The Emotional Object Workshops took place over 20 weeks in 2022-3 at Robert Blair School. It was funded by the Islington Local Initiative Fund. The workshops was inspired by the MSc final project of Helen Ainsworth: “Familiar Object, Novel Objective, harnessed classroom objects in short puppet performances to help children expand their emotional vocabulary”. They also explored ideas about healthy relationships, consequences of actions, and consent, all through fun performative games using pencils, paper and rulers.
The workshops were supported by Nilufa Salik, the Pastoral and Welfare lead at the school, Mich and the Maamulaha group of schools. In addition to workshops with pupils, the project included sessions with carers and staff on how techniques in puppetry with everyday objects can help us all understand ideas of self-respect and tolerance among friendships. The project tackled loneliness and unsociability which are strong risk factors in lives made difficult by poverty and injustice.
The project was presented at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education in 2024 by Helen Ainsworth.
