Volume 2 No. 1

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Volume 2 No. 1
Bullies and Bystanders
Newsletter for the
Academy Theatres Bullies Bystanders Program
Violence Prevention Teachers Training
Community Building
How to Lengthen Your Fuse 8 Anger Management
Tips
Based on an article by Hara Estroff Marano
manage in fact, often it only increases the
intensity of the feeling. Plus it often brings
irreversible damage to those in the immediate
vicinity of the angry person. So if you arent
suppose to yell and throw things and youre not
suppose to hold it in, what is one suppose to do
with anger?

B B goes to Beaufort The Academy Theatre has
taken their Bullies and Bystanders Program to
Beaufort, South Carolina. In Beaufort,
teachers and administrators from six middle
schools as well as four artists from the
community are participating in a program that
partners the Academys Bullies and Bystanders
Program with the Anti-Defamation Leagues Peer
Mediation Program. The participants are meeting
the challenge of doing both programs with much
enthusiasm.
Anger is a funny thing. It is the one emotion
that is acceptable for men to express and the
one emotion many cultures pressure women to
conceal. Anger is a strong emotion that is
accompanied by arousal of the nervous system.
Anger produces effects throughout the body. It
eats away at your cardiovascular system and your
gut. Anger also hijacks the nervous system, often
obliterating your capacity for clear thinking.
And it may even grow in intensity. Most people
believe that holding anger in is bad for you. It
must be expressed. But expressing it doesnt
necessarily make it go away. Venting anger in
words or action doesnt make it easier to
physiologic arousal that accompanies those
feelings also diminishes dramatically.
Psychologists believe that the relief we feel
under those circumstances results not from
venting the anger but from identifying the
anger-arousing circumstances and working towards
a solution. And that points to the positive
value that anger has. Its a great motivator for
change. It encourages us to speak up about
something bothering us. But its all in how we do
it, because in goading us to action about things
that upset us, anger can also prompt us to
overreact. (continued on pg. 4)
Sometimes telling someone we are angry and why we
are angry brings feelings of relief. Studies
show that the ability to identify and label
emotions correctly, and talk about them in a
straightforward manner to the point of feeling
understood, makes negative feelings dissipate.
And the
Academy Theatre 501 Means St. NW. Atlanta, GA
30318 [phone]
[phone]fax
Good habits are as easy to form as bad
ones.-Tim McCarver
It is not so much what you say As the manner in
which you say it. Its not so much the language
you use As the tone in which you convey it.
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Fall, 2003
Page 2
Bullies and Bystanders
The Academy Theatres Rehearsal Space Gets a Face
Lift
short EXERCISES
Several teachers have asked for short
exercises to do with their classes. Your
curriculum guide has many exercises that can be
done in a short period of time or ones that can
be broken up into stages so that they can be done
in short increments over a few days. Below find a
suggested list In addition
to the exercises in your curriculum guide this
column will provide you with various short
exercises to explore.
If you walk into the Academys rehearsal hall
expecting to find cream walls and dirty old
carpet squares you are in for a big surprise.
The Meyers Carpet Company donated enough
carpet to replace all those old carpet squares
and the Academys tour team spent one week
transforming the rehearsal space. Not only did
they paint and tear down temporary walls, but
they also went through old props, throwing out
what was no longer being used, keeping what was
useful and finding a place to store what might be
used in the future. Oh and lets not forget the
tedious job of pulling up each carpet square
(squares that had been glued down for 12 years)
one at a time. In addition, they moved furniture
back and forth so that the carpet layers could do
their job. Thanks to the hard work of this
four-person team, the rehearsal space now adorns
black walls and new carpet. It has been
transformed into a space that can not only be
used for rehearsals and classes but can also be
used as a black box space for presentations.
AE123, Milling, Mirrors, Person to Person,
Categories, Faces to Face, 123 step, Skill Cup,
Ensemble Count, Machines, Weight Sharing,
Banana/Papaya, Build a song, Taxi, Switch, Argue
and Discuss, Aggression Progression, ABC circle
and What are you doing?

