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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI said, \u2018You know what, I don\u2019t even have to think about it. The answer is yes, no question,\u2019\u201d said Hobbs. \u201cThis is the dream job I\u2019ve always wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That love for theatre never leaves once you catch it. You get that bug. After 26 years, I had the opportunity, so I said, \u2018Yes, I will take it\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hobbs moved to Fayetteville High School last year as the drama teacher and program director, and theatre is now an option for students at Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville Middle School, and Ralph Askins. The results have been transforming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The high school formed a drama troupe and worked on productions in the classroom, the first of which was \u201cSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs,\u201d performed for the elementary students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey loved it because it was up close and personal,\u201d he said. \u201cWe used the stage in the gym, so the [high school] students were mingling with the other students. It was audience participation, and the kids absolutely loved it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hobbs focused on fourth and fifth grades last fall, and the students produced \u201cCharlotte\u2019s Web\u201d for their peers\u00a0and the community. The high school and middle school students teamed up for four performances of \u201cDisney\u2019s Lion King, Jr.,\u201d which was double-cast to allow more students to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have athletes who were able to come out and audition. And a football player who\u2019d never sung before in front of his parents played one of the lead roles,\u201d said Hobbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students might never discover their interests and passion for theatre without the program. While wrapped up in a production\u2019s many layers, they\u2019re seamlessly acquiring skills for a lifetime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2021 story on wetheparents.org lists 21 evidence-based benefits of drama and theatre education. Among them are building self-confidence and self-esteem, boosting reading achievement, improving social skills and critical listening skills, reducing problem behavior, and developing problem-solving skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLast year, I had students who would come in shy and reserved or would sit back and wouldn\u2019t really want to participate a lot in class. But after a few weeks, they were one of the first to raise their hands wanting to participate,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve also signed up for drama this year, so I know it\u2019s building confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students are hard at work on productions for the 2023-24 school year. The theatre arts class is building and painting sets and working on publicity, while the drama class is rehearsing shows for the students and the community. Ralph Askins\u2019 music teacher, Lisa Adams, is helping with music, and Melanie Pitcock, kindergarten teacher and former dance teacher, is working on choreography. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Hobbs, there will be three productions this year, with one at each school. Ralph Askins will show \u201cAnnie Kids\u201d in September, and the middle school Christmas production will be right before school lets out for the holidays. The high school\u2019s larger production will be \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d in the spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it\u2019s just the beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re working hard. Our goal is to have this opportunity for students in grades pre-K through 12 in FCS to learn more about theatre and the fine arts,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been proven that where there are drama programs, scores improve; data shows it. We want to give everyone the opportunity to participate, so just reaching all students and helping them grow that love for the fine arts is the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The enthusiasm and support for the program from the central office, the administration, the parents, the faculty, and the community have contributed to the program\u2019s ongoing success. Hobbs further credits his parents, wife, and children (who never miss a performance) for their help with costumes and sets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He said, \u201cIt\u2019s a dream come true. Never give up on your dreams.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GAIL GODWIN said, \u201cGood teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths pure theatre.\u201d Tim Hobbs has utilized theatre in the classroom throughout his Fayetteville City Schools (FCS) career and heads up a recent system-wide drama program that opened the door to his dream job. It\u2019s opened the door, too, for students to gain experience and build […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":21091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/fayetteville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/11\/3-2-1024x683.png\")
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