Skills

Directing first-time actors is both exciting and challenging. New performers often arrive with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a desire to belong. But they may also carry anxiety, uncertainty, or misconceptions about what theatre demands. For many, this is their first time stepping into a space that asks for vulnerability, discipline, teamwork, and imagination all at once. A successful experience depends on creating an environment where students feel supported, informed, and empowered to grow. One of the most important first steps is getting to know everyone quickly. Learning names as soon as possible helps build trust and creates a sense of safety in the rehearsal room. When actors feel seen and acknowledged, they are more willing to take risks, participate fully, and collaborate with others. Name games and group warm-ups help establish connection not only between director and actor but among the entire ensemble. First-time actors thrive when responsibility is shared. Instead of presenting yourself as the sole source of knowledge, let students become experts too. Assign groups to explore different theatrical styles, storytelling techniques, or production elements, and have them teach their discoveries to the rest of the cast. When actors help shape the learning process, they gain ownership of the work and deepen their understanding of the art form. This approach is especially useful in mixed-age or mixed-experience casts, where collaboration supports growth at every level. Another essential component is creating space for student voices. While directors may arrive with a vision, new actors benefit from being able to express what excites them, what confuses them, and what they hope to achieve. Invite them to suggest ideas, ask questions, and contribute to creative decisions when appropriate. For actors who are shy or apprehensive, build alternative pathways for communication: private check-ins, reflection journals, anonymous question boxes, or digital forms. These tools allow students to share concerns or seek guidance without fear of judgment. Finally, encourage consistent self-reflection throughout the process. Daily or weekly journals, exit slips, and rehearsal reflections help first-time actors articulate their progress, identify challenges, and recognize their own growth. Over time, this collection of reflections becomes a meaningful record of their journey. Directing new actors is not just about producing a show; it’s about helping students discover confidence, empathy, discipline, and joy. When you create a supportive and collaborative environment, first-time performers often surprise themselves with how much they can achieve.

If you’ve ever had a student ask, “Am I ever going to use this improv stuff in real life?” the answer is yes — we use improvisation skills all the time outside of the drama classroom. Improv isn’t just about being funny or making up jokes on the spot, although those are certainly great skills to have. (Who doesn’t love a good laugh?) Improv is all about active listening and responding appropriately in the moment. It helps students develop communication skills, adaptability, quick thinking, confidence and problem-solving skills, which are all things that will serve them beyond the drama classroom. Let’s look at some examples. 1. Improv challenges students to actively listen and respond appropriately.Improv is all about effective communication. Students must listen to the prompts given to them and add on. “Yes, and” is the standard response in improvised scenes to keep the scene going and build upon it. Or, they find a way to subtly navigate those ideas in a different direction, without bringing the scene to a halt. This is the “no, but” concept in improv, which still keeps the scene going but allows for some adjustments to where it goes. These skills are used every day in group projects, team sports, relationships, and after-school jobs. Actively listening to others helps students respond and contribute authentically, and helps others feel valued because they’re being listened to and understood. Students can work on adding their own thoughts and ideas to a situation, both when they agree with what’s going on and when they want to suggest an alternative without totally disrupting the direction of the project. Further Reading: Hearing or Listening? Improv Game: “Yes, And…” and “No, But…” Improv Game: Creative Defiance 2. Improv requires students to think quickly and problem solve in the moment.“Here’s your scenario… and go!” Improv requires students to quickly figure out a direction, make a decision, and go with it. The most interesting scenes are the ones with a problem to solve or conflict to resolve, which happens ALL the time in the real world. Conflicts and issues will arise with people and situations in all facets of real life, so being able to adapt and come up with solutions is an important skill to have. It could be dealing with a difficult situation, such as helping to resolve an argument between friends, assisting a difficult customer at a part-time job, or dealing with an emergency situation. It could also be dealing with a more positive but time-sensitive situation, like answering questions at a dream job interview, or deciding with friends as a group how to spend a beautiful day together before it gets too late. Further Reading: Improv Game: Combining Skills Collaboration Game: Job Interview Improv Community Game 3. Improv helps students embrace failure and imperfection.When students are working without a script, they have to trust themselves and commit to their choices. It can be scary to have to make these decisions so quickly — what if they make the “wrong” choice? Remind students that even if things go sideways during an improvised scene, it’s only for a moment; they aren’t stuck with it. Improv is a great way to try different scenarios. They are allowed (and encouraged) to try different approaches, see what works and what doesn’t, and try again. Mistakes are going to happen, no matter what — at school, at home, in the workplace. Being able to recover from a mistake or recognize that something didn’t work and try again are useful skills. Having a safe space where failure IS an option and imperfection happens encourages students to embrace a mindset of “that didn’t work, but that’s ok” and “now let’s find a different way,” which will serve them well when they’re faced with real-world situations. Further Reading: Using Improv to Address Fear of Failure Embracing Failure in the Drama Classroom Round-Up: Theatre in the Real World Exercises Acting in Everyday Life

