Guild Hall leads collaborative program to combat bullying among middle school students

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In response to growing concerns about aggressive behavior among schoolchildren, Guild Hall in East Hampton, the Montauk School, Hamptons International Film Festival and the YMCA East Hampton RECenter worked together to create a three-session pilot program that will have its first tryout in the sixth grade at the Montauk School from November 17 to 19.

Led by actor, writer and educator Kate Mueth, working with two seasoned teaching artists, the program incorporates film with vocal and physical theater exercises to provide a safe forum for raising awareness of the negative ramifications of bullying and establish a protocol for conflict resolution.

“This program is a result of a focus group with local school educators that we facilitated five years ago,” according to Guild Hall Executive Director Ruth Appelhof. “The issue of bullying is a key concern for students of all ages, and the teachers have specifically requested an arts-based program that deals with this increasingly troubling issue.”

In March, Guild Hall formed a planning committee comprised of Guild Hall’s school programs coordinator Nancy Brunn; curriculum writer/lead teaching artist Kate Mueth; and program coordinator Toni Munna; along with Montauk School assistant principal Brigid Collins; Montauk School District Superintendent Jack Perna; Jaime McMahon and Michael Adelson, both school psychologists for Montauk School; Patricia Byrne, ESL (English as a Second Language); Patricia Loewe, director of pupil personnel services; Ralph Urban, arts administrator; Richard Larsen and Todd Brunn, both sixth grade teachers at Montauk School; David Nugent, director of programming for the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) and East Hampton RECenter Executive Director Juan Castro.

The committee’s primary purpose was to create a curriculum to allow students the opportunity to explore all sides of bullying while addressing conflict resolution through social and community integration.

The program gets underway at the John Drew Theater, where the students will watch a film with bullying a central theme. Students will keep journals and record their reactions to the movie and the teaching artists will help incorporate these entries and observations from the film, as well as others from real life, into situational vignettes.

There will also be breakout workshops in the classroom to stimulate dialogue and feedback. Finally, a full group discussion will focus on developing, both as a collective and as individuals, intervention procedures when bullying is witnessed or experienced.

“For students in this age group, it is a monumental step to be invited, in a safe setting, to discuss their fears and insecurities,” Ms. Mueth said. “By acting out situations, brainstorming and playing with new solutions, the program will help participants in making intelligent and caring choices.”

Teachers will keep a log of student activities, performances and reactions to evaluate the progress of the program. Student learning is evaluated by reviewing journals, writing exercises, and participation in the dramatic exercises. Guild Hall hopes this pilot program, which meets NYS Learning Standards, will find funding for expansion throughout the sixth and ninth grade classes in schools on the eastern end of Long Island. For more information on the program or ways to offer support, call Guild Hall at 324-0806.