As we celebrate World Theatre Day on Wednesday 27 March and Theatre in our Schools month throughout March, it's the perfect time to highlight the many benefits of studying Drama and Theatre and the value of performing arts in shaping our children to be ‘future ready’.
In the December 2023 Future of Jobs report, the World Economic Forum lists 26 skills of increasing importance for global employers - four of the top five skills detailed in this report can be built through engaging with Drama and Theatre studies. Below are these four essential skills and how students and parents feel they are developed through Drama:
Creative Thinking
In Drama I have used my creative skills through telling original stories and by trying different ways to use my voice and actions to be more believable and authentic to real-life situations. Drama teaches me to be resilient and pushes me out of my comfort zone, without that I never would have aspired to be on stage.
Grace Ward, 7I
Analytical Thinking
In Drama, I have personally developed a lot of thinking skills. For example, whenever I perform during the Drama ECA, I try to be more creative in speaking my lines with emotions and expressing the feelings in different ways, this emphasises the use of critical thinking in Drama. Additionally, I get to learn more about the ways people tend to express different emotions, which helped my analytical thinking. It also helped me with my relationships towards friends and family.
Nandini Tyagi, 9I
In Drama we need to think about stories in completely different ways and think about how small scenes could fit into a wider story or show. We are asked why and how different things happen and need to think analytically about how small details can come together to make a whole show.
Yanlin Fazzone, 8S
Curiosity and Lifelong Learning
Engaging in creative activities like acting and performing helps you come up with fresh ideas, understand things more deeply, and stay curious about the world around you. Moreover, being involved in theatre teaches you how to adapt to changes, and think on your feet, which are all important traits for success in any career.
Lisa Huh, 9S
Resilience, Flexibility and Agility
Being part of the school production ‘Elf’ was a highlight of Year 9 for my son. He learnt to work hard, and to face challenging situations with resilience and flexibility. Although he was a bit hesitant because of his dyslexia, he decided to choose Drama for his IGCSE in Year 10. He has built great resilience since being a dyslexic non-native English speaker in Drama, and it’s been amazing to see his confidence grow on this journey.
Year 10 Parent
At BISS Puxi, we offer Drama and Theatre studies from Years 7-13, as well as a host of ECAs for Years 3 and up. Sign-ups are now also open to audition for the 2024 Secondary Musical production, The Addams Family Musical.
You can read the full report here: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/ and Years 6-12 can sign-up to audition for the production here: https://forms.office.com/r/wGJUJeFknc
