Ana Weickert

Teacher: Ana Weickert

Subject: CAPA musical theatre, CAPA theatre at Auburn High School (Rockford)

Teaching experience: 7 years, all at Auburn

What did a nominator or recommender say about this teacher?

• “She is supportive to students and loves them all. She is able to discipline when needed, but is also understanding. She is a beaming light of positivity”! – a student nomination
• “Rather than quit trying to teach/do the difficult things, Ana seeks help, then doubles down on the things she knows will help students succeed not just in high school but in life.” – a peer letter of recommendation
• “Ana’s daily commitment has had a transformative effect on students. They consistently report a greater sense of self-confidence and improved public speaking skills that transcend the stage. She instills a lasting love of collaborative artistry and a belief in one’s potential for self-expression. She is skilled at differentiating instruction, tailoring roles and responsibilities to ensure every student reaches and often surpasses high artistic expectations.” – a peer letter of recommendation

What does she say? Ana encourages students’ families to support student showcases to  celebrate and understand their students. “For the last few weeks of rehearsals, family members bring dinner for students and staff staying late. [This] allows us to get the work done and ensures that students struggling with food scarcity have a guaranteed meal.” She talks to students about “the importance of researching and choosing what you audition for … there is theatre that is racist, sexist, bigoted and discriminatory. If they accept a role, they accept the responsibility of how playing that role may affect them and their audiences. I place an emphasis on understanding, not agreeing.” “However intense or chaotic it may be, working with these humans – both adults and students – has made me a better person and educator. I only hope I am returning the favor.”

What else do we know? She participated in a doctoral study about helping teachers incorporate joy in the classroom. Since Ana started teaching, she has “weathered Techmageddon (having the district ransomwared), COVID, administration overhauls and packing up the entire program for air conditioning to be installed.” Every year, she takes students to the Illinois High School Theatre Festival for professionally-led workshops, other high schools’ performances and college program auditions. She took a performance to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, bringing students who had never traveled out of Illinois to Scotland.