Teaching Philosophy

​I am an award-winning educator who has developed and taught curriculum for students from 5th to 12th grade.  I have been a classroom teacher, an artistic director, an advisor, and an expert at Social Emotional Learning.  I have worked in diverse groups of schools within a wide variety of communities.   I love using arts education as a way of creative expression but what I have found that I am most passionate about is making a difference in the lives of the people I work with.

I have had the opportunity to teach during the school day, although most of the work I do tends to be an extracurricular activity.  Getting a group of students to commit and believe in what they are working towards is the most important way to grow any type of program.  I use honesty, candor, & integrity to get their "buy-in" and I pride myself on choosing musicals & plays that are relevant & challenging. 

As artists, we are challenged to create culturally diverse, equitable, and anti-racist communities.  As theatre educators, we are tasked with finding ways to instill these critical virtues in our students.  I firmly believe that education is the key.  The more we are willing to learn about people who may look, believe or practice something differently than we do, especially though theatre, the better equipped we will be to continue these imperative discussions.. I have tried to create safe spaces in my theatre programs to foster that type of learning environment and I know I will continue to do so in any program I am given the opportunity to run.  I can only hope that our communities will be impacted for the better.

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                                                                                                                                       Elissa Marele

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