Lessons Learned from a frED Talk

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!”  Does this phrase make you want to sing? The melody is etched permanently in my mind and probably in the mind of anyone who has ever watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood. I recently attended frED Camp, a Saturday event for educators sponsored by the Fred Rogers Institute in Latrobe, PA, the birthplace of the acclaimed educator and children’s television personality. In a conference room surrounded by hundreds of other Mr. Rogers’ devotees, I heard educators discuss the kinds of values I’ve always felt to be true about teaching, values I credit to Fred Rogers. Here are a few takeaways:
​
1.Our job as educators is to create an atmosphere where students feel comfortable being “who they really are.”  The evidence suggests that kids can’t absorb content well unless we create a trusting atmosphere where every child feels valued, questions can be asked and mistakes made.  
​
As drama directors, we are always working against the clock and striving to meet the expectations of administrators and parents by producing a great show. However, if we haven’t first created an atmosphere of trust and belonging, our kids won’t excel. They won’t take chances, won’t recover well when they make mistakes, and won’t be as willing to take risks in the future.  As directors, creating trust is one of the most important things we can do.
​
2.Curiosity promotes learning.  Do your students understand the characters they are asked to portray? Or even the narrative they are telling? Is there something in the story that is new and inspires curiosity? What will kids ultimately learn from the story they’ve shared?
​
Children’s theatre is not the same as theatre for adults, but it should be deeply meaningful and insightful in its own way. Johnny Costa, respected jazz musician and long-time music director of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood said, “Fred doesn’t write simple tunes, and the jazz arrangements I do are very sophisticated, too. Fred always says if it’s for the children, it has to be the best we can give.” Fred also said that "Deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex.”

---

So, if we believe that 1) establishing trust is important and 2) kids should be inspired by the stories we give them, we also need to be intentional and plan activities that accomplish this mission, just as each episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood did.

Some ways to achieve these goals:

• Meet in a circle for warmups and notes so every cast member can be seen and heard.
• Play name games and other activities which help students feel known and accepted.
• If your production includes new students, remind the cast that they are a unique group with an opportunity that will likely never be repeated. This group is special, this time is special. 
• Do everything possible to “level the playing field” and value every contribution made, no matter how small.
• Emphasize cooperation and kindness backstage, even when the pressure of performance makes tempers short. Model problem solving strategies and patience.
• Remind students that the difficult traits they may see in some fellow cast members  (such as being very loud or overly excitable) may be an asset onstage.
• Take time to discuss the story being told onstage, the characters’ motivations, and the choices made. Relate the story to the students’ lives. “How would you handle the same situation? Why do you think so and so did what they did? 
• Following a performance, discuss the impact of the story and process what was learned. How might you apply this experience to your own life? How have you changed?

 
Possible activities for developing trust and deeper learning:

Students won’t feel included unless they feel known and accepted. Try the following name games at the beginning of rehearsal.

       Za Cody Cody – good for any age. Vary the tempo. After the show is cast, use character names instead of given names. Besides being practical, this promotes the value of each character.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNzIE-SIRBE&list=PLzRAE3WHiMEd-HKldpQBoIWVx7Af7TGJD&index=7

       Jump In, Jump Out – This takes more time but is more physically active.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNzIE-SIRBE&list=PLzRAE3WHiMEd-HKldpQBoIWVx7Af7TGJD&index=7

      Yes! Name Game – This is a motion game that doesn’t require a steady beat. Names can be changed to topics.  If you do this in a circle, make it a cumulative game by asking the entire group to say each name/motion after the individual. Then follow it with all the previous names/motions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2hTyOJb1CQ&list=PLvEb8AA7B8J_-p-YsARyZUyogz0X9aNyX&index=15

      Conversation - While in rehearsal, take time to talk about the story you are sharing. For ideas, download the Conversation Starters included with the Musicals for Change show Meltdown in Sunnytown, a musical about being neighborly and welcoming. 

Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.

Diane Beckstead is a composer and founder of Musicals for Change, a publishing company producing quality kid's musicals which partner with nonprofits to teach kids empathy and the power of their own voices. 
​https://www.musicalsforchange.com/