Building Our Collective Culture: A SCHOOL WIDE MODEL FOR GROWTH Developed by Beverley Holmes

An Innovative Anti-Bullying Project: Modelling Bystander Intervention Through Invisible Theatre* * Invisible theatre is a form of theatrical presentation that is enacted in a place where people would not expect to see one. The actors disguise the fact it is a performance, thus the spectators view it as a real, unstaged event.

Session #1: The Staff (1-2 hours) This session is designed for all teaching and non- teaching staff. It is recommended that administrators bring current policies and statistics of bullying incidents. It is also recommended that there is a follow-up to this session. This critical first phase will set the structure for the following day's interactions around the school.

Step 1: Discussion The types of bullying being observed at the school. Atypical instances of bullying, specific to school demographic. Reviewing school policy of bullying behavior and administrative statistics of bullying instances: incidents and action. Are there bullying hotspots in the school? Washrooms? Changing rooms? Locker bays? Classrooms? Stairwells?

Step 2: Setting the Structure Generating a list of students to make the bully, target, and bystander invisible theatre groups (8-10% of school population, cross-graded, and diverse). Determining what specific areas of the school will be the sites for the staged scenes. Determining which staff members will supervise and be responsible for which sites. Brainstorming and troubleshooting.

Step 3: The Debrief Teachers will brainstorm specific activities, relevant to their subject areas, which will build upon the students’ observations, the roles of bully and target, and particularly the role of the empowered bystander. The possibilities are many, exciting and will engage students. Staff will determine if a school or grade assembly, guest speaker, subject specific performance or other event will follow student’s reflection.

Benefits for Students

Bully Proofing * Building a safe foundation for exploration through theatre exercises. * Creating a focused environment of trust and respect. * Identifying the bully, bullied and bystander roles.

Creating Opportunities for Empathy Explore the bully, target, bystander connection. Developing the stories and conversations, which will lead to the invisible theatre scenarios. Creating the performance groups.

Benefits for Staff & Students

Fuelling Social Responsibility Developing a school wide direction to explore the subject of oppression and tolerance and the active prevention of persecution. Generating subject specific projects for student exploration. Creating a growth plan for bully proofing. Adopting a charter of rights and responsibilities.

For more information, please contact: Beverley Holmes or