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BOUNTIFUL — Students at a Bountiful elementary school took to drums Monday morning in an effort to combat bullying in schools.
In the gym at Tolman Elementary, dozens of children pounded away on drums in a circle led by an instructor in the middle.
Special education teacher Emily Wischerath said it was great to see her kindergarten through second-grade students smiling and getting into the drumming from the "No Bully Drum Bus Tour" put on by Rhythms of Life.
"It was awesome," Wischerath said. "I think they really enjoyed it."
Wischerath said she thinks the chant — Be brave, be bold, somebody must be told! — will likely stick with them. After chanting, the students discussed safe, trusted people they could talk to about bullies. The students then put those names into the chant, replacing the word "somebody" for a teacher's name.
It's kinesthetic, it's auditory, it's physical, it speaks to all the intelligences.
–Mike Liston
Rhythms of Life owner Mike Liston said using the drums helps connect with the anti-bullying message.
"It's kinesthetic, it's auditory, it's physical, it speaks to all the intelligences," he said.
Drumming lets the children pound out their emotions: happiness, sadness and anger all have rhythms. The drumming also teaches the students to work within a group setting.
"We talk about emotions and then play those emotions on the drum so they can play what sad or angry or happy feels like." Liston said. "We talk and drum and talk and drum, and in the process, the kids get an awareness of bullying and how to stop it. And they get an understanding of what it feels like, then how to take some action."
Liston said the drumming helps gets the message through to the children better than a lecture. The "No Bully Drum Bus Tour" travels to schools, drug treatment centers and business around Utah to help individuals recognize emotions and to talk about bullying.
