Family Channel's Bullying Awareness Week Teacher's Guide

Family Channel’s Bullying Awareness Week Teacher’s Guide

Grades 4-6

Prepared By PREVNet Associates: Harrison Oakes, Wendy Josephson, Dilys Haner, Joanne Cummings and Debra Pepler With the Assistance of: Jasprit Pandori, Jeremy Doucette and Mary Spring

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Bullying? 5 Key Facts About Bullying 7 Dispelling Myths: Additional Facts About Bullying 8 Advice to Share With Students Involved in Bullying 10 Children Who See Others Being Bullied 10 Children Who Are Being Bullied 10 Children Who Bully Others 11 SECTION 1: BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK (BAW) What is Bullying Awareness Week? 13 Family Channel Rally & Contest Details 14 Establish Respectful Relationships – Develop Classroom Code of Conduct 15 Bullying Awareness Week Lead-Up Activities 18 Community Outreach 18 Create Your Own “Stand UP!” PSA 18 Reaching Out to Media 18 T-Shirt Design Contest 19 Caring Kids Awards 19 Bullying Awareness Week: November 12-18, 2012 20 Digital Media Resources from Family.ca 20 Daily Focus and Activities 20 Day 1: Get the Facts 20 Day 2: Cyberbullying 20 Day 3: Community Involvement 21 Day 4: Get Creative 21 Day 5: Stand UP! Wrap Up 21 Additional Activity Suggestions 22 Creative Writing Assignment 22 Bullying-themed Reading Unit 22 Bullying Awareness Week Follow-Up Activities 23

SECTION 2: FAMILY CHANNEL RESOURCES Guidelines for Using Family Channel Resources in Your Classroom 25 Expectations and Guidelines for Activities 25 Discussions 25 Role-Play Scenarios and Activity Handouts 26 Encouraging Students to Seek Help if They Need It 26 Series: The Latest Buzz 27 Episode: “The Peer Pressure Issue” 27 Storylines and Teaching Points 27 Role-Play 29 Series: The Latest Buzz 31 Episode: “The Bully Issue” 31 Storylines and Teaching Points 31 Role-Play 32 Series: Wingin’ It 34 Episode: “Bully Elliot” 34 Storylines and Teaching Points 34 Role-Play 36 Series: What’s Up, Warthogs! 38 Webisode: “What’s Up, Stand Up!” 38 Storylines and Teaching Points 38 Role-Play 39 Series: Life With Derek 40 Episode: “The Bully Brothers” 40 Storylines and Teaching Points 40 Role-Play 44 SECTION 3: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Why Teachers Should Care About Bullying 47 How to Know if a Student Is Involved in Bullying 48 Ten Ways Teachers Can Help Prevent Bullying 49 Tip Sheet About Teasing 51 Possible Consequences for Students Who Bully 54 Special Considerations 56 LGBT & Questioning Students 56 How Can Teachers Reduce Victimization of LGBT & Questioning 57 Special Education Students 58 Students With Disabilities and Other Exceptionalities 58

SECTION 4: APPENDICES Navigating Relationships Storyboard 60 Photocopy Master 61 Guidelines for Creating Your Own PSA 62 Episode/Webisode Activities 63 Episode/Webisode Answer Key 68 Tip Sheet for Students 69 Tip Sheet for Teachers 70 Tip Sheet for Parents 71 Caring Kids Certificate Template 72 Bullying Prevention and Relationship Promotion Resources 73 Websites 73 Books 73 Films 73 Public Service Announcements 74 Programming Resources 74 References 77

We want to hear from you! If you have feedback about this Teacher’s Guide or if you’re willing to be contacted to provide feedback, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected].

WHAT IS BULLYING? Section Reference1

Bullying is a relationship problem in which an individual or group repeatedly uses power aggressively to cause distress to another. It is a disrespectful relationship problem that requires relationship solutions.

Children who bully are learning to use power and aggression to control and distress others. Children who are victimized become increasingly powerless and find themselves trapped in abusive relationships. They need help to stop the bullying.

The power imbalances that influence bullying may be based on: Physical advantages such as size and strength Social advantages in the peer group such as a dominant social role, higher social status or popularity and strength in numbers Systemic power (advantages that reflect the greater power in society of some groups and stigmatize others on the basis of race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, economic disadvantage, disability or personal differences such as weight)

Bullying can take many forms, including: Physical bullying: hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, beating up, stealing or damaging another student’s property Verbal bullying: name-calling, mocking, hurtful teasing, humiliating or threatening another student, racial comments or sexual harassment Social bullying: excluding other students from the group, gossiping or spreading rumours, setting other students up to look foolish and damaging friendships Cyberbullying: the use of electronic media to bully others such as: o Using email, text messages and Internet sites to threaten, harass, embarrass, humiliate, socially exclude, damage reputations and friendships o Using cell phones to record images or videos that can be posted online o Obtaining passwords to private accounts and sending or posting messages in another person’s name o Passing on links of humiliating, embarrassing, harassing, threatening or damaging content for others to view

Cyberbullying and the other, more traditional, forms of bullying have many things in common, such as an intention to harm and the effect of a peer group witnessing the bullying that impacts victims at different levels of severity. However, there are also some key differences that distinguish cyberbullying from traditional bullying.

Why Cyberbullying is Different: Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person as well Kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting away from the behaviour because it “follows them home,” increasing the potential for feelings of powerlessness in the victim2 Cyberbullying has also been referred to as “non-stop bullying” because it happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reaches kids even when they are alone3 Cyberbullying messages can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience; it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent4 Cyberbullying evolves with technology and therefore must continually be re-examined to understand the impact of new technological developments on cyberbullying behaviours

KEY FACTS ABOUT BULLYING Section Reference5

Over 1,100,000 Canadian school-aged students are bullied at least once, each and every week Peers are present during 88% of bullying incidents When peers are present, they: o 54% of the time – passively watch o 25% of the time – intervene to stop the bullying o 21% of the time – join in on the bullying When peers intervene, bullying stops in less than 10 seconds, 57% of the time

83% of students say bullying makes them feel uncomfortable Students don’t always stand up to bullying because: o They are anxious about being bullied themselves o They don’t want to alienate themselves from their peers o They simply don’t know what to do or say Research suggests that it is the popular or self-confident students who do tend to intervene by directly addressing peers who bully We encourage two additional ways to stand up to bullying: o Offering support and comfort to the child/youth who is victimized o Report the bullying to a responsible adult

DISPELLING MYTHS: ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT BULLYING Section Reference6

MYTH: Bullying does not cause any serious harm. FACTS: Victimized children are more likely to report headaches and stomach aches than non- victimized children. Children who both bully and are victimized may be at greatest risk for physical health problems. Victimized children are more likely to report anxiety and depressive symptoms than children who have not been bullied. Of greatest concern is the finding that mental health issues associated with involvement in bullying tend to persist into later life. A high risk of suicidal ideation (having thoughts of suicide) is found among children who are bullied, who bully others and who are involved in both of those roles. Both victimized children and children who bully are at risk for poor school functioning, in terms of poor attitudes toward school, lower grades and absenteeism. 20-25% of frequently victimized children report bullying as the reason for missing school. Youth who bully others are more likely to use alcohol and drugs, and are at risk for later criminality.

MYTH: Only a small number of children have problems with bullying. FACTS: A World Health Organization study7 of Grade 6 to 10 students conducted in 2006 found that 36% of students reported being bullied and 39% reported bullying others at least once in the previous couple of months. o In the same study, 4% of Grade 6 students reported being bullied several times a week in the previous couple of months. At some point, the majority of children will engage in some form of bullying and experience some form of victimization. A small minority of children will have frequent, long-lasting, serious and pervasive involvement in bullying and/or victimization.

MYTH: Reporting bullying will only make the problem worse. FACTS: Because of the power imbalance that exists in bullying, it is incredibly difficult for children who are being victimized to remove themselves from destructive bullying relationships. Adult intervention is required to correct the power imbalance. Children and parents may have to report the bullying to more than one person before the behaviour will stop. Victimized children who told an adult about being bullied reported being less victimized the following year compared to children who did not report being bullied. Secrecy increases the power of children who bully and allows the bullying to continue.

MYTH: Children who are victimized need to fight back. FACTS: Encouraging children who are victimized to fight back will likely escalate the situation and make the bullying interaction worse. When children use aggressive strategies to manage bullying situations, they tend to experience prolonged and more severe bullying interactions as a result.

MYTH: Children grow out of bullying. FACTS: Bullying does peak during middle school and becomes less common in high school, but without intervention, a significant proportion of youth who bully others in childhood will continue to use their power negatively through adolescence and into adulthood. The nature of bullying changes as children mature: o From early adolescence, new forms of aggression emerge, carried out from a position of power. o With developing thinking and social skills, children become aware of others’ vulnerabilities and of their own power relative to others. Bullying then diversifies into more sophisticated forms of verbal, social, homophobic, and sexually- and racially-based aggression. The destructive lessons learned in childhood about the use of power may translate into sexual harassment in the workplace, dating violence, marital abuse, child abuse and elder abuse.

ADVICE TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS INVOLVED IN BULLYING

With all the work you are doing to raise awareness about bullying, it may slip your mind to expect that students may disclose information about bullying they have experienced or are experiencing. Take a moment and reflect on how you might respond. Do you feel comfortable navigating such a conversation compassionately and empathically?