A well-organized curriculum plan will help you to stay calm, cool, and collected throughout the term, and will allow you to present your lessons confidently. It also helps your beginning drama students ease into the work you’re doing together. Your students who are new to drama will have varying levels of theatre-based knowledge and skill. No matter why students are taking your class, you’ll want to organize your lessons so that each class builds upon skills you’ve already taught, to help them gain confidence and grow. The goal is to provide lessons that will get them to a similar baseline of theatrical awareness and deepen their appreciation of theatre, as well as develop skills such as problem solving, creative and critical thinking, and self-expression. The following drama curriculum suggestions are based on successful introductory performance-based programs that I have run with students ranging from grades 3 to 12. Of course, you know your students best, so adapt as needed to suit their knowledge, skills, and temperaments. 1. Classroom rules and expectationsAlways start each new term with classroom expectations and rules, no matter how new or experienced your students are. What are the rules of the drama classroom, and how might they differ from, say, math or geography class? What routines will be implemented for each class — meaning, how will time be used in the drama classroom? What do you expect from your students, and what can they expect from you? How are they expected to treat one another during drama class? Get all this information out to your students right away, in multiple forms if necessary (paper syllabus, email, posted on Google Classroom or teacher’s website, etc.). You may want to have your students (and parents/guardians, if necessary) sign and return a code of conduct for the drama classroom. Be sure to include all known dates, times, and deadlines for assignments and performances. Boring? It doesn’t have to be. Try playing Act It Out to show students what drama class is all about. You’ll also want to include an introduction or refresher on topics such as check-ins and check-outs, bellwork, and reflections and exit slips if you plan to use them in your classes. 2. Theatre terms, etiquette, and historyTheatre comes with its own vocabulary. What’s the difference between stage right and stage left? Why is upstage both a noun and a verb? What is an ensemble? It will be helpful to create a glossary of theatrical terms for your students to get them all speaking the same theatrical language, so to speak. Theatre etiquette continues on where classroom expectations ended off. How do you expect students to behave while rehearsing versus being an audience member? While building costumes or painting a set? How is it different from classroom expectations and why is this important to know? This is also a good time to include a timeline overview of theatre history topics, such as Greek and Roman theatre, medieval theatre, and renaissance theatre. You can go deeper into topics as you introduce those skills (such as Greek theatre while studying masks) or do a thorough history unit all at once. 3. Non-verbal actingActing requires students to use their bodies, voices, and imaginations, which is a lot of work. Non-verbal acting helps students develop their storytelling and performance skills, practice making clear choices, and gain confidence in a low-stakes environment. Easing students in by focusing on just bodies and imaginations takes a lot of stress off the new drama student. Non-verbal acting also helps students improve their observation skills, as they need to be aware of what’s going on around them. Start by working on these non-verbal exercises that focus on gestures, portraying emotions, and subtext, all without using the voice. Continue with units on mime, tableau, and/or mask work. From there, you could move towards clowning, which can be non-verbal or verbal. 4. Scripted actingBefore introducing scripts, you’ll want to cover topics such as character development, scene analysis, and rehearsal techniques. From there, you can jump into scripts! I usually do two-person scenes first, then move on to small group scenes, as it’s easier to start with one partner before adding in more people. Two-person and group scene work can be a major unit if you want it to be, by rotating group members and presenting a variety of scripted scenes. You could also have students write and present their own scenes. From there, you can work towards monologues. Why group scenes before monologues? It’s super nerve-wracking and vulnerable to perform all by yourself! Once you’ve tackled monologues, you may want to work on audition techniques and have students go through mock auditions, especially if you’re planning a class or school production. 5. Specialty topicsPlaywriting, devised theatre, puppetry, introductory technical theatre (lighting, sound), introductory theatrical design (costumes, props, sets, hair and makeup), musical theatre (singing, dancing), stage management, producing — these are just some of the many exciting topics you can explore with your students. You will not have time to cover all these topics in an introductory course, but that is what upper years and specialty classes are for. If your schedule and budget allows, bringing in guest instructors or holding specialty workshops can really enhance your class work, and potentially pique your students’ interest in studying different areas of theatre in the future. A note on improvisation: “Improv” is an important topic in the drama classroom, but where it fits in the curriculum can vary. Some teachers prefer to teach it after non-verbal acting but before scripted acting, so students can explore thinking on their feet, active listening, and creative expression before focusing on precise script work. Other teachers prefer to teach it after scripted acting, to impress the importance of staying letter-perfect to the written lines and avoiding paraphrasing. As we always say, you know your students best, so schedule your improv classes wherever they best fit in your curriculum to suit their needs. How do you plan your curriculum? We’d love to hear from you. Share with us on our Facebook or Instagram pages!

