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he Mission of the Alley Theatre’s Education and Community Engagement programs is to apply theatre practice in a wide range of community contexts — to use the practice of theatre to strengthen and promote the interpersonal goals of our community partners; to provide a vehicle for meaningful community discourse; to create the most advanced training ground for emerging theatre artists; and to become a driving force for arts education within our schools.
Our Core Values:
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Empathy and collaboration through the practice of theatre Service to our community by teaching our art form in multiple settings Innovation and quality in our practice Excellence in developing exemplary replicable nationally recognized programming
Why the ARTS matter
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he Alley Theatre is firmly committed to the idea that participation in the arts and arts integration in education is more than enriching — it is essential! Studies have illustrated that students who study the arts are:
More active in community affairs
Assume leadership roles
Are more likely to participate in math or science fairs
Have increased self-esteem and confidence
Additionally, research has demonstrated that what students learn in the arts helps them to succeed in other subjects and promotes skills that are vital to the future workforce. But developing a love of theatre is a progressive process, requiring sustained exposure.
Wilson Montessori Elementary School being and audience for Staging STEM at their school.
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Learning to be a good audience Please discuss the “live” qualities of theatre with your students.
RESPECT
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Actors and Audience work together
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Laughter and Applause!
Talking during the show is not appreciated, BUT laughter and applause at appropriate times is encouraged! That is how you help create a supportive and focused atmosphere for the team.
Above all, Enjoy the Performance
Listen! Think! Wonder!
The audience is an important part of the show. Your reactions and behavior affect the performance either positively or negatively. Together the actors and the audience are a team, creating something together.
Clap to say thank at the end
Actors and Audience work together
Having fun while watching a play is GREAT! Responding to the actors helps them out. Reaction is good if it is focused on the action of the play and not what your neighbor is doing or what you are going to have for lunch.
It’s OK to Laugh and Clap
Respect
A play takes a lot of group effort which means the audience needs to respect a lot of things: the theatre space, the actors, your teacher, your fellow classmates, and yourself.
Listen, Think, Wonder about the play
ood theatre HABITS begin young. Being a great audience member requires some basic understandings. Here they are!
Saying Thank You The curtain call is the final bow, and the audience gets to thank the artists for a job well done. If you liked the show, clap like you mean it.
WHAT TO BRING TO LIVE PERFORMANCE:
RESPECT CURIOSITY QUESTIONS WONDER CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS
WHAT TO LEAVE BEHIND:
CELL PHONES FOOD ATTITUDE JUDGEMENT DISRESPECT OF OTHERS
Make a list of what an audience does.
1)___________________________________________________________________________________ 2)___________________________________________________________________________________ 3)___________________________________________________________________________________ 4)___________________________________________________________________________________ 5)___________________________________________________________________________________ 6)___________________________________________________________________________________ 7)___________________________________________________________________________________ 8)___________________________________________________________________________________ 9)___________________________________________________________________________________
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ramatic conventions offer a safe harbor for trying out the situations for life; for experimenting with expression and communication; and for deepening human understanding.” — James Catterall, Professor Emeritus, UCLA, Department of Education
The sections in this guide: 1
REFRESHER ON BULLYING BEHAVIORS & STATISTICS
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AN OVERVIEW TO PREPARE FOR THE PLAY
IN REPARATION—SHARE THIS GUIDE School- and community-wide discussion that includes administrators, parents, and other teachers before and after the play will help bring the ideas and lessons alive and help students make changes to their own habits and behaviors.
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Section 1 REFRESHER ON BULLYING BEHAVIORS & STATISTICS
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BULLYING ‘behaviors’ IN BRIEF WHAT IS BULLYING? Dan Olweus, creator of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, provides us with this commonly accepted definition for bullying in his book, “Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do”. This definition includes three important components:
Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength
TYPES OF BULLYING BEHAVIORS
Verbal bullying (i.e., derogatory comments and bad names) Social exclusion or isolation Hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting Spreading lies and false rumors Taking money or other possessions or damaging possessions Threatening or being forced to do things All forms racism Sexual harassment Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)
WHY STUDENTS USE BULLYING BEHAVIORS Information about bullying suggests that there are three interrelated reasons why students bully:
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Students who employ bully b e h a v i o r s have strong needs for power (and negative) dominance Students who exhibit bullying behaviors find satisfaction in causing injury and suffering to other students Students who e m p l o y bulling behaviors are often rewarded in some way for their behavior with material or psychological rewards
This excerpt is from http://www.olweus.org/public/bullying.page
A person is a victim when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other person, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself.
