Tools for Change: An Educator's Resource Site

< Resources By Category     >Rate This Resource<

Bully-Proofing Your School

Author(s): C. Garrity, K. Jens, W. Porter, N. Sager, & C. Short-Camilli

Publisher: Sopris West

Type of Resource: Program manual with lesson plans and activities

Target Grades: 1-6

Canadian Resource? No

Resource formally evaluated? Yes

What is the source, internet link, or article title for viewing the formal evaluation of this resource? www.ccsd.k12.co.us/dist_info/safeschools/prevention/bullyproofing.html

Ministry of Education Expectations

Subject Areas:language, the arts, health and physical education, religion, family life

Expectations Met:

GRADE THREE

Language: Writing

Write materials that show a growing ability to express their points of view and to reflect on their own experiences (e.g., journal notes)

Choose words that are most appropriate for their purpose (e.g., express a feeling)

Language: Reading

Express clear responses to written materials, relating the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience and to ideas in other material they have read

Begin to develop their own opinions by considering some ideas from various written materials

Language: Oral and Visual Communication

Apply the rules for working with others

Rephrase to clarify their ideas (e.g., what I meant was, when I think about)

Speak on a variety of topics in classroom discussions using some specialized language (e.g., metres in measurement), and select words carefully to convey their intended meaning

Use appropriate volume, tone of voice, gestures, and stance when speaking, making a presentation, or reading aloud

Contribute ideas appropriate to the topic in group discussion and listen to the ideas of others

The Arts: Drama and Dance

Communicate, through movement, their thoughts and feelings about topics studied in other subject areas (e.g., create a movement sequence to express their fear of an environmental event such as a storm)

Health and Physical Education: Healthy Living

List safety procedures and practices in the home, school, and community

Use a problem-solving process to identify ways of obtaining support for personal safety in the home, school, and community

Identify examples of real and fictional violence (e.g., schoolyard fights, cartoons, movies)

Health and Physical Education: Active Participation

Demonstrate respect for the abilities and feelings of others (e.g., accepting everyone into the group)

Follow the rules of fair play in games and activities (e.g., giving everyone a chance to play)

Communicate positively to help and encourage others

Catholic Education Religion and Family Life

Family Life:

  • exploring our own physical, mental, and emotional growth
  • roles within relationships
  • promises, choices and process of decision-making
  • interdependence of people in society

GRADE FOUR

Language: Writing

Begin to write for more complex purposes (e.g., to present and discuss their opinions and viewpoints, to pose questions, to record information)

Language: Reading

State their own interpretation of a written work, using evidence from the work and from their own knowledge and experience

Make judgments about what they read on the basis of evidence

Develop their opinions by reading a variety of materials

Language: Oral and Visual Communication

Ask questions on a variety of topics and respond appropriately to the questions of others

Express and respond to ideas and opinions concisely and clearly

Contribute and work constructively in groups

Identify several types of media works and some techniques used in them

Analyse media works

Use appropriate tone of voice and gestures in social and classroom activities

Present information to their peers in a focused and organized form on a topic of mutual interest

Listen to others and stay on topic in group discussion

Use appropriate strategies to organize and carry out group projects

The Arts: Drama and Dance

Communicate, orally and in writing, their response to their own and others’ work in drama and dance (e.g., through discussions, interviews, research projects)

Identify and apply solutions to problems presented through drama and dance, and make appropriate decisions in large and small groups

Demonstrate control of voice and movement by using appropriate techniques (e.g., projection and enunciation in choral speaking)

Identify their own feelings and reactions in various situations, and compare them with those of a character they have portrayed

Solve problems in drama and dance individually and in groups, by analyzing the problems

Health and Physical Education: Healthy Living

Identify the characteristics of healthy relationships (e.g., showing considerations of others’ feelings by avoiding negative communication)

Identify the challenges (e.g., conflicting opinions) and responsibilities in their relationships with family and friends

Apply decision-making and problem-solving skills in addressing threats to personal safety (e.g., from abuse or physical fighting)

Identify people (e.g., parents, guardians, neighbors, teachers) and community agencies (e.g., Kids’ Help Phone) that can assist with injury prevention, emergency situations, and violence prevention

Health and Physical Education: Active Participation

Apply living skills – such as goal setting, conflict-resolution techniques, and interpersonal skills (e.g., playing fairly, co-operating, behaving respectfully) – to physical activities (e.g., role play exercises)

