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The next time you attend a school play, ask yourself what it would be like to teach drama to a group of students like yourself.

Greg Dowler-Coltman is the head of a theater school. "My high school drama teacher taught us to appreciate the value of theater," he says.

After acquiring a fine arts degree in 1985, Dowler-Coltman developed an educational outreach program for a theater company. His interest in teaching developed when he found himself teaching drama classes at local schools and at the university.

Dowler-Coltman returned to university for his degree in education. Eventually, he became head of the arts department at a public school that focuses on the arts. Dowler-Coltman oversees the drama teachers and teaches drama to students in Grades 10 to 12.

The day might start with a meeting at 7:30 a.m. and end with a rehearsal at 8:30 p.m.

Dowler-Coltman's students put on two large-scale shows each year, as well as other productions. "I teach some incredible kids who are here because they love this work," he says.

Sometimes students become so enthusiastic about their productions that they lose themselves in the work. "It's moving to have a kid get to that place," he says.

You don't need professional theater experience to be a great drama teacher, according to Dowler-Coltman. "You don't have to know everything yourself," he says.

"If you aren't an expert in a certain area, you can ask an artist from the community to come in and spend an hour or two with the class."

Michael McGarty is the drama director at the Bromfield School in Massachusetts. McGarty's family worked on Broadway for four generations, and McGarty worked on Broadway during his school years.

However, he wanted to teach French. After being hired to teach French in a technical school, he discovered that he was hired because of his background in the theater. "They wanted me to help out with the school play."

McGarty directed two school plays, then studied French theater in France. Returning to the U.S., he was hired to teach languages at his current school. The drama class had been assigned to the soccer coach, who had little interest in casting plays. Before long, drama was added to McGarty's other responsibilities.

Interest in drama exploded when McGarty's students placed in the state's annual high school drama festival. "Eighty kids signed up for a vaudeville production. The stage wasn't big enough to hold them all."

McGarty produced many plays that did well in the drama festival. In 20 years, his class has gone to the finals in Boston 16 times. "But we never took first place until last year," he says. "A month later, a play I directed for the adult community theater also won a prize....It was a wonderful year!"

McGarty is proud of how well his students perform difficult work. "High school students can do much more difficult work than most drama teachers think they can," McGarty says. "I look at the kids and say, 'What can they handle?' and then I choose a play accordingly."

McGarty enjoys the work because it offers variety. Productions are short and he can move on quickly to something new. Producing high school plays can be stressful, however. The teacher is responsible for many different aspects. "You don't have a choreographer, a set designer or a costume person," he explains. "You have to oversee everything."

McGarty advises anyone interested in teaching drama to study a range of subjects. Learn how to take apart a script and how to design a set. Study the history of architecture and psychology. The wider the expertise, the better the director you will be.

Tami Dowler-Coltman is the principal of an arts school. When she hires drama teachers, she looks for people who are passionate and creative. They need to have a flexible attitude, work well on a team and put the students ahead of their own ego. "And I look for people who are self-sufficient. You need the skills to take things on and not be overwhelmed."

She points out that drama is viewed as a frill in some schools. Drama teachers must educate the school and the community about the importance of the art form.

She believes that the arts are a vehicle for teaching and learning. Many students would have dropped out of high school if drama had not been available to them.

"If you are interested in teaching drama, then go for it," she says. "But you must be prepared to be very tenacious if you are working at a school that undervalues drama."