Blog posts tagged with "How To Stop Bullying"
Bullying Prevention Month – Youth Empowerment
As National Bullying Prevention Month is recognized in communities across America, with schools and other organizations joined as partners, awareness of bullying and its consequences continues to be a vital part of our nation’s conversation.
Endings and New Beginnings
Serving as the Founder and Executive Director of Community Matters has been one of the greatest gifts in my life. Working on behalf of all children and youth has grown me as a person, helped me address and heal my own childhood history of bullying and trauma and strengthened my skills and expertise as a thought leader in our areas of service.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspired Us to be Courageous Upstanders
Dr. King said that “we must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.” Although he spoke those words a long time ago, the need for courage in the face of fear is no less prophetic today than it was in the midst of the American civil rights movement of the 60’s.
The Growing Problem of Hazing and What Schools Can Do About It
Hazing is a serious problem among today’s young athletes - especially among kids who believe it’s the only way they’ll get to fit in.
Youth Voices - Empowering Students As Peacemakers
As a Programs & Services Coordinator at Community Matters, I have the unique opportunity of working with hundreds of schools across the country to help them launch Safe School Ambassadors® (SSA)- our flagship bystander education and youth empowerment program. One of the best parts of my job is hearing student feedback on the two-day training.
A Former Bully Gives 5 Tips for Proactively Addressing Bullies
I know I wasn't the worst, but I sure didn't help. When I was in high school and all of my friends were picking on C.L., I joined in without a thought.
A Grateful Mother Speaks About the Impact of Being an Upstander
This week's guest blog is written by the mother of a Safe School Ambassador in northern California.
10 Ways You Can Help Stop Bullying – A Guide for Parents & Teachers
As bullying, cyberbullying and intolerance affect more and more children, it’s increasingly crucial that adults, both parents and teachers, increase their awareness and understanding of how their children interact with each other, both in person and online. Here are some practical steps you can take to better protect the young people in your care.
Students Creating School Climate Improvement
We know we can’t legislate civility nor can we punish children into being more tolerant. The only viable solution to the spread of the bullying virus on school campuses today is to change the social norms that allow it to occur.
Happy 13th Anniversary!: Safe School Ambassadors First Ever Program Launch
I am writing this blog on the 13th anniversary of the first ever Safe School Ambassadors program ever launched. On December 13 and 14, 2000, three of our local high schools attended a two-day training conducted by Rick Phillips and Chris Pack for a brand new program they called Safe School Ambassadors (SSA).
How to Create Positive School Climate Part 2; Creating 'Safer Schools' by Improving School Climate
Current Research and years of study have demonstrated the importance of a positive school climate as the foundational building block for achieving educational success - safe and high-performing schools. Yet today, few schools have a “comprehensive school climate improvement plan” designed to serve as the guiding document for strengthening the organizational culture and fulfilling their educational mandates.
There are four main components or “drivers” that are needed to achieve a positive school environment:
1) The Will - leadership and courage
2) The Framework – a comprehensive plan to improve the school climate
3) The Resources – people, programs and funding
4) The Support – the “buy-in” from all stakeholders
Click here to read the article.
How to Create Positive School Climate - Part 1
Since 1999, our nation’s schools have invested more than $10 billion in school safety measures. The goal of this vast expenditure was to improve school climate and thereby increase success for each school’s mandates - academic achievement, safer environments and strong attendance and graduation rates.
In spite of these vast efforts students in too many schools still experience unsafe environments and too high levels of bullying. Click here to read more.
10 Ways You Can Help To Stop Bullying
We have a choice. We can be overwhelmed by the size and scope of the issue and do nothing, or we can wake up our courage and do something that contributes to making things better.