Real work before going to college
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:26 am
When I was teaching in college, I ran across many students (and parents) who had rather 'pink' views of the industry the kids want a career in, and I spent ages trying to convince some that a proper job might suit them better. My teaching style became much more like an employer rather than teacher, and I'd make sure they all experienced the more unpleasant jobs - both mentally and physically unpleasant. I think it worked quite well, and as long term members here are aware, I'm usually the first to attempt to throw spanners into the works, perhaps in the hope it might put people off - because I firmly believe you cannot make the right decisions without all the facts.
I've had the daughter of one of the members here working for me over the summer, and I've made no special arrangements and she's paid the same as others, expected to do the same things as the others and as a result has experienced as wide a range of activities and productions as we could manage. I've yelled at her when it was warranted and had some good laughs too. I'm pretty certain that at many points she has hated it, and perhaps even hated me too! She's nearly at the end, and still with us. She's worked some stupidly long days, suffered the usual poor pay, and also managed her other stuff too. She's discovered that nobody tells here what to do, nobody makes exceptions, and that some people are just plain awkward to deal with. She's learned to look busy when she really isn't, and she's discovered she can climb ladders and be responsible. She's learned to work independently and get on with it.
Most importantly she's learned how to cope with working with people of all ages and abilities, and how to work around the 'names'. She's discovered some are nicer than others, and that real work is different from school work experience, where you're essentially a passenger. She coped with an unplanned theatre evacuation of 1000 old folk in wheelchairs and walkers - being calm and sensible, and she's had unexpected stupid late hours! A big show, that was a real headache, and everyone very tired, yet at quarter past midnight, on the way home, we came across two of the trucks still unloaded because the two guys could not do it on their own. We put our coats down, and helped them - the humane thing to do, even though not really our job. Offered the chance to go, she refused and stayed to help.
She's discovered what a real team is - and even though she's a dancer, she now knows what goes on, and most importantly it hasn't put her off. She's off to college soon, and I must admit at first I wondered if she'd cope being away from home, but she has stuck with us and not given up - and that speaks loudly about her character. She is 16, but has been treated as if she was 18, and an adult. Two of us are old fossils, the others between 20 and 40. It's a big age range and she's come out of her shell and holds her head up. I always tell dancer jokes - in the way we used to tell Irish jokes which she hates, but the point is she stands up for herself.
She's also been accidentally exposed to performance material we didn't expect, and she coped very well - as did the other female we work with. I think that had we known, I'd probably (as a parent) have not asked her to do this show, but too late.
Pretty well most of her duties were out of her comfort zone, and I hope she's learned a huge amount about how it works, and I always think that performers need to experience production to get a proper balanced feel for the whole thing.
I'd urge anyone who has a child just turned 16 to try to get some real work like this if at all possible in their area. If they hated it, and it put them off - I think this would be good to know early on - the same as my old students. Get the rose tinted specs off and show them the bad bits. If they still want to do it - they have the right stuff!
For me, the best bit was that she did all of this herself - and mum and dad left her to it, although the late night taxi service they provided must have been a pain.
She's now got a fairly impressive list of real shows she can stick on a CV, and genuine experience in things other than dance. She has also seen truly dire shows, and knows exactly how not to do it! She's been on the end of sexism too, the nice kind from older performers. She's had the odd roasting and handled it well too.
The only thing she hasn't handled well are the all day king sized breakfasts. It takes a bit of courage for the order to be 3 all day breakfasts and a pannini!
I've had the daughter of one of the members here working for me over the summer, and I've made no special arrangements and she's paid the same as others, expected to do the same things as the others and as a result has experienced as wide a range of activities and productions as we could manage. I've yelled at her when it was warranted and had some good laughs too. I'm pretty certain that at many points she has hated it, and perhaps even hated me too! She's nearly at the end, and still with us. She's worked some stupidly long days, suffered the usual poor pay, and also managed her other stuff too. She's discovered that nobody tells here what to do, nobody makes exceptions, and that some people are just plain awkward to deal with. She's learned to look busy when she really isn't, and she's discovered she can climb ladders and be responsible. She's learned to work independently and get on with it.
Most importantly she's learned how to cope with working with people of all ages and abilities, and how to work around the 'names'. She's discovered some are nicer than others, and that real work is different from school work experience, where you're essentially a passenger. She coped with an unplanned theatre evacuation of 1000 old folk in wheelchairs and walkers - being calm and sensible, and she's had unexpected stupid late hours! A big show, that was a real headache, and everyone very tired, yet at quarter past midnight, on the way home, we came across two of the trucks still unloaded because the two guys could not do it on their own. We put our coats down, and helped them - the humane thing to do, even though not really our job. Offered the chance to go, she refused and stayed to help.
She's discovered what a real team is - and even though she's a dancer, she now knows what goes on, and most importantly it hasn't put her off. She's off to college soon, and I must admit at first I wondered if she'd cope being away from home, but she has stuck with us and not given up - and that speaks loudly about her character. She is 16, but has been treated as if she was 18, and an adult. Two of us are old fossils, the others between 20 and 40. It's a big age range and she's come out of her shell and holds her head up. I always tell dancer jokes - in the way we used to tell Irish jokes which she hates, but the point is she stands up for herself.
She's also been accidentally exposed to performance material we didn't expect, and she coped very well - as did the other female we work with. I think that had we known, I'd probably (as a parent) have not asked her to do this show, but too late.
Pretty well most of her duties were out of her comfort zone, and I hope she's learned a huge amount about how it works, and I always think that performers need to experience production to get a proper balanced feel for the whole thing.
I'd urge anyone who has a child just turned 16 to try to get some real work like this if at all possible in their area. If they hated it, and it put them off - I think this would be good to know early on - the same as my old students. Get the rose tinted specs off and show them the bad bits. If they still want to do it - they have the right stuff!
For me, the best bit was that she did all of this herself - and mum and dad left her to it, although the late night taxi service they provided must have been a pain.
She's now got a fairly impressive list of real shows she can stick on a CV, and genuine experience in things other than dance. She has also seen truly dire shows, and knows exactly how not to do it! She's been on the end of sexism too, the nice kind from older performers. She's had the odd roasting and handled it well too.
The only thing she hasn't handled well are the all day king sized breakfasts. It takes a bit of courage for the order to be 3 all day breakfasts and a pannini!
; as it is she has earnt enough money for fund her 'spending' money at college, learnt loads & really, really enjoyed it - she is going to miss it terribly (the late finishes followed by early starts)