We reached out on Facebook and Instagram, asking educators what qualities they admire in drama students. We received so many fantastic responses and have compiled a list of 10 of the most frequent admirable qualities mentioned. Your students undoubtedly already possess many of these qualities, which will also serve them in the real world. We’ve included some tips and links to articles that will help you nurture these qualities in your students, and help them grow and develop these qualities and skills even more — because practice makes progress. 1. Problem-solving skillsWhen problems arise, do your students figure things out themselves, or do they wait for you (or someone else) to step in? We want students to be able to problem-solve if something goes wrong, which it inevitably does in the theatre. Not only will this ensure that the show goes on, it’s an important skill that will serve students in their everyday lives. You can help your students practice problem solving with the following exercises: Problem-Solving for Student Directors, Last-Minute Fill-In, and Putting on a Class Production: Problem Solving. If your students are having trouble working together in groups, you can use these tips to help them learn to figure out their issues. 2. Taking initiative and willingness to help outThe next step up from solving problems independently is taking the initiative to identify what needs to be done and then doing it. Have students practice their management skills by doing the Plan, Execute, Reflect Exercise. They can also work on their leadership skills by leading warm-ups. If they have aspirations of working on a show in the future, they can work on developing the skills needed to do so, which includes taking initiative and helping out wherever they can. So many students are conditioned to ask an adult before attempting anything, or don’t have the social awareness to think about what’s going on around them. Try the OTA Challenge (Observe, Think, Act) found in the giveaway below to help students practice taking initiative in the drama classroom. 3. Risk-taking and willingness to step outside their comfort zoneWe encourage our drama students to take risks and step outside their comfort zones all the time. It’s not easy — students are often afraid of looking silly, and it can be hard to be vulnerable in front of your peers. It’s important to start with a strong foundation and build trust with your drama students through warm-up exercises and your own actions. This helps to instill confidence in your students to take risks and try new things, such as playing a difficult character. Knowing they are safe in the drama classroom to try different things, make mistakes, and try again allows students to take those risks. Which leads us to… 4. PerseveranceA famous quote attributed to Thomas Edison goes: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Our students are going to make mistakes and even fail at times. What matters is how they deal with it. They must pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and try again. So their scene fell a bit flat, or their audition wasn’t up to par. If students can extrapolate what they learned and apply it to their next attempt, they’re going to do great things. Never give up! To help your students practice persevering through difficult situations, have them try scenario exercises such as Production Challenges or the “What If” Game. This will help them come production time, when they are working through the last few weeks before showtime, which can be challenging. 5. CommitmentThere’s no way around this: drama class and participating in shows is a commitment. There are only so many hours in the day — are your students using them effectively? Drama students need to hold themselves accountable to honouring their commitments to drama class and/or the show they’re working on, and avoid overcommitting themselves, which leads to burnout and stress. This article focuses on distance learning but can be applied to many situations concerning commitment, whether the student is learning in person or online. Remind your students that sometimes they need to make tough choices, but if they want to be part of the drama scene, they need to show up. And while they’re there… 6. Strong work ethic and driveFor a student to succeed in drama class, they have to want to be there and be willing to put in the work. Many students assume that drama is an easy A, which we all know isn’t the case. Sometimes students will realize that drama class is challenging, and will try to push back against the teacher. The length of the rehearsal process may frustrate other students, who forget that they spend more time in rehearsal than on the final product. Have these students circle back to perseverance and remember that putting in the work will pay off in the long run. The successful drama student takes their work seriously and makes the time to improve by memorizing their lines early, practicing at home, and using their time in class effectively. 7. Being a team player and collaborating with othersUnless your students are doing self-produced one-person shows, they’ll need to get comfortable working with others. In drama class and in the theatre, it’s necessary. And frankly, it’s more fun! Teach your students about the difference between collaboration and teamwork using these tips and expert advice. Then, have them practice their teamwork and collaboration skills by creating a giant onstage, completing the Marshmallow Challenge, or trying various improv games for collaboration. 8. Ability and willingness to listenDrama class is all about actively listening to peers, scene partners, and instructions and advice from the teacher. Whether it’s receiving notes and feedback, participating in an improvised scene, or collaborating on a group project, listening is so important, and a great drama student will actively listen and then put the learning, advice, and notes into practice. If your students need practice actively listening (rather than just hearing), have them try these Hearing or Listening? and What Did You Say? activities. If your students need some help receiving feedback or giving effective feedback, we’ve got tips and activities for that too. 9. HumilityKeep the “drama” on the stage, within the confines of the play, not in the drama classroom. Nobody wants to work with a diva, so students need to learn to keep their egos in check. That being said, it can be difficult for students who aren’t happy with the role they’re given or feeling discouraged about being in the ensemble. We need to teach students about keeping an ensemble mindset and remembering that everyone is there for the same reason: to learn and put on a great show together. While we’re at it, remember those unsung heroes: the technicians, stage crew, and stage management. It’s easy for student actors to forget that unless they wish to appear onstage in the dark, in their street clothes, without music or sound, they need to respect the tech and stage management teams. They are the ones who truly make the show happen. 10. Compassion, empathy, and kindnessWhen it comes down to it, kindness, compassion, and empathy are king. These traits are essential for being a good human being, regardless of drama class. However, we can nurture these qualities in drama class with different exercises, such as finding empathy for the villain in a show you’re studying, analyzing your character without judgment, or literally walking in their shoes in rehearsal. You can then take these exercises a step further and use exit slips and reflections to think about how students can apply these exercises and activities to their everyday lives. Theatrefolk also has many plays focused on empathy that students can really sink into. So many students have expressed that drama class is a place where they can truly be themselves, so let’s continue to be that place where compassion and kindness are at the forefront of our teaching.

