Category Archives: school assemblies

7 Tips to use drama and role-plays to teach social skills and bullying prevention

Ventura Park School students learn respect

Student role-plays and drama skits are a great way to help students learn social skills related to bullying. Here are some tips to get you started whether you are a parent, teacher, babysitter, caregiver, step parent, grandfather, daycare provider, grandmother, aunt, uncle or other interested adult.

1/ Next time a child reports an incident, whether it is bullying, teasing or other type of situation, take a minute to have them act out the scenario with one or two other people. The others could be children or adults or you could even pretend your pets are participants.

2/ As an alternative to #1 above, have the child act out the scenario with dolls, puppets or even paper cut-outs of characters.

3/ You be the narrator and set up the scene as described by the child. If you are not sure what comes next, let the child fill in the details.

4/ If the acted-out scenario starts to go in a mean direction or there is a nasty slant to the drama, just listen and then say: “now we’re going to do TAKE TWO which will be a bit different.” Explain to the child that it will start the same, but this time things get better when one character starts being a great role-model. Continue by giving the child a specific line to say which will change the direction of the drama.

5/ After the role-play has been acted out, let the child continue to focus on what has just happened by having them draw and colour a picture to go with the action.

6/ Use your iphone, android smart phone, flip cam or video camera to capture the drama and then plug it into the TV to show your child the action. Use this opportunity to discuss different directions the same situation could have taken. Give your child choices as to what they think would have been the best resolution to the situation. Take a still picture of the drama post a print-out on the fridge with a title such as “Great Role-Model”.

7/ Two or three days later, refer to the video role-play your child did and begin to discuss it again. Have your child re-visit the scenario by having them write a story about it. Tell them you’d like them to write a story to help a five-year who might be having some trouble getting along with others. This project can have meaning and value for a child who might otherwise not see themselves as a role-model or leader. Tell them that they are likely being watched everyday by children younger than themselves who learn from what they see.

Yesterday, we visited Ventura Park Public School in Thornhill (greater Toronto region) and presented assemblies which used role-play as a teaching tool.

We were so impressed with Principal, Ms. Kim Wagner and Vice-Principal, Ms. Sonia Kadela, who emphasize respect on a daily basis at their school.

Here is a quick video of Ms. Kadela commenting on the Stand Up Assemblies featuring Benny DL as DJ of radio station ATFM.
(Learn more about Benny DL at www.standupnow.ca)

Student Survey Initiates Anti-Bullying Assemblies in YRDSB

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Richmond Rose Public School was our destination yesterday as we set out to present three bullying prevention assemblies.

Principal, Mr. Rick Rosemin and Vice-Principal Ms. Heather Levitt have obviously worked hard to set the tone for their continuing anti-bullying initiative. They both appeared before the students in each of the three assemblies and talked about the importance of bullying prevention. They played a game with the students as part of identifying the difference between bullying situations and non-bullying situations. They made it clear to the students that respect comes first at Richmond Rose School.

The mission of Richmond Rose P.S. is “Learning and Growing Together”. In 2005, students and staff created the Richmond Rose Touchstone to support everything we do. The following is the Richmond Rose Touchstone:

At Richmond Rose, we take responsibility for our work, words and actions.
We put in our best efforts, enjoy our successes, and learn from our mistakes.
We embrace each other’s differences and care for each other’s feelings.
We think before we speak and use words that are appropriate for school.
Our community is a safe community; a place where we treat people with kindness, respect and dignity
No one is afraid at our school.
At Richmond Rose, we are free to succeed!

Students were very engaged by the messages delivered in our assemblies. It was obvious that Mr. Rosemin and Ms. Levitt as well as the rest of the staff have made an impression on the students regarding acceptable behaviours and what constitutes bullying.

Students approached me after the junior and intermediate assemblies and asked questions how they could learn even more about bullying prevention and growing respect levels.

Children in the primary assembly were heard singing Bruce Langford’s bullying prevention theme song “Stand Up” as they played at recess.

Richmond Rose Public School sets a fine example of how schools can help students in a meaningful way to learn how to respect each other more. We extend a sincere thanks to Mr. Rosemin and Ms. Levitt and all the staff and students for allowing us to be part of their student survey driven Anti-Bullying assemblies.