Demonstrate a variety of interpersonal skills (e.g., playing fairly, co-operating, behaving respectfully)

Follow the rules of fair play in games and activities (e.g., displaying good sports etiquette by maintaining self-control whether winning or losing)

Demonstrate respectful behaviour towards others in the group (e.g., speaking kindly, refraining from hurtful comments, acknowledging others’ ideas and opinions)

Catholic Education Religion and Family Life

Religion:

  • respecting dignity of human life through responsible decision-making

Family Life:

  • understanding friendships

GRADE FIVE

Language: Writing

Use writing for various purposes and in a range of contexts, including school work (e.g., to summarize information from materials they have read, to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and imaginings)

Language: Reading

Explain their interpretation of a written work, supporting it with evidence from the work and from their own knowledge and experience

Language: Oral and Visual Communication

Ask and answer questions on a variety of topics to acquire and clarify information

Express and respond to ideas and opinions concisely, clearly, and appropriately

Contribute and work constructively in groups

Analyse media works

Use tone of voice, gestures, and other non-verbal cues to help clarify meaning when describing events, telling stories, reading aloud, making presentations, stating opinions, etc.

Contribute ideas to help solve problems, and listen and respond constructively to the ideas of others when working in a group

Discuss with peers and the teacher strategies for communicating effectively with others in a variety of situations

The Arts: Drama and Dance

Describe, orally and in writing, their response to their own and others’ work in drama and dance, gather others’ responses (e.g., through interviews, research), and compare the responses

Solve problems presented through drama and dance, working in large and small groups and using various strategies

Demonstrate awareness of audience when writing in role, and use the appropriate language, tone of voice, gestures, and body movements when speaking as a character in a drama

Solve problems in drama and dance individually and in groups (e.g., negotiate the “best” ending to an improvisation), and evaluate the solutions

Health and Physical Education: Healthy Living

Apply strategies to deal with threats to personal safety (e.g., in response to harassment) and to prevent injury (e.g., from physical assault)

Identify strategies to deal positively with stress and pressures that result from relationships with family and friends

Identify factors (e.g., trust, honesty, caring) that enhance healthy relationships with friends, family, and peers

Explain how people’s actions (e.g., bullying, excluding others) can affect the feelings and reactions of others

Apply strategies (e.g., anger management, assertiveness, conflict resolution) to deal with personal-safety and injury-prevention situations (e.g., swarming, threatening, harassment)

Catholic Education Religion and Family Life

Religion:

  • right and wrong choices; consequences and responsibilities

Family Life:

  • choices, responsibility and consequences, commitment
  • community, signs of a good community

GRADE SIX

Language: Writing

Use writing for various purposes and in a range of contexts, including school work (e.g., to develop and clarify ideas, to express thoughts and opinions)

Language: Reading

Explain their interpretation of a written work, supporting it with evidence from the work and from their own knowledge and experience

Make judgments and draw conclusions about ideas in written materials on the basis of evidence

Language: Oral and Visual Communication

Make reports, describe and explain a course of action, and follow detailed instructions

Ask and answer questions to obtain and clarify information

Express and respond to a range of ideas and opinions concisely, clearly, and appropriately

Contribute and work constructively in groups

Analyse media works

Use tone of voice and gestures to enhance the message and help convince or persuade listeners in conversations, discussions, or presentations

Use constructive strategies in small-group discussions (e.g., invite other group members to contribute; ask questions to clarify a point; negotiate to find a basis for agreement)

Follow up on others’ ideas, and recognize the validity of different points of view in group discussions or problem-solving activities

The Arts: Drama and Dance

Evaluate, orally and in writing, their own and others’ work in drama and dance e.g., performances, multimedia presentations)

Solve problems presented through drama and dance in different ways, and evaluate the effectiveness of each solution

Evaluate drama and dance performances, with reference to their own experiences in daily life

Solve artistic problems in drama and dance, individually and in groups, and evaluate the solutions

Health and Physical Education: Healthy Living

Apply a problem-solving/decision-making process to address issues related to friends, peers, and family relationships

Describe and respond appropriately to potentially violent situations relevant to themselves (e.g., threats, harassment, violence in the media)

Identify people and community agencies that support making healthy choices regarding substance use and abuse

Catholic Education Religion and Family Life

Family Life:

  • valuing human life through the five stages
  • effective behaviours and emotions in relationships
  • code of behaviour, positive and negative influences in relationships

Toolkit Evaluation:

(where noted: Consistently (C)   Often (O))

