Interview with Marc Weiner, Kulanu Teacher
2008
Marc Weiner is a trained mime and clown who 30 years ago stood in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and entertain tourists sitting on the steps. Discovered by Robin William, Marc broke into “show business” as a puppeteer on Saturday Night Live and with Weinerville on Nickelodeon. How did Marc get from Master puppeteer to Kulanu teacher? Below he has a conversation with Shari Weinberger, Kulanu Director:
SW: Can you explain the class you teach at Kulanu?
MW: I use my past experience with puppets and my more recent experiences as a communication skill builder to teach Emotional Literacy to teenagers.
SW: What does emotional literacy mean?
MW: I am working with a technique called “Nonviolent Communications(NVC).” My goal is to give the teens more access to their feelings and needs/values so that can express themselves and choose strategies’ of connection rather than alienation.
SW: Teenagers are known as self absorbed individuals. They are susceptible to peer pressure and tend to be judgmental. How does your technique work?
MW: When a person is upset about something, they might not yet have the emotional vocabulary necessary to process all that is going on inside of them. The Empathy Labyrinth, provides this emotional vocabulary. The EL is a floor mat, with feelings and needs/values cards. The person simply walks around the Empathy Labyrinth identifying what they are feeling and what needs/values are not being met. Once a person has this emotional & intellectual clarity they are empowered to choose actions that are more connecting and compassionate.
SW: I’ve heard that your Empathy Labyrinth has been used in many schools and Universities. close by in places like the Bronx, Washington DC, right here at WFHA, and more recently things have really taken off in Israel. How can this link give added value to your class at Kulanu?
MW: Right now I am working with 14 schools in Israel in the Gilboa region; 7 Israeli Jewish schools and 7 Israeli Arab schools. The Israeli Ministry of Education is totally behind the idea of teaching Nonviolent Communications as a means toward self awareness and community awareness. Through the use of modern technologies like Facebook and Youtube, my Kulanu students will have the opportunity to interact with the programs in the schools in Israel.
SW: How does puppetry fit in?
MW: Kulanu is the first place where I combined the three; puppetry, teenagers and the Empathy Labyrinth. I’ve learned a lot from this experience. Teenagers are reluctant to talk about their feelings. Peer pressure holds them back. Creating a puppet and then taking the puppet through the labyrinth increases their comfort level with the process. And it’s a lot of fun!
CBS reporters Harry Smith and David Price 