Stand Up Now Productions presents their ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ Assemblies to students of all ages.
www.standupnow.ca

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

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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

Determination, self-confidence and courage can stamp out bullying in U.S. Virgin Islands

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Use determination and courage to stamp out bullying. Confidence and willpower can be strong forces when dealing with cruelty and the students here in the U.S. Virgin Islands know how to use their confidence to their advantage. It is important to be strong and stand up against meanness. Students must be willing to lead by example and show others they won’t put up with bullying. It is imperative for teachers to be on-board and to be willing to take a stand against bullying as well. We can all make a difference by using our inner strength and self-confidence to our advantage. Always keep your safety in the forefront of your mind. Your safety should be your first concern.
The students at Prophecy Academy in the United States Virgin Islands understand that their level of confidence can have a direct impact on the amount of bullying that takes place. We must all be strong and willing to help each other in our universal community. Just watch the video below, and you will see strong minded, confident youth who believe in themselves and are empowered by God to make a difference.
Just remember; Stand Up Against Bullying and take a stand!

School workshops, seminars and keynote talks by Bruce Langford, the Stand Up Against Bullying Guy www.standupagainstbullying.com

6 Ways To Stand Up Against Bullying During Bullying Awareness Week in Ontario

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Nov 13 to Nov 19 is Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. The theme is ‘Stand Up To Bullying’. You can ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ by getting actively involved. Here are some things you can do:

Write a song and share it with your family, school, radio station or You-Tube
Talk to an expert and find out ways you can volunteer with their organization
If you are a student, talk to your student council rep about having a ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ day at your school
If you are employed at a school, start a poster campaign to raise awareness
If you are being bullied – talk to someone; write about it and then try to make changes in your life so the bullying will stop.
If you bully people, take a vow to stop this destructive behaviour – it not only hurts others, it hurts you.

Together, we can all help stop bullying!
Visit www.standupagainstbullying.com

Winston Churchill and how to Stand Up Against Bullying Using 5 Key Character Traits

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Winston Churchill was a man known for his strong character traits. When we talk about ways to beat bullying, just imagine how Winston Churchill would have done his part to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’.

He had
COURAGE. He was willing to move forward regardless of whether the majority of people agreed with him or not. That kind of courage requires an underlying
CONFIDENCE that is gained from experience and strength of character. Confidence can also be built through self-talk, study and
DETERMINATION. Think of a laser beam pointing in one specific direction and never wavering from its target. That is like the determination of Winston Churchill when he became Prime Minister at the age of sixty-five. It is also like the determination of a person who is focusing on making the world a better place by eliminating bullying. Winston Churchill also had tremendous
PERSEVERANCE as he wasn’t willing to give up easily. His perseverance helped him move through his election defeat in 1945 when he was voted out by the same people he had earlier led to victory. In spite of that defeat, he remained grounded and stayed on as leader of the opposition. Later he was elected as prime minister again in 1950.

Think of Churchill and these four character traits when you deal with bullying situations. What would Churchill have done? Would he have given up, or continued to persevere?

We visited Winston Churchill Public School in Chatham yesterday and were impressed with the students and the serious attitude they had in regard to Standing Up Against Bullying. Principal, Leslie Boulton was very pleased with the three assemblies and told us they were “even better than our last visit to her school”. That was when she was principal at Harwich Raleigh Public School (Lambton Kent District School Board) in 2005.
Remember to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’.

PRO Grant Money Used by Parent Council to Benefit all Students at Peel School

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PRO Grant Money (Parents Reaching Out) is provided by the government of Ontario to benefit schools and school children all across Ontario. Caledon East Public School has made wise use of their PRO Grant money. They sponsored a Stand Up To Bullying Day with speaker/presenter Bruce Langford of Stand Up Now Productions.

Bruce Langford presented his interactive ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assemblies for all the students of the school. Later, the students brought parents back to learn about the internet, cyber-safety and bullying prevention. The parent session was called ‘Stand Up – Keep Your Kids’.
Parent Council Chair, Mrs. Jan McFadyen, felt the money was well spent. More than twenty-five families attended the evening session, representing a good percentage of the school population. Some of the comments made by parents following the presentation were:

“Excellent information and a great way to present it!”

“Bruce made the presentation very interesting and easy to follow.”

“This format kept the interest of both parents and children. Wow!”

“I’ve seen student presentations and I’ve seen parent presentations, but I’ve never seen a successful combination like Bruce achieved tonight.” Mrs. Laurie Allison, Principal, Caledon East Public School.