• EMOTION WRITINGS
• The instructor calls out an emotion (rage, love,
  lust, fear) which the students write at the top
  of their papers. Then the students are asked to
  write free associate without stopping on
  whatever subject is presented. They write
  whatever comes to mind. They are not to sensor
  themselves. They are not to write a list of
  things but are to write in sentences or phrases -
  stream of conscience. Allow them 3 -5 min. to
  write about that emotion and then call out a
  different emotion. The teacher may call out as
  many emotions as s/he wishes.
• Assessment/Follow up
• Students share their writings.
• A discussion the class can discuss emotions
  and the part that they play in violence and
  bullying.
• (2) These writings can then be developed into
  scenes to be presented.
• (3) Students circle 5 words and one phrase
  they have written. In groups they create a poem
  using only the words that the people in their
  group have circled.

Crossing Square Students form a square. Each
person should line up with a partner across the
square. Then the instructor asks the students to
trade places with their partners when the teacher
says go. They are not to talk and they can not
touch anyone while they are changing places.
This can be done several times with specific
directions - fast, walking in various patterns,
with eyes closed, etc. Note This exercise is
good for focus and concentration. Assessment/Foll
ow up Allow the students to talk about how this
exercise made them feel. Use it as an
opportunity to discuss personal space and respect
for others.
Is It Bullying?
Think you can, think you cant either way,
youll be right.-  Henry Ford
Ask students if they tease, spread rumors, or
laugh at others and they will probably answer
yes, but ask them if they are bullies and you
will get a different answer. Often students
perceive their actions as joking around, rather
than as bullying. What most students
dont realize is that their joking around
often is at the expense of someone elses
feelings. And this is cruel. Websters
defines a bully as one who is cruel to others
weaker then himself. Sois it joking
around or is it bullying?
One must care about a world one will never
see.-  Bertrand Russell
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Fall, 2003
Page 3
Bullies and Bystanders
In the Spot Light
Are You Forcing a Door Open with a Hammer?
In our newsletter each month, we have the
opportunity to introduce you to one of the people
or organizations that help make it possible for
us to touch so many lives and help shape the
future. This month, we are proud to present to
you
By Brenda Porter

