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It doesn't take too many trips to The Student Room to realise that students actively seek 'easy' GCSEs. Often, Physical Education gets top marks for that category. GCSE Drama always ranks in the Top Ten of easy GCSE courses. That seems rather odd because Drama terms like 'devising' and 'stimulus' crop up near the top of search engine results. Apparently, GCSE Drama is more challenging than most people think.
But Drama is also fun, engaging and captivating. Drama isn't like other General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) topics such as Statistics, Science or History. Drama doesn't just consist of memorising facts. You won't simply stare down an exam booklet designed to absorb all of the subject knowledge you can recall. Your Drama GCSE does have a written component but it's not the sum total of your requirements.
And reading two of the exam's six required texts, maybe The Crucible and Blood Brothers, hardly gives a clue about everything you'll learn from this GCSE subject. Indeed, your Drama GCSE will teach you so much more! GCSE Drama:
- fosters a spirit of cooperation
- builds teamwork
- teaches communication skills
- sharpens visualisation and creative skills
- hones your critical thinking skills
- develops public speaking skills
- boosts self-confidence
- deepens your well of empathy
Many would scoff at that last point. Who cares about feelings when you're trying to put a show together? And from the actor's perspective: you can't worry about others' feelings when you're busy trying to portray... others' feelings. Okay, point taken on that one. Maybe there is something to the skills GCSE Drama teaches, after all. Let's find out.
GCSE Drama: More than Acting Skills
Another arts subject and yet another misconception! Some people think that the only worthwhile reason to study GCSE Drama is to become an actor or director. Drama isn’t a very content-heavy subject and you don’t learn loads of real-life, useful stuff. Or do you? More on that in a bit.
GCSE Drama has a reputation as being an easy subject. How could something that fluffy be useful? But what people forget is that practical subjects like Drama allow you to develop valuable skills. Like cultivating empathy, as shown in our example.
You'll use such skills throughout your life. Most of the drama skills you'll learn in the AQA GCSE Drama course will serve you well even in the workforce. Unlike sitting a 'practical' GCSE like Geography or Statistics, GCSE Drama doesn't care about the type of job you make a career out of. That's because not everything taught in Drama is drama-related.
For instance, let's talk about that old saying, fake it till you make it. It gained mainstream popularity sometime in the early 70s. Today, psychotherapists, motivational speakers and even social movements like the Law of Attraction all claim it as their personal creed. Do you know what it really means? Act like you have what you want and it will come to you. Act like you are who you want to be and that's who you'll be.
You could argue that such a mindset could be damaging and dangerous. You'd be right. That's why you need an experienced master to guide you to the limits of this type of thinking. That's just one of the lessons GCSE Drama teaches. Let's run through more of the skills you will develop and perfect throughout your Drama studies.
Drama Techniques GCSE
To say that strife is abundant in today's world would be a massive understatement. It seems that, everywhere, people are erupting into violence. Even if it's only a matter of exchanging barbed words. We really need what American Rodney King pleaded for: can we all get along?
No subject teaches you how to work well in a team quite like Drama. In Drama, you are nearly always working with a group of people of varying sizes. You will work with lazy people, disorganised people and vainglorious, bossy people. You may even be one of these characters yourself.
Gossip sites and social media are full of salacious celebrity feuds. We're not saying that everyone in show business gets along like a house afire. Of course, there will be temperament clashes, (un)intended insults and outrageous behaviour. Celebrities are human, just like us.
How that relatively small community works together despite their differences is remarkable. Seldom will you hear of such an artist refusing to work with someone. That's because their Drama training has helped them develop patience and the ability to compromise. You too will cultivate these qualities through GCSE Drama.
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Teamwork
Even if an actor stars in a one-person show, they do not work alone. They are surrounded by lighting technicians, makeup and wardrobe artists, set dressers and other professionals. The scriptwriter must produce a narrative that the actor can credibly pull off. The prop masters must be alert for clues that the actor is ready for the next piece of equipment. The director must know how - and how far to push their actor.
Whether on stage, in film or in the recording booth - think about voice actors, everyone working on a production must work as a team. The AQA GCSE Drama exam will ask you how you would design a costume for a certain character. Or how a production designer might set the stage to maximum effect for a scene. Such questions are posed to help you understand the importance of teamwork in drama.
Cooperation
Many people think that teamwork and cooperation are synonyms. They're not... exactly. Teamwork means everyone pulling together for a common goal. Cooperation is agreeing to assist or share responsibility. For instance, an actor may practice teamwork to render a flawless product. However, they have to cooperate with their stylists, prop masters and makeup artists before engaging in teamwork.
You might not want to slather on thick layers of pancake makeup. You may feel uncomfortable wearing heavy brocade costumes. You still have to go to all the fittings and wear that clothing under hot klieg lights. That's you, cooperating with the production. What a great quality to nurture!
Discipline
It takes fortitude and endurance to become someone else for a few hours. More so if, indeed, you are wearing heavy brocade or armour. Whether you have allergies, a nervous stomach or a momentary illness - a cold, you must still perform. It takes tremendous discipline to not sneeze or wipe your nose when you're in character. Likewise so for everyone behind the scenes as the show goes on.