IMPACT OF BULLYING
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single student who exhibits bullying behaviors can have a wide-ranging impact on the students they victimize, the bystanders, and the overall climate of the school and community. When students who are targeted experience repeated bullying behaviors the following effects can last long into their future:
Depression Low self-esteem Health problems Poor grades Suicidal thoughts
According to the National Education Association, students who are targets of repeated bullying behavior experience:
Fear of going to school Fear of using the bathroom Fear of the bus ride to and from school Physical symptoms of illness Diminished ability to learn
Students who bully their peers are also more likely than those students who do not bully others to:
Get into frequent fights Steal and vandalize property Drink alcohol and smoke Report poor grades Perceive a negative climate at school Carry a weapon
Boys identified as bullies in grades 6 through 9:
Had one criminal conviction by age 24 Forty percent of those identified had three or more arrests by age 30 Bullies are at even greater risk of suicide than their targets Bullies often grow up to perpetuate family violence
Students who see bullying happen often feel unsafe and often feel:
Fearful Powerless to act Guilty for not acting Tempted to participate
When bullying behaviors continues and a school does not take action, the entire school climate can be affected in the following ways:
Aggressive behavior is learned early and becomes resistant to change if it persists beyond age eight.
The school develops an environment of fear and disrespect Students have difficulty learning Students feel insecure Students dislike school Students perceive that teachers and staff have little control and don't care about them
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THE ASTONISHING STATISTICS
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here are many statistics found in national studies. Here are a few shocking figures.
Bullying affects nearly one in three American schoolchildren in grades 6 through 10 Six out of ten teenagers say they witness bullying in school once a day It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly nine out of ten LGBT youth reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation Bullies often go on to perpetrate violence later in life: 40% of boys identified as bullies in grades 6 through 9 had three or more arrests by age 30 One of every ten students who drop out of school do so because of repeated bullying 75% of school shooting incidents have been linked to bullying and harassment Nearly 70% of students think schools respond poorly to bullying
(We pulled these statistics from the National Education Association, PACER Center, and Make Beats Not Beatdowns: more research can be found in the resources listed at the end of this guide.)
According to the Teen Online & Wireless Safety Survey of 2009 and the Pew Internet Research Center, social media is one of the leading places in which children today experience bullying:
Photo by: Zalouk Webdesign, July 19, 2007
“When we tolerate a culture that allows children to bully and harass each other because of race, color, national origin, gender stereotyping, or disability, we are failing to live up to principles of fairness and equity that are deeply rooted in our Constitution.” — Secretary of Education: Arne Duncan
About 53% of children have said something that was mean or hurtful to someone else while online 34% of those who participated in cyber bullying did so both as a victim and a bully 95% of teenagers have witnessed cyber bullying while they have been using their social media sites More than 50 % of children who have been bullied online do not report the behavior to their parents, leaving their parents with no idea regarding this behavior. Nearly 60% indicated that they had been subjected to rumors Stop Cyberbullying Day, March 31, 2007
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THE VISUAL ASSAULT OF OUR CHILDREN: MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO
TELEVISION The American Academy of Pediatrics made the following observations: More than 1,000 studies confirm the link between media violence and aggressive behavior in children Today's 18-year-olds will likely have viewed 200,000 acts of television violence within their lifetimes Saturday morning programming for children displays more violent acts per hour than primetime — up to 25 acts per hour on Saturday compared to 5 acts per hour during primetime Additionally, a study done in Canada (where 80% of violent programming originates from American television) reports that between 1993 and 2001, incidents of physical violence on television (excluding cartoons) increased by 378%.
VIDEO GAMES A New York Times piece written in February 2013 described the way young people are emotionally affected by playing violent video games. Benedict Carey writes of the increasing realistic and bloody nature of games. In a study at Iowa State University, psychologist Craig A. Anderson stated the following effects of video games on young people:
“… violent videogames ‘socialize’ children over time, prompting them to imitate the behavior of the game’s characters.” — Dr. Craig A. Anderson
“A dose of violent gaming makes people act a little more rudely than they would otherwise, at least for a few minutes after playing. “Youngsters who develop a gaming habit can become slightly more aggressive — as measured by clashes with peers, for instance — at least over a period of a year or two. “Many psychologists argue that violent video games ‘socialize’ children over time, prompting them to imitate the behavior of the game’s characters, the cartoonish machismo, the hair-trigger rage, the dismissive brutality.”
Dr. Anderson argues that parents should be aware of the content of their children’s video games. In thinking of it from a socialization perspective, he asks, “What kind of values, behavioral skills, and social scripts is the child learning?”