Drama class is a fantastic place to learn transferrable skills and work towards applying them to real-life situations. No matter what the exercise is, there is always a transferable skill to discover, such as effective communication, teamwork, problem solving, creative thinking, and mindfulness. Here are 10 of our best articles that focus on how drama class and theatrical skills can be applied to the real world. Even the most reluctant drama student will find a useful concept to apply to their daily life within these articles and exercises. How Do You Measure Success in the Drama Classroom?While of course grades are important and required for students to advance, students and educators should look beyond A’s and B’s. From problem solving to confidence building, in this article we look at various ways of measuring success beyond grades. 21st Century Skills in the Drama ClassroomThe skills of the 21st century are not about technology, even though every teenager is fully wired. They’re about teaching students to think in a new way. This post includes classroom exercises and articles about the four C’s of 21st century skills: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration. Finding Theatrical Opportunities Outside the Drama ClassroomDrama class teaches transferable skills that can be used in the “real world.” Encourage your students to think beyond just performing. Being well rounded and having a variety of transferable theatrical skills will help your students go far. How can what students learn in drama class be used outside of drama class? Communication in the Drama ClassroomCommunication is vital to a successful theatrical experience. In fact, it might be the most important 21st century skill students can learn in the drama classroom. We communicate with each other in the real world every day — verbally, nonverbally, and physically. This article gives lots of suggestions for exercises and lessons to practice communication in your classroom. Collaboration Games: Job InterviewAt first glance, the Job Interview game sounds easy: practice interviewing for a job (a real-world skill). However, the twist is that students must work together to allow the interviewer to guide their new hire to discover what job they’re applying for. 20 Icebreaker Questions for Drama Students To Get To Know Each Other“What did you do on your holiday?” is boring. The 20 open-ended, inclusive questions in this post will help your students get to know each other, as well as give you deeper insight into their lives and personalities. Use these questions for the traditional “pair up and interview your partner” exercise, as full-class group discussion questions, or as written journal prompts. 3 Mindfulness Techniques to Combat Pre-Show NervesPracticing mindfulness is helpful for drama students, because it can help them combat pre-show jitters. You can add mindfulness techniques to your pre-show warm-up routines and teach these techniques for students to use on their own. Best of all, they don’t take much time and they can use these techniques virtually anywhere. Problem Solving: When Students Don’t Work Well TogetherTheatre and drama class are collaborative. However, it’s impossible for every student to get along with every other student. What can we do when these students are then expected to work together in a group setting? Have them practice the exercises in this post! Exercise: Problem-Solving for Student DirectorsGiving students the opportunity to direct is a great thing; it helps them develop so many skills and abilities. However, being in a leadership position can be nerve-wracking for students. This exercise gives students the opportunity to explore and practice various problem-solving situations before they get into rehearsal. Acting in Everyday LifeMany students take drama class not because they want to, but because they have to. This article takes another look at the transferable skills learned in drama class and how to apply them to everyday life, particularly in the working world.

Many students take drama class not because they want to, but because they have to. They might need an arts credit to graduate, or there aren’t any other options for them to have a full class schedule, or they are looking for a class that they think is easy. So how do we engage our potentially less than enthusiastic drama students? Something that might help your students is learning about how drama skills, particularly those learned while studying acting, are used in everyday life. Drama skills are transferable skills that are used in everyday life, particularly in the working world. Let’s look at a few of them: 1. Listening and taking directionStudents will inevitably be in situations where they need to receive instruction and training. From copywriting to piercing and tattooing to cattle farming, every job has equipment to learn how to use, rules and regulations to follow, techniques to execute the job responsibilities correctly, and policies and procedures in place to ensure the work is done right. Students need to listen, follow directions, receive and apply corrections, and perform in a consistent and safe manner — often under pressure. These skills are all taught and practiced in drama class. Students listen to their scene partners and their director, execute blocking and character notes given by their director, make adjustments, and perform (especially if they’re working on an extracurricular show that presents multiple performances). Change director to manager or trainer, and lines and monologues to employee manuals — it’s pretty similar. 2. Memorizing and presenting information and speeches clearly and conciselyLots of jobs require memorization and presentation of information. Restaurant servers must be able to tell customers about all the different meals and drinks they serve and the daily specials. Ride operators at theme parks need to memorize safety spiels and oftentimes are performing whilst operating the ride (the Jungle Cruise ride at Disney World is a great example of this!). Politicians give speeches all the time. In the corporate world, business executives create and share presentations to land clients, introduce new products and services, and improve their financial results. Being able to memorize and present information in a clear, confident manner is an important skill to have, and is something that is practiced frequently in drama class when students are memorizing and presenting lines and monologues. Not only that, but students need to present the information that engages their audience (or customers/clients/guests) and makes them listen and understand. 3. Problem solving and improvisationWhen something inevitably goes wrong during a performance, the actors need to remain calm, figure out a solution on the fly, and make sure the show continues. Every job requires problem solving and quick thinking. What does a retail employee do when a customer angrily returns an item that they think is subpar? What does a model do if their shoe breaks midway down the catwalk? What does a professional wrestler do if their opponent falls out of the ring instead of executing their next move? Outside of the work world, people need to problem solve all the time. What does a parent do if their child begins to melt down in public? What does a homeowner do if a pushy door-to-door salesperson rings their doorbell? For all of these situations, the answer is: figure out a solution, or at least fake it ‘til you make it! Students may also have to use their acting skills to appear calm and confident in situations that make them feel escalated, stressed, or angry. Have your class brainstorm a list of jobs, careers, and everyday situations that require acting skills. For each one, have students think about what acting skills they would use and in what context. Have students stand up and improvise that situation in pairs or small groups. For example, have them improvise a scene with a customer, a retail associate, and a manager. How would the customer work up the courage to return an item? How would the retail associate de-escalate an angry customer? How would the manager train or coach the retail associate, before, after, or in the moment? Have different students improvise the same situations and see how their experiences differ. Think about moments or experiences in drama class that were similar, and how they could be applied or adapted to situations in everyday life. Additional Resources: • What Skills Do You Need to Work on a Show? • Finding Theatrical Opportunities Outside the Drama Classroom • Teaching Life Skills Through Virtual Drama Class

