New York City Children's Theater Releases Start The Conversation: Emergency Drills

New York City Children's Theater's Start the Conversation uses children's literature and applied theater techniques to engage young people with themes such as race, racism, politics, immigration, mental health, LGBTQ+ identities and more.

New York City Children's Theater announced their new Start the Conversation video "Start the Conversation: Emergency Drill Support," designed to support students before, during, and after emergency drills.

Watch the conversation now: https://www.nycchildrenstheater.org/start-the-conversation/emergency-drill-support/

In this series, Miss Caitlyn takes young people and their educators through a step-by-step, trauma-informed exploration of what to do before, during and after emergency drills. Students and educators will engage in courageous conversations about school shootings, safety and self-care while exploring a variety of emotion regulation tools.

The accompanying Educator Guide, Caregiver Tips and Resources One-Sheet and Student Visual Stories outline key trauma-informed steps as well as tips and modifications that can be applied to meet each child's specific needs. For educators, each step can be tailored to your procedure, schedule and facilitation style.

"95% of schools in the United States practice emergency drills designed to prepare students and teachers for what to do in the case of an active shooter. Even thinking about the possibility of an active shooter in the classroom can be anxiety inducing, and often drills are a young person's first introduction to those thoughts," says Caitlyn McCain, creator and host of Start the Conversation. "How can we support our children before, during and after emergency drills? We hope NYCCT's Start the Conversation series will provide trauma-informed tools to help young people feel safe, prepared and supported during the practice of emergency drills while opening up honest conversations about the world around them."

Start the Conversation provides grown-ups with the language and tools necessary to start, and continue, nuanced conversations around big topics with their children. Through a combination of videos, workshops, activities and resource guides, Start the Conversation uses developmentally appropriate children's literature and applied theater techniques to engage young people with themes such as race, racism, politics, immigration, mental health, LGBTQ+ identities and more. In addition to Emergency Drills, New York City Children's Theater will release two additional conversations this season on Consent and Our Relationship to Disability.

"Start the Conversation deals with complicated topics such as COVID-19, mental health, immigration, racism, gender issues, and more, which are hard for many adults to talk about. How, then, does one begin these conversations with children," asked M. Bridget Downes, M.D. "That accomplishment is precisely what Start the Conversation aims to do. Caitlyn McCain, the creator and host of Start the Conversation, has a uniquely adept talent for presenting these complex topics in an inviting, developmentally appropriate, and engaging manner. After parents and children watch the video together, the children have an initial introduction to a complicated topic and the parents have a blueprint to continue the conversation. It is a win - win for all who participate!"

New York City Children's Theater's mission is to promote children's literacy and social development through accessible, professional theater productions and arts-in-education programs. Our programs cultivate children's growth in the areas of emotional intelligence, community building, and responsible decision-making. The result is empathetic, creative, and independent thinkers who make a positive impact on their world.

For 26 years, New York City Children's Theater's local and nationally recognized arts-in-education programs and professional theater productions have served over 400,000 children and adults across all five boroughs and surrounding communities in the tri-state area.