SHARON POWELL
Sharon is a veteran of our Bullies and Bystanders
Program. She joined our training the first year
that we offered it and has continued to use
exercises and activities in her classes, in ISS
and with student groups after school.
"Can you force a door open by unlocking it with
a hammer? Sure, but the door is not likely to
work well again. But when you use a key the door
will continue to work for years to come. When you
use the right tools, you can make your way into
any vault. In life, love is the key to unlock the
mysteries of the universe. You can't find the
answers through hate and anger. I'm going to find
new ways to love." - Keith Boykin Too often
adults speak with disgust when referring to
young people of today. We berate their styles,
language, habits, music, and generally everything
that identifies youth as youth. We try to force
them to see things our way, to change by
yelling, lecturing, beating them over the head
(with a hammer?) with our ideals. Dont get me
wrong, I believe that the many years that I have
put in here on this earth have given me a
certain amount of wisdom that I feel should be
passed on. But the question is what is the best
way to do it? What is the way that will open up
communication with our young people? What is the
way that will open up the hearts of our young
people so that they will hear? What if we
take Mr. Boykins suggestion and turn our disgust
into love? Does this mean that we will
understand the attraction to rap any more than we
do now, or that we will understand the desire to
sag? Or that teens will understand why we are
so boring or old school ? Probably not, but
perhaps by opening our hearts, we can open our
minds. We can open up the door with the key that
may unfold mysteries.
Background I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida
Education I received my Bachelor's Degree in
Physical Education from Florida State
University.  I received my Master's Degree in
Guidance and Counseling from Argosy University in
Sarasota, Florida.  Family I am married and
have two adult daughters, a son-in-law and the
most handsome grandson and most beautiful
granddaughter in the world.   Career I have
been teaching at Woodland Middle School since
1990 and I love my students.  Goals My goal
is to become a school guidance counselor in order
to address issues concerning the total child. 
One of my long term goals is to retire as soon
as possible but continue to work with students at
my leisure (volunteering to do the kinds of
things with young people that the Academy Theatre
does), and spend a lot of time with my
grandchildren. Hobbies In my spare time I enjoy
activities at my church, reading for relaxation
(anything fiction), and I am an enthusiastic
movie buff.  I especially love drama, suspense
and comedy. 
Academy Theatre 501 Means St. NW. Atlanta, GA
30318
[phone] [phone]fax
e-mailinfo_at_academytheare.com web
address www.academytheatre.org
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Fall, 2003
Page 4
Bullies and Bystanders
The Academy Theatres New WEB Page This
summer, Bobby Saghini, an independent contractor,
designed a new web page for the theatre.
The Academy's new website is more user friendly
than the old one and makes it easier to keep
track of all the theatres shows and events. And
for those of you who are concerned about saving
the worlds trees, the new site allows you to
read this newsletter on line! So the next
time you are surfing the web, come visit our new
site www.academytheatre.org
(FUSE continued from page 1) So, first
and foremost, lengthen your fuse so that you are
not reacting to every tiny upset, and you can
think your way to a constructive solution.
Take three deep breaths. When you are angry, your
body becomes tense. Breathing deeply will ease
the tension and help lower your internal anger
meter. Change your environment. The quickest
way to uncouple yourself from an ongoing source
of anger is to take a five-minute walk to get
some fresh air. Stuck in traffic? Take a mental
escape by turning up the radio and singing at the
top of your lungs. Know why you feel
angry. Track down the clues about the kinds of
things, situations, people and events that
trigger your anger. Anger often masks our deepest
fears. In an anger-making situation, ask yourself
what deep fears it might be stirring in you.
Let go of what is beyond your control. You can
change only yourself and your responses to
others, not what others do to you. Getting angry
doesnt fix the situation and makes you feel
worse. If someone constantly arouses your anger,
focus on the troublesome situation and brainstorm
solutions. Express yourself. Be sure to
think first and use measured tones and words that
are not emotionally loaded. In a
non-confrontational way, state that you are angry
and identify the situation that makes you angry
and why it ticks you off. Be cautious. There
are situations in which expressing your anger
holds danger. Having a jealous or abusive partner
is one. Vent to a friend instead of the person
who wronged you. You may wind up with some
solutions you never imagined. Be assertive,
not aggressive, in expressing yourself.
Assertiveness requires speaking in an effective,
nonviolent way towards a constructive goal. It
may help if you rehearse your response before
delivering it. Make positive statements.
Memorize a few positive statements to say to
yourself when your anger is triggered. They will
remind you that you can choose your behavior
instead of reacting in a knee-jerk way. For
example, you might say I can take care of my
own needs or His needs are just as important as
mine or I am able to make good choices.
Fulton County Resource Officers Receive Bullies
and Bystanders Training
This past summer, twenty -four Fulton County
Resource Officers joined Academy Theatre
instructors at Tri-Cities High School. They
spent five intensive days in training. The
purpose of this training was to enhance and
supplement the lessons, demos, lectures and
activities the SROs presently perform in
classrooms. We are very excited about working
with the Resource Officers.
The Academy Theatres major funding is provided
by the Fulton County Commission under the
guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. The
Academy Theatres programs are also supported in
part by an award from the National Endowment for
the Arts the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural
Affairs and the Georgia Council for the Arts
through Appropriations from the Georgia General
Assembly. The Council is a Partner Agency of the
National Endowment for the Arts. The Theatres
programs are also supported by the Arthur M.
Blank Family Foundation Alternate ROOTS through
special appropriations from the National
Endowment for the Arts and generous gifts from
foundation, corporate, and individual donors.