Written by Lauren Mandras (she/her). 2021 SCT Emerging Professional
Meet Virtual Teaching Artist, Chanel Gomaa. Chanel (she/her) holds a BA in Theatre Studies from the University of Central Florida, and has worked in multiple capacities with companies such as the Wekiva River Players, the Athens Theatre of Deland, the Flagler Playhouse, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, and more.
Chanel has also competed with her poetry on multiple national stages, representing the cities of Deland and Orlando Florida, as well as her alma mater. Her book of poems entitled "On Being the Muslim in the Room" was a semi-finalist for the 2019 Button Poetry Chapbook contest, and her original play "Sabine and Scotty" was a 2020 semi-finalist for the Live & In Color theatre.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your history with SCT?
My journey with SCT began in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a very challenging time because SCT originally invited me to teach the drama class, Poetry for the People, in the summer of that same year. This class was canceled; however, SCT was gracious and kept my information on file. When the pandemic hit, they added more virtual drama classes and invited me to teach other classes remotely, such as Table Cloth Theatre. I have now been with SCT for over a year and my experience has been incredible.
Regardless of the circumstances that made virtual drama classes necessary the last year, why do you think this opportunity can be beneficial for students?
I hope that virtual classes continue being an option for students long after the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been an amazing opportunity to watch shy students come out of their shells so much faster in a virtual setting. As teaching artists, it is our job to create a safe space for students to be themselves. With in-person drama classes, I have noticed that it will typically take a student longer to feel safe and secure in a new environment. However, with virtual drama classes, students are more comfortable in their own homes. If you ask a student to tell the class about their favorite toy, they can grab that toy and, now, the entire class is having a show and tell party through the screen. There are infinite possibilities with virtual drama classes. Another example would be asking a class to build a boat. Some students will come back on camera with blue towels, while others will come back with a plush starfish. Virtual classes present students with a unique opportunity to expand their imagination. Their imagination can still run wild after shutting down a computer. For example, I am currently teaching a virtual drama class where a student ran out of time to finish creating a ship and was eager to finish what he had started. The following day, he came back with a completed ship and gave the class a full, personalized tour. With in-person drama classes, students say goodbye, leave the classroom, drive home, and lose the magic. It has been an incredible opportunity to watch students plug into their imagination at home and still stay in the thick of the magic after shutting down a computer.
What were some of the advantages you experienced while teaching virtually?
Teaching virtually has been the only opportunity keeping me going during the COVID-19 pandemic. Picking up and moving to a completely different state is financially unfeasible for many people right now and it is also terrifying to travel and live somewhere new. The virtual realm is all-encompassing because you can teach from anywhere. For my mental health, it has been fantastic to teach from my safe space. During a five minute break, I can play with my dog, rather than be on my phone in a conference room. In between classes, I can turn off my laptop and take a power nap. If the opportunity was not virtual, then I would not have been able to teach at SCT because of my educational and professional commitments in Orlando, Florida. Virtual classes have been revolutionary for my personal, educational, and professional life. I also currently work as a Teaching Artist at the Orlando Repertory Theatre and lead some in-person classes. Because of my experience with SCT, I am able to physically work at the Orlando Rep and spark new conversations. SCT introduced me to a unique perspective and has made me a better teaching artist. This position has helped me grow and keep my head on straight during difficult times. As teaching artists, we should always strive to broaden our perspectives and horizons. I am able to do this through virtual drama classes.
What was your favorite virtual Drama class to teach and why?
My favorite virtual drama class to teach is actually the class that I have taught the most: Table Cloth Theatre. Table Cloth Theatre is for a six to nine age group, and I love throwing as many theatrical elements into a week as possible. Students are given full control over what they are creating and performing. In Table Cloth Theatre, we discuss set design and set construction, so each student will sketch out the setting for their show and build a set in their own homes. I recently had a reoccurring student with several potted plants in their garden. She brought these potted plants into her living room and used them as an opportunity to create a forest as her setting, while transporting herself into a new world. We also discuss costume design in Table Cloth Theatre, so each student can go shopping in their personal closets and create their own characters. We recently performed a show that featured Vampires versus Werewolves versus Princesses with elaborate costumes. I really love watching students take control over their own creativity, while learning how to talk to one another as ensemble members. Students work together to make a story come alive, while learning the rule of "yes, and". Students are also presented with the tools and resources required to learn set design, set construction, costume design, Improv, and playwriting, and then at the end, each parent is given the opportunity to come in and watch their student perform.
What was the most rewarding part about teaching Drama School classes virtually?
I think the most rewarding part about teaching drama school classes virtually is inspiring and motivating students through a computer screen. For example, I am currently teaching a two person class which has been an incredible challenge. I have never taught a two person class before and it is my longest class slot. It was a struggle, in the beginning, when one student would say their opinion and then the conversation would quickly die because there are not enough other voices in the room to fill time. In order to fill time, we started playing an Improv game and, as we started acting out one-word stories, one of my students got out of their chair for the first time and was leaning into the computer. They quickly became the star, while creating a full production, behind their screen. I believe that the most rewarding part is when I am successfully able to reach a student that has not come out of their shell yet through a virtual platform. Sometimes, a student will spend a lot of time on and off the screen. They will leave and come back for multiple reasons, but the most rewarding part is when I can get that student to stay on the screen, gain interest, lean in, and start adding to the collaboration. My goal is for every student to have fun, so the most joyous part is watching a student start to take off their mask and voice their own opinions. I love watching a student grow engaged because once their imagination takes flight, it becomes a creative roller coaster and they give themselves an opportunity to shine.
Did you face any challenges or roadblocks while teaching virtually? If so, how did you overcome them?
One of the most challenging aspects of teaching virtually is that you are at the mercy of technology. Sometimes, the students are having issues and do not want the class to go on without them, so I will wait on one student to log back in or my TA will save the day if I am having trouble logging in. It is challenging to keep the students engaged through technological issues. Beyond that, when technology is working properly, I would say that the biggest challenge is wanting to ensure that every student is having a great time. If a student is frequently turning their camera on and off, then I will doubt myself and think that I am boring them. However, I overcome this challenge by being big, vibrant, and positive through the computer screen because I know that the students will feel my energy. When teaching virtual drama classes, you are also in your own space, so you do not have a chance to get away from your personal life because you are teaching from your personal life. This can be challenging; however, when this happens to me, I just smile bigger, pump up the energy, and let the students guide our exercises.
