THATGIRLTOBI
- Sep 3, 2021
- 7 min read

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME IS HERE! Let the learning commence! [SEL] Learning that is.

Back to school is always a stressful time, filled with last minute clothes shopping, school supply shopping, and getting into the right mindset to begin yet another year. The start of a new school year is like shedding a layer of skin. We keep shedding these layers until we are fully formed adults, and even then, there are still layers to be shed. Or, think of it like finding the PERFECT new face mask (too soon ) to put on and wear, which ultimately says, “WHO do I want to be THIS year?”. But now, add a second year of a pandemic into the mix and you’ve got a shaky start to what could and for sure WILL eventually be a great year... Just a rocky beginning.

So what are some of the things you are worried about this back to school season?

SAFETY MEASURES being carried out and put in place in schools? Yeah...Totally get that.
SHUTDOWNS: In-person learning being shut down once again due to positive cases in a classroom or school? Yep ...get that too. Remote learning has presented concerns regarding the school material being learned and retained by students.
INTERACTIONS among children and making new friends? Yeah that’s a super important one. That falls under the theme, SEL [Social Emotional Learning]. How can our kids learn to work together again, make new and maintain old friendships, learn to be respectful towards others, and develop the skill sets needed In life, when we are ALL so scared of touching, and being physically close with others?

These are all big concerns, and I wish I had the answers to the questions above. Well, I may not have the answer for ALL 3, but what I DO have is a way to help children progress, navigate and develop themselves on an emotional level within their own communities— and THAT is through my Multimedia Children’s Programming, Bee True To You.

BEE TRUE TO YOU is my Pop/Rock SEL & Anti-Bullying Children’s Musical for kids! A musical created back in 2015 by yours truly, and a show that has successfully toured within the Tri-State area ever since.

Pre-covid, BEE TRUE TO YOU was all about the Live stage element. The live show, the live music, the live dancing. When Covid-19 unexpectedly and furiously took over the world, I knew I wanted, no not wanted, but needed to continue to spread empowering and inspiring messages to kids to help them navigate through this very confusing, yet new normal we are all now subject to.

These unprecedented times have caused waves of anxiety, stress, worry and sadness all over the world. Even as an adult, I am still making my way to the surface of what is our current situation. So to put yourself into the shoes of children, well I can’t even begin to imagine how they are TRULY processing all of this.

To this day, I still can't help but think: What will all of this mean for their psyche down the line? Will our children become more or less hermits and introverts? Will they be afraid to truly connect with one another? What will become of their selnse of community? How can we gage their emotional states and have deep conversations with them, without having them feel like there is something wrong with how they feel or how they are coping with things? How can we help them without adding extra pressure and extra stress to an already extremely sensitive circumstance?

We are in some tricky waters my friends.

That is why I feel it is my duty to help y.o.u and your children, our future leaders, and lead them to a path of hope, positivity and strength through what seems to be this never-ending chaos.

EARLIER THIS YEAR IN THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY 2021--

when everything turned virtual, my team and I did our very best to keep things very much ------A L I V E.------ We continued to lead by example and turn our once LIVE show into a 50 minute Virtual Musical filled with flashy visuals, pre-recorded AND live scenes, live music, dancing, and audience interactions.

After a ton of research and with the necessary help of Zoom, Vimeo, Youtube, Google Meets and my personal favorite OBS [Open Broadcast Software] website- Streamyard, we were extremely fortunate enough and able to perform around 20 shows, thus connecting virtually to students and teachers no matter their location.

THIS YEAR, we will be offering yet again our VIRTUAL experience to any and all schools seeking virtual *edcu-tainment*, as well as our In-person Live shows.

Over the years, since the very beginning back in 2015, BEE TRUE TO YOU has continuously evolved. It’s one of the many things I love about the overall brand and it’s messages. I mean times keep a changing folks, and you have to keep up with those times to continue to remain relevant and equipped to help children as they continue to learn and grow. Thus the reason for the many different versions of our script over the years. And this year for SURE is no exception to that rule.

Though the past 18 months have presented a lot of challenges, one positive takeaway that my team and I experienced throughout those months was the opportunity to truly connect with one another weekly. In doing so, we were able to dive into the WHY’s of the origin of Bee True To You's story and had both the time and energy to analyze the last version of our script prior to Covid. Which might I add, was PRETTY stellar and solid!

As my team and I continued to grow stronger, and more confident in our now collaborative writing styles, stories and the messages we want to deliver to children, we realized what it was we needed to do. And that was and IS the idea to take only the BEST moments, and the most IMPORTANT lessons we have learned ourselves and discovered over the years, and combine them all into 1 EPICALLY written story… A story so relevant and with the times, that every child, teacher and parent will benefit from watching. And that story is one centered around the ideology of SEL, Social Emotional Learning.

According to CASEL's website and the circle graph above, "SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions."

Now after reading that definition, doesn't it just make the most sense for our children to learn and acquire these skills?? I don't know about you, but to me those skills are exactly what every human on this earth needs and should be well versed in. It's the key to succeeding in life. Not just in schools but in our work environments and within our own families, homes and communities.

That is why with BEE TRUE TO YOU, what initially started as an Anti-Bullying Initiative has now expanded and is now known to cover such themes as: character building, teamwork, leadership, bullying and community building, which consequently all lives under the one umbrella category that is SEL, Social Emotional Learning.

Which now leads me to the following question...

BELOW ARE THE 7 BENEFITS OF BRINGING BEE TRUE TO YOU, TO A SCHOOL NEAR YOU.

1. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO

Learn communication skills that are both basic in nature, but skills adults are still learning today... IE: How to be a good friend, how to listen when someone is hurting. When and how to empower others and build people up.

2. STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND

Practice and repetition are positive contributions toward growth.

3. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO

Learn to interpret emotions through song, and how to read signs and emotions of those incapable of speaking up and using their own voice.

4. STUDENTS WILL CREATE

Movements that complement the tempo and style of music played throughout the musical.

5. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO

Compare the struggles they may be facing or struggles a friend or loved one may be facing, when listening to our stories and the stories of others.

6. STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE

What it's like to work together as a team to uncover the true meaning and purpose that we all serve as part of a 'Community'.

7. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND

The magnitude of trauma, that they are NOT alone in how they feel, and will learn the proper steps to take to re-balance their lives and continue on a path of hope and positivity.

FINAL THOUGHTS AS TOBI TELLS ALL

Social Emotional Learning, as you can see is extremely important to the development of one's psyche. It is and will be a very CRITICAL part in the healing process for students from the potential emotional distress and trauma brought on by the current pandemic.

Being socially aware, socially intelligent, mindful of others and learning how to foster a true sense of belonging will for sure contribute to a positive school environment... And that is EXACTLY what our mission here at BEE TRUE TO YOU is all about.

Whether In person or Virtual, we are truly excited for the start of this fiscal school year and look forward to being a go-to arts education program... Creating positive mindful change amongst our youth of today.

THANK YOU to my dedicated readers, and thank you to those who are new readers and have stumbled upon my blog, TOBI TELLS TELL. Please do not hesitate to share this blog post with any and all who may benefit from the information above. And most importantly, stay safe, stay positive and stay TRUE TO YOU.

Until next time<3333333333

-TOBI

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