Why Teach Drama?

"Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand." Chinese Proverb
Why involve students in dramatic arts? Well, apart from the entertainment value for the school community, dramatic arts education is an important venue for creativity. Participating in drama is sharing in telling a story. Dramatic exploration can provide students with an outlet for emotions, thoughts, and dreams that they might not otherwise have means to express. A student can, if only for a few moments, become another, explore a new role, empathize, and begin to understand other perspectives. All this can happen within a safe school atmosphere. At the center of all drama is communication. Like all the arts, drama allows students to communicate with and understand others in new ways. Perhaps more than any other art form, drama also provides training in the very practical aspects of communication so necessary in today's information-centered world. Students who have participated in dramatic activities require self-control and the ability to work with others, as well as build confidence for public speaking. We thank God for the gift of communication and creativity.
    (Excerpts from Performing together: The Arts and Education, 1985, childdrama.com)

                            C. Verbeek