Continuing on with our focus on Social and Emotional Learning (check out our other posts about SEL here), this post is filled to the brim with self-reflection journal prompts. Teachers can use these prompts for start-of-class brainstorming, end-of-class exit slips, journaling exercises, or classroom discussion prompts. You can also have students answer the questions as if they were a character in the play you are currently studying, or as an acting exercise in character if you are currently producing a play. Self-reflection is a useful tool for students to help them learn more about themselves. You’ll find various prompts below, plus some bonus prompts in the giveaway. Encourage students to go into as much detail as possible when responding to the prompts. If students are responding to these prompts in character or about a character, have them include evidence from the text. Self-Awareness1. List five things you are good at. 2. List five things that make you happy. 3. Name a goal you’d like to achieve in the next six months. 4. What is important to you? Why is it important? Self-Management1. How do you keep track of your responsibilities? 2. What motivates you? 3. How do you cope when things go wrong? 4. How do you manage stress? Social Awareness1. What is your definition of social awareness? 2. Have you ever imagined being in someone else’s shoes? Describe it. 3. How do you show respect? 4. When was the last time you paid someone a compliment? Who could you compliment today? Relationship Skills1. Are you an effective communicator? Why or why not? 2. What does a healthy relationship look like? 3. What do you do when others disagree with you? 4. Why do relationships fail? Responsible Decision Making1. How many decisions have you made today? 2. Is it easy or difficult for you to make decisions? 3. What was the last mistake you made? What did you learn from it? 4. Have you ever purposefully made the wrong decision?

This fun improv game challenges students to work together and think quickly on their feet to create a scene that solves a problem, using skills possessed by characters with different occupations. This game can be played live, in person, or online via distance learning. 1. Have students form groups of three. 2. Give each student in the group a different occupation, preferably in different fields. For example, a lifeguard, a chef, and an engineer. You can use our resource, Tons of Occupation Prompts, for occupation ideas. 3. Give each group a problem to solve as a group. Perhaps they’re on a sinking boat, or they’re trying to change a diaper, or a bear is chasing them. If necessary, brainstorm some scenarios with your students beforehand, or get suggestions from the class. 4. Students will need to use the unique skills of their character’s occupation to solve the problem. For example, if the scenario is that a bear is chasing the group, the lifeguard could use their whistle to distract the bear, the engineer could design and build a trap, and the chef could cook some food to lure the bear into the trap. Students can create a silly or serious scene while improvising, but they can’t just say something like, “I’m a doctor and I’m running away!” If students aren’t sure what their occupation’s skills are, make them up! 5. The scene is complete when all three students have contributed to solving the problem and figured out a way to exit the scene as a group. 6. At the end of class, each student will complete an individual exit slip.

Some students take drama class with the intention of becoming an actor, director, or playwright in the future. Many others take drama class simply because it’s fun. Some students take it because they think it’ll be easy, and of course there’s the group of students who are only in your class because all the other classes in that time slot were full. The goal of the following group exercise is to help students (particularly your more reluctant students or nay-sayers) learn about transferrable or “soft” skills that are taught and developed through studying drama, and how they can be applied to any career path or job they may choose to pursue. Even those students who think they’re not creative or only there because they have to be will be able to grow and develop useful skills that will serve them in the future. Instructions:1. Introduce the concept of transferrable or “soft” skills. These include skills like teamwork, communication, problem solving, time management, leadership, self-confidence, emotional awareness, and more. Discuss with your students what soft skills they can learn and develop while studying drama, and how. You can use these posts for reference: How Studying Drama Can Benefit Students Outside of the Drama Classroom and What Skills Do You Need to Work on a Show?. 2. Divide students into pairs or small groups. Give each group an occupation: doctor, lawyer, lifeguard, chef, prime minister, retail service associate, visual artist, esthetician, teacher, custodian, etc. Use the Tons of Occupation Prompts resource for more ideas. 3. Have students brainstorm or create a mind map of at least five skills learned and practiced in drama class that are related to the occupation, and how they are related. For example, in drama class, you practice time management skills by learning your lines promptly and completing your homework assignments on time. A doctor must have good time management skills to treat all their patients in a timely manner. An esthetician also must have good time management skills to see all their clients on time and clean their tools and work stations in between, so their appointments don’t run late. 4. Have each group present their lists to the rest of the class. After each group has presented, students will complete an individual reflection. Additional Resources: • Teaching Life Skills Through Virtual Drama Class • Finding Theatrical Opportunities Outside the Drama Classroom • Common Assumptions About Drama Class

