1.4 A Conversation with Heidi Breeden
This week Jimmy talks to Heidi Breeden. She works with her sister, Robin, at a non-profit in Cornelius, NC called Arts for All (www.RAArts4all.com). In this episode she talks about her classroom experience, self-care, working with administration, and playwriting and dramaturgy in the secondary classroom!
Heidi’s Recommended Resource:
Music Directing the School Musical Blog: https://peterhilliard.wordpress.com/
JIMMY CHRISMON:
You're listening to THED Talks. Episode four with Jimmy Chrismon. THED Talks is a podcast for theatre teachers and theatre education students. Hi, I'm Jimmy Chrismon and I am a theatre education professor at Illinois State University. Each week I want to bring you stories and interviews for experienced K12 theatre teachers, current theatre education majors and professors of theatre education that will warm your heart, renew your faith in teaching, and provide resources to better your practice in your theatre classroom. Welcome to this week's podcast. Thank you so much for listening. I am excited to bring you this one in particular. I interviewed Heidi Breeden and I am excited for you to hear what she has to say. She has some really interesting information about self care for theatre teachers, um, dealing with difficult administration and she has some really interesting experiences of working with playwrights on original material with her students as well as incorporating that into dramaturgy work with high school students, which is I know something that I found a difficult time doing and doing well that kept my students engaged and interested. So I was excited to hear about what she did and how she did that. So I hope you will enjoy that interview. Uh, you can always contact me and reach out at thedtalkspodcast@gmail.com you can find us on Twitter @theatreedtalks, Tumblr on thedtalks.tumblr.com. You can find us on Facebook at THED Talks, Instagram @thedtalkspodcast, and of course our website, www.thedtalks.com if you are interested in hearing about specific topics on the show, please reach out to me and let me know on any of those social media platforms or on email. If you'd like to be a guest I'm always looking for interesting people to talk to about their, their work and what they're doing, not just high school teachers and not just from North Carolina and Illinois. So please reach out to me, I'd love to talk with you and set up a time to to interview and, and get you on the show and share your ideas. So thank you so much for listening and I hope you enjoy what Heidi has to say. So, I am excited to have on the show today, Heidi Braeden. She is a longtime friend of mine. Um, I won't go into all the sordid the history that she and I have. Sordid is a bad word, but we go way, way back when we were children in church together. Heidi, tell us a little bit about kind of what brought you, where you are now, a little bit of your teaching experience, productions that you did, like your program size and all that good stuff and also what are the really cool things that you're doing right now?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Right, cool. Yeah, so I have taught across the gamut from very low income public middle school. That was my first year teaching, to very affluent public high school, which they called the public private school where we were. And I've also taught at a small private Christian school. So I've had programs as tiny as 30 studeninand as large as about 350 teaching. And then we had about 50 in the musical and about 150 of them were involved in some way and one of the six to eight productions we did per year. Um, so I have a pretty big range of experience, which is good and has kind of gotten me to where I am now, where, what I've found over the years is a lot of common themes. I've worked in four different schools and across the gamut, the kids all kind of needed the same thing. They needed to know that they had something of worth to offer the world and that it was valuable that they share it and that it was worthy of being shared. And that looked a little different depending on the demographic. But those basics were the same. And the teachers that I've worked with all have the same basic need of self care and investment in themselves so that they could better invest in their students. So what that has brought me to is... Oh, and I have an MFA in directing that I also quit teaching for three years and got. I went to Baylor university and it's fantastic and sic 'em bears and the lady bears because they just won the, the big basketball thing that I don't know the name of. So yeah. So with all of that doing the thing of deciding if you're a teacher or director and what's your job? I really came to, I'm both and I want to do both. And so my sister who is amazing and brilliant and I don't have to tell you cause you already know all that, a has a nonprofit. And she had been teaching art and music lessons for the longest and she said, hey do you want a theatre company? And I was like, oh well that was easy. I was like, can I do stuff for teachers too? And she was like, yeah cause I want to do stuff for everyone. So now I am the artistic director, which is way fancier than it is, of Arts for All. And we provide high quality arts education and service to teachers. So we create opportunities for teachers to do stuff they want to do for free and then give them continuing education credit for it. And it's my favorite free work I've ever, ever done
JIMMY CHRISMON:
And, where is Arts for All based?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
We are based in Cornelius, North Carolina, which is kind of a suburb of Charlotte and right near the lake. But that being said, we do offer programming... This year we were in partnership with Actors Theatre of Charlotte, so we aren't just in studio and a lot of what we hope to do in the future as we have more flexibility is I can come to you and help you make your program stronger in person. Hopefully.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
