Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week:
How the performing arts can contribute to a positive school climate where everyone can feel accepted and more connected
November 11 – 17, 2024
The theme of Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week this year is ‘choose respect’. We wrote another blog post all about how experiencing the performing arts can help build students’ capacity for empathy and mutual respect. We believe the arts have the power to celebrate how unique and different we all are, and promote a positive climate where all community members feel safe, included, and respected.
How can we encourage positive interactions?
How can we encourage students to be kind to one another and respect each other’s individuality?
During Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, Ontario students, school staff and parents are encouraged to learn more about bullying and its effects on student learning and well-being.
Watching a performance about bullying is a great way to start the converstaion.
The Schoolyard Carmen is an inspiring story of independence matched with Bizet’s unforgettable music! In this age-appropriate adaptation of the famous opera, Carmen is a little girl who is a newcomer to Canada. When Tory Adair, the “coolest kid in school”, tries to bully her, she stands up to him. This is a story of schoolyard bullying; of a child who is made to feel different as a new immigrant. It is also a story of resiliency, personal independence, and the healing properties of art.
Bullying can often be the result of bias and discrimination, which can be based on harmful stereotypes.
In The ADHD Project, storyteller/comedian Carlyn Rhamey breaks down stereotypes surrounding people who are neurodivergent. Carlyn shares the trials and triumphs of growing up with ADHD and learning to embrace what makes us different. From her diagnosis and placement in a segregated classroom to navigating her “superpower” now as an adult, this is an intimate and honest journey exploring ADHD and celebrating neurodiversity.
During the Q & A, students usually have lots of questions, as well as comments about relating to the content. This presents a great opportunity to keep the discussion going at your school and will make students feel more comfortable sharing.
[Carlyn’s] storytelling varied intelligently and skillfully – from funny, to thought-provoking, to invoking empathetic reactions from the students. Their engagement was evident, and the multiple questions asked showed how much they wanted to know more; it was tough to bring the questions to a close. Thank you so much from the drama department and the whole school! – TDSB Teacher
We should listen to diverse stories and hear different perspectives.
Rukhsana Khan uses storytelling as a means to share experiences and foster understanding in her captivating presentation series Stories for Building Bridges. The award-winning author and storyteller addresses topics like poverty, immigration, and bullying. She encourages students to look at the world through a different lens; to see different perspectives.
For example, in her presentation A New Life / Coming to Canada, she describes the difficulties of coming to a new country where you don’t speak the language. She touches on literacy, racism, and being different.
Thank you Rukhsana for the interactive storytelling. Thank you for sharing your lived experiences with our students and allowing them to affirm their own identities. This is especially meaningful to our students in the marginalized communities. – York Region Teacher
We can teach students to find confidence and use their own unique voice.
In The Power of Storytelling, spoken word poet Keosha Love explores the impact of storytelling. Our words and stories matter, whether they are about love, culture, or social change. Spoken word poetry can spark courage and it is a powerful outlet to use our voice. Keosha encourages workshop participants to discover their own unique voice, how to own it and how to use it creatively.
Schools are more focused than ever on creating a positive school climate where everyone can feel accepted and more connected. We encourage you to consider the performing arts as an important part of creating a thriving school community.