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“Just a quick note of appreciation to say a huge thanks to you and Terry for coming to our school, on Friday. The kids’ parents have been sending and commenting hard on Facebook saying how much they enjoyed it, and how much the kids have been watching Terry’s videos on You Tube. You are truly an inspiration….Keep it up !”

Take Care
Daren White
Spring Street Academy, Amherst, NS

http://www.amherstdaily.com/Video/13223/Terry-Kelly-performs-at-Spring-Street-Academy 

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“My name is Tara. I am fourteen years old, and I go to E.B. Chandler Jr. High School (Amherst). You came and did a presentation here today.

I just wanted to let you know; I adored your presentation. I love your music. I think it’s amazing that you do everything you do. I find you a very inspirational person, and you and your words have encouraged me to be a better person, and to achieve my goals.

You’re AWESOME Terry !!!!

Yours,
Tara

PS . I don’t think I will ever forget the picture “6 blind kids trying to round up loose chickens.” that statement just made my day! Amazing ! <3″

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“To me the biggest indicator of your success was when parents were telling me about your show, when they hadn’t even seen it… You are a very positive role model for us all, with some fantastic music everyone can enjoy!”

Liza Hadfield
Ocean Grove Elementary
Campbell River, British Columbia

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“Not only is the music award winning and energetic, but the heartwarming, challenging stories that are inter-twined into the performance met and then far exceeded our expectations.”

Valerie Plourde Ouellet
Community High
Fort Kent, Maine

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“In my nine years as principal I have never seen children so enthusiastic about an entertainer.”

Jim MacDonald
West Pictou Consolidated
Pictou, Nova Scotia

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“As I looked around the gym and saw the pure delight on each and every face and their total attention to your music, I just knew that having you visit was the high point of the term.”

Roberta Hallett
St. Augustine’s Elementary
St. John’s, Newfoundland

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“You are obviously a tremendously gifted individual, dedicated to helping young people develop confidence in themselves…You were AWESOME!”
Chris Mann

Jessie Wowk Elementary
Richmond, British Columbia

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“Your gentle and perceptive messages, dealing with tolerance and acceptance for individual differences, sprinkled throughout your performance were insightful and effective.”

Normand Girouard, Ed.D.
Sgt. Robert R. Litwin School
Chicopee, Massachusetts

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“It is very seldom that we’ve had a performer at our school who could entertain our unique arrangement of students from grade primary to twelve.”

Michael Hinchey
Mulgrave Memorial School
Mulgrave, Nova Scotia

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“His performance totally captivated all the students present – all were totally attentive during the complete performance…His performance emitted a tremendous energy which was immediately picked up by the students and maintained throughout the entire performance.”

Robert D. Bishop
Holy Redeemer School
Spaniard’s Bay, Newfoundland

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“Terry ‘inspired’ the students without presenting a speech; good message without preaching.”

Brian Harms
Raymer Elementary
Kelowna, British Columbia

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“Terry demonstrated his genuine caring for children, respecting each child’s question, ensuring that everyone got an answer they understood.”

Dan Madden
Walter Fougere Elementary/Junior High
Cleveland, Nova Scotia

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“Your presence, your music and your comments showed that you have a deep understanding of students.”

Lloyd J. Mercer
Herdman Collegiate
Corner Brook, Newfoundland

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“Terry not only entertained us, but he served as a strong role model for our students…Terry is a true professional and a great entertainer.”

Keven Elder
Timberline Secondary
Campbell River, British Columbia

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“Terry Kelly delivered a very wholesome message, both through his person and his music which touched us all very deeply.”

D.A. French
Regina Central High
Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Click here for a PDF of this information

Develop thematically, Terry’s presentation explores six main issues:

1. The importance of communication

2. Confronting our fears, dreams, goals, challenges, choices, and responsibilities

3. Understanding and celebrating our differences

4. Personal safety

5. Respect for ourselves and others

6. The value of enthusiasm

Using personal experiences, songs, and audience participation, Terry addresses these issues and encourages the students to develop their own values and strategies for living happily and healthily.

Some of the song lyrics relate directly to the issues, while other songs are used to represent the spirit of the themes.

