When people hear that I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance, they often raise an eyebrow. “So… how did you end up teaching math?”
The truth is, theatre and teaching have more in common than most people realize. In both spaces, you’re performing for an audience, reading the room, adjusting your delivery, and connecting emotionally to your message. The same storytelling and performance skills that draw in an audience can transform a classroom full of math-anxious students.
In my math classroom, performance isn’t about putting on a show—it’s about engagement. When I use my voice, facial expressions, and pacing intentionally, students listen differently. When we act out math problems, use props to represent quantities, or narrate our problem-solving process, students start to see math as something alive and dynamic.
For example, when teaching division as “equal sharing,” I’ll hand out imaginary pizzas and have students act as the “pizza sharers.” They laugh, move, and think all at once—and without realizing it, they’re internalizing the meaning of division.
Theatre taught me the power of presence and vulnerability. In math, that translates into creating a classroom culture where students feel safe to make mistakes and think out loud. Just as an actor takes risks on stage, a mathematician must take risks when problem-solving.
By merging creativity with structure, I’ve watched hesitant students become confident thinkers. Math doesn’t have to be rigid—it can be expressive, interactive, and joyful. And when students see that side of it, they begin to believe in their own potential.