Is your child very shy? Does he/she has little sociability and difficulty in expressing him/herself? Be aware that none of these characteristics is definitive. Fortunately, human beings have the capacity to mature emotionally, adapt and progress. However, they must have the tools to do so. When we talk about theatre at school, for example, we are talking about an activity that goes beyond acting.
The activity is an efficient way to provide people of all ages with tools to better deal with life. It is a way of looking at others, but above all, a deeper look at oneself. Through art, students learn about sociability, lose their shyness and express themselves more clearly.
These are essential issues for them to have a more complete baggage to deal with life. As the psychiatrist Augusto Cury said: “Teach your children to make the stage of your mind a theatre of joy, not a stage of terror”. Knowing how to deal with others and with yourself is essential for children and teenagers to become much better adults.
Reasons why theatre is important at school
In theatre classes, students will have contact with tools that will be essential for their education and development. And not only that, there are other issues that are also fundamental. Check them out!
Contributes to character formation
Teenagers and children are constantly receiving messages that impact the construction of their personalities. Theatre is fundamental to this process. Through it, students can hear and even act out stories that will certainly deepen their construction.
Suppose a student has disciplinary problems in class and does not respect his or her teacher. In a theatre play, guess who he/she might play… Precisely the figure of a teacher. The process will certainly make him/her get in touch with his/her character and begin to understand what it is like to be in the other’s place. This will make them think differently and create empathy for others.
Combating shyness
Shyness, to a certain level, is not a problem. However, when it impacts sociability, it is a complicating factor. One of the roles of theatre is to enable the student to deal with this. The process takes place in a structural way, since the teacher will work with techniques that will provide the resolution of shyness in a subtle way.
An example: most people who are very shy cannot express themselves for fear of others’ judgment. In the theatre, the teacher can show that by acting, they will not be themselves. Therefore, they don’t need to fear judgment. This makes the student feel more at ease and, in time, realize that there is nothing to be afraid of.
Teaches control of emotions
During pre-adolescence and adolescence, hormones are running wild. This causes them to lose emotional control. Have you ever noticed that one minute your child is fine, the next he or she is sad and then angry? This is something generated by hormones and needs to be controlled.
The theatre acts as a “therapy” because it allows adolescents to get in touch with all their feelings. They get to know themselves better and thus control their emotions.
Shows the importance of the collective
Theatre is also an excellent way of showing children or adolescents the importance of living well in a collective way. During a play, for example, each person will have a role, either on stage or in the production.
They can understand, in a practical way, that everyone is essential for success and that one fault can jeopardise everything. Showing these issues is necessary so that the student learns about responsibility and respect for others and to live better in a group.
Awakens creativity
Even when faced with a set script, acting requires improvisation. Therefore, students will have to awaken their creativity to improve their stage presence. Furthermore, through reading, they will have the opportunity to get in touch with their imagination.
Emphasizes independence
Theatre can also be useful for children and teenagers to learn independence. After all, they will be given a role within a play, which requires responsibility to deadlines and to the group. The task that has been assigned to them, only they can do. In other words, your child will have their moment of independence, something which has a positive impact on their development.
