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1. Using Puppets to Reach and Teach Children by Penelope
Torribio
I have over 300 puppets from all over the world. I present puppet
shows in universities, museums, libraries, schools, festivals and
private functions. I also teach puppetry at The Sycamores, a residential
school for severely emotionally disturbed boys, teens and youths.
But I am not a puppeteer who became a teacher; I’m a teacher
who became a puppeteer. It was from necessity that I got my first
puppets, and learned their magic for reaching and teaching kids.
Shortly after getting my Special Education credential I began teaching
severely emotionally disturbed children for the Los Angeles County
Department of Education. These children, aged 5-9, had to be of danger
to themselves or others to be placed in my classroom. The first day
of class it was like trying to keep nine kittens in a basket for a
day. It was wild. The kids went running out of the classroom in nine
different directions with the aide and I chasing after them. When
they were back in class they were: cussing, hitting, kicking, biting,
and picking up pencils and acting like they were going to stab somebody.
Discipline was going to have be a primary focus in this class if I
was going to actually teach! How could I soften the discipline? How
could I make the classroom a more caring place with all this acting
out?
I ran across some puppets. One was Clyde. He became our mascot puppet.
(For more information on mascot puppets please visit my web site,
Penelope’s 1 World Music and Puppets http://www.1worldmusicandpuppets.com/.)
Most of the lecturing on behavior was to Clyde and not the kids. I
called him my foster son and his behavior was often appalling. I would
ask the kids to help him learn how to behave in the classroom, on
the school ground, and even at home.
The second puppet was Popcorn Bear. He was a large brown bear puppet.
You put your whole arm into his arms . He taught reading, helping
the kids focus on the words with his paw and giving popcorn rewards
for good attention during the lesson. These puppets, Popcorn Bear
and Clyde, became part of the classroom. I truly don’t know how
I could have reached these kids and taught them to read and write
and do basic math without these puppets. I am still in touch with
some of the parents of this class and they think the puppets were
very instrumental in the social/emotional and academic development
of the children. The children, now teens, remember having lots of
fun and have fond memories of the puppets and me.
After several years of using puppets I still wasn’t a puppeteer.
My daughters criticized me saying "All your puppets have the
same voice Mom." But I did get very comfortable using puppets
in class. How I got into professional puppetry is a long and different
story. But my next teaching job demonstrated that using puppets to
create a caring environment was not just for young children. I found
puppets worked equally well with teens. After two years working with
the young children I became the Education Director for Charter Psychiatric
Hospital. I taught both teens and children in crisis as well as working
with the psychological team. The kids in crisis definitely needed
a caring environment. I found that I could bring any puppet into the
teens classroom and say, "Do you want to see what I do with the
younger children?" They would say, "Yes," (I must admit
that this was primarily to get out of doing their academics), and
I would do exactly what I did in the classes for the younger children,
for the teens. My two puppets had now expanded to many. It was heartening
to see these struggling, often tough teens, holding on to soft puppets
and communicating to their peers through them, the boys as well as
the girls.
Now I have been teaching puppetry for the first time at The Sycamores,
a residential facility for level 14, severely emotionally disturbed
boys aged 7-17 years old. I had give a performance, and in that performance
create enough interest that the kids would willingly sign up for the
class. I must admit I wonder if I could get enough teens to believe
that puppets wasn’t just for babies, and actually sign up. But
they did sign up. It has really been fun seeing the teens and youths
getting involved in making puppets, and in writing things for them
to say, and even making their own shadow puppet stage with drills,
saws, sanders, and electric screwdrivers.
In this article I have focused on kids with emotional/behavioral problems,
but I have taught in regular school, all ages of kids, as well as
students with all kinds of disabilities. (Sometime I’ll have
to write about puppetry for children with visual handicaps, a very
important tool), anyway with all groups of kids I have found puppets
equally effective.
In conclusion, I know that there are many ways to create a caring
environment in the classroom, but puppetry is definitely one of the
best and you don’t have to know anything about puppets to begin
using them in the classroom. Please feel free to contact me on any
questions regarding the use of puppets in the classroom through my
web site or email mythra.
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2. "May the children in my care" - a poem
by Genie Graveline
A poem by a teacher - Genie Graveline This was forwarded to me by
a reader who said. “Here is a poem. I have it placed on my desk
and I read it almost every school day. Hope it is one that you find
to be inspirational too.” The author, Genie Graveline, a former
teacher and inner city school counselor has turned to poetry. She
tells me that many of her works are on relationships. If you are
interested in learning how to obtain her works which I understand
are beautifully mounted - you may contact her.
This poem appeared in the September 8th issue of our newsletter
"Teaching from our Hearts."
Grave1795
May the children in my care learn so much more from me than what
is contained in books......
May I teach them by example that it's all right to make mistakes,
for that is how we learn and how we grow......
May they see me as patient and understanding, for then they will
be more willing to take risks and try new things......
May they learn from me the importance of being compassionate and
helpful, honest and fair, and may they come to practice these things
in their own daily lives. May these precious children who have been
entrusted to me, learn how to find the good in all people as I too,
shall find the good in each and every one of them......
May they learn from their experiences that they can succeed, and
may their triumphs fill them with confidence and enthusiasm......
May they learn how to dream and come to believe that they can make
their dreams come true. May this year that we spend together be
filled with warmth and laughter, and may all of the memories which
they will take with them when they go, continue to nurture and inspire
them, as they move forward, one step at a time, on their wondrous
journey through life!
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3.The song "Let's all be kind in class"
The song "Let's all be kind in class" from the Unity Church song
“Let there be peace on earth” "Let there be peace on earth"
by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me
Let there be peace on earth the peace, that was meant to be
With God as our Father, brothers all are we
Let me walk with my brother, in perfect harmony
Verse 2...
Let Peace begin with me, let this be the moment now
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment, and live each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me
"Let's all be kind in class"
Lyrics I adapted with my fourth grade classroom I taught two years
ago at Franklin Elementary School in Glendale, CA.
Let's all be kind in class, and I'll let it start with me
Let's all be kind in class, from reading to math to PE
It also starts with our teacher, for all of us to see
When we all try together, we'll learn in harmony
Verse 2.... Caring can start with me, let this be my moment now
With every choice I make, let this be my caring vow
To make each moment a caring moment, for Room __ to see
Let's All be kind in class, and I'll let it start with me
This song appeared in the January 10th issue of our newsletter.
Marty Kirschen
mkirs54321
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4. Four resources using poetry
to teach caring
A - Reading Lady.com
This is an online resource for educators
seeking to interact with other educators as they expand their understanding
of literacy teaching. While I have linked to their page on poems
of friendship, your own exploration of the site may reveal information
and approaches of interest.
http://www.readinglady.com/friends.htm
B - Mr. K’s links to learning for educators
- Teacher Created Materials
Here there are many links to other websites that are involved with
poetry. There is also an interesting site map that permits developing
thematic units such as Martin Luther King, etc.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Column/9885/1_4_2_poetry.htm
C - Poetry of Shel Silverstein
Ode to Shel. I often find it useful to download a poem and the change
the layout of the text for purposes of teaching to the learning
styles of my students. Shel Silverstein’s poetry offers many
opportunities to explore caring.
http://www.geocities.com/dollief/shel.html
D - Poetry teachers.com
Sources on this site teach kids how to write different types of
poems.
It also includes activities for your students such as riddles and
poetry theater.
http://www.poetryteachers.com/index.html
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