Keep Your Focus and Believe the Bullying Will Stop

 I often talk to people about their own experiences with bullying. I was at a school recently where I talked to someone about her own personal experiences. She said bullying had been part of her life for years. She had told people about the meanness and about specific hurtful examples. She explained how she sometimes spoke up and asked the bully to stop. She tried to stay confident. She read as much about bullying as she could. She talked to friends about her frustrations. She asked her parents for advice. She said there were times when she felt discouraged, but she never gave up. She was determined that the bullying would stop and she just kept imagining a day when people would not pick on her.

When she was going into grade 6, she tried even harder to stay focused on her vision of no bullying. She said, as the year progressed, she noticed the bullying started to decrease. More people were nice to her. People would sometimes stick up for her. After Easter she realized that the bullying had actually stopped completely. She never forgot her struggles though. They remained vividly etched in her mind.

This is the kind of good-news story that can help everyone realize that bullying can be conquered! Now that she is a grade six teacher herself, she was able to tell me her story with clarity and focus. Even though it was a tough struggle, she is a shining example for her students today, and she has empathy when students talk to her about their own challenges with bullying.

Bullying prevention is the focus in our School Assemblies. Visit www.atfm.ca or www.brucelangford.ca for more information

Earth Day Reminds Us Not To Bully

Handle With Care

Treat the earth with respect.
Be sensitive to the ebb and flow of nature.
Don’t take more than you give back.
Speak up when you see someone mistreat our planet.

 The above statements can also apply to how we treat fellow human beings…

Treat each other with respect.
Be sensitive to the needs of friends and colleagues.
Relationships need to be on a give and take basis.
Speak up when you see someone mistreated.

 Treat people right. Treat the planet right.
Give respect. Earn respect.

 Celebrate earth day.
www.earthday.org
www.atfm.ca

Safe At Schools Conference at Nobleton Senior Public School, Greater Toronto

Stand Up Now featured Bruce Langford as the keynote presenter at Nobleton’s 4^th annual Safe At Schools Conference on Monday.

Principal, Ms. Nancy Redmond gave a warm welcome to the students to launch the day’s activities at Nobleton. The students from Nobleton Junior Public School were guests for the day as they participated in crafts, workshops and the ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assemblies featuring student dramas, videos and student interaction.
The grade 6, 7 & 8 ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ presentation was geared directly to the intermediate level with stories and discussion which the students could relate to. It also included scenarios acted out by the students as well as life-like situations depicted in video clips.
Following the presentation, a number of intermediate students rushed to the front to find out more information from presenter, Bruce Langford.

A bullying prevention tip that was key in the presentation revolved around declaring Nobleton a bullying free zone by having the grade 6,7 & 8 students take a vow to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’.

Tip: Resolve to take action when you see a bullying situation.

Nobleton Public School is a school where students definitely will take action as they ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’. We thank the students, administrators, and organizer, Ms. Deborah Godin, for a warm welcome to Nobleton and a truly rewarding day with your students!

5 Bullying Prevention Tips Offered at Lambton-Kent School Assemblies

Bullying, respect and cyber-bullying assemblies were all theme driven assemblies we presented at Gregory Drive Public School in Chatham on Wednesday (Lambton-Kent District School Board – LKDSB). Bruce Langford was also guest speaker at the parent evening session designed for parents and children on internet safety, parenting and bullying. We were impressed with the audience size for a school of under 300 students!

There were 46 adults and children present to see videos, student role-plays and participate in a discussion on the topic of bullying.  

Here are some valuable bullying prevention tips we offered in the various assemblies:

1. Beware of on-line polls where anonymous comments can be posted. Comments can be mean-spirited, hurtful and devastating.
2. Unplug your web-cam when you aren’t using it.
3. If someone is bullying you, speak up in a non-confrontational way.
4. Build a small group of supportive, trustable friends. You can help each other if necessary.
5. Don’t meet people you have met on-line as they may not be the person they said they were. Internet luring has become a big problem.

