OK, so this one would seem like a no-brainer. Nobody wants our kids, the leaders of tomorrow ostensibly, acting like selfish, self centered little monsters. Of course, some will turn out that way regardless, but it is in everyone's interest to try to reduce that number as much as possible and to try and ensure that the next generation turns out a high percentage of well-mannered and respectful citizens.

So, introducing kids to these concepts seems like a great idea.

And since the average child spends a high proportion of their time in school, school would seem to be a logical place to try and get this job done. No one, of course, is denying the fact that the real place for these lessons to take place is in the home, or in a church, but it certainly does not hurt to see universally agreed upon values instilled in kids while they are in school as well.

Concepts like respect, responsibility, fairness, citizenship, honesty and so on are pretty well agreed to be good things by just about everyone. And in fact, many of these virtues have been codified in an initiative called Character Counts. Many schools integrate these concepts into the daily life in their schools. But there is never enough time to really do a great job.

Further, in the last few years it has become apparent that Bullying is a real problem in schools and in society in general. So it becomes another facet of the same equation to try and eliminate this hurtful practice and to teach our kids how not to become victims.

So, school assemblies and school shows are introduced to teach and support these ideas. And they are a great addition. Offering solid teaching support coupled with lots of fun, these programs are a way to insure that kids pay attention and "get the message". But, which programs to go choose?  Here is where it gets tricky.

When it comes to character issues, there are no set guidelines or easily verifiable facts.

In a science show we know exactly how, say, magnets work. In a history program there is no debate over when, say, Ben Franklin was born. These are facts. But in the area of character values, the definition is or can be a little fuzzy.

This, of course, opens the door for many unscrupulous or misguided performers to market shows for schools which purport to espouse these values while really just giving the performer a chance to display his adeptness at, say, juggling, as an example, throw in a few key words for dressing, and claim to have a valuable product. (See Magic Shows in Drag)

But, for the careful school, there are signposts of warning. A good program on bullying is likely to follow the teachings of one of the two major anti-bullying camps. One is from the Olweus group, an esteemed support group with a defined set of guidelines for addressing bullying. The other finds its basis in the teachings of new York psychologist Izzy Kalman and goes by the name “Bullies to Buddies”. School enrichment programs and shows with a basis in one or the other of these two schools of thought are likely to have valuable material to get across. Our own Stronger Than a Bully draws inspiration from the Bullies to Buddies approach, while our No Bully Zone is inspired by the precepts of the Olweus group.

On the other hand, shows featuring a magician or juggler with little mention of the support material from which the show is drawn, and with lots of pictures of cool magic tricks, are likely to be just that … magic shows. Beware.

The same holds true in the area of character issues. This can be a very nebulous area and one in which it is easy to slide by with a show that really teaches nothing. Wisdom would dictate seeking a program specifically drawn from the Character Counts Six Pillars of Character guidelines, such as our own Inspector Iwannano.

Regardless of which way you go, character and bullying programs can provide a very valuable contribution to instilling important values in our kids, while also introducing a great deal of fun into the process.

But a word to the wise. Demand for these programs is high, especially for dates early in the school year when many school representatives look to “kick off” the year with these issues. Dates fill in quickly. Don't wait until the last minute to try and schedule.

Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN. He also spent ten years coordinating assembly programs for the elementary school where his own children went to school.