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Archive for June, 2010

Anti-bullying Wristband Scheme Backfires

Interesting news item I stumbled across while I was thinking about my Middle School and High School bullying programs:

Evidently there is a government program in the UK that involves distributing blue wristbands that say “Beat Bullying” on them. Championed by Bono, David Beckham and other celebrities, the wristbands have been actually making the wearers targets of bullies.

Read the full article here:

Anti Bullying Wristbands Backfire in UK

There is a reason why this kind of top-down program will never work. The focus of so many anti bullying programs is basically trying to educate the kids who are the bullies into not being bullies any more.

But no matter where we go in life we will be exposed to people as well as events that seem intent on crushing or hurting us. The first step in any program or assembly designed to stop bullying is to focus on the person who is being bullied and teach him or her how to change the things going on inside themselves that a. attract bullying b. tolerate bullying and c. internalize and expand the external bullying into something they do to themselves.

In my work as an NLP Master Practitioner and Trainer as well as in my own personal experience as “the kid who everyone picked on, teased and bullied” is that “zero tolerance for bullying” is an inside job.

What happens to the kids who go through school where everyone is nice and supportive all the time and then as adults they come face to face with a bully on the job in the form of their boss or even an abusive customer?  Without experience in using what I call “Modern Jedi Mind Mastery” tools, they are even more vulnerable to being bullied.

Do we need to educate children with the aim of keeping our kids from becoming bullies? Absolutely. But focusing only on that approach or instituting some “top-down” program of wearing a wrist band or a button that says: “Bullying is bad” or whatever, isn’t going to stop bullying.

In fact, in the article about the program in the UK the kids interviewed said basically that wearing the wristband identified them as particularly good targets for….bullying.

Read the full article here:

Anti Bullying Wristbands Backfire in UK

Success, Self Esteem, Happiness, Confidence, Courage, Character, Strength, Safety, Well Being… these are internal processes that can be taught. Wearing a wristband doesn’t change the thought processes of either the wearer or the person looking for someone easy to prey on. Please give me a call or drop me an e-mail about sharing my knowledge with your students and staff on this important subject. Thank you

Phone: 888+598+7709  |  e-mail: mark [at] MarkShepard.com

or if you would prefer that I contact you, please fill out the form below! Thanks!

Anti Bullying Assembly

Bully Free Me:
How to Prevent Bullying in a Peaceful Yet Powerful Way.

Bully Free Me is a School Assembly Program that does more than just preach at kids about bullying. Mark Shepard uses his Drums, Songs and Stories in support of his 10 years of experience as a Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to entertain and educate while delivering powerful “take away” tools to assist students to defuse potentially dangerous confrontations with bullies while keeping their self esteem and self respect intact.

As a chronic victim of bullying throughout elementary and middle school, Singer/songwriter, guitarist, percussionist, storyteller, storyteller, author, personal coach, NLP Trainer, Mark Shepard shares his story in a humorous and compelling way while sharing tips for dealing with bullies and other difficult people.

“Billy Is A Bully” written and performed by Mark Shepard

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In order for a Bully to exist, he or she must have a victim. As a kid growing up I provided that service to a wide range of bullies. I was not aware that there were certain thoughts and actions I was engaging in that attracted bullies and teasing.

It was my timidity. My tendency to get my feelings hurt easily. It was my passiveness. When I started standing up for my self they started backing off. Strangely enough many of my former bullies wanted to be my friend once I stopped allowing them to push me around. Huh!?!

Please understand me. I am not in any shape or form advocating fighting as a solution to bullying.
I am advocating learning how to stand up for yourself in ways that no longer invite aggression..

The process first starts with you. Inside you. By changing how we perceive of bullies we can change our reactions to be more effective.

If we understand what creates a bully then we can learn how to defuse him or her.
If we understand how our own behavior attracts bullies we can change that.

I also teach audiences  some “Modern Jedi Mind Mastery” tools that can help defuse any bullying situation for the rest of their lives.

To learn more about this program please call 888+598+7709 or email mark [at] MarkShepard.com

For more information about Mark Shepard’s DrumSongStory programs for K-12 audiences Please follow the links below:

• Elementary School Assemblies - School Shows for Elementary Audiences
• Middle School Assemblies – School Shows for Middle School audiences
• High School Assemblies – School Shows for High School audiences
• Family Concerts – Interactive, Inspirational, Multicultural programs for Family audiences

Would you rather have me contact you? Please fill out the form below and click “send”. Thanks!

Get Block Booking Discounts even for just a single school!

For those of you in the MA area, I will be coming to Connecticut, Massachusetts & Rhode Island on the following dates in 2010 and am offering you my block booking discounts. You’ll save your school significantly over my regular fees. I’ll cluster my dates to save on gas and other travel expenses so we both win!

