Debra Pasquerette, teaching artist and Manager of Community Engagement at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts in Beverly Hills CA, teaches “Staged Stories,” a storytelling/memoir program part of GRoW @ The Wallis, the Center’s lifelong learning initiative.

Debra and her students were preparing for their culminating event when the COVID-19 crisis forced them to cancel. Feeling compelled to find a way to stay connected, Debra extended the curriculum beyond the original 8 weeks to allow for additional meetings via Zoom. During these online sessions, the students read their stories aloud, many of which are focused on life in this strange and difficult time, and give each other supportive feedback. 

When the class resumed online, the emotion was palpable. “The intimacy is not lost online,” said, Teri, one of the participants. “Seeing my classmates’ faces, hearing stories of their past — who shaped them, what built them — is real human connection.”

Diane Robison, one of the workshop participants, wrote an essay about her experience in this class: “The Wallis Staged Stories Program: A tribute to the power of our communal moment in history.“

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Peer Support Eases the Transition to Online Learning

Debra has provided written instructions to help students accessing the class from a variety of devices get online successfully. For the few students who have experienced difficulty, other students have stepped up to lend a hand. Kim, who is particularly technically adept, “stayed after class” to help Ira.

Debra advises others to not underestimate the ability of older adults to navigate online learning: “Have students who are more comfortable help others by phone or online. Now more than ever, seniors are feeling alone and vulnerable. The ability to regularly connect with classmates who they trust is invaluable.” 

“Staged Stories” was first piloted as part of the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s 2019-2020 Catalyzing Creative Aging Program, provided in partnership with Lifetime Arts.