We’ve talked at length on the Theatrefolk blog about how studying drama can benefit students outside the drama classroom and how students can learn and develop soft skills from working on a production. And these learning opportunities don’t disappear when students study drama through distance learning. Although teaching drama online is challenging because of the physical disconnect between students and teachers, it’s still important for students to have the opportunity to continue taking arts courses. They are learning transferable skills in drama class – skills that are applicable to other aspects of their lives. Let’s look at some of them: 1. Students are learning to communicate their thoughts and ideas through different technological mediums , which is important because our lives are increasingly dependent on technology. They also often teach their parents and siblings how to use different programs and apps, and keep their teachers abreast of what’s currently popular tech-wise among teens. 2. Working on performance skills using their webcams gives students a taste of what it’s like to work in television and film. They learn about framing the camera, positioning their bodies so they can be seen properly, solving audio and lighting issues, troubleshooting technical snafus, recording performances, and editing videos they’ve recorded. These skills are used in a variety of professions, so they can help students build their resumes. 3. Students are learning the technical differences between acting for the stage and acting for the screen. Onstage we are told to go big! Play to the back of the room! For the screen, however, students need to focus on smaller details that are picked up by the camera. Projecting their voices is still important, but it’s different when working virtually – they need to be heard, but they also need to figure out how to avoid feedback and tinny audio. 4. Virtual learning depends on students being self-sufficient, focused, and organized. They need to ensure that they are getting their homework and prep work completed, as well as focusing during virtual class time, while dealing with the competing distractions of home life. They may or may not have the full attention or support of their parents or guardians, so they must be able to support themselves. 5. Because we can see into people’s homes through their webcams, students are becoming more aware of their surroundings – which hopefully encourages them to clean up their rooms more frequently! 6. Emotionally, students are learning to deal with the frustration of not being able to see their friends freely, trying to understand lessons without immediate access to their teachers, and figuring out how to navigate the “new normal,” which is uncertain and ever-changing. For young people, stability and knowing what to expect creates a feeling of security, and right now we don’t have that. So much is being asked of our students, and while they are gaining coping skills, they still need to learn that it’s ok to ask for help, and that there are resources available to them to help them with what they’re feeling. 7. Students are learning to reframe their thoughts about the purpose of the drama class. Virtual drama class looks different than, say, a math class or English class that can be taught seated at a desk in school or at home. Drama students are used to interaction, movement, brainstorming, trying new things, failing, and trying again. That still happens during distance learning – it just looks different now.

Accountability is an important skill for students to practice, not only as drama students and production participants, but as citizens in their schools and communities. Accountability means taking ownership of one’s actions and responsibilities. It means giving one’s best effort at all times. Practicing accountability in school sets students up for success in their future workplaces and life commitments. Accountability can sound intimidating or stressful for students, but really, it’s the only way anything gets done. Teachers need to hold students accountable for their actions, but students must also learn to hold themselves accountable. It’s also important for teachers to demonstrate accountability to their students. Modeling the behaviour you want your students to emulate shows that you practice what you preach. The “do as I say, not as I do” method rarely works. The following list of tips demonstrates how both teachers and students can demonstrate accountability. Go over this list with your students, and discuss how these points can be applied to their work in the drama classroom and in rehearsals, how they can be applied to the “real world” (part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, community involvement, dealing with friends and family, etc.), and how teachers can be accountable to their students. *Be there, be on time, and be ready to work. * • Avoid unnecessary absences and arriving late. • This is applicable to classes and rehearsals, as well as life in general. Show up and participate! *Be prepared. * • Have any necessary equipment ready when it is needed (completed assignments, writing utensils and notebooks, proper footwear, hair ties, etc.). • For teachers, this means coming to classes and rehearsals with lesson plans and rehearsal schedules ready to go. • For students, this means completing and submitting assignments on time, reviewing classwork and rehearsal notes at home, and coming to rehearsals and classes with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. • Being prepared shows that everyone is taking the class seriously, even though drama class is also a lot of fun. Avoid excuses. • Everyone makes mistakes. However, making excuses for your actions or assigning blame does not demonstrate accountability. • Recognize how someone’s actions affect them and others. For example, a student not knowing their lines for off-book day will not only make them look unprepared, but will make rehearsal more difficult for their fellow cast members and frustrate the teacher. Students must understand that there will be consequences for their actions. Will they be positive or negative? • When someone makes a mistake, accountability means acknowledging the mistake and taking steps to remedy it. This demonstrates that they have learned from their mistakes. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Ask for feedback, and actually use and/or acknowledge the feedback. • If students make suggestions that are useful and insightful, implementing the feedback will demonstrate your willingness to listen and take their thoughts seriously. • If students make suggestions that cannot be implemented, explain why. • For students, this means listening to lessons and notes and actually applying them the next time the scene is worked on. • For more on feedback, check out this post: Tips for Giving Feedback to Student Playwrights *Have an open-door policy for conversation. * • If you are available to speak to your students about their concerns in a non-confrontational and open-minded way, they will be more likely to take advantage of this. • It is still important to have limits. You cannot be available 24/7, and it’s important that students see you model this behaviour. Try to find a balance. *Establish realistic timelines, measure progress, and ensure that expectations are clear – both on your side and your students’ side. * • More on expectations can be found here: Communicating Classroom Expectations versus Rehearsal Expectations *Focus on encouragement rather than micro-managing. * • Students need to take responsibility for their work and make sure they hit their deadlines, but it’s also important for the teacher to check in and offer recognition and positive feedback on what students accomplish throughout the process. • For more on the theatrical process, check out these posts: Encouraging Process over Product and How a Great Process Will Lead to a Great Product Help students understand why their work matters and why it’s important. • When students feel like their work is important and relevant, they are more likely to take it seriously and really commit to it. Nobody likes feeling like they are wasting their time. • Discuss real-world applications for the work that they are doing. • Explain how you have used the lessons and techniques you’re working on in class/rehearsal in your own life. • For more on this, read these articles: How Studying Drama Can Benefit Students Outside the Drama Classroom and How Do You Measure Success in the Drama Classroom?

