No bullying allowed!

Music and Art in Progress At Our School

Music Project-Based Learning Activity

On Music Projects, Bullying and the Power of Music

Bullying is a such a difficult topic to discuss or teach! It draws strong feelings especially if one has personal experiences of being bullied.

We have all experienced moments when others examine unkind behavior toward us. We have all seen intolerance at some point of our lives. And we have all wanted to somehow protect our children from these experiences!

All of this raises questions: How can I teach my students or my own child to be confident? How do I prepare my child to stand up to bullying if it happens? How can students become positive role models in their own community?

All important questions with a complex key to the answers. Hopefully, music and the arts are such rich sources. Music and art teachers can do so many project-based activities to engage their students in a meaningful way. Here is just one of the project-based learning that we did.

We had received a grant from the Not In Our School Foundation.

I am just completing a report on the procet-based activity this year from the NIOS foundation. I was happy to receive the grant and to begin discussing ideas with my students about developing tolerance and through music. diversity

The process:

It was an year-long project of implementing new ideas and scheduling music performances incorporating these ideas. As a non-American teacher, I feel it is crucial for my students to have respect for each other and to help each other regardless of color, nationality, or personal differences. I want them to be aware of different cultures, and respectful of people different than them. So my advanced students prepared a repertoire representing music of many different natianalities. We scheduled school assemblies and presented our music talking to the rest of the students about the different cultures through music.

Art Component:

In addition we engaged in a process of creating shirts that the music students would wear around the school. All shirts were hand made and were meant to send anti-bullying messages. I bought just plain shirts from Walmart (we did a small fundraiser) and then we all decorated our own. We included the art students as well as other students who wanted to come and help.

he students enjoyed this project and the ability to send a message through creating their own shirts tremendously! This was also a good way to engage other students in the school who may not be directly interested in music.

After- thoughts:

As I was completing the report and thinking about the blog at the same time….naturally I thought to put a very short blog post about it. So after writing an “official” report, here are my random shorter ramblings on developing community, tolerance, and preventing bullying and unkind behavior. You can read additional posts about it Here.

How Can The Arts Help a School Community

Change in a student does not happen overnight

It takes persistence. Lots of it! Often you fail before you see success.

Everything starts with the teacher in a classroom. Everything starts with the parents at home. Children remember and imitate us more than we want to. We must always be mindful of that. No matter what you want to teach a child, model it first!

The arts have a way to teach things indirectly. This is the best way to start focusing on a difficult subject. This is one of the reason I am doing a book series this summer on my blog. You can use them to plant an idea in a child and influence them without pressuring them.

Many little steps on a daily basis are more successful and influential to a child than one bigger event or experience.

Developing character is a long process. Issues such as tolerance and appreciating diversity take a long time to develop in a child. Putting on a movie, one conversation would not make a difference. These would only be the things to start the process but not the end goal.

Teaching confidence should come before teaching tolerance. One cannot respect others if they don’t respect themselves. One cannot make others feel safe if one does not feel safe in the world.

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As for the dots at the end…can you complete the list?

Have you had experience with tolerance or the lack of? How have you helped your child?

Comments

Stephanie @ Life, Unexpectedly says

June 29, 2013 at 7:36 pm

You're right, we really have to be careful because kids to imitate. We always teach tolerance at home, explain the girls that so many different ways are all ok. And we do teach them confidence. Last year, a much older boy was bullying our younger daughter at the playground, and our older daughter went up to him, telling him he could not treat HER little sister that way. That was one of my proudest moments!

Linda Davidson says

June 30, 2013 at 7:54 pm

I enjoyed reading your post on how to teach tolerance to kids to prevent bullying. I also find the arts to be away for kids to heal from being bullied. My daughter was cyberbullied in high school, and her feelings came out through art, and screenwriting. I think the best way for kids to understand their differences to find commonality. Working on a project with a passion can bring people together. I also think when bullying occurs consequences must happen to the bullies so they understand that this will not be tolerated.

Linda Davidson
//www.sharingthanks.blogspot.com

Maria says

September 26, 2013 at 12:45 am

Stephanie, your daughter seems like an exceptional young lady!

Linda, this is so wonderful that your daughter could utilize the arts in order to express her feelings. You are so right, finding commonality helps kids understand their differences!

Thank you both for your comments!