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TYPES OF BULLYING The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, 2009 Study suggests there are four types of bullying:
Verbal bullying (name calling, teasing, etc.) was by far the most prevalent with 53.6% of students reporting some sort of involvement (either as bullies or as targets) Relational bullying (social isolation, spreading rumors, etc.) was a close second with 51.4% of students reporting some degree of involvement Physical bullying (being pushed, hit, kicked, etc.) was less likely to occur, with 20.8% of students reporting involvement Finally, cyber bullying, was last on the list with only 13.6% of students claiming involvement Boys were much more likely to engage in physical bullying, whereas girls principle method was relational bullying Positive parental support was reported to decrease a student’s likelihood of developing bullying behavior or becoming a target Friendships were found to decrease the likelihood of becoming a target, while increasing the likelihood of engaging in bullying behaviors Online harassment, including cases of cyber bullying, has been on a rapid incline: In 2000 only 6% of students reported being harassed online; in 2005, 9% reported; and 13% in 2010
What’s A School To Do?
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ccording to the National Education Association, bullying occurs once every seven minutes. That means that while you read this page, it is likely that at least one bullying incident will have occurred. In schools across America, one in three students report being bullied weekly. The good news: Educators want to do something about it. In 2010, NEA conducted the first nationwide survey to include the opinions of education-support professionals and teachers on issues relating to bullying in public schools. According to NEA’s survey, 98% of school staff believed it’s their job to intervene when they see bullying occur. According to the NEA survey, educators reported that bullying is based on:
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Student’s weight (23%), Gender (20%), Perceived sexual orientation (18%), Disability (12%)
According to the National Education Association, bullying occurs once every seven minutes. That means that while you read this page, it is likely that at least one bullying Incident will have occurred.
Section 2 AN OVERVIEW TO PREPARE FOR THE PLAY
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Why Drama Helps Students Understand Bullying Behaviors
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he primary goal of using drama in schools is to help students better understand themselves and the world they live in. Teaching improvisation and role- playing helps students:
Develop emotional (as well as cognitive) intelligence Gain negotiating skills Learn to transfer ideas to a new situation
Drama is unique because it allows participants to imagine without having to live with the consequences of their imaginative actions. Therefore, it provides a safe approach to learning and “creates a distance between individuals and their real-life situations through the characters and situations being enacted.” By the same token, as drama activities unfold, the line between what is being symbolically represented and the so-called real life experiences begins to blur. Fictional situations and characters become more and more recognizable and relationships begin to form between what is happening in the drama and what happens in the their world. Drama allows and encourages participants to shift positions, to represent multiple perspectives and points of view. Ultimately, dramatic activities enable participants to vicariously experience what others may be living through.
Drama Activities Help Students Unpack the Issues Around Bullying Beyond the content of dramatic plays, pre- and post-show activities are crucial in helping students unpack the issues and discuss strategies to address, and hopefully diminish, bullying. These lesson plans, which are related to our production, will help teachers further explore the play’s issues with their students. It is helpful for schools to enlist parents in the process, so that parents can play a significant role by debriefing the play with their children. Tapping into resources offered by theatre companies and encouraging discussions in the classroom and at home are vital parts of engaging the learning that the plays spark. There are three components of this process — pre-show activities, the play itself, and post-show activities.
Pre-show "hook" students, increasing their attention and recognition The play acts as an important stimulus for thinking about bullying and other topics Post-show activities become sites for applying what has been learned
This information comes from the article 'Theatre and Bullying: a Useful Tool for Increasing Awareness About Bullying and Victimization.’ This article can be read in its entirety online at Education.com: www.education.com/reference/article/using-theatre-to-decrease-bullying/
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INTRODUCING the ROLES in Oskar and the Big Bully Battle
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uring the course of the play, the actors except the lead, Oskar, portray a variety of roles. In the play, Oskar travels from being a bully to a bystander and, eventually, to an UPstander. Frank is always the target, while Beth moves from engaging in bullying behaviors to being an UPstander.
The Character Roles Oskar is 10 and has a lot of energy. He likes to play around and has a huge imagination. Frank* is also 10 and also has a huge imagination. He likes opera. Beth* is also 10. She likes sports and hanging out with Oskar. By the end of the play, all three children have become UPstanders. * The actors who play Frank and Beth also play a variety of other roles, including a teacher, a mother, a game show host, a “menacing kid,” and a principal.
The other “roles” in the play Bully BYstander Target UPstander Define these roles for your students. Ask your students to give examples from situations in movies, TV, or their imaginations for each of the roles above. Ask your students to keep the actions of Bully, BYstander, Target, and UPstander in mind as they watch the play and think about who is filling each role throughout the course of the play.
