KETHANO theatre programme

I. Contact details

Contact name

Erzsébet NAGY dr

Contact e-mail address

Igazgato.gyejo@gmail.com

Contact website

http://nyitot.hu/adat/intezmenyek/160929_nycsgyjk.pdf

Name of the institution

Nyíregyházi Gyermekjóléti Központ / Child Centre in Nyíregyháza, Hungary

Address of the institution

4400 Nyíregyháza, Tokaji u. 3.

II. Good practice introduction

Title of the good practice

KETHANO theatre programme

Language of the good practice

English

Primary target group of the good practice

Teacher

Primary target country of the good practice

Hungary

Tags

Keywords

community development

Abstract

The programme called KETHANO theatre is a group work building on restorative practices; this method is able to treat tensions and conflicts coming from the differences of minority identity. The KETHANO Theatre, as a special conflict management and community building method, is applied first and foremost in case of the re-socialization of Roma youth. It is a social skill developing program against school failure and in favour of facilitate integration and acceptance by using dramatic methods involving 7-14 years old 100% Roma pupils in the programme. The pupils are disadvantaged and multiple disadvantaged children, who are threatened by early school leaving. Once these pupils were classmates in the elementary school of their segregated school. Due to a binding integration in the city they were uprooted from their everyday environment and dispersed in different elementary schools of Nyíregyháza, quite far from their homes. In the city schools they find themselves in very different physical, cultural and emotional environment, that is why their integration was slow and difficult. As a result of this shocking change in their life, they have to face everyday school failure and prejudice.
The local child care service has decided to organize drama courses for minority pupils who were uprooted from their everyday environment in order to integrate them in majority schools. The courses were hold after school lessons, close to their homes, involving their parents as well. Basic principles were to get to know these children, to get to know their life environment, their culture, and their everyday life including their problems/obstacles they have to face in their family. Pupils make theatre plays together, perform them on stage developing this way their social skills and letting them feeling success, appreciation by their majority class mates and teachers as well.
The aim of the programme is to build, continuously tend and develop a community where pupils can learn how to accept and respect differences, the mutual honour and regard, they can experience the value and pleasure of knowledge came by their common work, the mutual responsibility and assistance. In order to operate the group adequately they create KETHANO (common) rules. Such as ‘receptive listening’, ‘value it’, ‘mutual respect’, ‘principle of confidence’, ‘don’t devaluate’, ‘self-messages’, ‘right of pass’. The child care officers, who lead the programme, put emphasise on community building exercises, to get to know each other and self-reinforcing exercises. They apply talking circles in different topics. They believe in the importance of bridge building between school and the family, that is why they involved parents as well. The following methods were applied during teamwork: restorative practices, drama pedagogy, other pedagogy methods, games for better self-recognition and communication. Involvement and active participation of professional actors and members of other, respected institutions (headmaster of local music school) contributed positively to the success and self-respect of pupils.

III. Good practice details

Introduction of the good practice

The program was implemented in a small, segregated area of the 7th biggest city (120.000 citizens), a county town, in Hungary, in Nyíregyháza. Members of the group are 7-14 years old children with communication problems that make their self-impression and school integration more difficult. School failure, even in the first school years, can affect negatively children’s school performance in a long term way and might lead to early school leaving. For that very reason offering opportunities for preventing or handle school failure is important. A local child care service has decided to organize drama courses for minority pupils who were integrated in majority schools far from their homes but still in their hoemtown. Children had to commute everyday (cca. 30 minutes by public transport). The courses were hold after school lessons, close to their homes, involving their parents as well. A competent staff (drama teacher, guardians) led the courses.

Why - roots of the problem at school level

Social inequality is a main problem in Hungary, that education cannot decrease at the moment. “The influence of the socio-economic background and school location (urban vs. rural) on educational performance is one of the highest in the EU. Most low achievers live in the north-east of the country, which is hit strongest by poverty and has the highest early school leaving rate. ” (Country Report Hungary 2016, European Commission, Brusseles, 26.2.2016) Nyíregyháza is in the north-east part of Hungary and though it is one of the biggest cities, its area from where these children came is a segregated area where only poor roma people live.

Why - keywords

social inequality, segregation, integrtation

What - description of activities

Short version

What - keywords

community development

Impact of measures taken

The drama method and restorative methods they used helped children in moderate their school failure, improved their concentration skills and reduce their aggression. This way their chance to avoid early school leaving has increased. The drama method and restorative methods they used helped children in moderate their school failure, improved their concentration skills and reduce their aggression. This way their chance to avoid early school leaving has increased.

Lessons learned

Short version

Resources needed

Short version

Other relevant information

Short version

Last edited

2017.07.06. 18:05:52
Go back
Print