That's awesome. That'll be really useful for teachers, I think because professional development and and getting those artists into their classrooms is sometimes it's hard. It's very difficult to do and find. Finding the time to do that is hard.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah, well and it's hard for teachers to give themselves the time to do it. It feels very selfish. I was the best teacher I had ever been. The year after I took the summer, went to Chicago and saw as many plays I could see because I was tired and burnt out and just wanted to do something fun and then look it magically made a better teacher. That was professional development. I didn't get credit for it. So at Arts for All, we're looking at how can we do these experiences that teachers want to do but feel they can't give themselves but that are serving their classroom also.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
That's fantastic. So tell us a little bit about your, your own personal self care practices. And I know when I, when I was in the classroom, it was, I was burnt at both ends. But finding the energy and keeping going for the kids. I mean everyone says the kids are worth it and they are, but at the same time, how do you, how do you find, uh, taking care of yourself? You know what I'm asking? How do you take care of yourself in that?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Well, I think the first big thing is understanding that you are not the only person with this problem. I think people feel like they're crazy and they feel like I can't be burnt out because everybody else is doing great. But everybody else is absolutely not doing great. And that's the biggest, I think the thing that we could all do so much better, to be honest, not for ourselves, but for other people around us that we love and care about. Um, and so my biggest things are sleeping. This is just me. My body wants to sleep and needs to sleep and I choose a migraine headache or six hours of sleep and I get one or the other. And I'm always glad when I made myself go to bed. Also having a friend at work in the building who is an ally and also who is just a silent listener and absorber of whatever. Um, so that you can just go in their room and just be like, Hey, let me tell you about this kid who is driving me crazy right now so that I say it out loud to you and not in front of a student or let me say this thing that this administrator told me that I will have to deal with the right way, but I'm not going to lose it in front of them. Like just being able to release it and move on from it. Because often the problems that we have got get so much bigger when we just try to keep them closed in. Of course we behave professionally, but also part of behaving professionally is knowing where to vent because if you don't let it out, it's going to come out in the wrong way at the wrong time. So those are my big things, and of course spiritual practice. It's very important to me. You don't have to be any specific faith background to have a spiritual practice, but find the thing that harnesses your spirit and keeps your soul happy and grounded. Whether that is gratitude, or meditation, or traditional prayer, or going to a church worship service, whatever that is. Prioritizing that and a thing that's useful for me when telling people that this self care is so important is that your kids are going to benefit from you being healthy. Self care is student care and we kind of get into this trap of if I take care of me, I'm not taking care of these other 50 people. But it's the opposite is true.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
I agree. I've also, for myself, it took me 15-16 years of teaching to finally come to the realization that I had to set my own boundaries, what I was willing to accept and do, and if that stack of papers didn't get graded today while I was at school and have my planning period, it was not going home with me.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Right. Yeah.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
And rehearsals, we're going to end at six o'clock so I can go home and cook dinner and Friday nights I'm leaving free so I can go out with a couple of friends for dinner that night and be an adult.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Exactly. You cannot be a 24 hour teacher even though you think you have to. And one thing, I mean on that rehearsal note, goodness, I, musical season is hard and you watch teachers go through it all the time, but I promise you if you commit to finished or not, we leave at this time. You're going to get such better student retention from year to year. You're going to get better performance out of those students because they're going to see that you respect their time and they're going to feel like they owe you a little. And not that you should use that, but if you have to use it, use it. So for me it's just, it's so important to help teachers understand that this stuff is not just okay, but so valid and so important and that's what's going to make you successful for many years. First year teacher me with all the students problems are my problems could not be functioning right now.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Oh goodness. I'm going to shift gears just a little bit and I, the couple of other people that I've talked with so far, we've also talked about dealing with your administration and how supportive administration can make or break a teacher, um, and, and how vital they are to a successful program. And we also know that there are those difficult administrators out there as well, that, that, that are not supportive and are not, do not have our backs all the time. So talk to me a little bit about your experience with administration.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