Exploring Well-Being Through Relationships

This resource shares knowledge with students about:

  • personal growth in and through relationships
  • how healthy relationships support a healthy sense of well-being
  • how the nature of relationships are characterized by growth and change
  • increase awareness of how actions and choices impact the well being of others
  • increase awareness of how actions/choices of others impact personal well-being

This resource provides opportunities for students to acquire skills by allowing students to:

  • explore relationships from personal perspectives and experiences
  • develop personal self-awareness and understanding of well-being
  • develop and practice mutual empathy
  • identify and practice values of mutual respect
  • express personal feelings, thoughts, and experiences
  • opportunity for classmates to respond empathetically and respectfully
Exploring Social Relations of Violence, Oppression and Equality

This resource shares knowledge with students about:

  • the difference between “power over” and “power with”

This resource provides opportunities for students to acquire skills by allowing students to:

  • explore personal experiences of vulnerability and privilege by understanding social inequality/oppressions.
  • engage in gaining a sense of social responsibility for addressing social oppressions/exclusions and for participating in achieving positive social change
Exploring Identity, Gender, and Diversity

This resource provides opportunities for students to acquire skills by allowing students to:

  • engage with and learn form differences and diversity
  • express, learn from, and build multiple perspectives on social experiences and diversity
Developing Connections, Creative Thinking and Participation

This resource shares knowledge with students about:

  • strategies for personal and/or social change for the promotion of healthy and equal relationships.
  • conflict resolution and anti-violence strategies
  • choices and actions that promote mutual empowerment and respect
  • where and how to seek out help and support

This resource provides opportunities for students to acquire skills by allowing students to:

  • Opportunities to develop and practice their capacity for healthy interactions and connections within the context of the classroom/school
  • Opportunities to work collaboratively with peers to discuss and develop strategies for healthy and equal relationships
  • Experience and practice how to resolve conflict positively
  • Opportunity for the development of supportive connections between students and teachers/adults

Pedagogical Evaluation:

Structure and Format:
  • Research-based introduction
  • Evaluation of the resource (e.g., formal research on the effectiveness of the program
  • Information guide or scope and sequence of lessons (i.e. how to strategies)
  • Ready to use scripted format
  • Sequential guide or lessons that are user friendly
  • Availability of support to implement the program/resource
Teaching/Learning Strategies:

Direct Instruction: whole class and small group

  • Explicit Teaching
  • Demonstration
  • Explicit teaching and use of thinking skills and strategies
  • Explicit teaching and using self-assessment and reflection

Interactive Learning

  • Small-group cooperative learning
  • Small group discussion/debriefing
  • brainstorming
  • Conferencing: peer and student-teacher

Indirect Instruction

  • Guided teacher-directed inquiry
  • Reflective discussions

Experiential Learning

  • Simulation, role play
  • Case studies/scenarios
Activities/Lessons Include:
  • Choice, where possible, in student tasks and assignments
  • Multiple opportunities for practice and feedback.
  • Use of graphic organizers (e.g. Venn diagrams, mind maps, tables)
  • Opportunities for students to use their learning styles to learn and demonstrate learning
  • Integration of Multiple Intelligences theory to learn and demonstrate their learning.
Assessment Methods:

Pencil and Paper:

  • Quizzes
  • Checklists
  • Rubrics

Demonstration/Performance:

  • Class
  • Skills demonstrations
  • Role playing
  • Simulations

Personal Communication:

  • Journals (thinking log)
Other:
  • Parent involvement - information session
  • Parent involvement – letters home to explain program/units
  • Parent involvement – strategies to transfer learning at home
  • Staff training
  • School-wide connections

Strengths Summary:

This is an excellent resource for implementing an anti-bullying program across multiple grades in an elementary school. It has an easy ready-to-use format and sections beginning with staff training, then student applications, then parent involvement. There is also an extensive resource guide for books and videos that support the program. The program includes activities targeting bullies, victims of bullying, and helpers or bystanders. The program provides a wide variety of lessons and activities hat are specified for particular grade levels. There is evidence of, and reference to, background research on several topics throughout this resource.

This resource is excellent for encouraging students to explore personal feelings and personal responses to conflict, and teaching conflict resolution strategies and anger management. The activities are age-appropriate for grades 1-6. This resource consistently looks at how one’s actions (specifically bullying) affect others and it provides suggestions and strategies to change bullying behaviour. It also has a thorough section on building self-esteem in victims, or potential victims, of bullying.