Each sixty-minute presentation includes a question and answer session.

This study guide is intended for teachers as a resource, and may be followed fairly closely, used sparingly, or adapted to best suit each class.

In some cases, suggested activities are designated

(E) – Elementary or (S) – Secondary

WE CAN DO ANYTHING – PRESENTATION OUTLINE

“You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll”
Story – conflict with Miss Hubley, the music teacher
Theme – communication and conflict resolution

“We Can Do Anything”
Story – Moe and the law of the farm
Theme – dreams, goals, challenges, choices and responsibilities

“Hey There” (S)
“The Itsy Bitsy Spider” (E)
Story – learning to sing; learning to ride a bike
Theme – understanding and celebrating our differences

“Don’t Take Me Home” (S)
“The Unicorn” (E)
Story – Joanne – two homes, two schools (S)
– story of the Unicorn (E)
Themes – personal safety, communication

“In My Father’s House”
Story – Marlon Sparks – stupid newfie and the “n” word
Themes – respect for yourself and others, celebrating differences

“The Girl Is On A Roll”
Story – operation deep-freeze (S)
– building a lean-to in Cubs (E)
Themes – the value of individual and group enthusiasm, school spirit

“Mama Likes To Rock And Roll”
“The Lucky Ones”
Story – white cane, airplane
Themes – challenges, responsibilities and creating your own luck

WE CAN DO ANYTHING – SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

1. COMMUNICATION

(E) It bugs me when …
I like it when …
It makes me sad when …
It makes me happy when …

(E) (S) Letter to parents – things I never have said to you but want you to know

(E) (S) Interview parents and report to class – their school, favorite activities as a kid, teams, dreams, music, friends – when they were your age, what did they want to be when they grew up?

(S) What would you most like your parents to hear?

(E) (S) Tell your parents two things about yourself they hadn’t known before

2. CHALLENGES

(E) (S) Make a collage or fill a scrapbook with articles, photos, etc. of people who have accomplished challenging goals. These can be dramatic and public or personal victories.

(E) (S) List some challenging accomplishments of your own as well as things you would like to accomplish in the future
i.e. overcome shyness
learn to skate
improve in math or English

Remember, every accomplishment from learning to walk and talk is valuable.

3. UNDERSTANDING AND CELEBRATING OUR DIFFERENCES

(E) (S) Organize and present a multi-cultural lunch or dinner. Have students make dishes from their ethnic backgrounds, serve them and tell the class about the food, its preparation and the rituals associated with it. This may be a class project or a school-wide event.

Musicfest – celebrate the music of various cultural backgrounds, by inviting groups into the school to perform, or by having students perform. This, too, can be a class project, a whole day event, or part of an ongoing school multi-cultural undertaking.

Interview a student, parent, teacher or friend about his or her religious or cultural background, and introduce that person to the class.

Use the Internet to establish a multicultural network of students across the town/city, province, country or even worldwide. Keep a bulletin board of letters, photos, etc.

Research and present the history in Canada of legislation that respects cultural, religious, ethnic diversity. This may include protection of rights for the disabled.

(S) Discuss issues in the news that have a particular ethnic or cultural aspect – the recent government apology to Canada’s native people for their abuses in institutions, for example, or the persecution of Dukhobors in Canada in the 1920’s and 30’s

4. SAFETY

(E) How do you practice safety
– at home
– in the car
– on your bike, roller blades, swimming, etc.
– on the bus
– in the mall

(E) Discussion of personal safety – what to do if someone touches you in private places,
threatens you or hurts you or one of your friends

(S) People or agencies that offer information or help
– list all resources in your area
– research the founding, operations, daily activities, sources of support, interview one
of the workers or arrange for a visit to your class by a rep of the agency chosen

(S) As a class project, organize a daylong showcase with reps from all local agencies

i.e Access To Information Day
Al Anon
Al Ateen
Covenant House
Kids’ Help Phone
Hospital Emergency Services
Neighborhood Watch

5. RESPECT FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Many of the activities suggested in #3 will also be useful here.

(E) (S) Brainstorm definitions/ descriptions/experiences that illustrate self-respect. Distinguish between self-respect and selfishness.

