Allen Shamblin’s song ‘Don’t
Laugh at Me,’ sung by the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary, was written in
response to an incident of bullying. It is such a powerful example of the way
in which children can learn from their experiences about the importance of
demonstrating compassion, that in 1999 one of the group’s members, Peter
Yarrow, developed Operation Respect and its Don’t Laugh at Me (DLAM) program to
foster a more peaceful world by nurturing the social, emotional and ethical
development of children through arts and music.
Starting February 6, 2010,
Florence English Speaking Theatrical Artists (FESTA) will use DLAM in an
eight-week conflict-resolution theatre workshop for children ages 6 to 12.
The workshop is possible through
funding from the McGraw-Hill Companies as DLAM, which promotes ‘the infusion of
character education and social and emotional learning principles into school
curricula,’ is available free to any
organization or school whose aim is to equip teachers and enable children to
recognize and deal with ostracism and conflict in a peaceful, non-violent way.
The workshops and training help teachers and students develop the tools to do
so.
Operation
Respects’ website (www.dontlaugh.org)
states, DLAM ‘harnesses the transformational power of music to help children
make a heart connection and become receptive to the lessons offered through the
activities in the accompanying curriculum.’ Reading that statement, Shaun
Loftus, co-artistic director of FESTA saw the need for such a program among
bi-cultural kids in Florence,
who often have a hard time finding where exactly they fit in.
The still, small voice of the
child, Loftus says, who will not stand for injustice and inequality among his
or her peers will, over time, change the way humanity treats itself on a larger
scale. In a world that every day becomes smaller, and in a city like Florence
that is home to many races, religions and creeds, it is of great importance
that children learn how to understand and relate to all kinds of people. In its
outreach programs for children, FESTA seeks to empower children to use their
own voices to develop and maintain healthy peer relationships.
FESTA’s DLAM workshop, Loftus
says, is just one step among many in the direction of peace. By teaching them
how to identify their emotional responses and those of others, they will be
better equipped to resolve conflicts and embrace differences. Workshop
participants will create an original theatre piece using their own voices and
stories. Workshop leaders will use the transformative power of theatre and
music to inspire children to look inward, explore their emotions, understand
them and express to others what it is like to feel what they feel.
The workshop will give children
an opportunity to practice and better understand interactions that take place
on the playground, in the classroom, on the street and in the home.
The power of music and theatre
helps children tap their sensitivity and affirm that their capacity for
self-worth and compassion is a good thing, Loftus notes. While teaching them
that compassion can bring about positive changes, the workshop activities will
help children develop their confidence to tell their stories and make
themselves heard.
FESTA’s DLAM workshops will run
on Saturday afternoons at St. James Church, on via Bernardo Rucellai 9. For
more information or to enroll a child, visit www.festatheatre.com or e-mail info@festatheatre.com
