Teasing is sadly something that happens in almost all age groups, but in secondary schools (voortgezet onderwijs) , it’s especially important that this is prevented or correctly acted upon. Children in puberty are quite vulnerable as they try to rediscover who they are and where they stand in the world.

So some schools in the Netherlands are introducing 1st years (12-13 years) to teasing by a special teasing-project (pest-project). The goal of the project is to make children aware of what teasing is, how harmful it is, and what can and needs to be done about it. They do this by interactive theatre and group discussion.

So the school I’m an intern at also does this and this morning the class I’m observing was attending the project. So, so was I.

It started early on the 1st hour at 08:20 in the morning, when the children had come in everyone was sitting in a circle in one of the chemistry classrooms. The person managing the project took the word and explained what teasing is and how the interactive theatre worked. The 4 actors present would initially present a situation where one girl is teased in quite a harsh way. After showing the initial play the students will give directions to one of the players on how it should adjust it’s behaviour in order to stop the teasing. The actors would act that out, the group will then discuss what happened and picks one of the other actors to adjust it’s behaviour.

The initial play was set in a school-cantine, a girl returns after 5 weeks leave due to not being able to take all the teasing. On returning she is confronted with the teaser, a quite expressive person. There is also a second actor playing an extra student who only follows the teaser and sometimes the teacher walks in. The girl  is initially harassed verbally by saying stinks, looks like a dead person but later on her bag is taken and searched through by the teaser who also pushed her around  and further humiliates her. Quite an harsh setting, but far from uncommon and certainly not the worst.

After the play the children decide to first change the behaviour of the 3rd student. Who only joins in with the teasing of the teaser but also laughs and joins in on his jokes and plays the drums to heighten the fear and tension. The children tell him that he should interfere, not join in on the jokes but confront the teaser with with his actions and tell him to stop. The actors play out the same scene but with the modification. In this setting the teasing is stopped and the teaser and his ‘friend’ leave to get fries.

The same idea happens while changing the story for the teacher and the teased student. With that difference that it took 3 tries in changing the teased behaviour to get it right. In the end the students are left with a feeling of how to one could act on this. To me the method kind-off feels like a adventure game, but it feels confronting and the children are very involved in the process. Perhaps surprisingly or not, the more assertive children in the class have the most suggestions on how to change the behaviour, while the timid ones had little voice in it.

After the play there was a group discussion, the manager of the project tries to define certain groups she noticed, even though she doesn’t get it completely right it sparks some discussion. After she noticed that the silent side is still quiet she focusses on them and asks them more direct question. One student comes out and says she feels like she can make less mistakes than the more popular children in the class. Where one of the more ‘popular’ ones responds on by saying that she is just like them. The initial student is ‘applauded’ for her bravery.
The project is ended by mentioning a good childrens book on the subject and inviting the children to look around and read some of the related articles place in the  classroom.

I’ve heard of the project earlier and was quite looking forward to seeing it, I’m quite happy that I managed to make it. I found it a very a interesting project and liked how the children responded to it. I’ve heard that in some cases it might increase or spark the teasing, but I think making the process so much more aware with the students is beneficial in any case.

Teasing is sadly something that happens in almost all age groups, but in secondary schools (voortgezet onderwijs) , it’s especially important that this is prevented or correctly acted upon. Children...