In pairs, have students devise scenarios which could be used to teach very young children how to practice self-respect (turn away from an offered cigarette, for example), and how to show respect to others. These scenarios can range from very simple lessons in manners to quite complex studies of handling bullies, protecting self and others, dealing with an unfair teacher, telling parents about a mistake or an accident

Translate these scenarios into audio, video, cartoon poster, or skit format.

6. THE VALUE OF ENTHUSIASM

Any of these activities is adaptable to elementary or secondary level students

Spirit Days – these are school-wide, and encourage friendly competition within each class, among classes and across the student body. Some spirit day activities;
Warm Fuzzy Day – each student is given a “warm fuzzy” – a ball of many strands of yarn, one to be given away to each person hugged during the day.
Pajamas Day – students (and teachers) spend the day in Pjs
Food Drives
Door Decorating Contests – at Hallowe’en, Christmas, or other special occasions
Pep Rallies – in September to introduce school teams Birthday Club – chart student birthdays and deliver cards
Loud Crowd – not cheerleaders, this is a group of students who enthusiastically attend and support school events

As far as teaching the value of individual enthusiasm, model these behaviors by identifying and sharing students, teachers, parents, mentors, etc. who live enthusiastically.

Use role – playing to show the different approaches to challenges. Show the low-key, Eeyore-style attitude, then the optimistic, enthusiastic, perspective. With very young students, consider cartoon characters such as Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Tigger, Eeyore, to identify and practice taking an enthusiastic approach to life’s challenges

Secondary students may use lyrics of “We Can Do Anything”, “In My Father’s House”, and “The Lucky Ones”, to begin a study of the importance of optimism and enthusiasm.

Have students choose a person seen as enthusiastic and devise an interview to explore the basis of that person’s attitude. Share the interviews with classmates.

Click here for a PDF of this information

Develop thematically, Terry’s presentation explores six main issues:

1. The importance of communication

2. Confronting our fears, dreams, goals, challenges, choices, and responsibilities

3. Understanding and celebrating our differences

4. Personal safety

5. Respect for ourselves and others

6. The value of enthusiasm

Using personal experiences, songs, and audience participation, Terry addresses these issues and encourages the students to develop their own values and strategies for living happily and healthily.

Some of the song lyrics relate directly to the issues, while other songs are used to represent the spirit of the themes.

Each sixty-minute presentation includes a question and answer session.

This study guide is intended for teachers as a resource, and may be followed fairly closely, used sparingly, or adapted to best suit each class.

In some cases, suggested activities are designated

(E) – Elementary or (S) – Secondary

WE CAN DO ANYTHING – PRESENTATION OUTLINE

“You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll”
Story – conflict with Miss Hubley, the music teacher
Theme – communication and conflict resolution

“We Can Do Anything”
Story – Moe and the law of the farm
Theme – dreams, goals, challenges, choices and responsibilities

“Hey There” (S)
“The Itsy Bitsy Spider” (E)
Story – learning to sing; learning to ride a bike
Theme – understanding and celebrating our differences

“Don’t Take Me Home” (S)
“The Unicorn” (E)
Story – Joanne – two homes, two schools (S)
– story of the Unicorn (E)
Themes – personal safety, communication

“In My Father’s House”
Story – Marlon Sparks – stupid newfie and the “n” word
Themes – respect for yourself and others, celebrating differences

“The Girl Is On A Roll”
Story – operation deep-freeze (S)
– building a lean-to in Cubs (E)
Themes – the value of individual and group enthusiasm, school spirit

“Mama Likes To Rock And Roll”
“The Lucky Ones”
Story – white cane, airplane
Themes – challenges, responsibilities and creating your own luck

WE CAN DO ANYTHING – SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

1. COMMUNICATION

(E) It bugs me when …
I like it when …
It makes me sad when …
It makes me happy when …

(E) (S) Letter to parents – things I never have said to you but want you to know

(E) (S) Interview parents and report to class – their school, favorite activities as a kid, teams, dreams, music, friends – when they were your age, what did they want to be when they grew up?

(S) What would you most like your parents to hear?

