Cure the Bullies

Cure the Bullies is an awesome website.  Part of a campaign created by SchoolAid, in partnership with the Vodafone Foundation, this site is certainly entertaining and attention grabbing.  You are welcomed by this warning:

"Cyber health warning!
Have you been online lately?  (like now?)
or on your mobile
Then you've probably caught....
A HIGHLY contagious virus."

After learning about the different viruses you can be inflicted with: Onlookerosis, Commentitis, Forwarditis, Gang-Green, Hasslenza and Slaggermania you are invited to be screened for the bully virus (a short survey including multiple "what would you do" questions). 

Once you receive your diagnosis, you get the virus sucked out of you and then you pickle it for later viewing.

Though light on actually teaching skills, I like that this points out that even students who think they are not bullies probably contribute sometimes simply by looking on or not doing anything to help others.  They have done a wonderful job creating a site kids will enjoy and can take home a positive message at the same time!  The site is flash based which caused some problems on my computer but nothing drastic.  I definitely encourage you to check this out with your students!

Anti-bullying video clips

In updating my anti-bullying lessons I was looking for something that would catch my student's attention.  I found some short video commercials/clips that are very well done and I think perfect for my students.   I like to have my students create anti-bullying projects at the end of our unit and these will be a great inspiration.  They would also be a good way to start kids talking about the bullying that is happening around or to them.

What videos do you love to use for your anti-bullying lessons?

Wicked Ways to Teach Anti-Bullying

Looking for new and interesting ways to incorporate anti-bullying into your curriculum?  Well here you go!

The musical production Wicked has partnered with BullyBust (a National School Climate Center program) and created a downloadable tool-kit for teachers and a coordinating student packet.  (In case you haven't seen or read Wicked, it is the story of the Wicked Witch before she meets Dorothy.  Because she is different, and green, she is bullied).  The teacher packet includes: The Story of WICKED, What Is “Upstander” Behavior?, Bully-Victim-Bystander, Learning to Empathize, A Look at Appearances, Exploring Emotions, Upstander Behavior in WICKED, and The Stand Up Pledge: Elphaba’s Pledge and Commitment Cards using the theme of Wicked throughout.

The student pack includes information on responsibility, the roots of bullying, what you can do to stop bullying, cyberbullying, etc.  There is also an essay contest - the winning student wins a flight and ticket to see Wicked (only one entry per school).

Simply click here to sign up as a partner school.  It will direct you to the download page.

CyberSmart! Curriculum

While our students with their knowledge of technology may be able to run circles around us on computers, smartphones, ipads, etc., they still need instruction and guidance about how to use technology in a smart and safe manner.  Whether it is you, the school counselor, that teaches these important life-lessons or a computer teachers, you will undoubtedly deal with issues surrounding technology - namely cyberbullying.

I love the detailed lesson plans Common Sense Media has produced for their CyberSmart! Curriculum.  They range from kindergarten to 12th grade and cover 5 SMART target areas:

• Safety and security online
• Manners, cyberbullying and ethics
• Authentic Learning and Creativity
• Research and information fluency
• Twenty-first century challenges

Do you have other resources for teaching computer safety?  Please share!

National Bullying Prevention Week/Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month: "Sponsored by the PACER Center—a parent center for families of children and young adults with disabilities—and cosponsored by NEA, the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, and National PTA, this event encourages communities to work together to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on children".-NEA website

It seems there are plenty of specific weeks dedicated to bullying prevention depending on what organization you are looking at - many of them seem to be in October and others dispersed throughout other months.  Regardless of the time you chose to teach a bullying unit, I'm sure most of us out there find it an important issue to address.  Here are some resources designed to help teach kids about bullying.

1. PACER Center - This site has 2 separate week-long comprehensive educational toolkits geared towards elementary and middle/high school.

• Elementary includes lesson plans, role plays, coloring book, activities, suggested reading list, etc.  Connect kids to the student-centered website: http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/

• Middle/High school also includes daily lesson plans and activities.    The student-centered website for these kids is: http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/

2. Peaceful Schools International - a whole list of downloadable resources and websites.  In particular I like the first download - 50 Ideas for Anti-Bullying Week (Anti-bullying alliance).

3. Stop Bullying Now! - A very kid friendly site for both students and adults.  Complete with information, videos, games about how to recognize, stop or report bullying.