Recently, there have been many reports on the news and in newspapers about school bullying. Many teenagers are committing suicide due to bullying. Parents have sued schools, saying that it is the responsibility of the schools to deal with bullying.
The following programs/websites help deal with school bullying:
http://www.positiveaction.net/google/violence_prevention/
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http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
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The first program, Positive Action, is a science-based program that can be used to directly
teach violence prevention and reduce incidents of bullying. This program is proven
to decrease violent type behaviors in the classroom, on the playground, in communities,
and in homes. The program philosophy teaches students to treat others with the dignity
and respect with which they wish to be treated. This concept is the building block upon which success in violence prevention rests.
The second website is geared more towards children. It has games and videos that deal with the topic of bullying.
Do you think a program like Positive Action is a useful program for today's schools?
Do you feel the pacerkids website is a good resource for students?
What will you do as a teacher to deal with bullying?
Do you think schools should take more responsibility for cases of bullying or is it ultimately up to the parents?
Those websites both look very helpful. I especially liked the Pacerkids website where kids can go on their own for help with bullying and listen to experiences of other kids. Bullying is definitely a really huge problem in our schools, and everyone needs to take a stand to stop it. It seems that often adults don't intrude in the issue because they feel that its just a right of passage for kids, and all kids are teased. But bullying affects children socially, psychologically, and in their success with schoolwork, and it can be very detrimental. I think teachers need to speak up against it when they see it happen in their classroom and on the playground. We need to be aware of what are students are saying to each other, and stop bullying whenever we see it take place. If something is going in your classroom, create an activity in your class where students talk about the issues openly, how they feel when people are mean, and how everyone is different, so that you can build a sense of community in your classroom and empathy for their classmates. Adults need to be more aware of how large the issue of bullying really is and set an action plan for it in their school.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was looking at the positive action website I really liked how there was a research overview, programs, resources, and services. They helped give a variety of information about bullying and how you can make a difference in your classroom. As a teacher I will try to become more aware of bullying and create a safe environment for my students. I would talk about differences and show the importance of acceptance. I think it is important for the schools and the parents to take an active role. They need to have the support from every aspect of their life.
ReplyDeleteBullying such a tough thing to go through at such a young age. Your sites were very informative. The site for kids...I liked it because it was interactive but it got me to thinking if having kids play games and do activities about bullying is the best way to teach about it. Teachers could incorporate music, movement, and drama techniques; have students act out different scenarios with bullying. I believe action and movement will help students learn about a subject better because they are involved with the lesson.
ReplyDelete