Abstract
This article examines efforts in North Carolina to improve secondary theatre education and strengthen teacher preparation. It reviews historical patterns in which students often pursued theatre education degrees as an alternative to foreign language study, sometimes without strong commitment to teaching. Recent reforms in teacher education introduced higher standards for admission, testing, and grade point averages, alongside counseling to guide students into appropriate career paths. State legislation further required that by 1993 all students in grades K–12 have access to sequential coursework in music, art, dance, and drama. Challenges identified included inadequate preparation in technical theatre, uncertainty among new teachers about their professional role within schools, and limited placement opportunities for drama student teachers. Recommendations called for retraining programs, intensive workshops, dual-field certification, and stronger supervised teaching experiences to ensure qualified theatre educators and expand access to arts education.
Recommended Citation
Loeffler, Donald L.
(1987)
"Closing the Gap: Improving Secondary Theatre Education,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 62, Article 12.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol62/iss1/12
