How Any Elementary School Teacher Can Use a Puppet

Holding the attention of 4th and 5th graders while navigating social-emotional learning can be a challenge. But what if one of the most effective tools for behavior and emotional regulation was sitting in a prop box?

Are there situations that are apt for an elementary school teacher to use a puppet? Yes. First, read my blog article titled A New Tool to Deal With Social-Emotional Learning. It explains why puppetry is a suitable solution in some circumstances, even for older elementary students.

Now, here is the second part of that article: how to actually use a puppet to teach older kids about relationships, emotions, and behavior.

The Magic of "Suspension of Disbelief" In show business, the term “suspension of disbelief” means temporarily allowing oneself to believe something that isn't true, especially in order to enjoy a work of fiction. This is present in books, musicals, video games, etc.

If a kid can suspend their disbelief for a video game, they can do the same when you, the teacher, talk with a puppet. It doesn’t matter if you move your lips when the puppet talks, as long as you (wink, wink) always consider them real yourself. For example, always look at the puppet when you talk to him or her. By the way, never call them a "puppet" in front of the kids! The most important thing is you have to first suspend your own disbelief. 

How Do I Select the Right Puppet? If you are an experienced teacher, you will have a gut feeling about whether the look of a certain character will work. I hired Pavlov’s Puppets in France to build my very popular puppet, Puey. I own the rights to Puey since he was custom-made for me, but you can find an off-the-shelf character that suits your needs.

Look for ones that are made well and sassy-looking with good mouths. If a custom builder is too expensive, try Folkmanis, though most of those puppets are too cute for older kids. Wherever you buy it, it’s important that the mouth is large and moves well.

How Do I Develop the Right Personality? Again, an experienced teacher may have an idea of the right character. He or she needs to be likable. For older kids, he/she probably needs to be sassy. One trick is to lean toward a likable version of a difficult past student's personality. Or, just experiment.

How Do I Develop the Right Voice? Video record yourself with your phone and try different voices until you think you have the right one. It has to be different from your real voice, and it cannot be hard on your vocal cords.

About the Author Mark Beckwith is the author of Teach Like a Star, a book that provides practical, theatrical tips to elementary school teachers looking to better engage their classrooms.