Principal, Ms. Lynn Sulman administers an impressive school. Her staff and students obviously work together to create an excellent, safe school environment making it an amazing Lambton-Kent school! Kudos to you, Ms. Sulman.

Ontario Kids Get Bullying Help at Kids Help Phone

Our ‘Stand Up Now’ workshops encourage bullied children to talk to a trusted adult about feelings and issues. Express yourself and don’t keep frustration and hurt inside. Tell someone!

We also say, if you don’t have a trusted person to talk with, call ‘Kids Help Phone’ at 1-800-668-6868.
The Kids Help Phone website at http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/ helps you with topics like:

Bullying – Being bullied? Don’t keep it inside. Tell someone.
Violence & abuse
Feelings
The internet
Money
My Body
Friends
Dating
Express yourself – Your space to write letters, share stories, and get stuff off your chest.

The Kids Help Phone Promise is here:
“We are here to help you, not get you into trouble. When you call us, you don’t have to tell us your name, address or phone number.”

We encourage you to call Kids Help Phone if you need to talk about a bullying situation.
‘Stand Up Now’ School Programs www.standupagainstbullying.com

Anger Management and Bullying Prevention in Toronto Ontario

We have presented workshops to hundreds of children in the greater Toronto area.
Here are some tips about anger:

1. Try to figure out why you are angry. Ask yourself questions to find out.
2. Try to leave the situation that is causing the anger. If you can’t, take ten deep breaths and let each one out slowly.
3. Wait before you do or say anything. If you say or do something in anger, you may be sorry later. You are responsible for your words and actions.
4. Get moving. Be active. Anger is often released by exercise and activity.
5. Write down your thoughts. Let them pour out. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. Keep this to yourself until you have read it over and some time has passed. Things may seem different by that time.
6. If you still feel angry, find a trusted adult to talk to. Share your thoughts and listen to the adult’s advice. If you don’t know who to talk to, call Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868.

   Anger can cause bullying. Anger can cause people to be bullied. We all have anger at times. Try to deal with your anger without being mean to others. Bruce Langford presents workshops on bullying prevention to help with relationship issues.

www.StandUpAgainstBullying.com

 

Social Networking Assemblies at Toronto School

Cyber-bullying, social networking and texting were all topics we covered at St. Cyril Catholic School in Toronto. We encouraged the students to safe-guard themselves against dangerous scenarios that can develop with social networking.

St. Cyril's Catholic School, Toronto

Here is a tip: Realize that there are many social networking choices with different safety features and ways of connecting.

Two alternative choices are: Togetherville and Everloop.
Following our cyber-safety presentations at St. Cyril, teacher-librarian Mrs. Madeline Beverly told us: “Your Stand Up Now assemblies were really, really well done – informative and captivating!”

http://www.standupnow.ca

Can facebook lead to depression, suicide, murder?

A study in the American Academy of Pediatrics says when teens spend hours on social networking sites they can start comparing themselves to others. That can lead to depression in certain

Girls comparing friends lists on Facebook

personalities. The study states: “The intensity of the online world may be a factor leading to depression in some adolescents.”

I recently visited a school where 25 of 27 students in a grade 5 class were active on facebook.

Children that young don’t have the skills to deal with complex relational issues which can arise on social networking sites like facebook.
Parents need to be aware of what children are doing on-line. If you are a parent and are allowing your young children to be active on social networking, at least be on their friend list so you can keep tabs on what is happening.
Some children become devastated as a result of social networking incidents. That can lead to depression, suicide, bullycide or even murder.

Monday, we presented our ‘Cyberbullying – Got To Go’ assemblies at St. Bernadette Catholic School in Toronto (Mississauga). Those children have learned how to stay safe on-line and have received practical tips and advice on cyber-safety.
For information about our programs, visit http://www.brucelangford.ca