Do you consider yourself a theatrical specialist with one definite focus? Or are you more the multi-passionate type? I certainly don’t ascribe to the “jack of all trades, master of none” train of thought. I believe that taking a chance and trying out a new area helps you to become that much more knowledgeable, creative, useful, and appreciative in the theatre world. Teachers, encouraging your students to try new theatrical areas can really help to grow your drama program. The more students you have available with different experiences and skills, the better. Plus, they can reach out to other students, to help lead and mentor them for future productions. Having volunteer experience in different theatrical areas could help your students if they decide to apply for post-secondary education. But it’s also important for teachers to try new theatrical areas as well! Teachers must always continue to grow and develop their skills in order to educate and guide their students in the ways of the ever-changing theatrical world. So, teachers and students alike, I challenge you to try out a new theatrical area this year. If you have students who are normally technicians, encourage them audition to be part of the cast. If you are a director, try set-design. If you are a props maker, try operating the lighting board. If you are a choreographer, try designing the program or the show poster. Here are three reasons you should try a new theatrical area: 1. Grow your skill set and develop an appreciation for the hard work of othersThe more skills you have, the more you can contribute to a theatrical production and the more opportunities can become available to you. You never know where your theatrical journey will take you. And who knows, you might find a new passion! Trying new theatrical areas also gives you a greater appreciation of how hard other departments work. It takes a variety of talented people to make a show happen, and being able to understand and appreciate the time and talents of others only makes you a better theatrical leader. This also gives you the opportunity to then pass along your knowledge to others and help to develop a new crop of theatre people. For example, my primary focus in my youth was acting. I even wrote in my eighth grade yearbook that my goal for the future was to become a professional actress. While that didn’t pan out, I still act at the community level, and acting did lead to my love of stage combat, which led me to training to become a fight director. After I graduated from university, I worked at a summer theatre camp, which gave me the opportunity to direct and start teaching. It’s especially wonderful when you see and hear your students going on to do wonderful things in the world of theatre (and beyond) in lots of different areas, and how they’ve applied their learning beyond the classroom. It has all come around full circle, and it’s been a lot of fun! 2. Challenge yourselfYou might think you’re not crafty or tech-savvy, or that you don’t have the proper background or all the knowledge you should have. But be open to learning. Just try it and see what happens. You don’t have to jump immediately to heading a department. Start small. Join a backstage team and work with people who are experienced. Find a teacher or mentor, check out YouTube tutorials, find books on the subject, and read theatre blogs (like this one!). Last year, my friend offered me the opportunity to be the dance choreographer for her show, which I took on even though I was terrified. I love to dance and I have taken lessons on and off over the years, but I do not have the dance vocabulary or extensive dance background that most choreographers have. I’m so glad I took the chance though – I had a blast! I still have lots of room to grow and I hope I get the opportunity to choreograph another show in the future. 3. Demonstrate life-long learning to your studentsIt’s okay to be new at things. I think that many teachers struggle with this. We expect ourselves to know everything and to have all the answers. But that puts a lot of stress and pressure on us. Everyone was once a beginner at everything they do, and everyone has to learn somehow. We ask our students to try new things every class, to be brave, to put themselves out there. Let’s lead by example and demonstrate bravery to our students. If you are taking on a new area in your current production, share your growth with your students and reflect on your learning. Discuss challenges that you’ve had and listen to your students’ suggestions (e.g. “Here’s what I did. Does anyone have suggestions of how this could have been done differently or better?”). Demonstrating vulnerability and the concept that adults are always learning, making mistakes, and growing from those mistakes is so valuable for students to see. Learning doesn’t end once school is done. If you do try a new theatrical area this year, drop us a line and let us know how it went. What were your challenges and triumphs? What did you learn?

When students are looking to get involved in theatre, do they have the needed skills? We aren’t just talking about “hard skills.” Hard skills are the specific abilities or knowledge needed to do a specific job. For example, if a student wanted to learn how to run lights, they would probably come in without much (if any) prior knowledge of how a lighting board works. A beginning actor may not know the difference between “downstage” and “upstage.” A new stagehand might not know the proper clothing to wear when moving set pieces (head-to-toe black, please!) However, hard skills can be taught and practiced fairly easily. In this post, we are talking about “soft skills.” Soft skills are personal attributes and personality traits that help you work with people. In the theatre environment soft skills allow you to be helpful in achieving group goals. Unlike hard skills, soft skills are subjective – they are not always easy to define and can be more challenging for students to develop and practice because every student is different. Working with your students to help them develop these skills will benefit your students in the drama classroom and while they are working on a show, which is great. BUT these are transferable skills that can be used in any aspect of students’ lives. Here are five skills that are essential for your students to possess (or work on developing!) to work on a show – either onstage or backstage. 1. TrustworthyTeachers need students they can depend on when working on a show. Teachers need to be able to trust that student actors will practice and review their lines and blocking at home. They need to trust that the technical operators will take proper care of the equipment and use each piece safely and correctly. They need to trust that any student who volunteers for a production will show up at their call time, ready to work. Drama students who are trustworthy are a huge asset to their teachers and directors! 2. Works Well IndependentlyDrama teachers don’t have time to have to check and recheck that their students have completed their pre-show checklists. They need to be able to leave the room and know that, for example, the students in charge of scenic painting can complete their work without supervision, or that they won’t have to stand behind the sound technicians to ensure they hit the correct button at the right time. At the same time, students also need to be a… 3. Team PlayerEven if you’re doing a one-person show (which is highly unlikely in a school setting!), there is a still a team of people working towards the final performance. Everyone, from the director to the actors to the stage management team to the designers to the operators (and everyone in between), is working towards a common goal – to create a fantastic production. In order to create a safe space for everyone, drama students must support each other, cheer each other on, help each other out, and leave any personality conflicts outside of the auditorium. Working as a team to create a positive environment is key. Nobody wants to work with a diva! 4. Calm Under PressureThings will go wrong during a performance – it’s not a case of “if,” it’s “when.” And when issues occur, will your students fall apart and panic or will they figure out a solution? Hopefully it’s the second! Staying calm under pressure is not a skill that comes easily to many people (adults included!) but keeping a “show must go on” mentality can help. Your students can practice staying calm in stressful situations by playing The “What If” Game. 5. ProactiveIt is fantastic when a student completes their assigned task, comes to the teacher, and asks for another task to complete. It’s even better when that student completes their task, sees another task that needs to be done or a problem that needs to be solved, and completes that as well – without being asked. Being proactive is one of the most challenging skills for students to develop, because students may be afraid of overstepping their boundaries or making a mistake. Encourage and empower your drama students to look around, identify tasks that they can help with, and take initiative to lend a hand. Then watch their confidence grow in leaps and bounds! Looking for a play your performers will love? Search our play catalogue here!

