Can You Name 5 Reasons For Being Honest?

When dealing with bullying, you will find that the issue of honesty often comes to the surface. It is important to be honest, and I emphasize this with students in presentations everywhere. But what is an actual, real-life reason for being honest?

Here are five specific reasons for honesty:

1/ Reputation – Honesty is one of the most important ways to build a solid reputation. It is a key element in almost everyone’s mind as to whether a person is desirable. If you are choosing a friend, would your first choice be someone you knew was completely honest, or someone whose honesty was questionable? The answer is obvious. Protect your reputation by being honest. That reputation will be with you for a very long time.

2/  Peace Of Mind — there is and gnawing feeling inside you when you say something that is not true. That feeling can remain for a very long time, and it can be more uncomfortable than many people realize. When you tell an untruth you may think that you can simply move on, but the fact is that your subconscious mind remembers you have told something which is untrue. Have you ever heard the expression, ‘that is something that really eats away at me?’ That’s what dishonesty can do. Subconsciously it can do harm over time. If you take a vow of honesty, you will be rewarded in your life. You will have an inner peace which will give you great comfort.

 

3/ Relationships — honesty can solidify a friendship or family connection and build the feeling of confidence that you have with the other person or people in your relationships. Whether we are talking about relationships of family, marriage, business, education, or religion, honesty is a vital part of those relationships. Honesty can create an environment where a relationship of any kind will flourish.

 

4/ Health And Well-Being — honesty can free us from guilt, worry, and other forms of psychological stresses. Dishonesty can cause many psychological problems, therefore it only makes sense that honesty can result in excellent mental health. There is a feeling of peace and calm that results from saying the right things, being honest, and living a life of integrity. We simply feel better when we are honest.

 5/ Being Genuine — after presenting hundreds of shows to children, one commonality that comes to mind is the answer to the question I often ask; “how do you make good friends and keep them“. The answer that comes from students time after time is simply two words; “be yourself”. If children see ‘being yourself’ as such an important aspect of relationships and friendships then it is obviously very important to be genuine. How do you be a genuine person without being honest? Of course the answer is… it would be impossible. To be genuine, you absolutely must be honest. So remember, be yourself, be genuine and most of all be honest.

Bruce Langford is an anti-bullying advocate and school speaker & presenter on all topics related to bullying.  www.standupnow.ca

 

All Saints Cathedral School welcomes Canadian anti-bullying advocate Bruce Langford

All Saints Cathedral School, located in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands has a history of excellence dating back over eight decades. Their tradition of setting high standards was obvious during our visit to present bullying prevention assemblies on Tuesday.
All Saints students contributed to the interactive assemblies with thoughtful comments relating to the topic of respect and safe schools. The spiritual and moral values of the students shone through during the visit.
One of the high points was when an obviously dedicated and passionate teacher shared a packet with us she had created with her students called ‘Stop the Violence and Increase the Peace’. Packed with tips, advice, puzzles, articles and ideas about safe schools and preventing bullying, the resource is obviously the outcome of much hard work.

These Five Startling Bullying Facts are taken from the packet:
1/ 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school
2/ 71% of students report incidence of bullying as a problem at their school
3/ 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month
4/ 90% of 4^th through 8^th graders report being victims of bullying
5/ 87% of students said shootings are motivated by a desire to “get back at those who have hurt them”

Following our presentations, All Saints principal, Ms. Barry left us with the following comment:
“Your presentations endorsed the same concepts we try to teach here at All Saints Cathedral School including the quality of respect, accepting the consequences of your actions, and acknowledging you are wrong.”
Mrs. Barry, Principal, All Saints Cathedral School, U.S. Virgin Islands

Bruce Langford, speaker & presenter of school programs to encourage respect and end bullying
www.StandUpForRespect.com

Character Counts Assemblies Highly Rated by School Staff

Guthrie Public School, Guthrie Ontario

Melody Northrop, Principal at Guthrie Public School in the Simcoe County District School Board believes that Character Counts. That’s why she was instrumental in arranging to have Character Counts t-shirts for all staff members to wear on the

Character Counts T-Shirt - Guthrie Public School

first day of school, Sept 6, 2011. Three Character Counts assemblies helped to emphasize the theme with students and staff.

As guests in the school presenting ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies (part of the Character Counts campaign), we were presented with t-shirts in front of a gym filled with junior students. Ms. Northrop said that character education is an on-going effort at Guthrie. “Every year we have some kind of character ed shirts to help get the message out,” she explained. The message on the shirts was reinforced with posters and banners on display in the school.

