Post Workshop Reflections on 21st Century Skills

Even though I haven’t blogged much about the 21^st Century Skills (key to my project) they have been on my mind most of the time I’ve been in my workshops. Every time I looked at what skills are learned through the study of Musical Theatre  I actually couldn’t think of many that ARE’NT taught through MT.   Any one who has taught theatre for two weeks knows that we are constantly teaching, and students are continuously learning, 21^st Century Skills. But in this age of testing and accountability simply saying we teach them is not enough.

The 21^st Century Skills Map shows a few of the ways that students acquire 21^st Century Learning Skills through arts study. It is crucial that we prepare our students to be creative, curious, communicative, learn how to understand and evaluate data, information, media and technology, be flexible, and understand the perspectives of others. Wow-what a charge!

The 21^st Century Skills Map lays them out in an easy to understand document.  It lists the skill, a definition of that skill, an Interdisciplinary Theme, and Sample Student Outcomes/Examples. The map is broken up into the following areas: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Innovation, Information Literacy, Media Literacy, Information/Communication/Technology Literacy, Flexibility and Adaptability, Initiative and Self Direction, Social and Cross Cultural Skills, Productivity and Accountability, Leadership and Responsibility.

As I look over the Map I keep seeing key words: interconnections, analyze, synthesize, articulate, flexibility, collaborative, diverse perspectives, demonstrate, communicate, evaluate, adapt, work effectively, prioritize, cultural differences, work ethic and community.

These words could be a road map for preparing any student to move into the next phase of their life.  Truthfully, these words could apply to me as I spend the next three years creating workshops for my students. Heck, I know lots of adults who could use these words to more successfully navigate their own futures.

So, what are some specific examples of how the study of MT can prepare a student for the 21^st Century world?

How about:

•  improvisation during an onstage or offstage moment gone wrong,

• thinking quickly in a stressful situation

• following directions from a director, TD, MD, Conductor, dance captain and more

• audition skills

• non verbal communication including reading cues from others around you

• social skills and getting along with others

• researching a time period/composer, theatre style, construction or design technique        

• spatial relationships in a large group on stage

• working outside one’s comfort zone

• analyzing a character

• time management when balancing school, activities, family and a production schedule

• being on time

• taking initiative

• leadership skills

• working with a group for a common goal

• learning initiative with regard to on stage and backstage choices

• technology in theatre design, lighting, audio, special effects, and rigging

• public speaking including pronunciation and enunciation

The Arts are a powerful preparation for college, career and what life has in store for any student.

It is in this transition from Workshops to my meetings with the Alumni Theatre Professionals that I am beginning to focus on what skills they learned as a student in the CHS Theatre that they are using today and what skills they wished they had acquired knowing where their life has taken them. 

Actually, these are the two questions I am going to be asking.