Here are some suggestions of things to think about and to help guide you through some of the different types of conversations you may have as a result of your work on Bullying Awareness Week. Children who see others being bullied Talk to someone who can help, like a parent or a teacher. Remember that telling is not tattling. Tattling is to get someone into trouble; telling is to get someone out of trouble. Stand up for children who are bullied; they can’t always do it themselves. Invite kids who are bullied to play with you somewhere else. Support the person who was hurt and make it known that what happened was not fair or deserved. The best thing you can do for kids who are bullied is to be their friend. If it is hard for you to speak out against bullying on your own, ask a friend to do it with you. Help kids who bully, don’t hurt them. Speaking out helps, bullying back (e.g. hitting and name-calling) doesn’t help. If you walk away and get help from an adult, you are part of the solution. If you stay and watch, you are part of the problem.

Children who are being bullied If it’s hard for you to stand up for yourself, try to ignore the bullying and walk away. Then tell someone who can help, like a friend or a trusted adult. Talk to someone who can help, like a parent, teacher or coach. If the adult doesn’t take action, tell another adult. Keep telling until you are safe. If you’re scared to talk to an adult on your own, ask a friend to go with you. Go to areas where you feel safe. Stay close to students you can count on to stick up for you.

Children who bully others Find a positive way to use your power. Talk to someone who can help, like a parent, teacher or coach. They can help you find ways to get along with others. Ask a friend to help you stop if you start to bully others. Set goals each day to make it easier not to bully (e.g. keep cool, today I’ll help others rather than hurt them). Understand that you may not like everyone around you, but you do have to treat others with respect. Appreciate kids’ differences. Different doesn’t mean worse or better than you. Put yourself in other kids’ shoes. Would you want to be picked on, put down or left out? Know that if other children watch and laugh, it doesn’t mean they like it when you bully. Apologize to the kids you have bullied.

SECTION 1: BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK

WHAT IS BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK?

Bullying Awareness Week (BAW) is an annual campaign initiated in 2003 by Family Channel and Bullying.org to show and tell kids that they have the power to do something about bullying. This year marks Bullying Awareness Week’s 10th anniversary and the largest awareness campaign yet.

The message of Bullying Awareness Week is directed at the bystander – kids who witness bullying but may not do anything about it. The decision to focus on the bystander was made in consultation with two of Canada’s leading experts in the field of bullying, Dr. Debra Pepler and Dr. Wendy Craig, whose research has shown that bullying stops within 10 seconds, 57% of the time when peer bystanders intervene on behalf of children who are bullied.

The message of BAW is simple: Stand UP! to bullying when you see it happening.

This message is delivered via a series of events and activities that encourage kids to reach out to peers who are bullied rather than standing by and doing nothing. The activities encourage kids to share experiences of bystanders doing something to make a positive difference in the life of a peer who is bullied, and think of ways to work together to stand up to bullying.

Why is Bullying Awareness Week important to teachers, administrators and parents? Kids need the support of the influential adults in their lives to gain the confidence to Stand UP! to bullying. Support should be consistent at school and at home, drawing on a common understanding of both the problems and solutions that have been shown to work. Adults can help kids think about their actions and identify how they could act differently to help reduce bullying.

Educators have both an opportunity and an obligation to teach children how to deal with the issue of bullying. As a resource to supplement your school’s existing bullying program, the activities in this guide may help you to deal with this issue in your classroom and school.

Family Channel’s Bullying Awareness Week Background Each November, Family Channel, along with its partners at PREVNet and Kids Help Phone, initiates a nationwide campaign to promote positive relationships and provide youth with real- life solutions to help them deal with this critical issue. This initiative is supported on-air, online and through grassroots events. The goal of the campaign is to illuminate the resources and support that Canada has available for students to stand up to bullying and to remind our youth that they are not facing the issue alone.

FAMILY CHANNEL RALLY & CONTEST DETAILS

Each year, Family Channel hosts anti-bullying rallies at Canadian schools to bring the issue of Bullying Awareness Week directly to viewers. In the past, Family has travelled to multiple elementary schools across the country and surprised the students with an entertaining program that addresses the concerns with bullying and how kids can prevent it in their communities.

This year, Family will hold one large Stand UP! rally in Toronto for students and educators to attend in October. The rally will be hosted by Family Channel talent and will feature performances by musical guests, motivational speakers, a Q&A session with PREVNet and Kids Help Phone representatives as well as additional elements. Fifteen local classes (grades 4-6) will be selected to participate in the rally via an online contest. The rally will be recorded and shown on Family Channel as part of a special Bullying Awareness Week event lineup.

HOW TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE RALLY In order to attend the rally with your class, teachers can enter Family’s contest online at family.ca/standup. Educators and students will be asked to submit an entry detailing how they plan to mark Bullying Awareness Week in their classroom. Fifteen (15) classes will be selected and transportation will be provided to and from the rally. The contest opens Friday, August 31.

For rules and regulations, along with full contest details, please visit: family.ca/standup.

ESTABLISH RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

To help you establish a respectful classroom that will “Stand UP!” to bullying, we suggest trying the following to build the foundation for positive relationships in your classroom from the beginning of the school year.

RESPECTFUL CLASSROOM CODE OF CONDUCT8 The first few days of school are when social hierarchies are established, cliques are formed and positions of power are meted out among students. Take charge of this dynamic by starting the year off with a collaborative class project: the Respectful Classroom Code of Conduct. To assist in building relationships and a sense of unity, it may be a good idea to incorporate some icebreaker activities into your first day of class so students get to know one another. Once you have helped students relax and feel comfortable in their new class environment, you can move on to creating the classroom’s Code of Conduct. Instructions 1. Once everyone has settled in, explain that, together, you are going to create a Code of Conduct for your classroom. You may want to take some time to explain what a Code of Conduct is and why it is important to the students. Explain to students the importance of feeling safe wherever they are, and that together you are going to create guidelines to make your classroom a “safe space” for everyone. 2. Ask students to share examples of how they like to be treated by their classmates and teachers, and record these examples. (e.g. I like it when a classmate offers to help me with a task I don’t understand.) Make a note of all suggestions – no suggestion is a bad suggestion. The idea is to include all students in thinking about how they like to be treated by their peers and teachers. 3. When you have a list of several items, or when students run out of ideas, you may wish to add some of your own to round out their suggestions. It may be helpful to group the class’s ideas under certain headings, such as: Working Together, Playing Together, Class Participation, Recess/Playground Behaviour and/or Learning Together. 4. After the brainstorming has finished, write a statement for each of the suggestions or categories. Make sure to avoid negatively worded statements (e.g. I do not want peers to…). Having a goal to work towards is much more positive than making lists of behaviours to avoid.

Examples of Code of Conduct Statements We take care of our property and the property of others. We show interest and respect for each other’s cultures and religions. When someone asks us to stop teasing them, we stop – and we don't tease them again. When someone is being bullied, we stand up for them. We use respectful language. We do not use "put-down" language or hurtful words. When we have disagreements, we talk it out to find a solution. If we can't do it on our own, we ask the teacher to help us.

5. Create a Code of Conduct to display prominently in your classroom. Here is a chance to show your creativity and involve the students’ creativity as well. Try to make the display interesting to look at so it will encourage students to read it. When you have finished creating your Code of Conduct, have the class read it over together. In addition, you may wish to provide students with an opportunity to sign their own pledges to uphold the Code of Conduct. You can do this in many different ways. For example, students can make cut-outs of their hands, write the pledge on the cut- outs (sample below) and then use the hands to make a border around the Code of Conduct. Alternatively, you can take students’ pictures, as well as write out their pledge on small decorative pieces of paper, and post the pledges and pictures together around the Code of Conduct. Be sure to include yourself in whichever activity you choose.

Sample Pledge: “My name is ______, and I pledge to treat my fellow classmates with respect, just as I wish to be treated with respect by others.”

Tips Especially at the beginning of the school year, it may be useful to read the Code of Conduct out loud as a class on a daily basis. This will both reinforce the message of treating others with respect and remind students of the behaviour they have pledged to uphold. Use the statements from the Code of Conduct to describe student behaviour. Example: “I thought you all did a good job of listening to each other respectfully, even though we didn’t all agree on the answer to that question.” Use the statements to keep students on track. This allows you to focus on the behaviour, not the student.

BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK LEAD-UP ACTIVITIES

Certain activities scheduled for Bullying Awareness Week will need to be started or prepared beforehand. This is an opportunity to incorporate bullying awareness into multiple aspects of your curriculum. Respectful relationships must be taught, modelled and continually reinforced. COMMUNITY OUTREACH9 In order to receive the support and community affirmation that you will want as part of Bullying Awareness Week, you will need to contact members of your community beforehand. This is an excellent opportunity to teach students how to write letters to members of their City/Town Council, a mayor’s office or a school district’s board. It is probably a good idea to do this as soon as possible in the school year, as the more time officials have, the more likely they are to be able to respond in time for Bullying Awareness Week 2012. CREATE YOUR OWN “STAND UP!” PSA10 A great way to address Bullying Awareness Week is to have your class create its own Public Service Announcement (PSA). However, this may take considerable planning on your part. Read over the suggestions for how to create your own PSA in Section 4: Appendices of this guide. This resource will help you and your class create a meaningful, entertaining, well- planned and effective message, which can be sent out to other students and other schools. When you have finished the PSA, consider showing the school the finished product of your students’ hard work. REACHING OUT TO MEDIA You may want to contact local media to inform them about how your school will be marking Bullying Awareness Week and ask them if they’d like to cover an event or initiative you have going on. There are two good approaches to take: o Talk to journalists who usually cover local stories and community events. There is likely a “beat” reporter who is assigned to educational topics or responsible for giving updates on what’s happening with local schools. Your principal or school probably already has a good relationship with this individual, so feel free to approach them. o Do some research and determine what part of your local newspaper this would best fit into; check out who has written articles about similar topics. Call the media outlet and let them know you have a pitch for that specific journalist. Always make sure your pitch is well-laid out and that you have something unique for the media to cover. An event or activity featuring a large number of kids looks best in photos and on-air, so be sure to keep this in mind. Also prepare someone to be your spokesperson in case the media has questions.