The students we talked to definitely agree that Guthrie Public School is a great place to be. They talked about teachers that make learning fun, plays and dramas, sports and the ‘really nice’ principal (Mrs. Northrop).

Get students and staff excited about building great character – undertake a character counts campaign!

Bruce Langford – Teacher/Presenter of Character Education and Bullying Prevention programs  (www.brucelangford.ca)

Safe Schools Concert Assembly for Toronto Elementary Students

Just visited Grenoble Public School near Toronto, where we performed a Safe Schools Concert before a whole gym full of enthusiastic students. We sang about ways to support and encourage each other in every-day situations.
Students learned real life examples about how to encourage others and end up having a safer school. Cyber-safety and the internet was one of the concert themes as well. The song ‘Stay Safe’ explains that computers connected to the internet need to be in a central place in your home, like a kitchen or family room where everyone goes. It also teaches that personal information should not be published on-line. Here are some of the song lyrics:

Stay Safe    ©Written by Bruce Langford

Your address is personal information, stay safe, stay safe;
Your phone number and your school name too.
Do not share personal information.
Not in on-line conversation.
Keep things private, no hesitation,
Stay safe, stay safe, just some friendly advice.

 At home play computer in a central place, stay safe, stay safe;
A kitchen or a family room where everyone goes.
Share what you’re doing with your family.
Work at the screen where all can see.
Then you will have help when a problem comes up,
Stay safe, Stay safe, just some friendly advice.

Remember to work together and do the right things to make your school a safer place.

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.

York Catholic School Welcomes Guest Speaker at Respect Assemblies

Holy Bible at PJP II Catholic School

We visited Pope John Paul II Catholic School to present three ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies. We were inspired by the students and staff we met at the school.
A grade 8 student at PJP II shared the following story with us during our visit:
A younger child, who was a student at another school, expressed some frustration he was having with another child. The grade 8 PJP II student offered advice and acted as a positive role model to help the younger student learn how to improve his situation.
This is an excellent example of an older student using his wisdom and compassion to help a young child. Wisdom and compassion are two of the virtues taught at Pope John Paul 2^nd School.

We can all work at being positive role models. Set good examples. Share your knowledge and advice. Use compassion and wisdom just as the student at JPJ II did.

The virtues celebrated at Pope John Paul II Catholic School in Richmond Hill are:

Pope John Paul II School Virtues

Wisdom
Courage
Unity
Justice
Compassion
Hope

The shared vision of the York Catholic DSB is:
‘We are a Catholic Learning Community of collaborative partners, called to serve one another by being committed to and accountable for quality learning by all, with Jesus as our inspiration’

Pope John Paul II Catholic Elementary School, Richmond Hill Ontario

We experienced students and staff who showed they are committed to and accountable for quality learning at Pope John Paul II Catholic School.

For more information about the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies presented by Bruce Langford, visit www.standupnow.ca.

Sarnia Area School is determined to reduce bullying with Student Seminar

Hillcrest Peaceful School Pledge

The Hillcrest Peaceful School pledge is posted in the gym in a huge green peaceful school tree. The students and staff hear it every morning on the announcements.
It reads:
I attend a peaceful school.
It is my responsibility to play safe
and not say or do anything that hurts anyone’s body, feelings or things.
I respect myself.
I respect others.
I respect property.

The students showed that respect yesterday as we presented two anti-bullying seminars to the students. Hillcrest teachers gave Stand Up Now Productions top marks in their feedback reports saying they would definitely encourage other Sarnia area schools in the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) to host our Stand Up Against Bullying seminars. Teacher/Presenter, Bruce Langford was extremely pleased with the student response to the skits, videos and music.

Hillcrest Public School, Petrolia

Students at Hillcrest Public School really do care about being a peaceful school!

School Respect Assemblies in Waterloo Region by Presenter Bruce Langford

Stand Up For Respect was the theme of the day at Waterloo school, N.A. MacEachern Public School (WRDSB).

Students shared their ideas on how the world can be a more respectful place.  One student said, “If only people would just remember to be nice to each other all the time”. Another spoke about the importance of manners. Yet another reminded the audience to be optimistic, and how optimism can help keep people positive.

Students said they liked the song ‘Confidence ‘ and wanted to know if they could download it on itunes. They said they loved the role-plays acted out by their peers.  

Ms. Maedith Radlein, Principal of MacEachern, told us she was very pleased with the assemblies and liked how each assembly was designed for that age group. She liked the discussion format with the grade 7 & 8 students.  “I will definitely be a reference for your Stand Up Now programs,” she told us.

Weekly Character Education Pays off in Waterloo Region School

Students at Edna Staebler Public School in Waterloo (Waterloo Region District School Board) believe in the value of Character Education. We visited the school yesterday, and were greeted warmly by the students and staff. Principal, Mr. Jeffery Parliament told us that the students have been receiving weekly character education lessons from a staff member. We could tell.

Edna Staebler Picture at Edna Staebler School

“Treat others how you want to be treated,” was a comment that came from a student early on in one of the assemblies. We talked about empathy, and about doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
“Being honest and caring can help build stronger friendships”, a grade 7 student remarked.
We talked about being careful on-line and making the right choices about on-line activities.
A student role-play made it crystal-clear that a bystander can become a person who can definitely make a difference in a given situation.

Author Edna Staebler with her cats

Mr. Parliament said he felt the assemblies were well done and liked how we changed the assemblies to be appropriate for each division.
“Our character education classes have been some of our most important classes”, a grade 8 girl told me after the intermediate assembly.
I thought about how good it feels to be in a school where character education is taken seriously by students and staff!

Flags in the lobby of Edna Staebler School

The ‘Stand Up For Respect’ Character Ed assemblies by Stand Up Now Productions all feature video, music and student role-play as well as teacher follow-up materials.
Visit www.standupforrespect.ca

Catholic Faith School Assemblies Promote Respect – Respect Stamps Out Bullying

The fact that increased respect can reduce bullying was emphasized at St. David Catholic School in Maple yesterday as speaker/presenter Bruce Langford delivered three Character Assemblies called ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’.

St. David in Foyer

Respect is a way of life at St. David Catholic School in Maple. (York Catholic District School Board YCDSB)
Principal Ms. Angel Hayes and Vice-Principal Mr. Peter Morone encourage respectful behaviour on a daily basis at St. David School. Teachers are looked up to and older students understand they are role models for the younger children.

Respect Tip # 1: Treat people right even when no one is looking.
Some people think respect just means appearing respectful or looking and acting respectful. The truth is, respect even relates to your innermost thoughts.  People who only act appropriately when they think someone that matters is watching, are missing the point.

Respect Tip # 2: Choose positive thoughts and you will grow respect.
We can all control our thoughts. Keep your thoughts respectful and your character will start to blossom. Eliminate profanity, put-downs and nasty comments from your thoughts and lips. This will help you to be a more respectful person.

These above ideas are part of our philosophy and part of what we shared in our character building assemblies at St. David Catholic School yesterday. Principal Ms. Angel Hayes and VP Mr. Peter Morone both readily agreed to be references for the ‘Stand Up Now’ assemblies letting us know they had received great feedback from staff and students.

To arrange assemblies for your school, visit our website at www.standupagainstbullying.com

A tip to build solid friendships in Dufferin Peel Catholic Schools

Tip: You can build more friendships if you are always honest with people. Honesty is a very important part of friendships that is sometimes overlooked. What might seem like the smallest lie can still hurt a friendship in a big way. Even if no one ever finds out about the lie, it is still a lie. It is a dishonest part of you that lives inside you. Start today. Make up your mind to stick to the truth. Be committed to integrity and don’t stray from being completely truthful.
The above friendship and respect tip was included as part of our ‘Stand Up For Respect’ presentations today at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Mississauga  (DPCDSB). We met many students at St. Elizabeth Seton who obviously are committed to being respectful people. Students thought about the many aspects of respect as they watched role-plays and videos about the topic. Teachers and students told us that the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies helped kids understand how even one person can make a big difference when they make a choice on the side of respect. Just remember, Stand Up For Respect in your daily life and do your best to be honest.
Bruce Langford presents programs on respect, bullying and cybersafety in school boards across Ontario. The ‘Stand Up Now’ website is www.standupnow.ca

Oscar Peterson PS Bullying Prevention & Respect – Peel District School Board Mississauga

Respect was the theme of the day on Monday as Stand Up Now Productions visited Oscar Peterson Public School to present three assemblies. Principal, Ms. Judy Richards explained that ‘respect’ is an ongoing theme at the school and she welcomed strategies the children could use immediately. Here are some comments we received from the students after the assemblies:    “The BennyDL video was really funny and helped me remember ways to show respect.”
“I liked the acting because I learned how to speak up to a bossy person.”

“The songs were awesome, especially the ‘Respect’ song at the end.”

We had a great time being visitors for the day and we were certainly treated with respect by all the students and staff we met. Stand Up Now Productions will visit your school with presenter Bruce Langford. See the website at http://www.standupnow.ca

York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) Cyberbullying Got 2 Go Assemblies

Today Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) Catholic School in Richmond Hill hosted Bruce Langford, of Stand Up Now Productions to present two assemblies. Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go was the name of the assembly for grades 6,7,8 students. Three role plays by OLHC students were featured which emphasized to children about the dark side of facebook, the possibility of cyber predators, and possible cyber stalking. The song ‘Passwords’ was also a feature of the program. It included a number of tips about passwords including the repeated line: passwords – keep ‘em to yourself, tell no one else.

Here is a tip about passwords: Never choose a password by using the name of your pet or your street name. Others can often guess those kinds of passwords. Instead choose 8-14 characters which include lower case, upper case, numbers and symbols.

We remarked to Principal Ms. Gabriela Mastrodi-Casa how impressed we were with her school. Students were keen to learn about the concepts being taught in the assemblies, and the student audience was completely attentive during all the videos, role-plays and songs. They were also respectful as we spoke about the importance of Catholic faith and how it relates to the topic of treating others the right way.

Book Bruce Langford to present programs in your school.Visit the website at http://www.standupnow.ca

Building respect assembly in Waterloo Region District Schools

Building a better world, one student at a time.
This is the slogan at New Dundee Public School near Kitchener, Ontario.
These students really understand RESPECT. They work on these things every day:

1. Friendly language
   

   New Dundee Dragon

2. Including others
3. Cooperation
4. Helping each other
5. Being polite

New Dundee Principal, Mrs. Debbie Scholl makes sure the students are thinking about respect. She has made sure the walls are covered with positive messages and character-building reminders. See for yourself. Even the New Dundee Dragon mascot is a respectful fellow! Here are just a few of the positive messages we saw here at New Dundee Public School.

Mrs. Scholl was totally enthusiastic about the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies.
“You really made respect come alive to our children!”, she exclaimed. “We were completely delighted!”
Mrs. Deb Scholl, Principal, New Dundee Public School

Intermediate Respect Assemblies a Hit with Windsor School Students

Bullying Prevention at Marlborough PS

Positive remarks from Grade 7 and 8 Marlborough Public School students flowed after the assembly there earlier today.
“I really liked the videos and the songs!” (Grade 7 student)
“You got me thinking about how I treat other people. I will treat my brother better from now on.” (Grade 8 student)
“When can you come back to Marlborough?” (Grade 8 student)

The students got me thinking too. If I can feel so appreciated at Marlborough Public School, what are they doing under that roof that I can learn from?
Number one, I believe that Marlborough principal, Jessica Reimers treats her staff and students with respect. That came through to me as a visitor there.
Number two, I believe the teachers treat the students with respect. Extra-curricular activities mean a lot to the students and they are proud to participate. Students talked about the great sports opportunities they have at Marlborough and they talked about the music program. An example is the Drum Line band led by music teacher, Mr. Tim Beneteau. The students admire and respect him. They talked about him from the time I met the first students in the morning.
This brings me to a tip to help improve your own school climate.
Get involved in some extra-curricular activity. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or a support person in the school, extra-curricular activities can really boost the school morale and help everyone feel of value. It can build confidence and school spirit too!

GECDSB Logo

Following the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ presentation, one of the comments we received was:
“Bruce Langford’s assembly grabbed the students’ attention in an instant. Really great program!”
Mr. Tim Beneteau, Music Teacher.

It was great being visitors in a school where the feeling of respect can be felt from both students and staff. Keep up that great community spirit, Marlborough Mariners!

Cyberbullying Assemblies in Toronto (Brampton) Ontario

Bruce Langford as DJ Benny DL

Cyberbullying Assemblies to teach students about cyber-safety and the virtual world in Toronto. St. Jean Brebeuf hosted Bruce Langford and Stand Up Now Productions today with ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies and ‘Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’.

Cyberbullying Tip: Always unplug your webcam when you are not using it or cover the lens if your webcam is built into your computer.

That was one of the tips we shared with Grade 7 and 8 students during the talk today.
Book Bruce Langford for a Keynote address, a teacher talk, or a parent meet and greet.
Contact Bruce at  www.standupnow.ca

3 Tips to Help Build Positive School Communities

Dougall Avenue Public School in Windsor is diligent about building positive communities. I’m sure the Greater Essex County District School Board is proud of the work that is being done at Dougall to grow respect and build an even more positive community. As part of Stand Up Now Productions, we were honoured to be part of the initiative at Dougall today, to teach and encourage students and staff to ‘Stand Up For Respect’ through three interactive assemblies.

Dougall Avenue Public School, Windsor On

If you want to help build your own positive community, just follow the lead of Dougall Public School and Principal Clayton Callow.
1. Diversity – Embrace the differences of the people you meet on a daily basis. Being open to the rich diversity of our people is a truly rewarding experience. Over 50 nations are represented at Dougall Avenue Public School.
2. Diligence – apply a constant and earnest effort in order to accomplish your goal of building a stronger and more vital community. Don’t let up!
3. Determination – Keep your focus in constant sight and stay on course with genuine effort.

As visitors today, it was apparent to us that students and staff take community building seriously.
Principal Clayton Callow said he was pleased with the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assemblies and Child and Youth Worker, Noelle Papak was also very appreciative:
“All three assemblies were excellent. The students loved the set-up, the music and the DJ. The intermediate assembly really met the needs of our staff and students at Dougall. Bruce did a great job of giving our grade 7’s & 8’s a chance to speak and be heard in a diplomatic way!” (Noelle Papak, CYW, Dougall Ave PS)

For more information on ‘Stand Up Now’ assemblies, visit the website at http://www.standupnow.ca

Bullying Tips for Kids in Toronto School with DJ Benny DL

Benny DL rocked the house in Toronto today with cool songs and bullying tips for kids as he went on the air live at Lynngate Public School in Toronto (Scarborough). Staff and students gave the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ shows two thumbs up as Bruce Langford (aka Benny DL) gave out prizes, showed videos, and featured role-plays by Lynngate’s own students.
Lynngate really believes in living respect and growing character. That is proven when you meet the children and glance around the halls.

This poem spotted on the wall is only one of the signs of proof:

Watch your thoughts;
they become words.
Watch your words;
they become actions.
Watch your actions;
they become habits.
Watch your habits;
they become character;
Watch your character;
it becomes your destiny.
Frank Outlaw

Lynngate School Principal, Ms. Diane Kriksciunas, remarked that the assemblies were ‘simply excellent’ after watching her students interact with presenter Bruce Langford of Stand Up Now Productions.
Here are three tips to help you deal with bullying in your life:
1. In some cases, ignore the bullying. The bully is often trying to test you to see if you will lose your cool. Don’t lose your cool!
2. Tell a parent, teacher or other adult if you feel you are being bullied. If you get no help, talk to someone else or ask the original person again. Call Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) if you have no one else to talk to.
3. Try to keep acting and looking confident. Don’t let the bullying think he or she is winning.

Contact Bruce Langford by emailing through the website: www.standupnow.ca

Respect Assemblies Teaching About the Bystander in Sarnia Ontario Canada

Colonel Cameron Public School

Mrs. Cindy Kramer of Colonel Cameron Public School in Corunna (Lambton Kent District School Board) was excited about the Stand Up For Respect Bullying Prevention assemblies by Bruce Langford and Stand Up Now Productions.
A role-play about a student who was shunned by team captains helped students identify with the person. We talked about empathy and how empathy means putting yourself into someone else’s shoes. We talked about bystanders who see or hear meanness and do nothing about it. Bystanders are not bad people. Maybe they just didn’t know what to do. Maybe they were scared. Maybe it happened so fast, they didn’t have a chance to act. Even adults will be bystanders sometimes. As adults, we always need to be aware that it is our responsibility to protect children. Be visible and keep an eye open to make sure our children are safe. We do need to teach our children to stand up for themselves and others, but we need to also teach them to stay safe.
As part of our assemblies today, adults and kids vowed together:
“I will stand up for respect”.
We met many respectful people at Colonel Cameron Public School and received a warm and caring welcome.

To arrange programs for your school, visit the website at http://www.standupnow.ca

National Gallery of Canada Inspires Creative Ways to Stop Bullying

Artists get bullied more than the rest of the population.

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Do you believe the above statement? Some people do. Artists think outside the box. They are unique. They have a creative side that much of society doesn’t understand. Go to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa like we did today and we think you will agree that we must encourage creativity. It is people with creativity who create everything from new inventions to games to entertaining movies &

National Gallery Looking Up

 books. Creative people are inspired by that which is artistic. We would be lost in this world without those people who are able to create.
So we must stand up against bullying of creative and artistic people. How to stand up against bullying?
1. Don’t just look the other way, do something.
2. Speak up for the person.
3. Talk to them later with encouraging words.
4. Let people know you don’t agree with bullying.
5. Be a role model who will inspire others.
6. Live your life as a positive example for people to see.

Stand Up Now Productions (Bruce Langford) visited St. Anne Catholic School

St. Anne Catholic School, Kanata

 in Kanata (Ottawa) today to teach children how to stand up against bullying.
Principal, Mrs. Jane Hill of St. Anne School spoke highly of the Stand Up Against Bullying assemblies and will recommend Stand Up Now to other schools.
Arrange ‘Stand Up Now’ Programs to take place at your school. Visit the website at: http://www.standupnow.ca</object