Using drama to drive empathy in schools
Written by Rachel Crowther
Rachel is a trained actor, coach and founder of Squash. She started working in L&D over 10 years ago and experimented with using drama to bring training to life. She created Squash to address some of the harmful workplace behaviours that were accepted as the status-quo and to offer an engaging antidote to traditional, tick-box DEI training. She’s designed and delivered impactful training experiences for global organisations, charities and young people.
Empathy is an important skill for young people (and adults) to develop. It helps them build relationships, resolve disagreements and create more inclusive environments – in the classroom and in the office. A powerful way to encourage empathy, is through drama..
I run corporate workshops for adults, using actors to spotlight behaviours and perspectives and to start meaningful conversations. Something our workshops enable, is for participants to step into someone else’s shoes.
A phrase we often hear in discussions is “We don’t know what we don’t know.” There is so much we don’t know about those around us, classmates and colleagues, the challenges and barriers they face. We often make assumptions and generalisations, to fill in the blanks, but this is where unconscious bias creeps in. Instead, learning the importance of curiosity and perspective-taking from a young age, prevents us making assumptions and helps us to create genuine, connections.
Storytelling and role-playing are simple ways for students to experience situations from multiple perspectives and are effective tools to start objective conversations on important topics like friendships, bullying, cultural differences. It builds an awareness of the unseen challenges faced by those around them, strengthening the muscle for empathy.
It’s a way for young people to experience feelings in a safe environment. For instance, acting out a scenario in which they are excluded from a playground activity. Feeling this kind of experience, in a safe, facilitated environment, is going to be far more impactful than just being told about it.
Empathy isn’t just about understanding someone else’s feelings – it’s also about how we respond. Drama helps young people to ‘rehearse’ difficult social situations. Practicing the ability to actively listen, express themselves clearly and respond with sensitivity. Improvisation is a great way to develop communications skills and the ability to think on their feet.
The benefits of developing empathy at a young age are clear. It helps young people to stand up for others and create inclusive, and welcoming school cultures and communities. Using drama is a way to not only understand empathy but to feel it and it’s that emotional connection that they’ll remember throughout their education and beyond.