T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST Your class may wish to have a t-shirt designing contest for Bullying Awareness Week, with the winning design being printed on t-shirts for students to wear at an assembly or bullying awareness event. T-shirt designs should incorporate Bullying Awareness Week’s theme, “Stand UP!,” and include a positive focus on how students can make a difference and help stop bullying. If t-shirts cannot be printed, consider putting up a “clothes line” in your school’s hallways to display students designs.

11 CARING KIDS AWARDS During Bullying Awareness Week (and throughout the year) you can recognize students for their efforts in making a difference in their community and/or school. It is a good idea to implement this idea early in the year so students are aware of the campaign and can work towards a nomination.

Have students hand in nominations for fellow classmates leading up to an awards ceremony at the end of Bullying Awareness Week or end of year assembly.

To get your students more excited for this initiative, you may want to look into a local medal or trophy shop to source how affordable it is to have a few tokens made for the recipients. We have included a certificate template in Section 4: Appendices of this package that you can use as well.

BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK: NOVEMBER 12-18, 2012 DIGITAL MEDIA RESOURCES FROM FAMILY.CA In celebration of Bullying Awareness Week’s 10th anniversary, our bullying-themed episodes will be available for streaming on Family.ca. A synopsis of each episode, along with accompanying bullying storylines, teaching points and role-play scenarios for students are included in Section 2: Family Channel Resources. Consider implementing them into your lesson plans for Bullying Awareness Week.

DAILY FOCUS AND ACTIVITIES We suggest focusing on a different topic each day to help introduce students to the many different aspects of bullying. Here is a list of topics and activities that you can address with your class. Please feel free to use them in whichever order you see fit.

DAY 1: GET THE FACTS For up-to-date research on bullying and victimization, please go to www.prevnet.ca and click on the tab “Bullying Facts” along the top. There are also many different fact pages and tip sheets in this guide that will be strong resources for you. Some include: o What Is Bullying? (p.5) o Key Facts About Bullying (p.7) o Dispelling Myths: Additional Facts About Bullying (p.8) o Advice to Share With Students Involved in Bullying (p.10) o Why Teachers Should Care About Bullying (p.47) For an activity, we suggest writing a short quiz about bullying facts that students can fill out based on the fact sheets above. This is also a good opportunity to have an open discussion with your class to determine how much they know about bullying and their thoughts on the subject.

DAY 2: CYBERBULLYING We have included information on cyberbullying and how it differs from traditional forms of bullying in the opening section of this guide (p.5). For more information and facts regarding cyberbullying, PREVNet has the following fact sheets available for free on their website (www.prevnet.ca): Impact and Implications of Electronic Bullying and The Role of Adults in Electronic Bullying. Family Channel and KINSA have provided a list of Internet tips to help children stay safe online. This list can be found at http://www.family.ca/onlinesafetytips/.

If your school has a policy on cyberbullying, consider reviewing it as a class. If students notice ways in which the policy has not kept up with technological advances, the class could suggest changes. If your school does not have a cyberbullying policy, consider drafting one as a class and presenting it to the principal for consideration by the school board.

DAY 3: COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Extending your school’s Bullying Awareness Week initiatives to your local community can increase the presence of this theme in your town or city. In addition to contacting the mayor of your town/city as previously suggested, you can also contact local businesses and ask them to show their support for BAW week by posting a sign saying that they too will “Stand UP!” to bullying. This is an excellent opportunity to engage your community in dialogue about, and create awareness of, issues related to bullying. (e.g. Family has partnered with The Magazine to include a tear-out Stand UP! poster that you could share with these organizations.) Contact other schools in your town/city and ask them to consider participating in Bullying Awareness Week as well. Refer them to Family Channel’s website for free downloadable resources and access to this Teacher’s Guide.

DAY 4: GET CREATIVE Students should feel empowered to take responsibility on a personal level for finding ways to “Stand UP!” to bullying in their schools, communities and environments at large. o This is an excellent opportunity for students to create informative works of art that communicate the material they have been learning about how to “Stand UP!” to bullying. o It is also a chance for students to incorporate their personal hobbies (art, music, theatre, writing, sports, etc.) and interests into their “Stand UP!” messages. If appropriate, students may choose to perform their creations for the school at an assembly, or put their artwork up throughout the school for parents, peers and other teachers to see. If community businesses are participating in your school’s Bullying Awareness Week, students can take their posters to the businesses in person.

DAY 5: STAND UP! WRAP UP This is an opportunity to wrap up your class or school’s activities with a celebration of all that students have learned about and done to create awareness around bullying.

Plan a celebration to reward your students’ efforts (and yours as well) to “Stand UP!” to bullying. This is an opportunity for you to be creative and cater to the interests of your students. Some examples of activities you may include in your celebration are: o Invite a member of the local press (see Reaching Out to Media, p.18) to write an article on your class’s/school’s BAW activities. Have the press member come to your class to interview students on what they have learned about standing up to bullying and use the opportunity to highlight the artistic creations of your students from the week. o Show a favourite movie or hold a pizza party. o Host a school assembly marking the occasion. This is a great opportunity to work in the Caring Kids awards and present them to students. On Friday November 16 at 5 p.m. ET/PT, Family will air a special presentation of the Bullying Awareness Week Stand UP! rally. You may want to record the rally and watch it with your class the following week. Additionally, the rally will be available for streaming on Family.ca following its airdate.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

CREATIVE WRITING ASSIGNMENT For classes of all ages, a fun project focusing on creative writing and/or art projects would be to create a class comic book on standing up to bullying. Students can write poems, short stories or create artwork (paintings, drawings, etc.) to be included in the book. At the end of the unit, the materials can be compiled, printed and bound. A copy can be kept in the class and students can receive a copy for themselves.

BULLYING-THEMED READING UNIT A great way to incorporate respectful relationships centered around bullying awareness is to choose one of the books from the Resources Guide (p.73) and read it as a class. This can be worked into an English unit or developed into a week-long theme during Bullying Awareness Week. Activities can focus on the protagonist and his/her experiences with bullying, how he or she dealt with bullying and how students might change the story if they were to rewrite the ending (where appropriate).

If you decide to incorporate a character analysis with this activity, please be sure to draw attention to the following items: o Type(s) of bullying (It may be useful to ask students to provide examples from the story to justify their classification of the type(s) of bullying); o Short summary of the character’s coping strategies;

o Evaluation of the effectiveness of the coping strategies; and o Students’ recommendations for one or two other ways the character could have dealt with the bullying.

BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES It might be useful to give students a short assignment to describe what the highlight of Bullying Awareness Week was for them, or how they will take the information they learned during the week and carry it through the rest of the school year. On the Monday following Bullying Awareness Week, you may want to revisit the Code of Conduct your class created at the beginning of the school year and see if students think it should be updated in any way.

SECTION 2: FAMILY CHANNEL RESOURCES

GUIDELINES FOR USING FAMILY CHANNEL RESOURCES IN

YOUR CLASSROOM

The program synopses and teaching activities presented in this section can be used to help you incorporate any or all the Family Channel bullying-themed episodes into your lesson plans for Bullying Awareness Week.

Before you present this material to your students, however, review the information from the beginning of this guide with your class, so that students can learn about the different types of bullying, how to identify bullying relationships within the episodes and effective ways to Stand UP! to bullying.

EXPECTATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR ACTIVITIES

DISCUSSIONS Bullying and victimization can be a sensitive issue for many children and care must be taken to ensure that discussions about bullying do not cause additional distress to vulnerable students. In order to provide a positive classroom environment in which all students feel supported by both peers and the teacher, the following guidelines can be discussed with students: No interruptions; one person speaks at a time. Listen as you would want to be listened to. Only positive comments about other students.

Classroom discussion is not the time to work through a specific bullying problem. The teacher should emphasize that if there is a specific situation related to bullying, the teacher wants to hear about it and wants to help. The teacher should follow this statement with a specific time and place that students can come to talk about a bullying problem. During classroom discussions, students must not identify children who are involved in bullying. Names should not be used and if a student wishes to discuss a specific scenario, it should be done privately. Students who are not comfortable speaking should not be required to do so, but have the option to pass.

ROLE-PLAY SCENARIOS In addition to providing a chance to practice standing up to bullying in a respectful way, having students role-play constructive actions to take in a bullying scenario provides them with the experience of taking the role of the bullied student or the bystanders.

