The skills fostered in the Drama classroom have become increasingly vital for students’ future success. Critical thinking, collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, and innovation are all highly sought-after skills that students will require in a fast-paced, ever-changing world. Drama provides a unique opportunity for students to develop these skills in a dynamic and engaging way, making it an essential component of a well-rounded education in our “digital age.”
Just as a compound exercise in the gym targets multiple muscle groups at once, Drama can be thought of as a “compound subject” that hits many areas of skill development simultaneously. From building confidence and public speaking abilities to fostering empathy and creativity, Drama has been proven to enhance academic and personal growth in a variety of ways.
This all rings true, however, if the content of the course is not carefully thought out, it may affect student engagement and or the values fostered. Below are some ideas for what should be included in a well-rounded KS3 Drama curriculum. While I have not provided specific suggestions for topics, themes, or plays, these ideas can serve as a helpful guide when making decisions about course content:
Relevance: The curriculum should be relevant to the students’ interests and experiences, and should reflect the world they live in. Students should be provided with a range of Drama tools and influences in which to express themes and topics that are relevant to them.
Transferable Skills: Drama classes should foster skills that are transferable to other areas of their lives, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.
School Values: The curriculum should align with the values promoted in the school, such as respect, tolerance, inclusivity and kindness. This includes the playtexts studied as well as themes and topics.
Diversity: Students should be introduced to a wide demographic of theatre makers, themes and styles.
Collaboration: Drama classes should encourage a lot of collaboration, as this promotes effective communication, teamwork, and creative problem-solving.
Technology: Drama classes should make use of technology, as this provides opportunities for students to engage with the subject in new and exciting ways as well as embedding their technical literacy.
Audience Awareness: Drama classes should get students to think about how they are creating meaning for an audience, as this helps them to understand their impact on others.
Engagement: Drama lessons should be planned with care, scaffolded, engaging and fun, as this helps to keep students motivated and interested in their learning.
Global Styles: Drama classes should immerse students in a global selection of theatrical texts and styles, as this helps to broaden their cultural understanding and appreciation.
Critical Thinking: Drama classes should develop critical thinking skills in order to help students to understand different perspectives and develop their own opinions.
Analysis and Evaluation: Drama classes should develop analysis and evaluation skills, as this helps students to make informed decisions and solve problems.
Choice and Autonomy: Drama classes should provide a sense of choice and autonomy, as this helps students take ownership of their learning and develop their own interests and passions.
This is not an exhaustive list and is ever-growing. My aim with this post is to widen the discussion about what content is selected for students in KS3 Drama. You may have inherited schemes of work that are not quite fit for purpose in our ever-evolving world and wish to make some updates. Let me know your thoughts!