Available 2010 dates are:

• Week of September 27-30
• Week of October 4-8 & 12-15
• December 6, 7, 9, 10

Also booking now for 2011 call for available dates! 888.598.7709 or drop me an e-mail at mark [at] markshepard.com
-Mark Shepard

Mark Shepard's DrumSongStory

Mark Shepard’s DrumSongStory™ is a
multi-disciplinary combination of

• Traditional and Original Stories
• Drums from Around the World
• Sparkling Original songs
• Central Asian Overtone Singing,
• African Yodeling
• and Throat Whistling (a totally unique technique)

DrumSongStory™ Programs are appropriate for all ages and can be tailored to serve a wide range of themes and topics.

They are:

• Multi-Cultural
• Multi-disciplinary
• and support the Multiple Intelligences and curriculum / training goals most critical today.

DrumSongStory Programs can keep the rapt attention of the video game generation

Each performance is an entirely customized show depending upon the audience age, theme, time of year or other varialbes. Shepard’s material works on a number of different leveles and is well suited to mixed audiences of children and adults. Mark’s DrumSongStory programs have been as well received by teens and college age young adults and business groups as it has been by elementary age kid audiences

About Mark Shepard:

Mark Shepard is a multi-disciplinary performing and teaching artist who uses drums, songs and stories to interactively engage, entertain and educate audiences of all ages in performances, keynotes, breakouts, workshops, seminars, trainings. He is on the roster of the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism and has earned their designation of “master teaching artist”.

For Specific DrumSongStory Programs for your organization please explore these links:

• K-12 School Programs – Assemblies, Family Concerts, Staff Development Programs throughout CT, RI, MA, NY, PA, NH, VT, ME
• College Programs – Concerts, Keynotes, Seminars, Workshops, Trainings throughout USA & Canada
• Corporate & Non-Profit Programs – Concerts, Keynotes, Concerts, Keynotes, Seminars, Workshops, Trainings throughout USA & Canada, Europe, South America, Far East etc

Mark Shepard's DrumSongStory Works as well for adults as it does for kids

As a Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist, for over 30 years Mark Shepard struggled with stage fright and self sabotage. After studying and applying Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques he began to help others overcome fear, phobias and anxiety as well as incorporate NLP concepts of personal development and transformation into his songs. Each year Shepard teaches his Modern Jedi NLP Mind Mastery Certification Training to a growing number of students.

To Learn More about Mark Shepard’s NLP Programs please visit: www.ModernJedi.com

To experience “A Life In Song: 30 Years of Sparkling Original words and Music visit: www.MarkShepardSongs.com

Book Mark Shepard’s DrumSongStory Today! 888-598-7709 or e-mail Mark [at] MarkShepard.com

Mark Shepard begins his k-12 DrumSongStory school assemblies with Central Asian Overtone Singing, African yodeling and Throat Whistling accompanied by a huge frame drum and a standing drum he carved from a sycamore tree…

This live performance was part of the DrumSongStory Program entitled: “Beyond the Borders: Drums, Songs & Stories Celebrating Cultural Collaboration”

Commentary: This is a Traditional Native American Folktale featuring the hapless trickster Coyote. I’ve added a bit of a modern twist to the story and included a bunch of “cool sound FX instruments” played by audience members. Enjoy! This is part of my “Beyond the Borders” program as well as my “Trickster Tales” program

This traditional Native American Trickster Tale is part of my “Beyond The Borders Program: Drums, Songs & Stories Celebrating Multi-Cultural Collaboration” As well as my “Trickster Tales Program: Drums, Songs & Stories Celebrating the Trickster Archetype From Around The World. To book this or one of my many other Interactive, Multicultural School Assembly programs now call 888,598,7709 or e-mail mark[at]markshepard.com

Coyote and Cicada Adaptation by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Commentary: This is literally the first rhythm I learned from African Master Drummer Kazi Oliver. Watch as I create a multi-part rhythm with the entire audience and 3 volunteers.

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This traditional West African song & rhythm is part of my “Beyond The Borders Program: Drums, Songs & Stories Celebrating Multi-Cultural Collaboration” To book this program now call 888.598.7709 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              888.598.7709      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail mark[at]markshepard.com

Funga Alafia Adaptation by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Commentary: Curiosity is an old African folktale that I’ve turned into a song and accompanied with the Irish Bodhran. I usually lead off with this “DrumSongStory” in my “Beyond The Borders” Program because it is truly multicultural as well as interactive. It requires the audience to finish many of my sentences. If an audience member is finishing my sentences they are paying attention! This Story also has a trickster tale kind of ending and is not something we are used to in our folktales. Make sure you watch both parts to find out how it ends! Enjoy!

Curiosity Part 1:

Curiosity Part 2:

This story is part of my “Beyond The Borders Program: Drums, Songs & Stories Celebrating Multi-Cultural Collaboration” To book this program now call 1-888-598-7709 or e-mail mark[at]markshepard.com

Curiosity by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License