Note: There is a risk associated with assigning students the task of bullying another student in a role-play activity because this role can provide experience with the misuse of power and be an opportunity for negative peer modelling. Therefore, teachers may need to: Clearly communicate that the purpose of the role-playing activity is for students to work together on solutions to these kinds of problems; Step in decisively if the activity appears to promote enjoyment or approval of the bully role or distress for the student in the role of being victimized. This can be an opportunity to discuss the temptation to misuse power and ways to avoid that temptation; Use a “freeze frame” version of the activity to “freeze” the role-play when teachable moments present themselves. This format can be used to discuss the temptation to misuse power or used to discontinue the activity if it starts to veer off in a counterproductive direction; or Consider taking on the bullying role in the role-playing activity themselves.

ACTIVITY HANDOUTS Each episode/webisode comes with an activity that can be photocopied and handed out to students to complete. The activities consisting of word searches, crosswords and cryptograms, as well as an answer sheet can be found in Section 4: Appendices & Activities.

ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO SEEK HELP IF THEY NEED IT At the end of every discussion or class, the teacher should repeat the offer to speak privately with students if they would like to discuss any of these issues and describe a time and place where a student can do so. It may also be a good idea to have a “question box” that only the teacher is able to open so that students may express concerns privately. The teacher may also wish to make his or her students aware of Kids Help Phone, a confidential and anonymous help line staffed by professional counsellors trained in bullying issues. Students can go to kidshelpphone.ca or call 1-800-668-6868. All calls are anonymous and students will never be asked for their names, addresses or phone numbers.

SERIES: THE LATEST BUZZ

The Latest Buzz follows five grade nine students who get the unlikely assignment of their lives when the struggling youth magazine Teen BUZZ hires them on to revive the publication. These teens learn about the fast-paced world of publishing, all while living the fast-paced lives of teenagers.

Episode: “The Peer Pressure Issue” Synopsis: Amanda’s old friend turns out to be the biggest snob the BUZZ gang has ever had to deal with. Meanwhile, Michael tries to be one of the guys with Noah and Wilder and Rebecca’s first cell phone is a telemarketing magnet.

Storyline 1: Amanda and Caitlin Amanda is excited when her best friend, Caitlin, comes to visit. However, Caitlin puts down Amanda’s friends with mean jokes when Amanda is not around. Amanda’s friends decide to confront her and tell her what is going on. However, Amanda doesn't believe Caitlin is being mean until Caitlin makes fun of Rebecca in front of her. Amanda is upset by Caitlin’s behaviour and confronts her about it. Teaching Points 1. Social and verbal bullying occurred. Also, Caitlin’s comments toward Michael could be labelled as racist, given the history of African-American slavery. 2. Caitlin says her put-downs are jokes, but they are really hurtful insults that make Amanda’s friends feel bad. Caitlin is using the term ‘joke’ to excuse her comments that are experienced as hurtful – an example of when teasing crosses the line into bullying. For more information on when teasing becomes bullying, please see the teasing tip sheet in Section 3: Additional Resources. 3. Amanda’s friends confront her about Caitlin’s behaviours, but Amanda doesn’t believe Caitlin is being mean at first. People, including teachers, sometimes find it hard to believe that someone they know well, or who is a friend, is bullying someone else. It is important to listen to someone when they say they are being bullied.

4. When Amanda witnesses Caitlin saying mean things to her friends, she realizes that Caitlin’s jokes are actually mean. She confronts Caitlin, which causes a conflict between the two girls. Amanda stands by her friends and Caitlin leaves, ending the friendship between the two girls. It is important to recognize that the fear of losing one’s friends can keep students from standing up to a friend who is bullying others. It is also important to help students learn how to provide each other with help and support. Teach students how to help friends who are bullying others empathize with the students they’ve been bullying, and how to encourage their friends to apologize and make amends to the people they have hurt by bullying.

Storyline 2: Rebecca Rebecca gets her first cell phone but can't really figure out how to work it that well. She also has a difficult time saying no to incoming calls to buy merchandise and participate in surveys. Teaching Points 1. Although the telemarketers aren't bullying Rebecca, this is an excellent example of why it is important for students to understand the technology they are using and how to use it safely. Rebecca should spend some time learning how to use her phone properly, as well as how to respond to unwanted calls. Take some time to teach your students about personal privacy to ensure that they know how to stay safe online. 2. Rebecca finds telemarketers’ phone calls distressing. She doesn’t know how to say no, so she ends up agreeing to participate in surveys she doesn’t want to take part in. It is very important for students to learn how to be assertive and remove themselves from unwanted situations. It may be especially difficult for students to do this if they are dealing with an adult. However, they need to be taught how to be assertive as they may encounter situations in which they need to have the skills to say no and remove themselves. 3. Sometimes children remain passive bystanders to bullying or even join in bullying that someone else has started because of peer pressure. Although that did not happen in this episode, you might find that this is an opportunity for students to discuss what they can do to “Stand UP!” to bullying when faced with peer pressure not to do so. For instance, friends agreeing to “Stand UP!” together in these kinds of situations can be an effective way to resist the peer pressure.

Storyline 3: Michael, Noah and Wilder When Michael happens to mention the one fact he knows about the TV show Pizza Patrol, Noah and Wilder make him a part of their team and enter a televised Pizza Patrol contest.

Michael pretends he’s in love with the show because he is worried that if he tells Noah and Wilder he doesn’t like the show, they won’t like him anymore. When he finally confesses to Wilder and Noah that he doesn’t like the show, they reassure him that they like him for who he is, even if he doesn’t like Pizza Patrol. Teaching Points 1. Noah and Wilder are not bullying Michael in this storyline. However, Michael feels pressure to pretend he enjoys something he doesn’t like in order to fit in and gain acceptance. 2. Peer pressure is a powerful motivator. It can lead students to take part in activities they don’t enjoy. This may lead students to join in a bullying incident or prevent them from standing up to someone who is bullying another student. 3. It is important to address effective ways to deal with peer pressure. As with Rebecca, Michael needs to learn to be assertive with Noah and Wilder. Point out that when Michael finally tells Noah and Wilder that he doesn’t like Pizza Patrol, they accept him just the same. Often our ideas of how others will react keep us from standing up or walking away. Help students identify ways in which to practice being assertive. If your classroom Code of Conduct includes items about respecting diversity, you can discuss how respecting diversity would lead to accepting and valuing differences between students, rather than pressuring students to all be the same.

ROLE-PLAY It can be really easy to say what someone else should have done in a bullying situation but much harder to actually do it yourself. Role-playing gives students a chance to experiment with different behaviours and solutions before taking the risk of trying them out in real life.

Consider the following role-play scenarios using characters from the episode. Review the strategies for responding to bullying incidents, highlighting the use of assertive communication. Complete a role-play together as a class so students understand the task. Organize students into groups or pairs in such a way that a child who is vulnerable to being bullied is in a group monitored by a teacher or grouped with students who will stand up for him or her.

Have students write a short script, act out the scene and try out at least two different ways to respond to each bullying incident. Discuss which reactions might work best in real life and which ones students might be comfortable trying in real life.

Instructions: 1. Assign each student a role from one of the suggested scenarios. 2. Explain to students that the objective in each scenario is to work together to resolve the conflict in a way that is respectful of all the individuals involved. 3. Once students clearly understand the objective, read the scenario to them. 4. Give students a few minutes to think about how to respond to the conflict in a positive manner and then have them write their script. Encourage students to ask questions if they can’t think of ways to solve the conflict. 5. When students have finished writing their scripts, have them explain to the class what positive strategies they are using in their script. 6. Have them act out their scripts.

Scenario 1 Caitlin and Rebecca are alone in the office at Teen BUZZ. Caitlin makes a joke about how cheap Rebecca’s clothes look, but says she’s just joking. Rebecca is upset by Caitlin’s jokes and decides to try to talk to her about it.

Scenario 2 Rebecca doesn’t like receiving phone calls from telemarketers asking her to participate in surveys, but she doesn’t know how to say no. Noah sees her frustrated after another telemarketing phone call takes up her precious time. He offers her some advice about how to stand up for herself.

Scenario 3 Michael has just agreed to join Noah and Wilder’s team for the televised Pizza Patrol trivia contest. He worries the boys won’t like him if he tells them he doesn’t like Pizza Patrol. Amanda sees Michael by himself, looking upset, and she goes over to ask him what’s wrong. He tells her about the situation and asks her what he can do.

Self-Created Scenarios In addition to the scenarios listed above, students may wish to come up with their own bullying scenario. If this is the case, be sure to check in with them to make sure the scenario isn’t based on an actual event that is happening or has happened to one of the students in the class as this could potentially victimize them further.

SERIES: THE LATEST BUZZ

Episode: “The Bully Issue” Synopsis: Yolanda is completely controlling in her relationship with Michael. Noah goes overboard taking charge when he directs a music video for Amanda. Meanwhile, Rebecca gets frustrated when Wilder keeps badly beating her at video games, over and over.

Storyline 1: Michael and Yolanda Michael and Yolanda start to date, but Michael realizes that Yolanda is controlling him and everything he does. However, he is afraid to confront her about being bossy, because he does not want to upset her and risk losing the relationship.

Teaching Points 1. There is a power imbalance because Michael feels intimidated and more vulnerable than Yolanda and is consequently silenced. The issue of assertiveness comes up in this storyline. If Michael had been able to be assertive with Yolanda earlier on, perhaps the situation would not have ended in Yolanda breaking up with Michael. 2. This storyline shows that bullying can take place within the context of any relationship, even a romantic one. It also highlights the issue of why people choose to stay in relationships or friendships in which they are being mistreated.