So I have worked with two amazing administrators and one extremely difficult administrator and a couple in between, of course, cause there's a lot of in between. And the thing that has kept me sane through the difficult was learning how to do a little bit of the same stuff I do in the classroom when I'm interacting with that administrator. So I'm hearing the words that they say and hearing the message that they are giving verbally. But I'm also watching for cues as to what their mindset is and listening to what they're unspoken priorities are. Does that mean everything is smooth? Oh, No. Goodness. I have been the bad girl of the department before and sometimes it's necessary and worth it and you have to just say, this person is not going to like me for x period of time. And that's okay. I recommend only doing that when it's really, truly the most important thing.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Picking and choosing those battles, right?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah. You know, I mean everything is not worth it. Um, and I think that there is a place for that fight. I would be lying if I said I've never chosen to fight. But also if you can find what they really want, what they really, really want, that maybe they don't know they want, you will be so much more successful and better off because you'll be able to deliver that thing and hopefully release yourself from any guilt associated with it, with what your program is or should be or what you think it should be. Um, so for me, um, I had a principal who was very concerned with image and I found that even though, you know, I would ask and ask for specific parameters for things I learned later than I wish I had, that if one parent complained that was no longer acceptable, even if I was within the communicated parameters. Um, so learning the priorities there that couldn't be spoken out loud for whatever reasons they felt, they couldn't say them and enabled me to go, okay, I'm going to get a parent board together and they are going to review everything I want to do. So that way I've got that support. I know I'm not going to get surprised later as a foolproof? Is it my favorite? No, but sometimes you want to go home at the end of the day, a whole person and not feeling like you've fought and had this terrible thing that's draining all of your energy. Kids are tiring enough. So you know, I'm not saying do anything to make an administrator happy, but you're contracted for the year. If can get through the year semi-okay then it's okay, if some stuff slipped and wasn't ideal for you,
JIMMY CHRISMON:
You said you did, what forgive me if I'm mishearing it, You said six to 10 productions, eight 10 productions a year when you were teaching?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah, so the high end was when we had two teachers.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Ah. There you go,
HEIDI BREEDEN:
It wasn't all me because it would have been impossible. So we would do, this is a test of my memory. So the most we did was two one acts in the fall, two level two or oh gosh, intermediate level theatre productions around end the first semester two beginning theatre somethings at some point in the spring, a spring full straight play, a spring musical, and then two more second level theatre performances in the spring. Yeah.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Wow, so how did you, talk to me about the planning and scheduling of that
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah, scheduling is a beast. When it's busy like that. I would say like, nobody should take that on. If you're a one person department and that's most people, but the first thing we did was we live and die by my calendar and that's very rigid and many artists feel like that kind of tight, tightly bound thing is not for them. And I get that. Um, so maybe you're not the person who's best suited for a giant department. Hate saying it that way. But that's a good way. If you're looking at jobs, maybe that's a thing to consider. So we sit with the calendar ideally in May for the next school year, but sometimes in August, which is a little harder but can be done. And we put them in, we put in every performance we know we have to have. And then some of those shows are actually being rehearsed and prepared in class. The second level theatre thing is happening in class. Uh, we decided because it was similar for scheduling to turn those into either a playwriting projects or video projects. So, um, we were very fortunate and we had class sets of iPads and they got to play with iMovie, which is not, you know, super fancy. But for them it was something. And then those turned into like film festival, movie nights, which were a little bit easier to manage than trying to do full onstage with a set production. And then beginning theatre of course also happens in class. So then after school we're doing fall play rehearsals and then we're doing musical auditions, right, like the day after the competition that the fall plays go to, we would audition for the musical. We would rehearse the musical until usually it was in March and then right after the musical wraps, it was like a two week break and then we would start rehearsal for that final straight play that was after school also. So it was no, for the teachers, it's you don't go home before the sun goes down ever, which is exhausting. Like, I can't, there's no sugarcoating that one. But um, it's rewarding if you are rewarded by that.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Yeah, I get that. We did a similar thing, my department when I was teaching, about the scheduling a whole year in advance and I think that's a typical thing that a lot of fine arts programs have to deal with. I know in my case the the district would make reservations over the summer and book things and if I didn't have a reserved tough luck.