Category Archives: Uncategorized

Inspiring Bullying Quotes so you know you’re not alone

inspiring_bullying_quotes Today I decided to feature some quotes about bullying prevention that I think are inspiring.

Here are the lyrics to a song by Simple Plan:
“No, you don’t know what it’s like / When nothing feels all right
You don’t know what it’s like / To be like me
To be hurt / To feel lost / To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you’re down / To feel like you’ve been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down / And no one’s there to save you
No, you don’t know what it’s like / Welcome to my life”

Simple Plan

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk who now lives in France. He is a teacher, author and poet. The following quote by Thich Nhat Hanh helps you empathize with the person responsible for the meanness of bullying:

“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

Imagine if you’d been in a terrible accident and you needed Continue reading →

School visit teaches Cyber-bullying Prevention Strategies

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Associated Hebrew Schools, Toronto Ontario

Associated Hebrew Schools, Toronto was the location of our anti-bullying and cyber-safety presentations. Students were incredibly responsive to the message. One staff member remarked that she was so impressed at the attentiveness of the student audience. I would certainly agree with her. There were times in the presentation when you could hear a pin drop.

A group of girls talked about cell phones and how they believe personal devices should not be used by students during school hours. ‘It can be completely disruptive in a classroom’, they told me. Of course I agree with the girls about how distracting it can be. Obviously, they had Continue reading →

Racism and Bullying – How can we deal with it?

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no racism Racism can be seen in many different forms and there are many different ways to deal with it. At school, there are resources which can be used to help children understand that racism is not ok. Videos, books, websites, games and activities have been created with the goal of reducing and eliminating racial prejudice.

As parents we can all model non-racist behaviour and make sure any racist comments on television, on-line or in reading materials are dealt with. For example, if your child is watching a YouTube video and someone makes a racist comment, be sure you deal with it. Have your child stop the video and discuss the implications of what was just said. Talk about why this comment was unacceptable. Talk about how even though racism exists, it is important to make a stand against it. Speak up if necessary. Do something. Do not let racist comments go by without addressing them.

If you are a teacher, and someone makes a racist comment, stop the Continue reading →

How can schools help control what children are doing online?

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safe schools online Schools have a role to play when it comes to children and their online activities. Parents and schools working together can greatly improve the online safety of children by teaching them the ropes of internet safety. Teachers should be aware of the following information so that they can advise parents and children when the opportunity arises.

Favorite Online Activities
Ask kids what on-line activities are their most favorite. This will give you a heads up as to what aspects of internet safety you need to be most concerned with. Is it email, instant messaging, gaming, facebook or others that I haven’t mentioned?

Website History
Keep track of what websites your child or student is visiting by reviewing the history files. Open Internet Explorer and click on the toolbar at the top of the page for history files. In some editions of Internet Explorer simply click on Tools > Toolbars > History. To adjust the number of days that Internet Explorer keeps the history, go to the tools button and select Internet options. Then click on the Gen. tab. You will find the history section at the bottom. If you are unsure how to check the history on your computer, just use Google search. Check to see what browser you’re using and then search by typing in the ‘browser name’ and ‘how to check search history’.

Instant Messaging
Tell your children that you will monitor their instant messaging conversations, just as you would be aware of their live interaction with friends.

Here’s an example: Open live messenger and login as the user you want to track. Select Tools > Options > Messages, and see the message history setting in the bottom. Make sure the box is ticked next to “automatically keep the history of my conversations”. The location of the saved conversations is shown here. Open the folder where the conversations are saved to review what has been said.

Games
Parents and teachers need to understand that games can be taken very seriously by children and they can become so much a part of the game that they almost lose touch with reality. Some kids even have trouble determining the difference between fantasy and reality. Gaming time should be kept under control as some children will become obsessed and play for hours and hours, sometimes it even taking a break.

Filtering software
Parents and schools can use filtering software to help ensure that kids are going to safe sites. Search ‘Internet filtering software’ on your browser to find out what options are available.

Supervision
Children should not be searching the Internet without supervision. That means an Internet connected computer at home should be in a central place like the kitchen or family room where everyone goes. Students at school should also be supervised while on-line.

Parents and Schools CAN help to control what children are doing online.