Storyline 2: Rebecca and Wilder Rebecca wants Wilder to teach her how to play a video game, but when they play together, he doesn’t help her learn how to play or give her any tips. When Wilder beats her and reaches the next level, he starts making fun of her.

Teaching Points 1. In this scenario, Wilder is in a position of greater power because he is more skilled and able. Rather than use his power positively by coaching and encouraging Rebecca, he uses it to bully her verbally with hurtful teasing, socially by telling others about her struggles and then humiliates her via cyberbullying. 2. Although Wilder’s dad intervenes in this situation, this may not always happen. Rebecca could respond by removing herself from the situation or talking to an adult, such as a teacher or her parents.

Storyline 3: Noah and Amanda Noah and Amanda are making a video on bullying. Noah starts to take full control and Amanda doesn't like it. As the video preparations continue, Noah continues to be dismissive, rude and aggressive towards Amanda and refuses to consider her input.

Teaching Points 1. Here, the bullying behaviour occurs in a friendship with Noah assuming a dominant position and making decisions alone rather than collaboratively. 2. Amanda tries to voice her opinions, but Noah won’t listen to her. In the end, Amanda and the other students involved in the project get fed up with Noah’s behaviour and quit the project. This is a good example of what can happen when people don’t act with consideration for others’ feelings, ideas, creativity, etc. 3. When Amanda returns to talk to Noah, she helps Noah understand how he is making her feel by reminding him of a situation when he was treated in a similar way. Through the use of empathy, Noah is able to recognize that his behaviour is unacceptable and hurting the people around him. He is able to apologize and, together, he and Amanda create a video that is better than the video he was trying to make on his own.

into groups or pairs in such a way that a child who is vulnerable to being bullied is in a group monitored by a teacher or grouped with students who will stand up for him or her.

Scenario 1 Yolanda has just handed Michael his schedule for the day. He has an important project due the next day and needs to finish his work on it, but she has scheduled him to walk her to the library and help her find a book for one of her projects instead. He looks at her and she bossily asks him if there is something wrong with the schedule.

Scenario 2 Wilder is on his computer uploading the video of him beating Rebecca at a video game. He is laughing and can’t wait to show others how badly she lost. Noah happens to walk by and asks Wilder what he is doing. Wilder shows him the video he is uploading.

Scenario 3 Amanda has just stormed out of a rehearsal with Noah because, as usual, he is not listening to anyone and insisting that everything be done his way. Rebecca runs into Amanda and asks her what’s wrong. Amanda explains the situation to Rebecca and asks her what she should do.

Self-Created Scenarios In addition to the scenarios listed above, students may wish to come up with their own bullying scenario.

SERIES: WINGIN’ IT

Wingin‘ It follows an unlikely teenage odd couple of an angel-in-training, Porter, and a disaster-prone high school student, Carl, as they navigate the halls of Bennett High. Porter has been tasked with making Carl the most popular kid at Bennett High in order to earn his wings.

Episode: “Bully Elliot” Synopsis: When the new badminton coach gives Carl a hard time, Carl and Porter must work together to stand up for themselves and the rest of the class. Meanwhile, Jane is determined to go undercover and write an article on Brittany’s cruel “Frenemy” club for the school paper.

Storyline 1: Carl and Elliot Excited because it is time for badminton in his gym schedule, Carl finds himself at first disappointed and then terrified, when Coach Heinrich puts senior student and star athlete, Elliot, in charge of teaching the class. When Carl and Alex attempt to stand up for themselves, Elliot’s taunting and harassment escalate until he becomes physically aggressive. Carl and Porter initially reach out to Coach Heinrich but he doesn’t take them seriously. When Carl tries to get his class to stand up to Elliot together, Elliot intimidates his classmates into silence, leaving Carl and Porter standing up to him alone. When Porter uses his magic, Coach Heinrich and the principal address the power imbalance and the bullying by removing Elliot from Carl’s class.

Teaching Points 1. Verbal and physical bullying occurred. 2. Elliot had social power because the teacher put him in charge of the class. Elliot was also older and more athletic than Carl. He used his power to intimidate the boys in the gym class. Elliot kept the boys scared and compliant with threats and displays of verbal and physical violence. He also singled out Carl, and this kept the other boys from standing up to him, because they were all afraid of becoming the next target. 3. Carl made a few valiant attempts to stand up to Elliot.

4. The problem was resolved after Coach Heinrich and the principal heard Elliot yelling at Carl’s class. However, Porter’s magic was instrumental in making this happen. 5. Although it may have felt vindicating when Porter used his magic to take some of Elliot’s power away, he used his power (magic) to humiliate Elliot and get the other boys to laugh at him. Sometimes there is a thin line between standing up for oneself and “bullying back.” When kids bully back, it tends to propagate more bad feelings and bullying behaviour between the individuals involved. 6. A real-life solution would not involve magic, but it could involve telling a responsible adult who could address the bullying. When Carl and Porter spoke to Coach Heinrich for the first time, he didn’t take them very seriously. Although this must have been frustrating, the boys could have gone to tell another adult, like the principal, another teacher, a guidance counsellor or their parents. With adult intervention, Elliot would no longer be in a position to abuse his power. An ideal solution would include an adult helping Elliot understand how he used his power negatively, and guiding him in using his skills and social power to develop a more positive leadership style.

Storyline 2: Jane and Brittany Jane has heard a rumour that some popular girls, led by Brittany, are starting a “Frenemy Club” and decides to expose their bullying ways in the school newspaper. To gain the popular girls’ trust, Jane must participate in numerous bullying behaviours and socially bully a good friend. Jane sees the bullying as a means to an end (a front-page story). Ultimately, Jane succeeds in exposing the “Frenemy Club”. Her friendship is repaired with a white lie and an apology. After learning about the “Frenemy Club” Principal Malone finds a way for some creative reparation.

Teaching Points 1. Social bullying occurred. This is a common type of bullying among girls and it can be hard for students involved in it to identify it as bullying. It can also be very difficult for adults to spot, because it is hidden from adults. 2. Brittany had more power than Jane because she was a popular girl and belonged to an exclusive club. Brittany had social power because she could decide whether or not to allow Jane to fit in. Eventually, Jane abused her power (knowledge of something private about her friend Alex) by betraying a secret. Although Alex readily forgave Jane afterwards, it is very painful to be betrayed by a close friend and publicly humiliated at the same time. In the real world, the situation likely would have had more complex consequences. What does ring true about the complex dynamics of social bullying is that just as Jane bullied Alex to win favour with an instigator, she ended up being bullied in return by the instigator.

3. Jane did not overtly bully Brittany back. However, the principal’s decision to have Brittany humiliate herself to make amends might be viewed as bullying back by some. It would depend on how Brittany viewed the situation and how the principal handled things with the girls. 4. This resolution is unlikely to happen in real life. In reality, this would have been a difficult problem to solve and it would have taken time to change the hearts and minds of the other girls who were bullying, as well as to mend the relationship between Jane and Alex.

Scenario 1 Jane and Brittany are in gym class. Coach Heinrich chooses partners for ping-pong and these two girls are paired together. Unfortunately for Jane, Brittany ignores her and refuses to play. Instead, Brittany just keeps hitting the ball against the wall with her paddle.

Scenario 2 Carl and Alex tell Coach Heinrich about Elliot’s bullying behaviour after the very first class. Coach Heinrich is too busy thinking about the girls’ volleyball tournament and doesn’t seem to believe the boys. He sends them away. Carl and Alex decide to talk to Elliot in person before the start of their next gym class.

Scenario 3 Brittany is trying to apologize to Jane about the “Frenemy Club” but it is hard for her. She is used to bullying others because when she bullies, people pay a lot of attention to her. As Brittany is trying to apologize to Jane, Alex butts in to the conversation, and says, “Hey Brittany, this isn’t your style! Jane deserves a taste of her own medicine, not an apology.”

SERIES: WHAT’S UP, WARTHOGS!

What’s Up, Warthogs! follows arch-rivals Eric and Victoria as they begrudgingly team up to save the on-air announcements at West Hill High from returning to the “boringpalooza” show of the past. Add Eric’s off-beat, camera shy, best friend Charlie and 12-year-old genius, Laney, plus the help of guest reporters and user-generated content, to equal a show that ultimately puts the students in charge.

Webisode: “What’s Up, Stand Up!” Synopsis: Eric and Victoria mark Bullying Awareness Week at West Hill High on the morning announcements. Charlie learns a lesson about cyberbullying while Laney understands the importance of standing up for her peers.

Storyline 1: Charlie Charlie receives a surprising and “juicy” text message about a girl he knows. Excited by the text, he contemplates sending it to a friend. Laney points out that sending the text to a friend would be an embarrassing and negative experience for the girl it is about.

Teaching Points 1. Using a cell phone to send information that will hurt another person is an example of cyberbullying, whether the information is true or not. 2. There is a power imbalance here, because the technology enables many people to have access to the private information about one person. The girl who is being texted about has no control over her own private information. 3. Laney reminds Charlie to think about how he would feel if texts were being sent around about him. Her use of empathy helps him decide not to send the text.

Storyline 2: Laney Laney is sad and confused because she has seen a nice boy in her class pick on another girl every day for the last week.

Teaching Points 1. We can assume there is a power imbalance between this boy and the girl who got picked on, because the girl who got picked on was not able to get the boy to stop. 2. Charlie helps Laney stand up by offering to help her find an adult to talk to about the problem.