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Well you get the surprise, the surprise of superintendents coming surprise for having a community meeting and I think flexibility goes such a long way. It's just like you have that difficult admin and you say, hey, that's fine. I'm going to end rehearsal two hours early and stay and run lights and sound for you. You bought a little bit of goodwill and you've also made sure that your space is ready for rehearsal tomorrow. Nobody messed up your equipment and all your lights are not going to be reprogrammed. Even though you're giving a lot of your time, the payback in your sanity is often super duper worth it.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Did you find that like there were better times to do things than others when you were doing the scheduling? Like I know, for me, having done the, I did the musical in several different places throughout the academic calendar and I found out the end of February is the sweet spot for me to do that. I do not ever want to do it again in May because senioritis has hit, everyone's in the auditorium for awards nights. And so tell me a little bit about how did that play into your process at all?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yes. So at my first high school, which was in Gaston County and they had, they were very tradition heavy there. Um, so pretty much the calendar was given to me and as we always do this this day, we always do this this day and whatnot. And it was, and I just said, okay, that's fine. Um, they did the musical in May every year, specifically the weekend after Mother's Day every year. And it was right in between. The next weekend would be the prom and like it was very, and part of that, that is good because they were so stringent on this I did not have complex that I was surprised by. So that's good. The other side of that is you have teenagers in May who don't want to be thinking about school and they sure don't want to be thinking about safe, fight choreography and they really don't want to think about putting tap shoes on and they super duper don't want to do any single thing the week before or after spring break. That was fun. They were used to it. They knew the drill, but it was also, um, was something you had to really get used to? I was, I was very glad to get control over when I could do things after that school. So then when I had more flexibility we tried one in February. It wasn't my favorite because it was so close to the holiday break.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
I know you have done some really interesting things in the Charlotte area. Um, as far as playwriting, you've also done a good bit of work of teaching dramaturgy with I know lot of teachers that have a difficult time with. So can you share some of those experiences? Any advice with that for us?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah, I think it's super helpful as a theatre teacher to be involved in theatre outside of your school world. It doesn't feel possible all the time. It feels really, really impossible a lot of the time. Um, but I think the more involved you are, the more your students will see practical applications and those who are not personally super engaged because they want to be a star might get some piece of something. So for me, I try and make sure my students are aware of what I'm and where I'm doing it and I tried to make sure I'm not doing stuff that doesn't somehow serve me artistically or intellectually. Not the, you know, I don't want to do V day every year, but I've done that a lot and it's okay to move to a new thing. Um, so I have a wonderful playwright friend who is probably going to be super famous in like 10 minutes. Um, not really, but like kind of, it's one of those, um, she like sent me a text from Spike Lee once and I was like, oh. So she was kind enough to come in and work with my students on a show that she had written for adults and adult audiences and she adapted it for high school. And because I had that relationship with her and we work together and partner on things for various reasons, it wasn't hard to get her to be willing to come in and do that for a teeny tiny. Like I think we might have given her $50 like not, it wasn't much and she probably would have done it for free, like probably. Definitely. So those connections kind of help you in your classroom and then the students get to see what is the process really of making a play? Because the process of making a play is not as fast as they think it is. Right? The script isn't already there. And even when there's something on paper, there's still feeling what it feels like to say the words and then adjusting so they can hit it just right. Um, and taking this time in rehearsal for that while stressful because schedules, our schedules really yields such a stronger product because they feel this sense of ownership and creatorship that's not exactly the same as acting. So I think just building those relationships by being involved outside of your school world will really, it will help you be sane because you're talking to somebody who's like over the age of 17 and also will make your work stronger and it'll make your kids better just because you're opening these opportunities. You know, we should do The Crucible. Of course I like The Crucible, I want to do The Crucible, but like let's do something new and let them feel what that feels like too. And then the next thing you get, you mentioned dramaturgy, which really comes right in with new work. And it's so much easier to talk about dramaturgy in the context of new work because no one knows what this thing is yet. So we all have to work at figuring out what this thing is. And so they kind of will naturally ask the questions that a good dramaturg would be asking without you having to tell them they have to go research something. So, you know, when the script says character comes on stage, singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and the actor says, why am I singing this? I'm gonna look at that song. You didn't have to give them a research paper about Negro spirituals, but they did that work. Um, so, and that's another, I mean, everything is everything, right? That's that accidental learning they do it on their own because they were motivated to, and then later on you go, hey, you know, there's a whole word for that. Yeah, that's the practice of dramaturgy. You could actually get a masters in that and then they're like, oh, I am smart. And you're like, you're right. You're the smartest thing in the whole wide world, go learn your lines.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
