Be a Buddy... not a bystander.
This year, I have added a multi media animated screen presentation to my character educational and participatory school assemblies. Through song, dialogue, movement, and humor, I am educating children about the dangers of bullying. The key messages of my newest program are; recognizing bullying and teasing, understanding the importance of accepting differences; developing empathy and identification with targets of bullying; and increasing awareness of the role of the bystander; when/how to reach out to friends and classmates who may be targets and encourage them to seek help from caring adults.
Children are constantly reminded throughout my performances that by working together to create a caring, compassionate, and cooperative school environment, we can reduce the incidents of teasing while increasing random acts of kindness. By taking care of each other, speaking out against bullies, and working together, we have tremendous power in making a difference.