ROLE-PLAY It can be really easy to say what someone else should have done in a bullying situation, but much harder to actually do it yourself. Role-playing gives students a chance to experiment with different behaviours and solutions before taking the risk of trying them out in real life.

Consider the following freeze frame role-play activity using characters from the webisode. Organize the activity in such a way that a child who is vulnerable to being bullied is in a group monitored by a teacher or grouped with students who will stand up for him or her.

Using the format of What’s Up, Warthogs!, have students recreate the webisode with new scenarios. Brainstorm several potential bullying situations for Charlie and Laney to encounter in their day. Review the strategies for responding to bullying incidents, highlighting the use of assertive communication. Choose how the newscasters will introduce the Bullying Awareness Week at your school, and interact with Laney and Charlie.

When you have finished planning the topics and situations that will be covered in the newscast, select individuals to play the parts of Laney, Charlie, and as many newscasters as you wish (the webisode uses two). With the class, review the first bullying situation decided upon. Remind the students what to do and then let them take it away.

The fun part of this exercise is the freeze frame. At various times throughout the role-play, students can yell “Freeze Frame,” at which point all the actors freeze and the student who yelled “Freeze Frame” then replaces one of the actors. When the new actor has assumed the role of the actor she or he replaced, the scene continues.

If students are shy, it might help to do this in smaller groups instead of as a class. Additionally, take part in this activity yourself, as it will help boost students’ interest if you show interest. If necessary, you may call the freeze frames yourself and have a student volunteer take over a role or have a group of students replace all the actors and continue the role-play.

After each scenario has ended, discuss which of the reactions to the bully situation might work best and which ones students might be comfortable trying in real life.

SERIES: LIFE WITH DEREK

Life with Derek is a comedy series about a modern blended family with two determined 15- year-olds, Casey and Derek, who are constantly competing to in charge. Each episode is an alpha- teen comic war between two self-obsessed teenagers in a take-no-prisoners fight for control of their house, their school and their world.

Introductory Note: This episode is especially appropriate for older students (e.g., Grades 6–8). You may still wish to adapt it to a younger audience. Be aware that the material may be more demanding of younger students than the other episodes in this section.

Episode: “The Bully Brothers” Synopsis: When Edwin gets picked on by a schoolyard bully, he goes to Derek for advice, inadvertently causing Derek big trouble of his own.

Storyline 1: Edwin and Ronnie Edwin is avoiding school because he is afraid of Ronnie, a boy who is bullying him. Derek steps in and offers some older brother advice. He tells Edwin the number one rule when dealing with bullies is to “never back down” and “be a man.” He then teaches Edwin some self-defense maneuvers. However, when Edwin returns home with a black eye, Derek takes matters into his own hands and phones Ronnie to tell him to leave Edwin alone, or else. When Edwin’s stepmom finds out about his black eye, she talks to his father and they call Ronnie’s parents. The boys meet at Edwin’s house and talk things out.

Teaching Points 1. Verbal and physical bullying occurred. 2. Ronnie had physical power because he was bigger and stronger than Edwin. According to Edwin’s confession to Derek, it seems he attempted to gain social power by making jokes about Ronnie. If Edwin and Ronnie had been given ways to use their power in positive ways, the bullying situation between might not have started in the first place.

3. Derek’s advice to Edwin, and his threatening phone call to Ronnie, are good examples of how not to react to a bullying situation. Bullying back often leads to an escalation of the bullying with more negative and sometimes violent outcomes. Although Derek attempted to “Stand UP!” for Edwin, he went about it the wrong way. Instead of resorting to bullying Ronnie, he should have helped Edwin talk to an adult, like the boys’ dad or stepmom, and ask for help. 4. When Edwin’s stepmom sees his black eye, she asks him if he is being bullied at school. She tells him that she knows a thing or two about bullying and offers to talk to his dad to see if they can think of a better way to deal with the situation than Derek did. By telling Edwin that he can talk to her about the bullying, his stepmom is showing her support for him. Further, when she is honest with Edwin about knowing more about girls’ bullying than boys’ bullying, she shows him that he can be honest with her too. After she speaks with Edwin, his stepmom follows through on her offer to speak to his dad and they come up with a solution together. 5. Edwin’s parents call Ronnie’s parents and set up a meeting between the boys. Ronnie comes over to apologize for giving Edwin a black eye and eventually the boys shake hands and agree to call things even. This is a good example of a positive resolution to a bullying situation. The intervention on the part of their parents helps them work their way through the situation. When the boys are meeting, Edwin’s dad stays in the room next to them and offers his support in case they need it. By doing this, he allows Edwin and Ronnie to attempt to work things out between themselves but stays close by in case the boys need his help.

It is important to note, however, that simply sitting two students down to “talk it out” is usually not an effective approach to a bullying issue. If you think students will benefit from talking through a bullying situation, it is a good idea to talk to each one of them beforehand, so they know what to expect from the discussion and what is expected of them.

Storyline 2: Derek and Ryan After threatening Ronnie, his younger brother Edwin’s bully, Derek finds himself in hot water with Ryan, Ronnie’s older and much bigger brother. Ryan shows up at Derek’s house to fight him and says they’ll “settle things” at school the next day. That evening, Ronnie posts on Edwin’s IM board that Ryan has been bragging about how he’s going to beat Derek up.

The next day at school, Derek goes to fight Ryan, despite several attempts from others to stop him. Just before the fight starts, Casey, Derek’s stepsister, shows up and intervenes. She manages to get Ryan to back down and walk away.

Teaching Points 1. Verbal bullying occurred between Derek and Ronnie, as well as Derek and Ryan. 2. When Derek calls Ronnie to threaten him, he is using his age and the threat of his physical size and strength as power. However, when Ryan shows up at Derek’s front door, Derek becomes the smaller and weaker individual. This is important to note as using power to bully others is a bad choice in relationships for many reasons. Sooner or later, an individual who is more powerful than you may come along and when they do, the power imbalance that previously favoured you will shift, but not in your favour. 3. Derek and his friend Alex like to pull pranks on others, especially members of the football team. These kinds of jokes can be funny when they are done between two people who are close friends and when they strengthen a relationship. However, Derek and Alex’s pranks are meant to remind the football team that they are not as good as the hockey team. When confronted with their behaviour, students will sometimes say that they are joking, or that it isn’t serious. At times, the student(s) being made fun of will even agree with them. However, this should be taken with a grain of salt. Students who are being teased may be afraid to say it isn’t funny, or may fear gaining a reputation as a “tattle-tale” among their peers. It can be tricky to navigate situations involving teasing so we have included a tip sheet on how to deal with this topic under Section 3: Additional Resources. 4. Despite several characters’ attempts to stop Derek and Ryan from fighting, both seem to think they have to follow through and fight because they said they would. Reputation is a powerful motivator. Wanting to maintain the “I’m tough” image can be very important to boys and girls alike. To help avoid negative situations involving students’ reputations, make it a priority to stress the qualities that are valued instead. By focusing on the ideal behaviour rather than unhealthy behaviour, you communicate to students what is valued in your classroom.

Storyline 3: Max and Casey There is no bullying between Max and Casey; however, the two of them are pivotal characters in this episode because of how they react to the bullying situation in which Derek finds himself. At first, Max doesn’t seem worried about Derek and Ryan fighting. He says, “It’s just a stupid fight,” and claims it’s none of his business. He insinuates that Derek deserves to be beaten up because he threatened Ryan’s younger brother and has been annoying the football team a great deal. Casey responds by saying, “Just because Derek’s a jerk doesn’t mean he deserves to be beaten up.” Casey tries to talk to Derek, but he won’t listen to her. Eventually, she intervenes in the bullying herself to stop Ryan from fighting Derek. In doing so, however, she uses physical aggression to back Ryan into the lockers and yell at him in his face.

Teaching Points 1. Even though Derek knows he cannot win a fight against Ryan, he persists in defending his reputation as a “tough guy.” Society and popular media sometimes send messages that claim fighting is normal behaviour for boys. Fighting can even be encouraged as a way for a boy to “be a man.” These messages are very influential in children’s lives and can guide their behaviour. Consider addressing the topic of gender stereotypes to better understand the messages your students are receiving. In addressing these stereotypes, be sure to engage students in a discussion over whether they are healthy or not, and why behaving in a certain manner doesn’t make you more of a ‘man’ or ‘woman’. 2. At first, Max doesn’t do anything about the situation between Ryan and Derek saying it’s none of his business. Believing that a bullying incident is none of their business is one reason why children sometimes do not “Stand UP!” to bullying when they see it happening. However, research has shown that 57% of the time, when students say something, the bullying stops within 10 seconds. Remind students that when they “Stand UP!”, they are part of the solution, but when they do nothing, they are part of the problem. 3. Both Casey and Max have reasons for not liking Derek. However, Max uses Derek’s annoying behaviour to justify doing nothing about the situation between Derek and Ryan, while Casey intervenes regardless of Derek being “a jerk.” It can be gratifying to see someone we don’t like or that we find annoying being bullied. But that doesn’t mean that they deserve to be victimized. Casey is right in standing up for Derek despite his annoying behaviour. 4. It is apparent in the episode that Derek and Casey do not always get along. Despite their relationship being troubled at times, Casey doesn’t hesitate to stand up for him. This is a great example of how to “Stand UP!” to bullying, even when the person being bullied isn’t someone you always, or ever, like. 5. Although Casey does stand up for Derek, she is quite aggressive toward Ryan in doing so. In this episode, her strategy works and Ryan leaves Derek alone. In real life, however, her behaviour could have escalated the situation and made it worse for both her and Derek. Addressing bullying by bullying back is not a good strategy. Instead, students should be assertive in telling the person who is bullying to stop, and that bullying isn’t cool or acceptable. If they don’t feel like they can do this, they should talk to an adult and ask for help.