I agree with you. I think it is so important. And I constantly tell my, my undergrads that I teach that is so vital for you to take the time to feed your artist as well. Um, feed your inner artist because you don't want to lose touch with A. What you're teaching, but B. Your practice as an artist. I, I tell them all the time that I would, I would, I would do shows all the time. I would, I would act, I would direct and I would invite my students to it. And there are only two groups of people that I get nervous when I go onstage. And it's when I know my parents are in the audience and when I know my students are out there and, and I, and I think it's because I want them to know that I'm, I don't just spout these words at you but. I practice these things too. So it's always a fun experience when they come and they, we get back to school the next day or whenever and they're like, that was really cool. I didn't know you could sing. I didn't know you could dance, I can't dance, but I can try to move. So thank you for noticing and acknowledging that. So yeah, I think, I think that's extremely important. So thank you for bringing that up. I want to hear a couple of the, your your favorite stories or your most impactful moments from your career so far? It can be horror stories. They can be meaningful moments, whatever
HEIDI BREEDEN:
I have some good I'm a bad teacher stories. So there was the day we were doing a rehearsal and set work day at the same time Don't ever do that it's a really bad idea for West Side Story, which was the first musical I ever directed, which was also a really bad idea. And we had a Maria who was Caucasian, which was also a really bad idea. So she's wonderful though. She's excellent and I love her with my whole heart. But we cast that stupidly. But, so what happens when I'm trying to be teacher, theatre director, technical director, scenic designer and costume designer all at the same time is you get a group of Eight students backstage behind the curtains who are supposed to be, I don't even know what because I honestly can't remember because all I really remember is realizing that they're back there playing spin the bottle with a prop gun. And it was really fun and I was like, Hey, this is really bad and y'all should just go home. And I made it out. Like, you know, you behaved so poorly, I can't even have here, but I really sent them home because I literally did not know what to do. Yeah. So, um, that's when I learned you can't do all these things at one time. Like you think it's this great use of time but you're the only adult in the room and everyone else has not thinking about how little time there is like you are, they're thinking about how there's a prop gun right there and we can touch a gun, kiss each other, do something salacious and not be in view of an adult all at the same time. So, um, yeah, that's a fun one. That's a terrible story.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
That's fantastic though. Tell me something that has impacted you personally?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
The number of kids who have come to me with issues and concerns that did not affect my class, but that were weighing heavily on them from something like a difficult grade in a class, or you know, some problems they were having because of discipline issues, to real deep personal turmoil. It just, my first few years teaching, I just kept thinking like, do I have a sign over my head that says like, come to me with your issues. You know, but then realizing like this is what, this is a gift that our job gives us and this is the power that our job gives us. And the very, the tenuous nature of balancing those things and realizing and honoring that this is a gift, but that your words and your demeanor have this tremendous power and they have this lasting impact in the way that you choose not just to handle those situations that you are aware are a very big deal. But the small things too. A student who I taught a long time ago has had some success, um, with spoken word and slam poetry and has a book that just got published and she recently wrote something on Facebook about Miss Breeden teaching her the importance of self care on and off stage. I never had a class about that. We never talked about that on purpose. That never was anything. But it's so, I mean, you know, luckily it was a good thing that she learned that I didn't mean to teach her, but that I just, that constant reminder that they are watching and paying attention to everything and you can have this tremendous power for good if you're mindful of it, to be mindful of it, you know, it's a good reminder to like not be a jerk, just cause you're having a bad day because someone's going to remember that too.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Oh goodness. That's good. Because we go into the profession, we, a lot of us go in and, and I find this with my students now is that they're, they want to be that theatre teacher that made a difference to them. That's a big draw to doing what we do. And, and so teaching them the balance of, of wearing that hat of a counselor and wearing the hat of a teacher and, and sometimes even the hat of a parent and, and finding the balance in those to be able to say, you know, I, I love you and I know you're going through some stuff, you know, and I'm here for you. And I think one of the hardest things I had to learn was there are things that you, if you tell me certain things, I have to tell someone else and that's hard. But, but I've found in, in doing that that the, the, the kids who were going through those things appreciated that cause they just wanted to be heard. They wanted someone to help them. And if I didn't have those tools to do that, I know someone who can.