Preparing for a drama performance or exam is about so much more than simply learning lines and picking a fun costume. If you know us at all, you will know we LOVE a good costume! But how can you help your child be ‘performance ready’...
When it comes to engaging preps and grade ones in our Speech and Drama lessons, our mission is to be one with the amazing, playful, sticky, littlest learners - our Explorers. Step into an Explorers class and you might find the teacher down on the floor,...
During a child’s first year at Speak Up, it is clear to us as teachers how much they progress in speaking skills and confidence. But the real magic happens once they’ve mastered the basics of Speech and Drama and move up through our carefully designed...
From prep, when some kids are just 4 years old, they are told to look at the teacher when they are speaking and sit still and cross legged for really long periods of time. These are unreasonable expectations for a child so young, and often can be unrealistic for older children too. Parenting...
When your child tells you they want to be an athlete you sign them up for weekend sport. If they tell you they want to be a politician, you encourage them to try debating. When they say they want to be the next Ariana Grande,...
When you are growing up, it's important to experience the magic of performing. If you had the privilege of this experience when you were younger, you may be filling up with fond memories of standing excitedly under lights. There is a special atmosphere back stage...
The *blissful early childhood and primary school years can seem like an unending period of our lives. It's a time when our kids are still dependent on us for most things. But then all of a sudden, you are thinking about high school. How will...
On Thursday afternoons I teach two back-to-back philosopher classes. The first group has been in our philosophers program for only a term, let’s call them group rainbow, while the other I’ve been teaching for a whole year, group magic. Over the time I’ve built a...
If we focus on being perfect all the time, we hear that little voice in our head that says, “not good enough.” When I listen to the voice, I buy into what it’s telling me, and end up jumping down the rabbit hole of blame....
I started Speak Up when I was 20 years old. Looking back, I think I had more confidence than I do now. Or maybe it was naivety? Or blind faith that I could build a performing arts studio from nothing. Some of my early goals were...