Caledon East students work together to achieve a sense of community. They care about each other, their teachers, and their building. They are eager to learn about bystanders and strategies to stand up against bullying. Caledon East is a caring community of people who show respect to each other. Thanks for sharing, Caledon East!
Book programs for your school. Invite Bruce Langford of Stand Up Now Productions. He will present assemblies specifically designed for each division. Website: www.standupagainstbullying.com

Wisdom and Respect Workshop in York Catholic DSB School

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St. Matthew's Virtues Tree, Markham

Founded on Faith
Growing with Hope
Rooted in Love
Faith, Hope and Love are key virtues at St. Matthew Catholic School in Unionville (Markham) Ontario.

The 9 St. Matthew’s Virtues:

Unity
Wisdom
Reverence
Perseverance
Justice
Responsibility

St. Matthew's Hawks Mascot

Courage
Compassion
Integrity

In the student workshops today, we focused on Wisdom and Respect. These are very important virtues because they can shape you as the person you were meant to be. Use your wisdom to make the best choices. Use your wisdom to do things without having to be asked. That is how initiative is related to wisdom. Use your wisdom to show respect, help others and make the world a better place. Use your wisdom to grow your faith.

St. Matthew Catholic School, YCDSB

The students here at St. Matthew Catholic School take the virtues of respect and wisdom seriously. They want to use their wisdom to help grow their understanding of respect.

St. Matthew’s School

St. Matthew School Mural

Principal, Mrs. Veronica Robinson said she would recommend the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ workshops to the other Principals in the York Catholic District School Board.
“Bruce Langford inspired and engaged all our students with his presentation skills. Excellent assemblies!”
Mrs. Veronica Robinson (Principal), St. Matthew Catholic School, Markham
(York Catholic District School Board)

Students and staff left a lasting impression with us today at St. Matthew Catholic School in Markham! Remember, ‘Stand Up For Respect’.

‘Stand Up For Respect’ workshops are available for your school. Contact Bruce Langford at Stand Up Now Productions 1-800-901-8831.

Helping Others Develops Strong Character at Summers Corners School in TVDSB

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Bruce Langford Bullying Prevention Speaker

Bruce Langford at a TVDSB School

Snow, snow and more snow here at Summers Corners Public School near Aylmer, Ontario.

The snow brings us together. It gets us working together, helping each other. We offer to shovel snow for those who need help. We encourage each other to stay safe on the roads. We become a little closer to each other when we offer help to people.

Summers Corners Public School

Today at Summers Corners Public School in Thames Valley District School Board, our message has been to help each other and encourage each other. Be the one person who will have the strength and the courage to stand up against bullying. Be willing to take action and do something. It does take confidence and strength. It requires strong character. Every person can learn to develop their character and take charge. Summers Corners students are those kind of people. They exhibit respect and consideration and that really came through to us during our visit today.

Summers Corners School Sign

We had some student role-plays featuring Summers Corners students that focused on the bystander and how you can become the person who will do something about a situation. Summers Corners Principal, Mr. Don Naylor welcomed the students in all three assemblies and introduced Bruce Langford as the presenter. He talked about building strong character and Mr. Naylor told the students, ‘don’t be a bystander, be an upstander’.

Remember that quote! And remember to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ at your school.

School Assemblies by Bruce Langford of ‘Stand Up Now Productions’
www.standupnow.ca

A Bully of a Storm Hammers Southern Ontario Closing Thousands of Schools

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Finch Avenue Public School Sign

Sometimes storms strike with no apparent reason. The same thing can be true with bullying. A bullying incident can happen suddenly taking everyone by surprise. Maybe it was triggered by anger, jealousy or resentment. Maybe someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe someone had a bad day.
Just like a snow storm, bullying can catch us off guard and cause a lot of disruptions, inconveniences and upset.

Finch Avenue Public School Building, Toronto

There is one major difference though. We can learn to end bullying. We can council our children and teach bystanders how to change the direction of bullying incidents. Do this by changing the subject, moving to another location, or just speaking up in a confident way with a non-confrontational request to leave the person alone.
Today at Finch Avenue Public School in Toronto, the students were completely captured with the ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ presentations. They learned how bystanders can make a difference. They joined in with the songs and were totally tuned in to a music video called ‘The Wall’.
We can’t change a snow storm, but we can reduce bullying. Remember to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’. Contact Bruce Langford to book assemblies with DJ Benny DL at your school: www.standupagainstbullying.com