What the students are saying...
"The class was great! The instructor was awesome!"
"It was a breath of fresh air...B. Piper knows when to get stern and when to have fun. Great prof."
"...good at building an atmosphere to truly grow as an actor."
"Brandon was one of the best instructors I've had. He was open to the opinions of his students and was always willing to help"
"I had more fun here than any other class I have ever had at MSU!"
"It was a breath of fresh air...B. Piper knows when to get stern and when to have fun. Great prof."
"...good at building an atmosphere to truly grow as an actor."
"Brandon was one of the best instructors I've had. He was open to the opinions of his students and was always willing to help"
"I had more fun here than any other class I have ever had at MSU!"
Teaching Philosophy
As an educator in a field where we seek to reveal the human condition in its most vulnerable moments, I believe that my work begins at the core of this experience: to merely be human. When I am in the classroom, I find that the most rewarding moments come from the connections that I make with students, opening myself up to new ideas and expanding upon these discoveries to foster their personal process. This opportunity for dialogue proves the importance of the classroom as an open space in which ideas are transferred, and this valuable process has manifested itself in every aspect of my teaching. To promote connection with other individuals and cultivate creative expression is my primary goal, and it is these two elements which prove most vital in the theatre profession.
Encouraging individuality is the first step in establishing the personal relationship necessary for successful college education. Having attended a small, liberal arts school in addition to teaching at a Big Ten University, I have witnessed first-hand the significance of this one-on-one interaction. My goal in teaching is to create an atmosphere where a student not only feels completely engaged due to the class’s intimacy, but where a student feels inspired to learn and grow because they discover a personal connection to the content. Through their individual expression, students will want to contribute to the full group’s composition. There may be dissonance, but they are still working toward common goals. Once students have found their voice within the group, they can also find a means through which they connect to the content.
Challenging students to strive beyond their highest potential provides a context for individual growth where a student is enabled to do their best work. By raising the stakes, students are inspired to take ownership of the content that is built upon in class. While the temptation is to seek this inspiration through fun and play in the theatre, the the true question lies in why we seek to make theatre fun and why we play as a means to navigate the creative process. Fun serves as a vehicle through which learning begins, followed by an understanding and ownership of the work. Students should value their time in the classroom, constantly analyzing their own work and deepening their understanding as artists.
Fostering a student’s dedication by creating personal challenges depends on the receptiveness of their instructor as well. By providing mentorship that draws from my own experiences, I encourage students to explore their own craft by relating class work to my own process on stage and in the classroom. I discuss my methods of character analysis and approaching text to illustrate that I am still growing as an artist so that they feel driven even further toward success throughout their college careers and after graduation.
Applying what is learned in the classroom is vital to a student’s growth as a theatre practitioner. Theatre requires active participation, dependent fully on the union between physical and intellectual technique, and practical application proves essential in order for a students’ success beyond the classroom. Students should be able to assess their own work in addition to being trained to critically analyze all theatrical performance. While our society is rapidly evolving to one where nearly everything is accessible via video, internet, or other virtual mediums, they can only go so far in exhibiting theatrical art. Theatre must be experienced rather than demonstrated, with interactive exercises and active participation that explore creativity.
Exploring the lives of people from an array of backgrounds and life experiences is undeniable one of theatre’s most valuable aspects. In an academic setting, students are blessed with an abundance of resources, from books they may come across in the library to their next door neighbor from halfway around the world. Theatre students must take advantage of these diversities both in daily interactions and in research, proving that disciplines outside of theatre are just as important for theatre practitioners. Bringing research to life on stage is what makes theatre a liberal art, and it goes beyond mere words and paper as it showcases live human interaction.
What I enjoy most about teaching are those moments of discovery when a student’s mind is opened to a completely different way of thinking – when they learn that there is more than just right and wrong, and that this exploration of ideas is part of a greater journey. I seek to foster an environment in which these breakthroughs are possible. As I educate, my personal journey inspires others to forge their own path, leading to moments of self-discovery for myself, my students, and the lives of the individuals my students will affect as they craft their own theatrical art.
Encouraging individuality is the first step in establishing the personal relationship necessary for successful college education. Having attended a small, liberal arts school in addition to teaching at a Big Ten University, I have witnessed first-hand the significance of this one-on-one interaction. My goal in teaching is to create an atmosphere where a student not only feels completely engaged due to the class’s intimacy, but where a student feels inspired to learn and grow because they discover a personal connection to the content. Through their individual expression, students will want to contribute to the full group’s composition. There may be dissonance, but they are still working toward common goals. Once students have found their voice within the group, they can also find a means through which they connect to the content.
Challenging students to strive beyond their highest potential provides a context for individual growth where a student is enabled to do their best work. By raising the stakes, students are inspired to take ownership of the content that is built upon in class. While the temptation is to seek this inspiration through fun and play in the theatre, the the true question lies in why we seek to make theatre fun and why we play as a means to navigate the creative process. Fun serves as a vehicle through which learning begins, followed by an understanding and ownership of the work. Students should value their time in the classroom, constantly analyzing their own work and deepening their understanding as artists.
Fostering a student’s dedication by creating personal challenges depends on the receptiveness of their instructor as well. By providing mentorship that draws from my own experiences, I encourage students to explore their own craft by relating class work to my own process on stage and in the classroom. I discuss my methods of character analysis and approaching text to illustrate that I am still growing as an artist so that they feel driven even further toward success throughout their college careers and after graduation.
Applying what is learned in the classroom is vital to a student’s growth as a theatre practitioner. Theatre requires active participation, dependent fully on the union between physical and intellectual technique, and practical application proves essential in order for a students’ success beyond the classroom. Students should be able to assess their own work in addition to being trained to critically analyze all theatrical performance. While our society is rapidly evolving to one where nearly everything is accessible via video, internet, or other virtual mediums, they can only go so far in exhibiting theatrical art. Theatre must be experienced rather than demonstrated, with interactive exercises and active participation that explore creativity.
Exploring the lives of people from an array of backgrounds and life experiences is undeniable one of theatre’s most valuable aspects. In an academic setting, students are blessed with an abundance of resources, from books they may come across in the library to their next door neighbor from halfway around the world. Theatre students must take advantage of these diversities both in daily interactions and in research, proving that disciplines outside of theatre are just as important for theatre practitioners. Bringing research to life on stage is what makes theatre a liberal art, and it goes beyond mere words and paper as it showcases live human interaction.
What I enjoy most about teaching are those moments of discovery when a student’s mind is opened to a completely different way of thinking – when they learn that there is more than just right and wrong, and that this exploration of ideas is part of a greater journey. I seek to foster an environment in which these breakthroughs are possible. As I educate, my personal journey inspires others to forge their own path, leading to moments of self-discovery for myself, my students, and the lives of the individuals my students will affect as they craft their own theatrical art.
| Curriculum Vitae |
