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BY KEITH HUDSON
Over the last few weeks we have all been saddened by articles in The London Free Press about the impact bullying can have on young people in our schools.
VOXPOP…………………………………….
How often were you, or someone you know, bullied in school? Let me introduce you to Bruce Langford, who for the last three years has been trying to change attitudes of students toward bullying..
For 15 years, Bruce has been a music teacher in elementary schools and has seen the impact bullying has on a student’s self-esteem .
Children who should be excellent students find excuses not to come to school, refuse to answer questions for fear of being laughed at, and in some cases even fear for their personal safety.
Although most school boards have adopted a policy of zero tolerance on aggression, this only is applied after the fact. Langford is convinced that if we are to provide a safe environment to learn in, we must educate all children about appropriate behaviour. Further, for those who are the victims, we must provide tools to help them cope and ways to deflect bullying in a peaceful, respectful manner.
Langford has produced a one-person musical show. Stand Up Against Bullying, which last year was performed in many elementary schools in the Thames Valley District school board in the London area, and throughout Southwestern Ontario. More information is available on his website, www.atfm.ca.
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He wishes to acknowledge the Thames Valley board for its support to this project and its encouragement, which has allowed him a one-year sabbatical to tour the show on a full-time basis this year.
Besides his production for the elementary level, Langford has a video and dialogue program aimed at senior elementary students. In the schools, he distributes copies of his CD, which has all his original songs used in Stand Up Against Bullying, and gives permission to teach the songs and a teacher kit with suggested teaching plans on preventing bullying in school.
At present, Langford has to charge for these productions and seek sponsors to help cover material costs. Each child who attends the production receives a bookmark and each child who participates in the production receives a small gift. Langford produces all his own CDs, videos and teacher packs.
It is my belief that creative people like Langford should be funded by the Ministry of Education directly and made available to schools across Ontario at no cost to the schools. The material such an artist develops for these productions should also be funded by the ministry.
There are many talented people in the system, such as Langford, trying to make a difference.
Instead of coming up with a new set of rules or a new directive, the Ministry of Education should review the programs already set up and invest in those that have promise if appropriate funding is provided.
Vox Pop provides readers an opportunity to comment on topical subjects. Keith Hudson is a Woodstock resident. |