Bruce Langford is a bullying prevention advocate located in Canada.

www.standupnow.ca

People Who Change Can Change the World

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You can change! You can become a person who can make a difference and change the world!
Benny DL, (Bruce Langford), shared this message in ‘Stand Up For Respect Shows’ at Mount Royal Public School in Brampton yesterday, (Peel District School Board).
In the grade 4-8 assemblies BennyDL sang a song called ‘The Circle’ which is about a boy who never thought he would be the person to make a difference. In the song an incident happens and the boy changes his attitude and starts helping others. He decides to no longer be a bystander. He becomes the person who really does make a difference.
You can change. You can become the person to make a difference. Realize that you can make up your mind to change and you could end up changing the world!
Bruce Langford will come to your school to present musical assemblies with Stand Up Now Productions. Contact him at bruce @standupnow.ca or 1-800-901-8831. See the Stand Up Now Website www.standupnow.ca

Be Your Own Coach to Achieve Self-Respect

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Bruce Langford at Beverley Acres School in York Region

Here is a tip about self-respect we shared in the Intermediate Grade 7,8 ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assembly at Beverley Acres Public School in the York Region District School Board yesterday:

Self Respect is remembering that sometimes you have to be your own coach or cheerleader to encourage yourself that everything will be fine. We all go through difficult situations, and we all have to give ourselves a boost of self-encouragement sometimes. Remember that every one of us is valuable and important. No matter what happens, you need to be able to feel good about yourself. That is why it is important to learn to give yourself a boost to achieve self-respect.

We presented ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assemblies to the Grade 4-6 students at Beverley Acres as well. After the presentations, Principal Ramon Andrade gave us positive feedback and told us he would recommend our Stand Up Now programs to other schools.
Contact Stand Up Now Bullying Prevention at 1-800-901-8831 or e-mail us at bruce@standupnow.ca . Visit our website at www.standupnow.ca

How Many Children Report Bullying?

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Bullying is a real problem in our society and studies have been done to prove this fact. One study (Wendy Craig & Y. Harel, 2004) revealed that about 12% of girls and 18% of boys reported bullying others at least twice in previous months, while 15% of girls and 18% of boys reported being victimized at least twice over the same period. As parents, teachers and members of society in general, we can help improve these numbers by being good listeners whenever children need to share a concern. This is a starting point to help our children deal with these issues.
For more information visit www.standupagainstbullying.com or call Bruce Langford to book anti-bullying programs and assemblies for your Ontario school at 1-800-901-8831 Stand Up Now Bullying Prevention

Cyberbullying Assemblies at Toronto Catholic School

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We have just presented our ‘Cyber-Bullying – Got 2 Go’ assembly and our ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assembly at Santa Maria Catholic School (Toronto, Ontario) in the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Principal, Rita Santo was pleased with the presentations and told us she will tell colleagues that she recommends the Stand Up Now assemblies by Bruce Langford.

Watch the video below for some valuable tips about passwords.
To book programs for your school visit us at www.standupnow.ca

Anti-Bullying Programs in York Region School Called Exceptional

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Benny DL playing piano

We presented ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assemblies at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School in Markham Ontario (York Region District School Board) and received this letter following our visit. (Note: the letter is written to the Principal and Vice Principal).

Les amis de la 2e année

Salle 123

Le 25 mars 2010

Chères Mme Finn et Mme Palmer,

Merci beaucoup d’avoir organisé l’assemblée formidable de taxage. Le “D.J.” nous a montré d’excellentes stratégies pour arrêter le taxage. C’était amusant d’entendre et de chanter les chansons rhythmiques! Avec ce qu’on a appris on a écrit une lettre à une amie qui avait des problèmes de taxage. On a créé des posters contre le taxage. On va aussi faire du drame.

Merci beaucoup pour ce spectacle exceptionnel!

Les amis de Mme Shepherd

Here is the English translation:

Grade 2 Friends

Room 123

March 25, 2010

Dear Ms. Finn and Ms. Palmer,

Thank you very much for organizing the great assembly of bullying. The “DJ” has shown excellent strategies to stop bullying. It was fun to hear and sing rhythmic songs! With what we learned we wrote a letter to a friend who had problems with bullying. We created posters against bullying. We will also do drama.

Thank you for this exceptional show!

Friends of Ms. Shepherd

Dufferin Peel Catholic School Presentations

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Just returned from a great day at St. Agnes School in the Dufferin Peel Catholic School Board in Brampton Ontario. We presented our ‘Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’ assemblies. Here are two tips:

1. Don’t give out passwords – even to friends. It can cause problems later, big-time!
2. Also, please don’t give out personal information on-line. Not even about your school or holidays.

Just remember, “Stand Up Against Bullying!”.
Get our assemblies at your school: www.StandUpNow.ca