13 Feb Actors vs. Teachers
A Teacher vs. Emma Thompson. Spot The Difference
How many differences can you list between a Teacher and Emma Thompson? Despite the obvious difference that Emma Thompson has worked with Colin Firth and a teacher has most likely only worked with a Colin Firth look-alike, the two share more similarities than you would know. The biggest similarity being their profession.
Did you know Billy Crystal, aka “Mike Wazowski” from Monsters Inc, worked as a supply teacher whilst learning to become an actor? Liam Neeson, Hugh Jackman, and even Mr.T all dabbled in teaching before pursuing and securing their roles in acting.
Although they may look different on paper, teachers and actors share many of the same qualities and skills. And before winning ‘Best Actor’, many actors can win ‘Best Teacher’ in the classroom.
Let’s take a look at why up and coming actors make great educators.
The Skills
To be successful in any profession an individual requires key skills suited to their role. For teachers and actors their professions share several of the same required skills. They both need to be;
- Good Communicators
- Good Listeners
- Good Time-Keepers
- Adaptable
- Patient
- Empathetic
- Creative
And these are just to name a few.
Teachers vs. Actors. The Appearance
The facial appearance:
Both teachers and actors should show animation, enthusiasm, and expression in their face when performing to their spectators, whether it’s children or adults. They want their audience to engage with what they are saying.
For teachers your facial appearance is particularly important in early years when children react to your expressions and demeanour.
Mastering the smile:
Both teachers and actors must learn the art of smiling.
Each profession will experience days where they feel less motivated or unhappy but being a teacher or actor, both will learn to show-up, smile, and get those jazz hands working for their audience.
Faced with their own challenges, teachers will not let their emotions affect their teaching performance, whilst actors will get on stage or act their scene without letting their true feelings surface, even after their break-up has just been exposed by the Daily Mail the night before.
Actors vs Teachers. The Performance
It all comes down to this. The performance. It’s how the teacher wins ‘Teacher of the Year’, and how the actor wins their Oscar. How a teacher and an actor perform means everything.
For a teacher their most important performance takes place when they deliver their lesson to their students. The students are their audience, perform well and the students will react positively and reward them with a good performance in return.
When teaching a lesson, much like an actor, a teacher will act out tasks. A teacher will be able to judge their own acting based on how well their students are in following and performing the task themselves.
In the build-up to a performance both teachers and actors will rehearse in their own form. But of course on the day of the performance both professions will utilise their shared skill of adaptability when needing to improvise on the spot when things don’t go according to plan.
Spot The Similarities
So, let’s go back to the start where you were asked to list the differences between a Teacher and Emma Thompson.
Now, this time try listing the similarities. I bet you will find it a lot easier.
When asked who inspires you, it could be Emma Thompson or it could be your Year 8 English Teacher. Both professions are similar in how they can impact the lives of others. Both professions are important.
They both aspire to inform and entertain others in their own ways.
Actors Pro Expo
On February 11, 2023 Forward Teaching are happy to announce that they once again attended the Actors Pro Expo. If you are aspiring to become an actor, but are maybe struggling to find consistent work or make ends meet with the current cost of living crisis, then teaching could be the way forward for you.
All you need to do is book your tickets via online, come along and meet our team at Forward Teaching where through as little as a conversation we can inform and help you secure a role in teaching whilst you follow your path to becoming an actor.
We are here to support you.