Prevent Bullying and Promote Healthier Habits: The Impact of Theater Education
Prevent Bullying and Promote Healthier Habits: The Impact of Theater Education
The education department at First Stage identifies the needs of students, teachers and schools throughout the community. We develop programs to help address the needs we’ve identified. Here are two programs that help meet the needs of our youth: the prevention of bullying and healthier eating habits.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) recently mandated that all schools must develop and implement effective bullying prevention policies. In conjunction with DPI, First Stage developed a weeklong program of workshops titled Bully Ban. This residency program is tailored to each age level and promotes respect and tolerance among students. Students learn tactics in problem solving, positive conflict resolution and how to overcome obstacles by utilizing dramatic activities, theater games, teambuilding exercises and other active learning techniques.
Another successful program helps to promote healthier habits among early elementary school students. The Milwaukee Public School (MPS) recreation division approached us regarding an after school wellness program at citywide Community Learning Centers. The programs were to explore good nutrition and the benefits of physical activity.
At the time, we didn’t have any programming to meet these needs. We met with the Assistant Supervisor for Wellness at MPS, and other members of the Wellness Committee, to discuss programming ideas. We explored how First Stage could augment their current offerings. From this initial meeting, we decided to develop Foods to Fill a Garden, a weeklong creative drama residency for 1st-3rd graders. Using stories such as The Curious Garden, I Will Not Ever Eat a Tomato, and Spoon, young students will engage in story drama and other dramatic activities to learn about new, healthy foods that they can prepare and eat at home. They will also explore the inner workings of a garden and discover how fruits and vegetables grow by planting their very own starter seeds. Parents will be invited to the final session where students will share what they learned during the week and, together, prepare a healthy, seasonal snack with the guidance of a guest chef.
We’re piloting this program at two CLC sites this summer. We’ll be evaluating the effectiveness of the program through a number of qualitative measures. We hope to expand this program and turn it into a yearlong residency with opportunities for future collaborations with local urban farmers.
What’s your organization doing to collaborate and develop new, innovative programming to meet the needs of your community’s young people?