This week’s Planet Improv drama elective class assignment was “Outside In,” a play on words on the title of the Pixar animated movie, “Inside Out.”
We asked our students to pick a common emotion from a list of ten that they feel most frequently. We then asked them to draw a picture of what that emotion looks like or a character that embodies it. We then asked them to create a monologue that either they, the character they drew, or the emotion itself would deliver.
As usual, the students’ creativity and ability to be brave and share the thoughts and feelings that, we speculate, they rarely, if ever, share with others, blew us away.
It took almost twenty years for Planet Improv to discover that in addition to introducing and/or developing an already existing passion for creativity and imagination building, what we do with our students can help develop social-emotional skills.
Below is a post from betterkids.education that discusses the link between creativity and social-emotional skills.
4 Ways Creativity Fosters Social Emotional Skills
by Emily Kaiser
Have you ever turned one of your ideas into a reality? For example, perhaps you imagined a new way your kitchen could be organized, and you took the time to bring that vision to life. Children do this as well. They might build a structure with blocks and describe for you the castle they have imagined and brought to life. This is our creativity at work!
Dr. Ross D. Anderson shared the following with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, “According to researcher Dr. Zorana Ivcevic, our creativity in both work and school settings is closely connected to our emotional intelligence and well-being.” In other words, when we are creative, we can expect that we might fail or make a mistake. We can be self-aware of the emotions we’d experience when those mistakes happen and develop coping strategies to help us feel calm and to continue with our creative work.
Additionally, creativity and social emotional skills, such as empathy, are interconnected:
Develops Empathy
When we are creative, we might often find ourselves imagining the perspectives of others. As we begin to understand the needs of others, we can have a greater appreciation for their perspective. For example, when creating a story with multiple characters one might want to have perspective of each character’s emotions rather than only focusing on the emotions of one particular character.
Builds social connections
Creative activities provide opportunities for children with similar interests to come together and connect. Whether it’s a love for drawing, storytelling, or playing music, shared creative interests create a sense of belonging and community among kids. It nurtures their social awareness and helps them develop positive relationships.
Encourages collaboration
When kids are creative together, they learn how to build on each other’s ideas. This collaborative brainstorming fosters a sense of teamwork and mutual respect and encourages cooperation. Creative activities are inherently more engaging and when kids collaborate together on creative activities, they are more engaged in bringing their ideas to life.
Strengthens emotional regulation
Creative activities offer children a variety of coping strategies for dealing with emotions such as anger and fear. For example, writing in a journal, playing an instrument, or engaging in imaginative play can help children process their feelings and find constructive ways to cope with stress or adversity.
Creativity in Practice
One-way kids can practice and develop their creativity is through storytelling. Storytelling activities are interactive and participatory, giving children an opportunity to collaborate with others and learn more about the perspectives of others. Additionally, storytelling supports social emotional learning by:
Identification with Characters: Stories often feature characters facing various emotions and challenges. Children can identify with these characters and their experiences, helping them understand and normalize their own feelings.
Emotional Vocabulary: Through storytelling, children explore a wide range of emotions and learn the vocabulary to express and label these feelings. By discussing characters’ emotions and motivations, children expand their emotional vocabulary, which is essential for effective communication and self-awareness.
Problem-Solving Skills: Many stories feature characters overcoming challenges and solving problems. By engaging with these narratives, children learn valuable problem-solving skills and resilience. They see that setbacks are a natural part of life and that there are multiple ways to approach and overcome obstacles.
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Here is a monologue that one of our “Outside In” assignment students shared. We were beyond touched and proud of their bravery and vulnerability in sharing it.
“I choose fear because I fear heights, the dark, and losing a loved one and I’m always protecting my dogs because I fear one day they will run away or eat something poisonous. And for my family, I fear that someone will rob us or one of us getting pulled by the cops, and yeah, I am constantly living in fear, but sometimes I focus on the positive and being a happy kid.
(Sob.)