Bethany Yarrow and Rufus Cappadocia
In 1998 Bethany Yarrow discovered the song "Don’t laugh At Me" at
the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas and brought it to her father’s attention.
The following year, Peter Yarrow launched Operation Respect, and the rest is
history.
Over the past several years Bethany has traveled extensively, both with her
father and with her cellist, Rufus Capadoccia, presenting Operation Respect
to schools, school organizations, principals, administrators, corporations
and
educational
associations.
Bethany's assembly programs begin with music that encourages student participation.
Using rhythmic call and response songs, students become actively involved in
the presentation. Prior to singing “Don’t
Laugh at Me” Bethany will ask students to think
of what the song means in terms of their own lives andhow it makes them feel.
Bethany also teaches them the lyrics to the chorus so that they can sing along
and connect to the message. After singing the song, everyone
watches a music video. Before the video Bethany asks everyone to reflect
on the message of the song, and lets everyone know that after the video there
will be an extended question and answer session in which the microphone will
be passed around and the students will be asked about their reactions.
The resulting guided discussion is often surprisingly candid and open, and
for many young people, it is the first time that they are expressing their
views about bullying in a public forum. It can be cathartic and intensely personal
and
emotional, but also extremely supportive and constructive.
Bethany and the students talk about ways to stop bullying and begin supporting
one another. Sometimes they make a pledge to stand up for each other and
stand
up to bullying. Sometimes a class bully will stand up and pledge not to bully
any more. Sometimes a child who has been mercilessly picked on will stand up
and say how much it hurts, and the whole class will applaud and pledge to stand
with them against bullying.
For some schools this assembly is part of an ongoing dialogue. For other schools,
it is a first step, dramatically opening up a space for the kids to talk to
each other about their feelings and ways of eliminating hurt and ridicule from
their school experience; but almost always, by the end of the assembly, the
kids have bonded in a rare and special way, and are united in their desire
to combat the culture of disrespect that is so prevalent in their lives.
The hope is that the assembly will be a spark, lighting a fire that sustains
through the implementation of character education programs such as Operation
Respect: Don't Laugh at Me. To maintain that fire is up to the principal, the
teachers, the parents, but above all, it is up to the students. Bethany closes
the assembly
with an
upbeat song, such as “This Little
Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine”.
For more information please visit: www.bethanyandrufus.com.