Drama is one of the few classes that teachers real world skills. This is something that every drama teacher knows well. You know this. Despite resistance you may receive from parents, administrators, or even other teachers – the drama class is a vital and necessary component to a well rounded education. It’s not computers or television that ruins the lives of students. It’s the square peg in the round hole. It’s testing. It’s the methodology that every single student must conform to one way. Students do not need to learn how to parrot back facts. That is the sole purpose of a test. Teenagers know everything is at the swipe of a finger, so why bother? How soon will it be before today’s visual learners rebel? Students do need to know how to think on their feet in the 21st century. We have given them information at their fingertips, how do we take them to the next level? They need to know how to use their brain to create, to communicate, to innovate, to collaborate. These are the real world skills of the modern world, the 21st century skills. And they are happening in every drama classroom right now. Are you shouting that from the rooftops?The drama class is a microcosm for 21st century skills.Throw that on a poster and slap it on your classroom door. Make it your mantra. If you want parents, administrators, other teachers to take you seriously and to take your program use this sentence on a constant basis. My class promotes 21st century skills.The skills of the 21st century are not about technology, even though every teenager is fully wired. It’s about teaching students to think in a new way. Click on each link for classroom exercises and articles on these important skills. • Critical Thinking • Creative Thinking • Communication • Collaboration ** ** The act of being in a play promotes all of these skills. Critical Thinking:• We apply close reading to the script • We analyze our characters and make inferences • Weask and answer questions based on the script Creativity:• We interpret the script • We develop choices for our characters • We design the costumes, sets, and props based on the script Communication:• We construct a vision both visual and thematic • We offer feedback and suggestions during therehearsal process • We receive and process feedback from the audience Collaboration:• We work together onstage and off • We develop a community • We problem solve You may be thinking – Hold on. This is not why I teach drama. I teach drama not for the administrators. I am there for the students. I am there to create the only safe space they have in a day. I am here to bring theatre to life. I am not a spouter of buzzwords. You don’t have to be. In the classroom it’s just you and your kids. But how are you advocating for your program outside the classroom? Is your administrator in your corner? Are the parents? What are you doing to keep your program alive? What language do you use to make administrators sit up and take notice? Click here to download a brainstorming activity that asks: How does my class promote 21st Century Skills?

How many times a day do you have to explain the value of arts education, or defend your program against the nay-sayers who think drama class is just a bunch of games? Drama teacher, your class is essential: It teaches students how to be thoughtful, expressive, and fully human. Here are 10 skills your drama program teaches every day. 1. Problem-SolvingEvery artistic process involves challenges: how to stage a scene with limited resources, how to revise a monologue based on feedback, how to discuss and make decisions when working in groups. Students learn to experiment, adapt, and try again when solutions aren’t obvious. And there’s rarely only one solution! 2. ResilienceFailure is an essential part of the process. Rehearsals fail. Improvs go wrong. Drafts get revised. Students learn persistence and how to keep going after setbacks. Realising that you need to fail in order to succeed may be one of the most important skills you pass on to your students. 3. Healthy ExpressionDrama Teachers ask students all the time to recognize, name and express different emotions. Students who participate in all of the arts (acting, music, visual art, movement, or writing), learn what they’re feeling and how to communicate it in healthy ways. This is such a valuable life skill; emotions are often misinterpreted or miscommunicated. 4. EmpathyBy stepping into characters, interpreting stories, and responding to others’ work, students practice seeing the world from perspectives beyond their own. This builds understanding and compassion. 5. CommunicationThe arts teach students how to communicate ideas clearly and creatively through voice, movement, visuals, and storytelling, not just through essays or tests. Not only must students learn how to communicate to an audience, they must also communicate their ideas to scene partners, or as a director, designer, or choreographer. Practicing how to communicate in a theatrical context helps students to apply these skills in the real world. 6. ConfidenceSharing creative work takes courage. Standing onstage takes a lot of courage! An arts education gives students repeated opportunities to take risks, be seen, and realize their voices matter. The more comfortable students feel in their own skin, the more they will be able to step into unfamiliar situations with confidence. 7. CollaborationTheatre is not a solo experience. It requires students to work together, show up for each other, listen to each other, and sometimes compromise and contribute to a shared goal. The ability to collaborate is essential in school, work, and life. 8. Critically ThinkingStudents use their analytical skills in drama class when they ask why choices were made and how meaning is created. They learn to support interpretations with text-based evidence.  9. OpennessAn arts education exposes students to stories, traditions, and voices from many cultures and time periods, helping them understand both differences and shared human experiences. There is more than one way to see the world! 10. Self-AwarenessThrough creative exploration, students discover who they are, what they value, and how they want to express themselves. The arts help students make sense of their own stories.