Cheryl Finkelstein, an elementary school social worker, with her puppet Bobby visited all the kindergarten classes at Searingtown School. She taught a bully/violence prevention program entitled “Caring Kids.”
“Caring Kids” is a two-session workshop comprised of storytelling, puppetry and sharing. The students have learned to identify feelings and respect differences. Also, they identified unkind behaviors and learned how to respond to those behaviors.
Finkelstein had the children role play how to use their powerful voices to give them an opportunity to use the self-protective strategies that she taught them. Bobby, the puppet, helped the children practice putting themselves in the shoes of other, which reinforces the development of empathy.
The students were totally engaged as they listened to Bobby’s stories and were eager to participate in using their powerful voices. This program gives the children a solid foundation for understanding their own behaviors and the behaviors of others.
