Making bullying disappear is magic

Gate Pa School students learn what to do when bullying occurs, in a creative and fun way. Jaran Wharemate, 9, and Hariata Paki, 10, are pictured with Elgregoe and puppet Reggie. Photo/supplied

Kiwi magician Elgregoe visited Gate Pa School last week helping to make bullying disappear.

The celebrated performer and educator is visiting schools across the country with sidekicks Chester the lie detecting chicken, Ruby the bird and a selection of other fun puppets. The live show features humour, action packed tricks, magical illusions and ehavioural education around the bullying message.

Gate Pa School associate principal Terry Furmage says the school is a Positive Behaviour for Learning school, which is an initiative helping schools address problem behaviour, improving children's well-being, and increasing educational achievement.

"So Elgregoe reinforces what we are doing," Terry says. "His messages reinforce positive behaviour for children and they absolutely loved it. It's done in such creative way," he added.

Years ago, Elgregoe, (or Greg Britt) from Christchurch, was chatting with a school principal.

The principal professed frustration with the issues of school bullying he was dealing with at the time. He jokingly challenged Elgregoe to make bullying disappear with his magic.

"Every time I step onto a school stage I say to myself: 'this one is for them'. I want to take them on a journey, to give them that sense of wonder I felt when I first saw a magician and, more importantly, to remember the messages," Elgregoe says.

"I want school to be a positive experience for them and give them the skills to have a bully free day because that's the real magic!"

This year the show focused on making kids a "hero" at school by teaching them honesty, empathy, to be resilient and find opportunities to help others-making them part of the solution to bullying and helping them to build caring school communities.