Blog | Mobile Ed Productions

Kicking Off The School Year With Character Counts

Written by Geoff Beauchamp | Wed, Aug 14, 2013

 

 

 

Not to be “that guy” or anything, but in case you have not noticed, it is mid August. Uh huh. As is “the summer is almost over” kind of mid August. As in “school is about to start” kind of mid August. Actually, school has already started in some places. Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee are already hard at it as you read this. Uh huh. Yep. Summer is almost gone.

 

And that begs a simple question. With school starting up, have you scheduled your school assemblies yet? More to the point, since the start is already here, what are you doing for the start of the year? How are you kicking off this year with a bang?

 

Well, we have a suggestion or two (you knew we did, didn't you?)

 

Our opinion is that the best way to start the school year is with a great school assembly! (bet you didn't see that coming, did you?)

 

And our favorite shows for early in the school year are those that deal with character and behavioral issues such as bullying. Coincidentally, we offer some of these. (what a surprise!)

 

With all the focus lately on bullying in schools, Mobile Ed has developed three different shows that help with this area and all three are great for starting the school year.

 

A bit of background on anti bullying techniques. There are two major approaches to this subject. One was developed by the OLWEUS group. The other stems from the work of New York psychologist Izzy Kalman and takes the form of a program entitles Bullies to Buddies.

 

Mobile Ed has something to support you regardless of which of these you decide to implement in your school.

 

For the OLWEUS approach, we have The No Bully Zone Game Show. While for the Bullies to Buddies approach we have Stronger Than a Bully and Stronger Than a Bully 2:You've Got a Friend.

 

But for those wishing a more general approach to behavioral issues, the best approach we have found is that of the Character Counts initiative, Character Counts teaches that there are six basic “Pillars of Character”. These are Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Citizenship, Fairness and Trustworthiness. Taken together these six attributes make a great blueprint for a healthy interaction with society and we firmly support this initiative. To aid you in supporting these goals in your school we have Inspector Iwannano, a 45 minute program that promotes the “Six Pillars of Character”.

 

To make the premise of using a program such as one of these to start your year more attractive, we are currently offering a real bonus. For a limited time, schools in the greater Chicago area can schedule a performance for Inspector Iwannano in September and get a second performance for free. That's right. Free. Hmmm ... should "thrift" be considered another "Pillar of Character"?

 

So, why do you need a second performance? Good question. Now think back and try to imagine telling a story to a 1st Grader. OK, got it? Now try telling exactly the same story in exactly the same way to a 5th Grader. How did that work out for you?

 

Kids have different sensibilities and comprehension abilities at different points in their aging process. To account for this, our super skilled presenters are awesomely equipt to make subtle changes to their presentations when addressing different age groups. So a second performance for the older kids makes perfect sense. And, for a limited time, that second performance is free! Gratis. On the house. Cool, eh!

 

Speaking of cool, like we said before, summer is drawing down and cool weather is coming. Make yourself the “cool” parent and get with us today to set up a beginning of the year kick off assembly. We have what you need!

 

 

 

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 sciencehistorywritingastronomynatural sciencemathematicscharacter 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.