6. When Max, Derek and Alex are leaving after Casey gets Ryan to back down, Max says he thought Ryan was only a bully on the field. This suggests that bullying is ok in certain situations, such as sports. Although certain sports do place a high value on aggression and toughness in athletes, it should be stressed that there are ways to be a top athlete and competitive in a game without resorting to bullying.

Scenario 1 Edwin and Ronnie are on the school grounds at recess. Edwin has just made a joke at Ronnie’s expense and Ronnie is upset. He decides he would like to get even with Edwin for it. His friend Rachel joins him to see what is wrong. Ronnie tells her about Edwin’s joke, that it upset him, and that he is going to teach Edwin a lesson. Rachel offers Ronnie an alternative solution.

Scenario 2 Derek’s dad has heard about Derek’s advice for Edwin on how to deal with Ronnie, Edwin’s bully. Two days ago, Edwin came home from school with a black eye from following this advice. Now Edwin tells him that Derek is in trouble with Ryan, Ronnie’s older brother. He decides to talk to Derek about the bullying.

Scenario 3 Max and Ryan are in the locker room after football practice. Max has just been pranked by Derek and Alex and is upset at them. Ryan mentions that he will “take care of that kid,” meaning Derek. Although Max is tempted by the chance to see Derek “get what he deserves” for all the pranks he has pulled, Max also knows that as the captain of the football team he has a responsibility to use his power to be a good leader.

SECTION 3: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

WHY TEACHERS SHOULD CARE ABOUT BULLYING

We strongly recommend that students ask their teachers and other adults in their schools to help them deal with bullying situations. However, sometimes teachers either do not know how to help, or do not realize the seriousness or impact of the bullying situation. Often, how a teacher or caring adult intervenes (or does not intervene) is influenced by his or her own bullying history. It is important to be mindful of your attitudes and experiences with bullying so that you can reach out and help students in need.

Many people feel that bullying is “just kids being kids” and that it’s “harmless.” In fact, bullying is anything but harmless:

RISKS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE BULLIED: RISKS FOR CHILDREN WHO BULLY OTHERS:

o Depression (low mood, a sense of o Not knowing the difference between hopelessness) right and wrong o Social anxiety, loneliness and/or o Delinquency and substance abuse isolation o Academic problems and school drop o Poor health (e.g., stomach aches, out headaches) o Adult criminality o Low self-esteem o Difficulties in their relationships with o School absenteeism and academic others problems o Being bullied at the hands of others o Aggressive behaviours o Contemplating, attempting or committing suicide

HOW TO KNOW IF A STUDENT IS INVOLVED IN BULLYING

Bullying is a covert behaviour and is usually hidden from adults. Look for the following clues:

SIGNS OF BEING BULLIED: SIGNS OF BULLYING OTHERS:

o Afraid to go to school or other o Aggressive with parents, siblings, activities pets and friends o Appears anxious o Low concern for others’ feelings o Low self-esteem and makes negative o Bossy and manipulative behaviour comments o Unexplained possession of objects o Complains of feeling unwell or money o Lower interest in activities and o Secretive about possessions and performance activities o Loses things, needs money, reports o Holds a positive view of aggression being hungry o Easily frustrated and quick to anger o Injuries, bruises, damaged clothing o Does not recognize impact of his or or belongings her behaviour o Appears unhappy, irritable o Has friends who bully and are o Trouble sleeping, nightmares aggressive o Threatens to hurt self or others o Has trouble standing up to peer o May appear isolated from the peer pressure group

TEN WAYS TEACHERS CAN HELP PREVENT BULLYING

1. Lead by Example Model respectful and empathic behaviours and positive conflict resolution strategies. Think carefully about the words you choose and the way you behave with both children and adults.

2. Establish a Code of Conduct Involve students in developing a Code of Conduct about acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. (See Section 1: Bullying Awareness Week) If children are responsible for creating the classroom policies about bullying, they are much more likely to follow them and monitor others for doing the same.

3. Relationship Problems Require Relationship Solutions Children who bully need help to understand the impact of their behaviours on others. Devise some possible penalties. Penalties are designed to send the message that bullying is unacceptable while also providing support for the children who bully to learn the skills and acquire the insights they are lacking. For example, a child who bullies may have to sit out of an activity but can use the time to write a letter of apology instead. (See Possible Consequences on p.54 more information and examples.)

4. Encourage Children to Report Be sure that children know that it’s the teacher’s responsibility to keep children safe and that you want to know if someone is repeatedly or seriously bullied. Clarify the difference between tattling and telling: o Tattling = what you do to get someone into trouble o Telling = what you do to get someone out of trouble Provide confidential ways to report bullying at school such as an anonymous “question box” to reduce student discomfort with reporting.

5. Acknowledge Positive Behaviours Notice and praise respectful, cooperative and caring behaviour whenever you see it. The more you praise positive behaviour, the more often it will occur.

6. Minimize Opportunities for Bullying Organize activities so that a child who is vulnerable to being bullied is in a group monitored by a teacher or grouped with students who will stand up for him or her. Whenever possible, adults should assume responsibility for selecting children’s teams, groups, partners and seating arrangements. If children are allowed to make these decisions, vulnerable students will be distressed and at high risk of being chosen last or left out completely.

7. Teach the Social Skills Children Lack Teachers can help children who are bullied practice standing up for themselves through role-play scenarios in which they practice assertive but respectful behaviour. Children who bully need help with learning social problem-solving skills, how to use power positively and strategies to resist peer pressure to bully.

8. Build on Children’s Strengths Encourage children who are bullied to participate in activities they enjoy and highlight their talents for other children to see. Provide opportunities for children who bully to use their leadership skills in a positive way (e.g. teaching younger students a new skill).

9. Trust Your Instincts If you suspect a child is being bullied, you’re probably right. Trust your instincts and start to ask questions and observe carefully, so that you can intervene and keep the child safe.

10. Be Ready to Listen and Help If a student reports bullying, be ready to listen and take action right away. Thank the child for having the courage to come forward, ask for details and convey your concern. Be willing to respond to all reports, even the seemingly trivial ones like name calling – consistency matters!

TIP SHEET ABOUT TEASING Section Reference12

Teasing is common among children; 96% of elementary school children report that teasing is a common occurrence in their lives. About two thirds of children report being teased and about half say they tease others. Teasing can alienate, criticize and embarrass children. Repeated teasing that hurts or humiliates another child is bullying.

Why do children tease? Children most often report one or more of the following reasons: It’s fun They want to provoke someone to see their reaction To reciprocate being teased themselves

Can teasing ever be positive? Teasing can sometimes be a relaxed and fun way to express affection and companionship among close friends. Positive teasing has the following characteristics: Its content is playful and affectionate, not demeaning It is mutual, so that each person in the relationship is as likely to tease as to be teased It takes place within a strong relationship between people who appreciate the teasing as affectionate It is more common among older students; prior to age 11 or 12, students have difficulty distinguishing between hurtful and positive teasing

When does teasing become hurtful? Teasing can become hurtful even if the person teasing does not intend for it to be. For example, boys and girls often disagree on what can be considered harmless teasing and what can be considered hurtful. Gender is only one factor which can play a role in determining if a child views a particular act of teasing as hurtful or fun. Other examples include: When the person being teased is distressed by the teasing (may not always show outwardly) When it is used to make someone look inferior in comparison to someone else When it occurs repeatedly

How can teachers know when teasing becomes bullying? Watch the reaction of the child being teased to see if the impact is negative. Keep in mind that some children, boys especially, may not show that their feelings are hurt. If you are not sure whether the teasing is hurtful, pull the child being teased aside to ask them how they feel about it. Be aware of the content of the teasing and think about whether the teasing is affectionate or hostile in nature. o For example, teasing about physical appearance is almost always hostile and hurtful. This is not surprising since appearance has so much influence on social acceptance and is out of the individual’s control. Trust your instincts. If you feel that the teasing is negative for anyone involved (even yourself as a witness), then it is worth further investigation.

What can teachers do to prevent bullying that starts as teasing? Role of Adults: Be aware of your own use of teasing. o If you are teasing children, make sure that the impact is positive. Keep in mind that younger children may not understand teasing, especially sarcasm, and may experience your teasing as hurtful. Think about your own experiences with bullying and how those incidents and associated feelings/opinions may be affecting the way you handle bullying situations.

Among Children: Talk with the whole class about bullying and treating others with respect. It can be helpful to create a list of group rules that focus on what it looks like to treat someone with respect, such as: o Respecting an individual’s physical space o Encouraging others as they try new things o Listening to others when they are speaking Talk with the whole class about how to repair a relationship after being disrespectful. This will likely include a discussion of apologies (both giving and receiving), as well as acting respectful in the future to show the person you hurt that you have learned from your relationship mistakes. Talk with children who are being teased to find out how they are feeling and ensure they know that you believe they deserve to be treated with respect. If children have trouble asserting themselves, it may be helpful to discuss and practice ways to assertively tell a child who is teasing or bullying to stop.

