THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410210278
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Education
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
ALTHOUGH HE DOESN'T have much experience acting, Henry O'Neill has learned the tricks to getting into his roles.
As a member of a local theater group, O'Neill plays the character of ``Bob,'' a child who loses and regains his self-esteem because of how others treat him.
``It's really easy to feel the emotions,'' said O'Neill, a counselor at Bettie F. Williams Elementary School. ``A lot of old feelings come back.''
O'Neill is one of 11 elementary school guidance counselors involved in ``Counselor Connection,'' a traveling theater troupe that teaches parenting skills through improvisational skits with characters such as Bob. The troupe put on its first performance of the year last Tuesday at Salem Elementary School.
``It's an interactive drama group designed to help parents effectively communicate with their children,'' said Kathy Mercker, a counselor at Rosemont Forest Elementary School. Mercker picked up the idea at a national conference for the American School Counselors Association and implemented it locally in 1992.
``I thought it was so neat and powerful,'' Mercker added. ``It had such an impact. I thought we should bring it here.''
As an alternative to lecturing, these skits have been performed at a variety of elementary schools, the YMCA and last year's citywide parenting conference. ``It's more of a brains-on activity than a hands-on,'' said Carolyn Pulley, a counselor at Woodstock Elementary School.
The Counselor Connection is heading to the Virginia Counselors Association conference in November to perform for counselors from around the state.
Besides teaching communication skills, the goal of the group is to help parents and teachers learn more about self-esteem and to reinforce those behaviors that will foster a positive self-concept in children. Acting out a day in Bob's life shows how children are affected by not what is said, but how it is said to them.
To get the audience involved from the beginning, members are asked to stand if certain statements apply to them. The announcer says, ``I am smart,'' ``I am in good shape'' and a variety of other sayings. Besides drawing them into the performance, this participation gives audience members a chance to evaluate their own self-esteem.
Then, the emcee holds up a styrofoam cup and compares it to a child. She stabs it with a pen, showing how children are affected by the way people talk to them. Each comment accompanied by a negative tone is another stab, which contributes to the further breakdown of that child.
The skit is divided into three acts. During the first, Bob is confronted by all the people who are involved in his life during the day, including his mom, bus driver, English teacher, art teacher, friend, sister and dad. Each one takes his or her turn at yelling at him for something he did wrong. Bob, who doesn't talk while he's being scolded, shows his sadness through facial expressions and body language.
``By seeing Bob, parents see all the things that can go wrong in the course of a day,'' O'Neill said. ``That's what we're trying to point out.''
At the end of the first act, Bob shouts: ``I hate all of you! I'm going to get you!''
Darlene Hubard, guidance counselor at Salem Elementary said: ``That's what makes it powerful. The parents feel it. They even see themselves sometimes.''
During the second act, the audience is invited to participate through a technique called doubling, where audience members say what Bob is thinking aloud, while the other yelling cast members freeze.
``That's when they put Bob's feelings into words,'' O'Neill said.
The final act is a constructive approach, where the people in Bob's life are careful about how they criticize him, speaking softly and with understanding.
After a brief question and answer session, the counselors hand out self-esteem packets, filled with facts, activities and poems.
To develop the program further, more skits are being planned.
``Ultimately, what we would really like is for parents to understand how important their children are and how important it is to communicate with them in a positive way,'' Hubard said.
``Not only that,'' added Pulley, ``but how to communicate with anybody.''
It all goes back to one of the childhood rules, according to Jane McClellan from the Old Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented: ``It's not what you say, it's how you say it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by HOLLY WESTER
Kathy Mercker portrays a teacher and Henry O'Neill plays the
character of ``Bob'' in a skit that teaches parents and teachers
about self-esteem.
O'Neill plays a child, ``Bob,'' who's sad because he's been treated
badly.
CAST MEMBERS
The ``Counselor Connection'' members are:
Carolyn Boocks, Glenwood Elementary School; Debbie Bergfield,
Bettie F. Williams Elementary School; Robyn Brennan-Pumphrey,
Glenwood Elementary School; Mark Dusch, Parkway Elementary School;
Darlene Hubard, Salem Elementary School; Jane McClellan, Old
Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented; Martha McClelland,
Windsor Oaks Elementary School; Kathy Mercker, Rosemont Forest
Elementary School; Henry O'Neill, Bettie F. Williams Elementary
School; Carolyn Pulley, Woodstock Elementary School; Gail Seaford,
Glenwood Elementary School.
by CNB