Handling bullying in school

Dragoon! is the story of an "everychild" that primary age children can relate to. Bullying and conflict resolution are problems that challenge educators on a daily basis. Puppets can portray real-life dramas in a compelling way for children without being threatening or lecturing. This show can be used as a tool for teachers and administrators to address the causes of, and solutions to, bullying and student conflicts. A successful outcome can be enhanced by proper preparation prior to the event ("We are having a puppet assembly about bullying"), and follow up classroom discussion afterward. Peter can follow up the assembly with in-classroom discussions, along with puppets from the show. Having the teacher act as moderator allows the teacher to help guide the discussion and provide follow up discussions. Where deemed necessary, the school psychologist can attend or act as moderator.

Dragoon!

Synopsis: The story begins with Explorer Ned on the island of Flagoon looking for dinosaur eggs. He finds a large egg being protected by a pesky monkey. The monkey leaves and the egg hatches revealing a baby dragon. Explorer Ned, realizing that the baby dragon is abandoned, decides to adopt him. Upon learning of Dragoon's ability to breathe fire, Uncle Ned states that he'll have to train Dragoon to be "a civilized dragon" He names him Dragoon and takes him back to America.

The next scene takes place when Dragoon is a school age child. We see several domestic scenes: Dragoon exercising with his adoptive father, mealtime, doing chores, bedtime, and storytime.

The next day is Dragoon's first day of school. Dragoon leaves his house with an admonition from his father,"Don't breathe fire to impress the other kids!" Dragoon meets the school troublemaker, Jeremy Price. Jeremy taunts Dragoon and provokes him to set his books on fire to prove that he's a dragon. They both get sent to the principal's office. Ms. Periwinkle, the principal, hears both of their stories. Jeremy lies and blames it all on Dragoon. Dragoon takes all the blame himself. Ms. Periwinkle helps Dragoon to deal with making mistakes. She talks to Jeremy, telling him that Dragoon bravely took the blame while he, Jeremy, lied. Jeremy apologizes to Dragoon. Dragoon forgives him and they both leave to clean up the mess, resolving to be friends and help each other.

Lessons
Self-esteem and self-control
Much emphasis has been made in recent years on the need to build self-esteem. Self-esteem is an important component in the development of a well adjusted human being. Another aspect is self-control. This story deals with both self-esteem and self-control. Both are necessary to have balance. The premise of the story is a study in contrast:

The Protagonist- Dragoon
To live in society Dragoon must learn to curb his dragonish ability to breathe fire.

The Antagonist- Jeremy Price
Jeremy Price embodies "dragonish" tendencies.

In this story we see:

Training- Dragoon learns both self-esteem and self-control through proper parental training. Jeremy Price is the result of low self-esteem, no self-control, and absent parental training.
Self-control- Dragoon tries his best to resist Jeremy's taunts, but fails. Jeremy's taunts succeed but he remains miserable and isolated.
Personal responsibility- Dragoon takes responsibility for his actions, even though Jeremy shares the blame. Jeremy lies and deflects all blame on Dragoon.

Conflict Resolution
The story of Dragoon gives students tools to help them with conflict resolution. There are many types of bullies. Some are belligerent and try to dominate and intimidate weaker children. Some are devious and seek to get others in trouble. Some are out of control. Some use violence or the threat of violence. Some use taunting. To complicate matters, problems between students are rarely cut and dry. Everyone is the target of ridicule and injustice at times. Everyone is the target of bullying at some point. We cannot always control what happens to us. But we can control how we respond. How we respond is what makes the difference. And it is the key to controlling bullying and resolving conflicts. This story demonstrates how not to act (Jeremy) and how to act (Dragoon). Through classroom discussion teachers can help guide their students to make proper choices when confronted with bullying, taunting, and general human conflicts.

Discussions
Teachers can use the object lessons provided in the story to promote class discussion of different topics.

1/When the baby Dragoon breathes fire, Explorer Ned says that if he adopts Dragoon he'll have to teach him to be a civilized dragon. What does he mean? Why do we need to control ourselves?
(Answer: Like Dragoon, we all have the ability to do harm. Self-control helps us esteem others)

2/Dragoon is taught to exercise and eat good food. Explorer Ned says "A strong mind lives in a strong body". What does he mean?
(Answer: Good nutrition and exercise builds a strong mind as well as a strong body. Learning to feed and exercise both mind and body is part of character building.)

3/Jeremy Price provokes Dragoon to set his books on fire. What should Dragoon have done? What should you do when someone provokes you?
(Answer: It's not always easy, but the best thing is to walk away. Still having trouble? Talk to a teacher.)

4/Jeremy Price lied to the principal to try to get out of trouble. Is this the right thing to do? What should he have done?
(Answer:Lying is never the answer. Telling the truth, even if it gets you in trouble, is always the best thing to do.)

5/Dragoon didn't tattle on Jeremy. Why not?
(Answer: His father told him to always admit his mistakes and not try to blame others as well. Tattling is not about telling the truth, but trying to get others in trouble.)

6/ Ms. Periwinkle told Dragoon that as a girl she learned: it's not how you look or what you say, but what you do that matters. What did she mean?
(Answer: Children and adolescents worry about being teased. They want to be accepted. Your actions, not your words or appearance, are ultimately how you're judged.)

Type of puppets: Hand and rod puppets, 18"-24" tall.
Set up: 6’x4.5'x6'h. One outlet- 15 amp (I carry portable power for outdoor shows). Complete with lights and sound system. One performer. (Natural light or darkened auditorium. Outside performance ok if protected from strong wind).
Audience: Up to 400, Suitable for family entertainment, schools, preschools, libraries. English with the classical music of Alexander Glazonov.

Learning values for students: