Parent Reaching Out Grants for Bullying Prevention Programs

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Government subsidies can help with bullying prevention. Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grants for Ontario School Councils are available for 2012 to help increase parent involvement in support of student achievement and well-being. Be sure to apply for 2013 funding once the applications are released, so that you can use your funds for a good cause within your school. Many school councils choose to fund bullying prevention programs as well as purchase anti-bullying books and resources for their school libraries. We have delivered many bullying prevention programs in schools, made possible with the funding from the Ontario Government’s Parent Reaching Out grants.

Great feedback has been received from parents, teachers, principals and students. Here are some comments:

“Bruce Langford’s Stand Up Now programs were excellent, filled with valuable content of benefit to our students. I would gladly endorse this program.”
Ms. Marika Boshyk, Principal St. Demetrius Catholic School Toronto Toronto Catholic District School Board

“I was impressed with how each presentation was tailored to the needs and interest level of each division. The presentations were creative and interactive and they certainly captured the attention of the students. Thank you again for addressing such an important topic in such an engaging manner.”
Ms. Kim Moses, Teacher Trillium Woods Public School, Richmond Hill York Region District School Board

“Bruce, we loved your interactive approach with the audience during your presentations, giving our students an opportunity to voice their concerns around bullying through the question and answer portion of the assembly. Your presentation fostered a comfort level with the students that encourage them to be open and honest during the assembly, qualities that tend to be lost when dealing with issues of bullying.”
Claudio Moschella (Acting VP) Earnscliffe Senior Public School, Bramption Peel District School Board

Bruce Langford offers bullying prevention presentations for schools and parent groups
www.standupagainstbullying.com Phone 905-233-2102

Conquer Bullying and Conflict with Self-Forgiveness

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To conquer bullying, let’s strive for less conflict in the world. How to do that … self-forgiveness. (Read on to learn how we can calm the bullying epidemic by learning the concept of self-forgiveness).

When you are comfortable with both your strengths and weaknesses, you radiate simple, unaffected humanity. Self acceptance, total self acceptance, means self-forgiveness.
When you forgive yourself and stop judging yourself, then you won’t judge others, and there will be less conflict in the world.

Bruce Langford is an anti-bullying advocate and speaker/presenter.
www.brucelangford.ca telephone: 905-233-2102

Were Steve Jobs, Tom Cruise, Cher, Bill Gates and Albert Einstein bullied?

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A little known secret about Steve Jobs is that he had a learning disability in the form of dyslexia. Sadly, special needs students are often bullied. In fact people who are different are frequently bullied and many times special needs children are perceived as being different. Children with special needs may be dyslexic as in the case of Steve Jobs or they may be autistic. They could also have ADD (attention deficit disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), have a visual or auditory impairment, or be gifted.

There are many examples of famous people who had special needs, yet were able to compensate for their challenges. Some examples of famous people with dyslexia are: Tom Cruise, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Cher, John Lennon, Sir Richard Branson and Steven Spielberg. Other famous people with learning disabilities are: Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.

In many classrooms there are children who are very protective of their special needs classmates. However, sometimes special needs students suffer relentless bullying.

We can all help special needs students achieve success by making sure they are not bullied, and by creating a classroom culture of protection. After all, special needs children often have amazing talents and abilities as the list above indicates. Remember, Stand Up Against Bullying in every school classroom, home and community!

Bruce Langford is a bullying prevention advocate who teaches peace strategies. www.standupagainstbullying.com

Does Bully Movie 2012 show too much graphic bullying?

Dr. Kenneth Shore’s Top 6 Bullying Prevention Tips

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Stand Up – Make it Stop; Let’s End It. These are the words of a child describing the challenges of bullying. Why can’t we make bullying stop? Why can’t we just decide to end bulling? The answer is we can. It just takes a concerted effort with everyone moving toward the same goal to end bullying forever. Of course it is not easy. Definitely there are many who say bullying is part of being human and will never end.
The point is though, that no child should have to go to school in fear. Every person should feel safe in their community and not fear being bullied. Children should not be nervous to go on-line for fear of being bullied.
These thoughts took me to Dr. Kenneth Shore’s book, “The ABC’s of Bullying Prevention”.
Dr. Shore is a psychologist and family counselor and has written this valuable book about bullying prevention. I’ve included his top six bullying prevention tips here.
1. Take it seriously. Shore says bullying often goes unrecognized by educators, or is recognized but isn’t taken seriously. “It’s easy for us as adults to dismiss kids’ concerns, but so often, issues or problems we perceive as small loom large for them.” The common thread in stories of bullied kids who attempt or successfully commit suicide is that schools dismissed complaints about bullying or didn’t treat them with the seriousness they deserved, says Shore.
2. Prevent it. Your local board of education probably has an anti-bullying policy, but words on a piece of paper won’t change things. Instead, a committee of students, parents, and school-site staff should work together to plan and implement a prevention program. Shore says studies show a 50-percent reduction in bullying in schools that adopt comprehensive bullying prevention programs.
3. Don’t treat bullying as exceptional. Shore says one of the mistakes schools make is they treat bullying prevention as a one-time activity. “You don’t solve bullying with one big assembly,” he says. Instead, hold several ongoing activities throughout the year to address the problem. “Make sure the issue is very much alive in kids’ minds.”
4. Meet in each classroom. It’s crucial that teachers make time for special classroom meetings held a minimum of four times a year conveying that bullying is unacceptable, and the school takes it seriously. “Seat kids in a circle and engage them in discussions where they can talk about times they’ve been bullied and discuss what that felt like,” he says. During the meeting, teachers should also talk about things they’ll do if they see bullying happening.
5. Zero tolerance. Parents of kids suspected of bullying need to find out what their children are doing and address it seriously. “Make sure to let him know it’s unacceptable and that you’re going to be monitoring behavior and if it continues, there’s going to be serious consequences. Let your child know you mean business and then try to understand why it is that he’s engaging in these behaviors.”
6. Don’t blame the victim. If your child comes to you and says he’s being bullied, “Don’t dismiss the concerns with a ‘sorry that happened, hope things go better tomorrow,’ response, or suggest it’s your child’s fault,” says Shore. Listen to your child, recognize that he’s a victim, and follow-up with the school in-person. “You want to be a pit-bull taking whatever steps you need to ensure the bullying stops.”

Bruce Langford is a Canadian bullying prevention advocate offering interactive, musical school assemblies on the topic.
http://standupagainstbullying.com

Does the violence and bullying in The Hunger Games mean it should be rated PG-13?

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Recently I noticed that The Hunger Games has received a PG-13 rating in United States while the new movie, Bully has been rated R for language. I’d like your opinion on those ratings. (U.S. ratings) Shouldn’t a movie that teaches about the reality of the bullying epidemic in our country’s schools be available for our youth to see? Some say The Hunger Games should be rated R.
I have included a teenage girl’s review of The Hunger Games below. Let me know what you think.

THE HUNGER GAMES REVIEW
I consider myself a bit of an expert on the Hunger Games because I have actually read the series four times. I first read them just as they were coming out, waiting many months for each book. I loved the hunger games because the characters were very real. The way Katniss dealt with things was not glorified, it was honest. I think Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch Abernathy, Cinna, Finnick Odair, President Snow, Primrose Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne and the other characters really stood out to me in that they each had something completely different about them that added to the story. I have always liked futuristic novels, and this series was full of constant suspense and adventures that made it impossible to stop reading.

I think that someone could benefit from reading The Hunger Games by learning how corrupt society can become if we let it. The world has always been full of sin and people should know that it is real and that people can do sadistic and extreme things for power and control. This is represented in the Capital’s domination of the other districts. Throughout the Hunger Games series, however, the reader sees that no matter how strong the Capital appears to be, there are always “chinks in the armour” and opportunities to rebel. This will never happen, though, if no one has the courage and determination to fight.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the Hunger Games series as the movie comes out, and some are saying the themes in this series are evil. I do not believe that this is true at all. Yes there is violence and death throughout the books, but most fantasy novels feature this (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, any series, really). The important thing to remember is that these are not children’s books. The Hunger Games books were meant for young adults and should be treated and viewed accordingly. This books do not condone violence, it fights against it.
In my opinion children under the age of 14 should not be allowed to read The Hunger Games. It is not because they are severely inappropriate; it is because although the books really have nothing the kids don’t see in video games, I do not see a child clearly grasping the point of the series. The corruption, romance and rebellion can be much better understood by an older reader as there are some very complicated factors in the novels.

I do not think The Hunger Games series should be made into a movie because many main points and details will be mixed, diluting the series. In my opinion, don’t see the movie, read the books!
Alyssa Jeavons, Student Lord Dorchester Secondary School, Dorchester Ontario Canada Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB)

Bruce Langford, anti-bullying advocate and school presenter www.standupforrespect.com

Simcoe County District School Board School Welcomes Anti-Bullying Speaker, Bruce Langford

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West Bayfield Elementary School in Barrie was our destination today, where we presented ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ and ‘Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’ assemblies to all students from JK to grade 8. Students were passionate about the topic. They were eager to learn as much as they could about the internet and the dangers of cyberspace. They told stories and acted out scenarios. The Simcoe County District School Board has raised awareness that dangers lurk in cyberspace. Students just wanted to learn the details.

We talked about how GPS encoding is embedded in photographs taken on many cell phones and how it can reveal exactly when the photo was taken. One student told us a story about how his facebook account had been hacked into and the violator set up another facebook account which was an exact duplicate of his own. The student had good news about the outcome. He was actually able to have the offending site removed, because he was able to get into it himself and have it deleted.

We were impressed when we arrived at the school, because students had posted visual artwork on the topic of ‘Caring’ and ‘Stand Up’ and how we can all stand together to trump bullying. I’ve included some of the photos here along with a short video.

Students, teachers and administrators told us how pleased they were with the three contrasting assemblies.

“Presentations were entertaining, insightful, and age appropriate. They were thoroughly enjoyed by all of our students and they learned a great from them. I would highly recommend Bruce’s presentations for any school.”
Mike Geer, Principal, West Bayfield Elementary School, Barrie Ontario

Bruce Langford, Anti-bullying advocate and international speaker presenter: www.brucelangford.ca

How much bullying is in The Hunger Games according to typical teenagers?

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The Hunger Games is huge. Almost everyone has something to say about how appropriate the themes are or how much violence is involved. Recently I read a report that there were more than forty-one instances of violence … and that is in the first book alone. I would like to hear from you. How much bullying and violence did you notice as you read the series? Do you feel the story-line is appropriate for teens or pre-teens?
I am including a quick review by a teenager who has read the books:
“The Hunger Games was, in my opinion, a great book. There are many important issues and emotional stress that are dealt with in the book. I believe it is very beneficial to those who read it, however, the age group targeted (11-16 year olds) is generally too young to appreciate the important issues discussed in the book. Things like child cruelty, rebellion, and war go right over the heads of the younger kids who read it. Missed, too, are the important roles of love and inner turmoil. These books would gain greater appreciation if they were targeted to an older, more mature audience.”
Review by Tyson Longfield, Graduate of Lord Dorchester Secondary School, Dorchester Ontario (Thames Valley District School Board)

Stay tuned for more teen reviews of The Hunger Games in the next few days.
Let me know what you think? Please leave a comment.

Bruce Langford is a teacher, speaker and presenter of school bullying prevention programs. www.standupnow.ca

Bruce Langford talks bullying on Belleville talk radio CJBQ

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Bullying was the topic. Toronto, Sarnia, Kingston, Collingwood, Kitchener, London and Cambridge talk radio are no match to the Lorne Brooker Show in Belleville today. Can you believe it? A beautiful white swan graceful swam by as we proceeded to broadcast the Lorne Brooker Show live, on the air in Belleville. Listeners from all over Belleville, Trenton, Hastings, Quinte and Prince Edward Counties were tuned in. We talked about bullying as it was in the past. We talked about cyber-bullying and the bystander. We talked about bullying attitudes. The phone lines lit up and our callers told interesting stories about how bullying had touched their lives. Lorne Brooker made thoughtful comments and confidently steered the conversation in an appropriate direction. Callers shared their views about how money should be spent to help reduce bullying in the Belleville-Quinte area. We talked about bullying in the Hastings Prince Edward schools and how a 10-year old girl named Mary had written a letter about her own bullying experiences that touched a nerve with so many in the community. Her mother helped create a brand new organization called Parents Against Childhood Bullying – PACB. The scenery was so beautiful from the fourth floor studio window, yet the subject was disconcerting at times. Solutions to society’s bullying problems are not easily found, but I certainly agree that one of the steps involves community dialogue.
Talk radio is alive and well in Belleville Ontario Canada!

Bruce Langford was in Belleville as a keynote speaker at The Hastings and Prince Edward Human Services and Justice Committee Conference 2012 along with speaker Dr. Bruce Ballon, Head A.C.E.S. for Problem Gambling. Dr. Bruce Ballon was speaking on the topic of Internet Addiction and Mr. Bruce Langford was speaking on the theme of ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’.

Bruce Langford is an international speaker and presenter on the topic of bullying and cyberbullying www.standupagainstbullying.com

Hastings, Prince Edward Counties – Verbal & Physical Bullying To End

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A 10-year old girl in Belleville Ontario is taking a stand against bullying at her school. She says verbal and physical attacks toward her have been ongoing and she has had enough. She wrote a letter explaining details about the bullying she has been experiencing. She says she spends recess in the kindergarten room because nobody will play with her, and explains that she feels alienated and dejected. Her mother believes that the school staff is not protecting her daughter.
These are certainly serious allegations. Although I don’t know all the details surrounding the situation, I have a few suggestions to hopefully calm the waters.
1. I encourage the girl’s parents to set up a meeting with the teacher. Have a list of concerns to address and suggested outcomes. Take notes. Insist on a specific plan of action.
2. After 5 days, re-evaluate the situation. Has the bullying stopped? Has the situation improved? If not, set up a meeting with the principal and make a written plan. Set a date for a follow-up meeting to talk about whether or not things have improved. No child should feel unsafe at school.
3. Ask to see the bullying prevention action plan set out by the school. Ask what initiatives have been put into place to encourage respect and reduce bullying. Insist that you are looking out for the well-being of your child.

Do not give up. Continue to connect with the teacher or administrators to carry out the plan of action. If the plan of action is not working, insist on an alternative. Be aware of the Hasting and Prince Edward District School Board’s commitment to providing caring, safe, respectful and inclusive learning environments for all students. Do your best to remain calm and professional, yet strong with your assertions that your child be provided with the caring, safe and respectful environment referred to by the school board.
I will be most interested in the outcome of this situation and am optimistic it will come to a positive conclusion for all involved.

Bruce Langford provides bullying prevention programs for schools. www.brucelangford.ca