Any drama, psychology, or environmental studies student was greeted on their first day of a school by surprise. Drama students met the newest addition to our Hillmen staff, Lori Ibrahim, those social studies students were greeted by our very own Jason Long.
“She’s different,” said Junior and veteran drama student Cassidy Latham.
Latham has appeared in many other Placer productions including Jason Long’s “The Twilight Zone” last year.
The general feeling of the class implies that her students, for the most part, enjoy her new take on teaching. Her teaching by the book and new takes on introducing new ways and ideas towards teaching her class the art.
While the Drama I and Drama II classes are working on the basics, the Professional Drama class is steadily in production of the show “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder. The general idea of the class remains the same as it was before Ibrahim’s arrival.
“She’s different. I wouldn’t say I miss [Jason Long] ,” said Professional Drama student, T.C. Conlee, “but they’re two completely different teachers.”
Many veterans of previous drama productions feel the same way, enjoying the new methods of Ibrahim, however, some students feel that the change could bring about differences that may not be for the better.
The large number of students that had signed up for the drama courses – Drama I, Drama II, and Professional Drama – had to be combined into group classes. This semester, Ibrahim will be teaching a grand total of 110 students. These numbers create a difficulty in many students learning processes.
“The class has become more of a social thing than an actual class,” said a student, expressing her discomfort over the large numbers.
While Ibrahim takes on these new classes, Jason Long continues his teaching career into Placer High’s social studies department.
Long now teaches three psychology courses, two environmental studies classes, and one US history course; his numbers totaling at 116 students for his fall semester.
Long expresses that he misses the unity of his drama classes and the experience to have a classroom become a family, however, he still feels that his new social studies courses can reach out to his students:
“I hope I can [reach them] in a slightly different way,” says Long.
Long attempts to unite his classes as a family by referring to them as “tribes.” These “tribes” are set groups that work together and share their ideas between each other. Long also keeps some attributes of his previous drama classes by continuing drama exercises with his “tribes.”
So, while this change has been startling to some and worrisome to others, the upcoming show will truly decide.
The Professional Drama production of “Our Town” will take place November 12th-14th, and 19th-20th.
Here’s good luck to our new drama instructor, Lori Ibrahim, and another year of good luck to our very own Jason Long.
Welcome to the hill.