Performing on stage or screen isn't where your discipline reserves will first be tasked. You must learn your lines, appear for costume fittings and, for voice actors, train yourself to speak in different accents. You have to maintain a steady diet and health regimen so your appearance doesn't change too drastically. And that, even if you don't have any roles at the moment.
Those involved in set construction must focus on their work. A writer may work late into the night to make all of the script changes the director demanded ahead of the next performance. The wardrobe department will work overtime to produce all of the needed costumes. The behind-the-scenes workers must master discipline, too.
GCSE Drama will teach you discipline. Once you’ve mastered the art of keeping a straight face throughout the entirety of a ridiculously funny production, you’re basically the master of discipline. This skill makes you more aware of your physical state. You'll be able to better adapt your physical responses to various situations. It’s not so much about acting as being aware of your body language and how to adapt to distracting, uncomfortable or sensitive situations.
Drama GCSE: Release Your Inner Visionary
Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and, to an extent, Jeff Bezos are all considered visionaries. They had an idea of how they could shape the world and set about doing so. They're not necessarily looked on with admiration and favour - well, maybe save for Mr Musk. Oddly enough, most people consider Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg only questionably visionary. Didn't they do more to revolutionise the world than the others on this list?
But enough about billionaires and their visions. We're talking about you, the budding visionary. And how GCSE Drama will help you develop your skills. Skills which, incidentally, are needed in the world today.
Improvisation
The best-laid schemes of mice and men can still go wrong. Scottish proverb
Crazy weather. Crippling inflation. Constant disappointments, big and small. No matter how well we plan our lives or actions, anything can come along to scupper things. But we can't just stop in our tracks. We have to carry on.
In Drama, you will improvise on a number of occasions. This allows you to think on your feet, develop your initiative and be more proactive. It may not feel like it at the time but this will hold you in good stead. When things go topsy-turvy, you'll have the skills needed to take initiative. Soon, without even thinking about it, you'll be able to adapt to circumstances in your personal life and in the workplace.
Ingenuity
Have you ever watched shows like Monty Python or Whose Line is it Anyway? Isn't it amazing how those actors could take ordinary, everyday things - umbrellas, chairs, hats and the like, and turn them into completely absurd props? Even toddlers are gifted with ingenuity. For a small child, a stick can be a gun. A jumper or pillowcase can double as long hair.
You likely were possessed of such ingenuity when you were a small child, too. GCSE Drama will reawaken your ingenious side. Soon, you too will find yourself envisioning completely new uses for salt shakers, feather dusters and even loo roll.
Creativity
Wordsmiths are decidedly creative. Their work demands the clever use of words to make their writing engaging and thought-provoking. They might lack the ingenuity (and knowledge) to design next-generation power sources, for example. But they can write at length about what such a system might look like. How it might work.
Drama stimulates you to be constantly creative. Of course, nothing can actually teach creativity. It is a muscle that needs a regular workout; constant stretching and flexing. GCSE Drama gives you license to regularly come up with exciting, functional and convincing ideas. The best part is, once you've built those skills, the ability stays with you for life.
GCSE Drama: A Road to Personal Development
These days, Leadership courses like Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and professional development courses all emphasise the need for personal development. What does that mean, exactly? The skills described so far all fall under the personal development header. But GCSE Drama has more development in store for you. As you explore all of the skills that few relate to studying drama, you'll also grow and develop as a person.
You'll Become a More Profound Thinker
Analysing Drama productions allows you to develop your critical thinking skills. Analysing a role to determine how you would play it makes the process yet more personal. Critical thinking skills are useful in a number of jobs. Before you join the workforce, these skills will help if you are planning on studying English Literature, Media Studies or Film Studies at the degree level. Critical thinking skills transfer to other aspects of your life, too. They allow you to think more critically about the film, television and theatre that we all consume on a daily basis.
You'll Become More Empathetic
Empathy is a really important life skill. When you act in Drama you put yourself in another person’s shoes. You strive to identify with them and their situation. Learning to feel what others feel is a serious undertaking. You will not remain unchanged from this experience.
GCSE Drama will test your empathy levels. Especially when analysing or portraying a character who is experiencing things you cannot personally relate to. This is an invaluable skill that will open your mind and improve the way you interact with people. It is especially useful if you are considering a career in caregiving, teaching or social work.
You'll Become More Confident
Being in the spotlight, projecting your voice and presence with authority... Naturally, you will gain confidence. Drama, by its very nature, pushes you to perform. Each performance will boost your confidence. Don't hesitate to develop your performance skills! GCSE Drama helps you overcome the fear of making mistakes in a fun, creative and supportive environment.
So, if you want to take Drama don’t let anyone tell you that it’s an easy option or a cop-out. Drama is a valuable subject that many people benefit from. Studying Drama will help you become a confident, open-minded person who isn’t afraid to create, perform or do a bit of public speaking. Now, the only question remains: how to get top grades in this GCSE?
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i loved the drama gcse it was really fun and exiting