Module 2
Handout 9: Roles
Please read through your roles, then create a brief skit together. During the skit, be creative: make up your own dialogue and have fun. Just remember to follow the guidelines listed below. The skit should last about 5 minutes. When the scene begins, Eddie is playing quietly alone with his trucks. The other children are involved in different activities.
Eddie (a 4-year-old child)
You love to ride bikes, build with blocks, play cops and robbers, and make believe. You can turn the climbing structure into a jailhouse, a tricycle into a cop car, and a block into a gun.
You are a "collector." Every morning when you walk into the classroom, you collect the toys that are "yours" for the day. You are very protective of your collection. If another kid comes too close, you lash out. If an adult tries to stop or correct you, you become even angrier.
During the skit, you collect "your" toys and sit near your rug, building an elaborate a city out of blocks. Four-year-old Diane peeks over your shoulder. Then she picks up a car from your pile.
You grab the car and whack Diane hard with it. When Claudia, the parent volunteer, comes over and tells you that your behavior is not acceptable, you push her, yell, and throw your toys.
During the skit, please include the following very brief instances so observers can get a glimmer of the "whole" you.
1) Say "Hi" to Claudia, ask where Janet is (you feel the beginning of a connection with Janet, the teacher), and then glance in Janet's direction to make sure she is there.
2) Early in the skit, connect briefly with Diane in a positive way: smile at her, help
her, or show some small kindness, etc.3) For a few moments, play happily with "your" toys, without getting distracted or
being disruptive.Diane (a 4-year-old child)
You like Eddie. It's not that you talk a lot or even play together. But you like to watch him. Once in a while he is even nice to you. For you, Eddie is kind of like a magician or inventor, always able to turn things into something else. You know you're not supposed to get near "Eddie's things," the stuff he keeps on his carpet square. You know if you get too close, you'll probably end up getting hurt, but sometimes you just want to...
Eddie is now sitting next to his rug, building a city. You peek over Eddie's shoulder, then pick up a car from Eddie's pile. Eddie grabs the car and whacks you hard with it. You scream...
Claudia, parent volunteer
You used to volunteer in the classroom once a week. Now you're in the classroom as much as you can. You feel like you have to be there to make sure that the children are safe, especially now that Eddie's in the classroom.
You are now reading a picture book to Diane and Bobby. Diane leaves briefly to get a tissue. When you look up, you see Eddie hit Diane. You run over to her, hold her, and tell Eddie that his behavior is not acceptable. He jumps up, yells, pushes you, and then throws his toys.
Janet, teacher
You like Eddie. Despite his very challenging behaviors, you feel there are moments when you are starting to connect with him. You tell Eddie daily that it's important to share, that the toys in the classroom belong to all the children. But no matter what you say, Eddie continues making his "collections." Then he guards them with his life. You know that what you're doing isn't working, but you don't know what else to try. In the skit, you check on different groups of children during free play. Then Malia trips over a truck. You go to comfort her. You are wiping the tears off Malia's face when you hear Diane scream. You don't even have to look up to know what happened. You run over, check on Diane, and kneel beside Eddie ...Malia (a 4-year-old child)
You play in the doll corner happily. You see Diane as she goes to get a tissue. You run up to her, to see if she'll play house with you. But then you trip over a truck. You start to cry, though you're more frightened than hurt. Janet comes to comfort you. Just as Janet wipes the tears off your face, you hear Diane scream ...
Bobby (a 4-year-old child)
You love it when Claudia reads. Right now you and Diane are listening to Claudia read your favorite picture book. During the story, Diane wanders away for a moment, but Claudia keeps on reading. Then you hear Diane scream ...