Hannah Ehman
B.A. Honours (Theatre and Drama Studies)
Subject: Public Speaking / Drama
What will my child walk away with? A more confident and embodied understanding of their own voice, both in sharing their ideas in front of a crowd, but also in their academic writing and critical thinking. My teaching is developed through training informed by University of Toronto, Sheridan College, Second City, Pro Actors Lab, On the Mic Voiceover Studio, and Shaw Festival Theatre and I teach public speaking and improv in academies and workshops across Canada, so I bring that performance training and genuine enthusiasm for making learning fun, interactive and vigorous.
What can families expect? A multidisciplinary artist, actor, and host who is passionate about helping students find and share their voice. Even for the most apprehensive or apathetic of learners, I find a way “in” with tailored approaches for each student to ensure they are engaged, feel seen and are excited to come back to class. Even with the focus on the joy in love of learning, I maintain a classroom rigorous in our exploration of the curriculum and avoiding complacency to ensure each student is reaching and exceeding their goals.
What does class actually feel like? Energetic, celebratory, and genuinely individualized. Getting to know the unique viewpoint of each student throughout the term is one of the things I find most invigorating about teaching, and I design my classes to make that discovery a two-way process.
How do you challenge a curious mind? I give curious students increasingly demanding improvisational challenges, because improv is one of the most effective training grounds for the kind of real-time, responsive communication that matters most in high-stakes situations–including the future interviews, presentations, networking opportunities and competition scenarios that await the students. The discipline of committing fully under uncertainty is a skill that transfers everywhere.
Credentials and Experience Specialist Honours B.A. in Theatre and Drama Studies (minor in Anthropology), joint program between University of Toronto Mississauga and Sheridan College. Training at Second City, Pro Actors Lab, On the Mic Voiceover Studio, and Shaw Festival Theatre. Public speaking and improv instruction across academies and workshops throughout Canada.
Why Hannah? Why Brain Power?
I believe every student has a unique perspective worth sharing, and my job is to give them the technical confidence and the emotional safety to share it. Brain Power’s students are curious and capable, and helping them discover the full range of their own expressive voice is work I find genuinely meaningful. Many students I see come to life in Brain Power classes, as they’ve found an environment that feeds their drive to learn, challenges them in an engaging manner and allows them to explore their academic and creative possibilities alongside other brilliant students. They won’t be bored in my class and you’ll see surprising results!