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Right. And being open about that, I encounter a lot of teachers who are reluctant to tell a student, you know, that they have to say something if they mention certain things. But that openness is so valuable to the student because it's building trust. Even when it feels like they're receiving it as some unkindness what they're also receiving is, this is a person of their word. This is a person who was going to do what they say they're going to do. And that's reliable too. And that's making as much of an impact as being willing to sit there and listen. And even in the frivolous things, you know, I've had students ask me questions that are inappropriate about, you know, what they're allowed to do on a senior skip day for example. And I've had to say, are you asking Miss Breeden this, or you're asking Heidi? Cause Miss Breeden thinks you should come to school. Every single class, all four periods. Heidi might have a different opinion, but she's not your teacher, you know? And that's okay if you have the backing of consistency and honesty. Otherwise you are maybe a little bit of a joke teacher and that's not helpful for anyone.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Yeah, that's true. That's true. So it'll have a couple more questions for you. The one that I want to know is what do you wish you had learned or knew before you started teaching? What was something that, that your methods classes and all the things that you did couldn't have taught you?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
I mean, it's always classroom management, right? How to get them to want to engage when they don't think they want to be there. That's something I just, you know, I think everyone has to learn that by trial and error. But I wish there was a way to teach it. And the closest I've gotten is to kind of trick them into thinking they're not doing anything productive so that they'll get there. Um, which is not always the best. And it's like, well, how do I fo this kid that I've known for 10 minutes and is already hating my class? And that's hard. Um, and I think I also wish I had internalized every time someone said, this isn't going to be everybody's thing and that's not on you. It's a lot easier now having a lot of years of experience behind me to look at a student say, you know what? This isn't everybody's thing. This doesn't have to be your thing. Basketball is not my thing. And we're going to be okay with that, but you're going to either do the work or not, and I'm going to give you the grade you earn. You know, and it's, I hate to say not caring, but somehow not attaching your worth as a teacher to whether or not a student just likes your content. They're just not going to all like it.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
That's true. That's very important to know. I want to know a resource that you are currently using or have used in the past that you think is a must have for teachers who may want to spice up their practice.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
There's like so many things. So a super useful thing that I'm obsessed with right now, which is not germane to every theatre teacher really, but it's like my new favorite thing to recommend to everyone. There is a blog called Music Directing the High School Musical and it is specifically about music direction, which I know most of us don't do, but I have found it to be, first of all there are rough guides for like 20 or 30 shows. So like we're really, this person has written down, here's every role, here's how you should think about casting those roles. Here's what to do if you have no budget and need an orchestra like it is. Oh it's so good. But the other thing that is super useful about it as a director and not a music director is if you read enough of these posts, it gets into like preproduction, during production, post production, roles and what you should do and contracts. And all this stuff. All in separate posts. They take like five minutes or less to read, super short. But you learn a language for speaking with and dealing with music directors, which is super useful. So, and it's not, it's not written that way. So, you have to kind of like gather it. But just reading and seeing, okay, this is the way the music director is approaching this show. This is what the music director is thinking about. This is what they're prioritizing. So if I'm having a problem communicating what I need, this is how I can start to retrain the way I speak so that I will get what I need and the show will be good. And so I think it's like, it's fantastic. It's called Music Directing the High School Musical, which is so random. And I'll try to look for the link and send it to you for real, for real. It's a couple of years old. Like I think the most recent thing is like 2013 or something. But it's, it's my new favorite.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Alright, that sounds good. Great, a great tool for collaboration, we're all doing that in our programs. And then my final question for you is, what are your parting words of wisdom to new teachers?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Take a nap, take a nap, take a nap. It's okay. It's not going to get done today and it doesn't have to get done today. And also it is not weak to ask for help. It is not a bad teacher to ask for help and it does not make you look incompetent. Like that's what the other teachers are there for. And if they're not there for it, they're not nice and go down the hall and talk to somebody else.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Well, Heidi thank you so much for chatting with me today. No Problem. Thanks for having me. Of course anytime! Great Information. Can you give us the contact information or or website for Arts for All?
