By Nicole Rudden
Drama Teacher
In today's academic climate of specialisation, the arts remain crucial for developing well-rounded, empathetic individuals, such as the students at Northbridge International School Cambodia. Drama deserves recognition for its unique role in cultivating the "whole child" from a young age.
Beyond building core skills in communication, collaboration and problem-solving, drama allows children to understand different perspectives. Exploring a wide range of characters helps increase cultural awareness, boost creativity and nurture compassion.
Drama also fosters self-awareness and self-confidence as students learn to assess their strengths and challenges on stage. This metacognitive ability serves students well in higher education as they reflect on learning styles and time management.
Participating in school productions requires developing discipline, resilience and responsibility as deadlines are met through individual practice and collaboration. Drama teaches that both independence and interdependence are essential for any major project.
Universities value well-rounded students who pursue diverse interests and bring unique viewpoints to discussions. Drama ensures children are exposed to creativity, empathy-building, community spirit and real-world problem-solving from an early age.
University admissions officers seek applicants who can approach problems from multiple angles. Drama experience demonstrates an open-minded applicant capable of self-expression and leadership and comfortable working as part of an ensemble.
These perspective-taking, collaborative muscles strengthen any applicant and stay with students for life. Drama nurtures the whole child in ways no other academic subject can by touching creativity, emotion and social skills.
Studying drama and its potential for future careers?
Studying drama can provide valuable skills that transfer well to a wide variety of careers, even those not directly related to the performing arts. The strong communication and interpersonal skills developed through drama are highly applicable to fields like law, healthcare, and business.
Drama students gain confidence speaking publicly and experience thinking on their feet - assets for courtroom debate or client meetings. They also sharpen skills in empathy, active listening, and understanding different perspectives through various character portrayals. This empathy makes them well-suited for careers working closely with people, such as psychiatry, social work, or human resources.
Drama nurtures logical problem-solving and creative thinking too, helping students evaluate issues from new angles. Through leadership roles and team-based productions, they gain project management experience also advantageous in industries like law, advocacy, and project management.
Overall, a drama background cultivates a suite of versatile talents valued across many sectors.
World Children's Day (WCD) is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
Playing a musical instrument offers a wide array of benefits that extend far beyond the joy of making music. Whether you're learning to play the piano, trumpet, guitar, violin, or any other instrument, the advantages are profound and diverse, touching on cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of life.
