, share my passion and see their ideas and skills develop.

4. HOW DID YOU TRAIN FOR TEACHING?
I did a degree at the University of Birmingham in Drama and Dance and then following that I completed a GTP at the King Edward Consortium in Birmingham. At the same time I tried to gain as much experience as possible, working in Play Schemes at different schools.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE JOB?
A difficult question! There are many parts of my job that I love. However, the best bits have to be, seeing a group of pupils create an amazing piece of work (especially emotional work) – it gives me “Drama Goosebumps”! Also, seeing a pupil feel as excited and passionate about Drama as I do, is a major highlight.

6. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I still love going to the cinema! I’ve recently moved house which has sparked a major craze for interior design, DIY and gardening (I’m getting pretty good too).

Ms Cunningham (Teacher of Drama)

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT SHS?
I started working at Studley High in September, 2006, teaching in the old Drama Hut. Now that there are fabulous teaching rooms I don’t think I shall ever want to leave!

2. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER JOBS BEFORE YOU BECAME A TEACHER?
After completing my degree, I spent a year working for Jubilee Community Arts Company as an actor and play leader. It was during that year that I decided I would prefer teaching to acting.

3. WHAT MADE YOU GO INTO YOUR SUBJECT AREA?
I have always loved drama both as a performer and a member of an audience. At school, although we had no formal drama lessons, I got the opportunity to perform in a number of productions, including ‘The Crucible’. I was also lucky enough to attend a fabulous Youth club in Wolverhampton called Questors and we put on performances twice a year – a pantomime at Christmas and a full length play in the summer. I fondly remember the summer holiday I spent in 1971 rehearsing an outdoor performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

4. HOW DID YOU TRAIN FOR TEACHING?
I did a degree at the University of Birmingham in Drama and Theatre Arts. Then, after a year out in the real world, working and auditioning, I completed at PGCE at Birmingham Polytechnic.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR JOB?
My favourite part of the job is when I see a group of pupils suddenly realise that they can create a piece of drama that really affects an audience. Some of the work produced by GCSE pupils at Studley High School is truly astounding and I am privileged to see it.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Besides going to the theatre as often as I can to see drama and dance, I follow Wolverhampton Wanderers – the secondary school I attended was a stone’s throw from the Molineux and I have been a supporter from the age of seven.

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