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Yeah, it is www. RAarts4all.com. I know, that's a mouthful.
JIMMY CHRISMON:
All right, well good deal. Hopefully you will have some people contact you and take you up on what you've got the offer there. So thank you. I wish you and Robin all the best with that and thanks for joining me today.
HEIDI BREEDEN:
Thank you!
JIMMY CHRISMON:
Well I really enjoyed chatting with Heidi and catching up with her. Heidi and I, like I said in the interview, we were, we were family friends from a long, long time ago growing up together in church and school. Um, I went to school with her sisters and um, uh, it's just really interesting. It's really, really fun to see what Heidi is doing now and, and in all the really cool things that she's doing and providing for teachers with her new position at Arts for All. That website that she talked about is www.RAarts4all.com. And I've just been looking on their website. You can contact, you can contact them and you can also see what they're doing as far as teacher enrichment goes, I'm looking at it right now. It says Teacher Penned Play Festivals, Monthly Meetups for Teachers, Arts Experiences for Teachers, and a Teacher Artist Opportunities. So go check out what they're doing. Um, she and her sister Robin have some really interesting things going on with their nonprofit Arts for All. So please check them out. Thank you so much for listening this week. I hope you enjoyed what Heidi had to say and uh, our, our collective stories together. You can always visit our website and find our show notes and our archives on our website, www.thedtalks.com. You can also go on any of your favorite podcast providers on Apple Podcasts, on iTunes, Google Podcasts on Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Anypod, Tunein, and on Youtube as well. Um, go on, subscribe to the show, rate the show, give us some stars and also review, tell, tell us what you're liking, um, and then of course share the podcast with people who you think could benefit from it and really enjoy what we have to say here. You can contact me at thedtalkspodcast@gmail.com. Please reach out and let me know if you'd like to be on the show. I'm looking for, for some really interesting people to, to share their stories again at all grade levels, not just high school and not just North Carolina and Illinois. So please reach out to me. We'll set up a time to chat and get you on here to share your, share what you have to say. You can find us on Twitter @theatreedtalks, Tumblr thedtalks.tumblr.com. You can go on Facebook and find us at THED Talks, Instagram @thedtalkspodcast, and again, our website, www.thedtalks.com. Thank you so very much for joining this week. It really means a lot to me that you're listening. Um, it really, really means a lot to see people sharing and sharing the podcast and sharing their experience with us so far. So I love to hear from you, so please reach out, let me know what you're thinking. Um, I'm always open to suggestions for improvement as well, so please, uh, please give me that feedback as well. Thank you. Joel Hamlin and Joshua Shusterman for the use of your original song Magnetize. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with those two boys but I mention them every single time on the podcast, and it's because I'm extremely grateful for a former student of mine, Joel, who composed the music with his buddy, Joshua Shusterman. So thank you guys so very much for, for sharing your work with us and all the best to you and keep, keep doing great things with that. Thank you again for listening and we do hope you check in with us next time.