During the play think about the following quesitons • Did Frank ever demonstrate bullying behavior? • Do you think Frank was Bullying when he stepped on Oskar’s shoe? • When was Oskar a BYstander? • Did Oskar become an UPstander? • What did Oskar finally do to stop the cycle of Bullying • Why did Beth bully Frank?
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UPSTANDER OR BYSTANDER
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n the board, write the word, “STAND.” Beside it, in capital letters, write, “BY” and “UP.” Pair up your students and ask them to discuss how the meaning of the word “stand” changes when you add each prefix. • Which one is more active? • Which one has more power/strength? • Which is less active? • Which word is passive/limp/wimpy?
Instruct your students to act out the two terms while remaining at their desks (without using their voices). BYSTANDERS might look away, be slumped, hidden, etc. UPSTANDERS might be standing up, powerful-looking, strong, etc. Discuss these questions as a class: What did you notice when we were being BYSTANDERS? How did it feel? What about UPSTANDERS? What was different? What was the same? Make a list of situations (such as witnessing an accident or someone falling from a tree) when they might be an UPSTANDER and go for help. Then make a list of situations (such as seeing a friend steal someone else’s pencil or watching someone throw a ball through a window) when they might be a bystander and be afraid to speak up. In small groups, have students create frozen pictures (statues with their bodies) of several of these situations. Ask the audience what they see in these frozen pictures. What choices might the UPSTANDER and BYSTANDER make to have a positive outcome to the story? You may even recreate the frozen pictures incorporating these new choices. Generate a classroom discussion on the different choices that they made and why they made them. If you have a rambunctious class, you might want to break them into smaller groups to discuss first.
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How did this schoolyard mishap happen? IN THE BEGINNING: THE BIG MISUNDERSTANDING Oskar really loves his sneakers. He even sings a rock song t hat he’s written in homage to them. In his mind, they belong in a museum of GREATNESS. BUT … Frank accidentally steps on them. Wow, that’s big! Oskar begins to plot his revenge on his Target, prompting a visit by his “Good Guardian Angel” who looks like his Mom. She asks Oskar to think about his actions. Unfortunately, he doesn’t!
OSKAR’S BIG CHOICES: THE BULLYING BEGINS First, Oskar knocks Frank down on the playground. Frank scrapes his knee. In true Frank form, he creates a dramatic scene which catches the attention of a teacher, Mrs. Hooligan. To cover up his actions, Oskar lies. Once Frank is taken to the nurse’s office, Oskar continues to plot more acts of Bullying. (In the play the various types of bullying — hitting, taunting, name-calling, spreading rumors and cyber bullying — are symbolically demonstrated. Characters do not act them out.)
THE PLOT THICKENS: THINGS GET WORSE FOR OUR HEROES! After the great playground incident, we find Frank and Oskar at a weekend play date at Franks house. Frank has been picking raspberries (which Oskar thinks is BORING) to buy a Super Duper Deluxe Special Magic Blue Box. While together, he picks enough to buy the toy. Now, it’s Frank’s turn to entertain the audience with a song about it. B U T … Beth, another student at the school, smashes Frank’s Super Duper Deluxe Special Magic Blue Box! Oskar watches horrified. He is now the BYstander!
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THE BYSTANDER: THE TABLES ARE TURNED Wham! The Good Guardian Angel appears urging Oskar to confess. But Oskar STILL denies everything. However, the Good Guardian Angel has her ways! Befitting an imaginary character, she puts Oskar on a game show to learn his lesson.
OSKAR’S GOOD JUDGEMENT WINS OUT Oskar tries to get Beth to apologize. But she won’t. She says she learned everything about bullying from watching HIM! Oskar gets nowhere! Back with Frank, Oskar picks raspberries to save up for a new Super Duper Deluxe Special Magic Blue Box to replace the one Beth smashed. Oskar is torn — he knows he should own up to what he’s done to Frank but is scared of the consequences. Finally ...
OSKAR DECIDES TO TELL THE TRUTH! A HAPPY ENDING
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Our Partners in Education Foundation Ray C. Fish Foundation George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation William E. and Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust National Corporate Theatre Fund Hearst Creative Impact Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ Immanuel & Helen B. Olshan Foundation, Inc. The Powell Foundation Kinder Foundation Robert W. & Pearl Wallis Knox Charitable Foundation Baby Dinosaurs in Staging STEM at the Play Makers Summer Camp, 2013
Lillian Kaiser Lewis Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundation
Government Texas Commission on the Arts/Education TCA/Public Safety/Criminal Justice Harris County Department of Education
Corporation Boeing Deloitte Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. Macy's Marathon Oil Company Parker Drilling Company Shell Oil Company United Airlines
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For more information Alley Theatre’s Education and Community Engagement Programs contact raganr@alleytheatre.org.