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Why Drama Class Matters More Than Ever — Defending Drama in Challenging Times

As theatre teachers, we know that drama classes are important, but when schools and students are faced with challenging times, the value of those classes is often questioned. Complicated issues like budget cuts, school board elections, and social upheaval can put a target on a drama program, and when that happens it’s important to be able to articulate the value of drama classes in schools. Here are three illustrations of drama’s impact beyond a typical school setting:


Skills

Students learn skills in drama class that they don’t learn anywhere else in the general school curriculum. The most important of these are so-called “soft skills.” These include teamwork, communication, and creative problem solving, and are some of the most valuable skills in the working world. The drama curriculum teaches these skills every day through warm ups, games, activities, rehearsals, and performances. Performances are especially valuable, as preparing for a performance teaches students dozens of skills such as self-control, task management, and working with deadlines. If someone questions the need for drama classes in your school, point out that your classes are a laboratory for learning and applying soft skills, and that those skills are highly prized in the business community.


Community

Speaking of community, drama classes are at the core of building nurturing and supportive communities in a school. Students in drama classes work to create an ensemble in any number of situations, from improv games to scene work to full productions. In an era when students are becoming more and more isolated and withdrawn, drama classes require students to work together in a creative environment. Sports and the performing arts are often the only parts of the school curriculum that require students to work together towards a common goal, but the arts have the additional benefit of being cooperative rather than competitive. For many students, drama class is the only time they get a chance to positively interact with their peers. Be sure to share that fact the next time someone suggests that drama classes are unimportant.


Empathy

No matter what subject they teach, teachers will tell you that teaching has changed. Students are more distracted and less connected than ever before. They have forgotten how to be a student, and in some cases they have almost forgotten how to be human. Thankfully, drama class is the remedy for that affliction. Drama class is the study of the human condition, where students learn about emotions and empathy. Through scripts and scene work, we ask students to see the world through the eyes of another, and walk a mile in their shoes. When a student has portrayed someone else, even for a short time, it becomes easier to empathize with others and see beyond the narrow lens of self-importance. Drama class requires students to engage their empathy, and that benefits society as a whole.


Additional Reading:
10 Reminders That What You’re Doing as a Drama Teacher Matters
20 Ways To Advocate For Your Program

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