(E) (S) Tell your parents two things about yourself they hadn’t known before

2. CHALLENGES

(E) (S) Make a collage or fill a scrapbook with articles, photos, etc. of people who have accomplished challenging goals. These can be dramatic and public or personal victories.

(E) (S) List some challenging accomplishments of your own as well as things you would like to accomplish in the future
i.e. overcome shyness
learn to skate
improve in math or English

Remember, every accomplishment from learning to walk and talk is valuable.

3. UNDERSTANDING AND CELEBRATING OUR DIFFERENCES

(E) (S) Organize and present a multi-cultural lunch or dinner. Have students make dishes from their ethnic backgrounds, serve them and tell the class about the food, its preparation and the rituals associated with it. This may be a class project or a school-wide event.

Musicfest – celebrate the music of various cultural backgrounds, by inviting groups into the school to perform, or by having students perform. This, too, can be a class project, a whole day event, or part of an ongoing school multi-cultural undertaking.

Interview a student, parent, teacher or friend about his or her religious or cultural background, and introduce that person to the class.

Use the Internet to establish a multicultural network of students across the town/city, province, country or even worldwide. Keep a bulletin board of letters, photos, etc.

Research and present the history in Canada of legislation that respects cultural, religious, ethnic diversity. This may include protection of rights for the disabled.

(S) Discuss issues in the news that have a particular ethnic or cultural aspect – the recent government apology to Canada’s native people for their abuses in institutions, for example, or the persecution of Dukhobors in Canada in the 1920’s and 30’s

4. SAFETY

(E) How do you practice safety
– at home
– in the car
– on your bike, roller blades, swimming, etc.
– on the bus
– in the mall

(E) Discussion of personal safety – what to do if someone touches you in private places,
threatens you or hurts you or one of your friends

(S) People or agencies that offer information or help
– list all resources in your area
– research the founding, operations, daily activities, sources of support, interview one
of the workers or arrange for a visit to your class by a rep of the agency chosen

(S) As a class project, organize a daylong showcase with reps from all local agencies

i.e Access To Information Day
Al Anon
Al Ateen
Covenant House
Kids’ Help Phone
Hospital Emergency Services
Neighborhood Watch

5. RESPECT FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Many of the activities suggested in #3 will also be useful here.

(E) (S) Brainstorm definitions/ descriptions/experiences that illustrate self-respect. Distinguish between self-respect and selfishness.

In pairs, have students devise scenarios which could be used to teach very young children how to practice self-respect (turn away from an offered cigarette, for example), and how to show respect to others. These scenarios can range from very simple lessons in manners to quite complex studies of handling bullies, protecting self and others, dealing with an unfair teacher, telling parents about a mistake or an accident

Translate these scenarios into audio, video, cartoon poster, or skit format.

6. THE VALUE OF ENTHUSIASM

Any of these activities is adaptable to elementary or secondary level students

Spirit Days – these are school-wide, and encourage friendly competition within each class, among classes and across the student body. Some spirit day activities;
Warm Fuzzy Day – each student is given a “warm fuzzy” – a ball of many strands of yarn, one to be given away to each person hugged during the day.
Pajamas Day – students (and teachers) spend the day in Pjs
Food Drives
Door Decorating Contests – at Hallowe’en, Christmas, or other special occasions
Pep Rallies – in September to introduce school teams Birthday Club – chart student birthdays and deliver cards
Loud Crowd – not cheerleaders, this is a group of students who enthusiastically attend and support school events

As far as teaching the value of individual enthusiasm, model these behaviors by identifying and sharing students, teachers, parents, mentors, etc. who live enthusiastically.

Use role – playing to show the different approaches to challenges. Show the low-key, Eeyore-style attitude, then the optimistic, enthusiastic, perspective. With very young students, consider cartoon characters such as Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Tigger, Eeyore, to identify and practice taking an enthusiastic approach to life’s challenges

Secondary students may use lyrics of “We Can Do Anything”, “In My Father’s House”, and “The Lucky Ones”, to begin a study of the importance of optimism and enthusiasm.

Have students choose a person seen as enthusiastic and devise an interview to explore the basis of that person’s attitude. Share the interviews with classmates.