Deana M. Luetkenhaus

First of all, I believe that we are all students, constantly learning to develop not only our professional skills but our interpersonal skills and awareness of diversity. I try to start each day in the shop with that understanding. In the academic setting, the costume shop is often times a classroom of immersed learning, a laboratory setting.  As a Costume Shop Supervisor, I do not hold the official title of instructor, however I am constantly teaching the various sewing, organization, and craft techniques used to implement the needs of the productions.  I believe that the teacher/student relationship should create a space where individuals challenge each other, show mutual respect for each other, and learn from each other. Working in such an environment reminds me of how lucky I am to have the opportunity each semester to challenge my assumptions as I work with a new group of students. Along with this excitement, I also understand that it is my responsibility – as the shop supervisor, or 'teacher' – to share with them my experiences and knowledge as I help them to gain confidence in themselves and their development as scholars, artists, and more importantly, as individuals.

I find that theatre often reflects the world around us and by studying and researching scripts and the elements that create the world of the stage, we also learn more about other people, lands and cultures. This gives, not just the students, but myself an opportunity to research and explore cultures that we are unfamiliar with. I believe that encourages students to develop a more open mind towards diversities.

Most of the students that I deal with enter theatre wanting to be the next great actor or award winning designer and some of them may very well become just that. I believe that while it is my responsibility to place students on the path to realizing these dreams; I am also of the opinion that we must challenge students to think critically and realistically. Higher education should not merely be a vocational education but should provide students with the tools to create a better world.

My supervisory and teaching style is informal, yet structured. Each semester, the first thing I like to do is to get to know the students and find out what skills they have, give them projects that meet those skills while encouraging them to learn new ones. I establish clear expectations for the students by explaining what will or will not be tolerated. This is done with the idea that the rules are necessary in order to have a productive and safe environment for everyone. I encourage the students to express their creativity freely within the parameters of the project given, while maintaining the goals of the shop. Since not all students learn in the same manner or at the same pace, I like to make myself available to give that extra support, if needed, by maintaining an open door policy during shop hours and even scheduling times outside the shop hours, if a student needs help with a struggle. 

I am consistingly researching new ideas and techniques to develop my own skills. I consider myself a 'learning expert' in my field, challenging myself to explore new methods. Sometimes a technique is needed to create specific projects for a production that I may not know. When that situation arises I will research, experiment, and develop the skill necessary to complete those tasks, often times involving the students every step of the way. This way, we are both learning new skills and increasing our repetoire. 

Again, I believe we are all "Students".

"Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.