Apply today
Book a tour
Support our school
Next week, our community will be treated to a performance of Something Rotten Jr. that has been months in the making. We will be dazzled and entertained, but beyond that which presents itself on the surface you will find much more has happened. Drama education in elementary schools is far more than an extracurricular activity or a “nice-to-have” enrichment option. It is a powerful, research-supported complete learning tool – academically, socially, emotionally, and creatively. When children engage in drama, they are doing far more than performing; they are practicing and honing life skills in authentic and practical ways.
A drama experience requires teamwork. Students must listen carefully, negotiate ideas, adapt in real time, and work toward a shared goal. For many children, drama becomes a place where they feel deeply included and connected to their community.
Drama gives students a controlled, structured environment to take risks, experiment with self-expression, and discover their unique voice. Over time, this practice builds resilience, and translates into stronger public-speaking skills, greater comfort presenting ideas, and higher self-assurance in daily classroom interactions.
One of the rarely celebrated benefits of drama is its power to cultivate empathy. When children act, they must step into someone else’s perspective. They learn to interpret motivations, emotions, challenges, and relationships. This deepens emotional intelligence and wellbeing helping students develop the social awareness needed for healthy peer relationships, and conflict resolution.
When a child commits to a part they learn to follow through. They must practice, show up, remember cues, and contribute to a collective effort. This encourages accountability, reliability and honesty. Drama gently places children in situations where integrity becomes action, not theory.
In drama, listening is as important as speaking. Children must listen to cues, listen to each other’s ideas, listen for timing and movement and listen for emotional tone. Drama also celebrates diversity of personality, cultural background, communication style, creative expression and abilities. Students learn to respect both the contributions of others and themselves, and that people bring different strengths to a performance.
I look forward to seeing you next week as we enjoy the play and recognize the growth and development of our students.