Two groups of students in Anguilla have concluded a dynamic, therapeutic programme called Drum Beat.
One group comprised three senior students at the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and the other group involved five grade five students at Valley Primary School. Each group’s programme ran for ten weeks and culminated with a drumming performance. The two performances took place at the respective schools on Friday 7, in the presence of peers, students and education officials.
A release from the Education Department stated that the event was an exciting opportunity for students to perform as a team and show their new drumming skills which were acquired after much focus and practice. The reception by the audience was very gratifying and validating for the students.
Drum Beat allows the participants to discover relationships using music. It is an award-winning behavioural intervention programme which has been used widely across Australia for the past ten years. It has been used successfully in primary and secondary schools, youth centres, adolescent mental health centres, juvenile detention centres and prisons.
Each session explores a number of different relationship issues like peer pressure, social responsibility, values, emotions and feelings and teamwork. These issues are explored through exercises that use metaphors and analogies drawn from hand-drumming. The drumming itself acts as a safe form of connection and communication and allows for a healthy release of emotion.
Recently, a training session to ensure effective delivery of the Drum Beat programme was offered for the first time in the United States. The session was conducted by Teacher Judy Guthrie, the Drum Circle Facilitator in the education system. The Education Department has expressed sincere thanks to Teacher Judy and her co-facilitators, Teacher Henderson Burgess and Counsellors Vivien Fleming and Georgia Matthew, for a successful programme. The Department has also offered congratulations to all students who participated in Drum Beat.
