Plainview Students Learn to Be The Hero

Teachers and students at Plainview-Old Bethpage School District’s Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School examined anti-bullying in a workshop led by Karen Erickson, an internationally acclaimed theatre educator who has trained artists and teachers in drama education for more than 20 years.

Teachers and students learned how to define bullying through drama activities. Students learned how each role including the hero, bully, bystander, instigator and target contribute to bullying in schools. The workshop focused on resolving bullying activities through concentration, image work, collaboration, and the communication of ideas through movement.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage School District offered this program through their participation in the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Partners in Education program. This program is designed to assist arts organizations throughout the nation to develop and expand educational partnerships with local school systems.

Photo 1: Students at the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District’s Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School acted out bullying situations with internationally acclaimed theatre educator Karen Erickson to explore the roles the hero, bully, bystander, instigator and target play in an effort to resolve bullying.

Photo 2: Students at the Plainview-Old Bethpage School District’s Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School worked with internationally acclaimed theatre educator Karen Erickson to learn the important roles concentration, image work and collaboration play in communicating ideas through movement. Students learned about and acted out bullying activities during the workshop, which focused on resolving bullying.