POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 175 school makes for a better learning and teaching environment. Teachers often find that the professional development they receive with regard to anti-violence and conflict resolution also has positive effects on their own interpersonal and family relationships. ClassroomActivities and Resources Classroom activities on an ongoing basis are important to an anti-bullying program. At least seven measures can be taken in the classroom: • Developing a class code of conduct with regard to treatment of other students, with specific reference to bullying and exclusion of other students. Both desirable and unacceptable behaviour should be simply and clearly defined and written down, with student input. • Following up with immediate, consistent, non-violent consequences for all bullying and aggressive behaviour. • Recognizing and praising positive, friendly, and supportive behaviours of students toward one another on a frequent basis. • Teaching of non-violent, non-racist, and non-sexist ideas, values and behaviours, as a core part of the everyday curriculum. • Teaching social skills, including communication, making friends, accepting feedback from others, conflict resolution, appropriate assertiveness, and problem-solving. • Modelling by the teacher of positive, respectful, and supportive behaviour by the teacher, toward students. • Using co-operative learning groups to include less popular, more timid children in small, positive, and accepting social groups. Developing a Class Code of Conduct A class code of conduct could be started by holding several lessons on awareness of both bullying and friendly and co-operative behaviours. The class could begin by reading an appropriate story for their age level, or having it read to them. For the youngest (kindergarten and primary) age group, a book in the Berenstain Bears series, called ‘Trouble with the Bully’ is available in many libraries. For intermediate age groups, the book Don't Pick on Me is a possibility. For older age groups, Lord of the Flies is one possibility. The school librarian or resource centre may have other suggestions. A class discussion of the effects of bullying for the victim, for the bully, and for the class as a whole, could be the next step. Students can then be asked what rules they would like to see in the class for behaviour. The teacher may want to give examples of what other classes have done. The language should be simple and clear for all students. For example, • We don't want any hitting, punching, or kicking. • We don't want any name-calling or put-downs. • We want to include everyone when we do group activities. • We want to have a friendly class, and help other students if they are bullied. Including violence prevention, anti-racist, and anti-sexist measures in the curriculum is important. Lessons on these topics should be incorporated in the day to day curriculum, not added on as 'extra' subjects. A helpful resource in this regard is the 65 Friendly Lessons for Violence Prevention (Board of Education for the City of London, 1994), which is included in the A.S.A.P. package, or can be ordered separately. These lessons are designed to be included in a number of different subject areas, such as language arts, health, social studies, physical education, and mathematics, or in a multi-faceted lesson. Social skills training can be implemented with one of the programs outlined in A.S.A.P., such as the Mr. Turtle program from the Board of Education for the City of London, the Second Step curriculum, or other social skills modules available in the Resource Section of A.S.A.P. An important element of an anti-bullying program in class is teacher attention and praise for positive, pro-social behaviours on the part of all students. This can be done verbally each day, as well as with special certificates recognizing specific pro-social behaviours which are given in class. Such awards can also be given at school assemblies, as part of a violence prevention or antibullying day or week. Two examples of such awards for the elementary grades are given in the A.S.A.P. (1996, p. 70). Teachers and schools may wish to develop their own versions of such awards to fit in with the content of their class code of conduct and their anti-violence program. Older students can also help develop these in art classes. At the same time, students should be assisted to develop self-motivation for acting in positive, non-aggressive, helpful ways. This can be done by arranging opportunities for students to volunteer for different helpful activities with peers and younger students, while providing attention and support for these actions. Material rewards should generally not be used, as they may undermine selfmotivation and "internal attributions" on the part of students for wanting to help. As originally published on www.lfcc.on.ca/bully.htm
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