How Can Acting Classes Help My Child’s Confidence & Self-esteem?

Is your child shy and lacking in self-confidence?

Shyness is not uncommon in children and many parents worry about how their child is coping at school where they are faced with so many different academic and social situations to deal with. Some children find it difficult to make new friends and, because of this, become unhappy at school. This can lead to anxiety and stress and it is important to ensure that children, who are experiencing difficulties, are provided with opportunities to come out of their shell and start to interact effectively with their peers.

What can you do?

So, how can we encourage our children to do this? Believe it or not, taking part in speech and drama, drama and acting classes can work wonders with a child in this situation. I have seen it happen so many times and it is a joy to witness! By taking on a character that is not themselves, children can learn to interact in situations they wouldn’t normally face and this is a really effective way to help them overcome their confidence issues. I have found that, in actual fact, shy children can often be better actors than those who appear to be extremely confident. I think this is because they are not looking for approval from their peers or seeking to get a reaction from the audience and so they simply act as they think their character would act and the result is often amazing.

How we can help!

At the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School, we provide a safe and fun environment for your child to explore different characters, settings, themes and issues whilst, at the same time, interacting with others from a variety of backgrounds and of different age groups. There is no pressure on children to do anything they are not comfortable with. Having over fifty years’ teaching experience has given me the skill to coax children and encourage them to join in and enjoy themselves. A shy student will often refuse to perform in the first few lessons and I always say that is absolutely fine. They are free to enjoy the warm up games and activities and the group discussion and rehearsal time. However, I have found that within a few lessons, the child id performing along with the others and enjoying the whole experience! What about the rest of the group this child is working with? Does this mean that they lose their chance to perform because one their group members is feeling nervous? Not at all. The class is full of experienced and talented students who are more than happy to step in and take on the role! Improvisation is and amazing and liberating experience after all!

So, how will your child benefit? Your child will:

1. Grow in confidence and self-esteem
2. Find social interactions easier
3. Make new friends outside school
4. Improve presentation skills
5. Find school assemblies and other presentations a pleasure
6. Improve their vocal skills such as voice projection and intonation
7. Learn specific acting techniques
8. Learn to work in a group effectively
9. Have fun (and much more!)

To enrol your child for our speech & drama or acting classes for children, contact the Betty Ann Norton Theatre School by clicking here