What can teachers do when hurtful teasing or bullying is happening? INTERVENE! Be sure to acknowledge that the bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Talk with the child who is teasing about why they are teasing and use that information to discuss alternate ways of connecting with peers. o Perhaps this child does not know how to engage with others and resorts to teasing or bullying as a way of getting attention and connecting with peers. o Perhaps this child has learned to use power to hurt others by observing similar dynamics at home, in which case it will be important to discuss that those behaviours are not tolerated in the group and must be adjusted.

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES FOR STUDENTS WHO BULLY

Bullying is about power. Children naturally experiment with their power and may become involved in bullying; therefore, it is important they learn from the experience. Penalties not only provide a clear message that bullying is unacceptable, but also build awareness and skills to promote the students’ responsibility and positive leadership. When children bully, their privileges can be withdrawn and replaced by an instructive activity from this list of suggestions below: To encourage empathy 1. Help your students learn the language of emotions to identify their own feelings and those of others. Help them identify and label feelings of shame, embarrassment, anger, fear, sadness, etc. 2. Have the students who bully create a poster, collage or drawing of what it must feel like to be bullied. Talk about the feelings that children who are bullied might experience. 3. Assign a research project to the students who bully. Ensure that through the project they have to learn about the prevalence, nature and consequences of bullying, and write a paper or create a class presentation based on their findings. 4. Have the students who bully interview an adult or older student about their bullying experiences and the impact it had on him or her. 5. Assign a project requiring the students who bully to research a historical figure or celebrity who has been bullied. 6. Have the students who bully read a novel about bullying and write a character study (e.g. Blubber by Judy Blume). 7. Have the students watch a movie about bullying and describe the characters and the consequences of their actions (e.g. Back to the Future). Encourage them to focus on the feelings of the victimized character. Help them to identify these feelings by looking out for facial expressions, body posture and tone of voice. 8. Have your students identify instances of bullying in the media (e.g. television, newspapers, radio, magazines, websites) and talk with them about their reactions to these instances. 9. Talk with your students about their own strengths and weaknesses and how they can use power to help, not hurt, others.

To make amends Bullying is wrong and hurtful. The relationship imbalance needs to be repaired in a way that is genuine and caring in order to restore the relationship to a respectful foundation. Sometimes children aren’t at a point where they are able to restore a relationship. At the least, the child needs to find ways to be respectful of other students and their right to feel safe. If your students can restore the relationship in a genuine way, without being forced, help them find a way to make amends. 1. If they are sorry for their behaviour and genuinely want to make amends, have the students who bully write a letter or card of apology to the children who were bullied. 2. Encourage the students who bully to make a verbal apology that includes taking responsibility for their behaviour and indicating what they will do to ensure the children who were bullied feel better. It is important that the children who were bullied want to participate in this process and that the apology is given privately rather than publicly. Apologies conducted in front of others can leave both children feeling embarrassed. 3. Encourage your students to repair or restore property or personal belongings that were damaged as a result of the bullying.

To help your students associate power with kindness 1. Encourage the students who bully to perform five acts of kindness and describe how they felt after completing each act. 2. Encourage the students who bully to observe other students in school or individuals in the community and look for acts of kindness. Have the students describe what they observed and how they think the people felt. 3. Have the students accompany a teacher or playground supervisor during recess and lunch and assist in resolving disputes among students in a pro-social manner. 4. Identify strengths and abilities possessed by the students who bully and provide them with opportunities to highlight these skills in ways that help others. For example, if a student who bullies excels at soccer, have the child assist with this activity with younger students.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Research has shown that some groups of students are at a higher risk of bullying victimization. Below is a list of some of these groups and what the literature has to say about their experiences with bullying. Please use this information to guide your awareness and interactions with such students, should you become aware that they are involved in a bullying incident.

LGBT and Questioning Students* (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) “LGB and sexually questioning youth are more likely to report high levels of bullying, homophobic victimization and various negative outcomes than heterosexual youth. “Students who are questioning their sexual orientation report the most bullying, the most homophobic victimization, the most drug use, the most feelings of depression and suicidal thoughts, and more truancy than either heterosexual or LGB students. “A positive school climate and a lack of homophobic victimization moderates the differences among sexual orientation status and outcomes. Results indicate that schools have the ability to lessen negative outcomes for LGB and sexually questioning students by creating positive climates and reducing homophobic teasing.”13 “Sexually questioning students who experience homophobic teasing are also more likely than LGB students to use drugs-alcohol and rate their school climate as negative. “Positive school climate and parental support protects LGB and questioning students against depression and drug use.”14 “Sexual-minority and questioning youth are more likely than heterosexual youth to be victims of bullying, peer sexual harassment and peer or dating-partner physical abuse.”15

* When dealing with topics related to LGBT and questioning students, it is important to understand the differences between the terms, sex, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation.16 We have provided a definition of each for you convenience.

Sex A person’s biological status, typically categorized as male, female or intersex. There are a number of indicators of biological sex including sex chromosomes, gonads, internal reproductive organs and external genitalia.

Gender The attitudes, feelings and behaviours that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex. Behaviour that is compatible with cultural expectations is referred to as gender-normative; behaviours that are viewed as incompatible with these expectations constitute gender non- conformity.

Gender Identity “One’s sense of oneself as male, female or transgender.”17 When one’s gender identity and biological sex are not congruent, the individual may identify as transsexual or as another transgender category.18

Sexual Orientation Refers to the sex of those to whom one is sexually and romantically attracted to. Categories of sexual orientation typically have included attraction to members of one’s own sex (gay men or lesbians), attraction to members of the other sex (heterosexuals), and attraction to members of both sexes (bisexuals). While these categories continue to be widely used, research has suggested that sexual orientation does not always appear in such definable categories and instead occurs on a continuum.19 20 21 22

How Can Teachers Reduce Victimization of LGBT and Questioning Students? 1. Address homophobic language. Eliminating homophobic language in your classroom is an effective way to make all individuals feel welcome and safe. Tolerating comments such as “you’re so gay,” “lesbo,” or even “you throw like a girl,” communicates to all students that it is not ok to be an LGBT individual. Teachers and students can address homophobic language by referring back to the Classroom Code of Conduct. If you hear homophobic language being used, address it immediately and let the individual know that this type of language is disrespectful and hurtful. Deconstruct students’ comments such as “that’s so gay” by asking them what they think it means, what it implies and how it would make them feel if they heard someone using their sexual orientation as an insult. 2. Create a Safe Space. All students have a right to feel safe at school. However, LGBTQ students consistently report feeling less safe at school than their heterosexual peers and as a result are more like to skip school. Remind students in your classroom that as part of the Code of Conduct, everyone is entitled to full respect, safety and acceptance when they are in your classroom.

Special Education Students “Students in special education report greater rates of bullying and fighting perpetration and victimization than general education students. “Students in self-contained classrooms report more perpetration and victimization than those in inclusive settings.”23

Students with Disabilities and Other Exceptionalities “Students with disabilities reported higher rates of victimization and fighting behaviours than students without disabilities. “Students with disabilities and their general education peers reported similar rates of bully perpetration.”24 “Children and youth with exceptionalities (e.g. learning disorders) are at increased risk to be marginalized in their peer group because of their exceptionalities; they are hence more vulnerable to victimization by peers who have higher status and more social power. “Research also suggests that children and youth with exceptionalities may be more likely to bully others. “Without supportive relationships with peers and with adults, children and youth who have physical, learning, intellectual or emotional disabilities may be less able to achieve important developmental tasks and full quality of life.”25

SECTION 4: APPENDICES & ACTIVITIES

NAVIGATING RELATIONSHIPS STORYBOARD

The idea is to come up with comic book style short stories of how characters can navigate a tricky relationship scenario while showing respect for each other. Using the photocopy master on the next page, create a new relationship scenario on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.

Draw the beginning of the scene in Box 1. Write what is happening in the Storyline Box and lead the class in brainstorming the rest of the storyboard. Students should play a pivotal role in helping the characters resolve a conflict or navigate a relationship issue. Students may require some guidance in using healthy and effective strategies, but try to let them direct the story itself. If students struggle to formulate coping strategies for the characters, have them ask themselves what they would want to see happen if they were the character. In this way, you are both teaching successful relationship strategies and the use of empathy in employing them.

It is not necessary to focus on bullying scenarios throughout the year, but in the weeks leading up to and including Bullying Awareness Week it might be a good idea to have students brainstorming effective strategies for coping with aggression in relationships. After you’ve completed the activity together as a class the first time, you may want to break up into smaller groups to complete the activity (with new scenarios) in the future.

Storyline:______1. ______

Storyline:______1. ______2.______3. ______

4. 5.

GUIDELINES FOR CREATING YOUR OWN PSA

In groups, create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that communicates a message about how to “Stand UP!” to bullying. This resource will help you and your class create a meaningful, entertaining, well-planned and effective message, which can be sent out to other students, schools and your community. When you have finished the PSA, consider showing the school the finished product of your students’ hard work.

1. The guidelines are: o No real names are to be used o No physical contact is allowed o Try to tell your story in less than two minutes

2. Decide who will: o Write the lines (scriptwriter) o Say the lines (actors/narrator) o Give the actors suggestions on how to say the lines (director)

3. Together, brainstorm the idea for your PSA. It is the scriptwriter’s job to write down the ideas and the actors’ lines. o Where does it take place? o Who is involved? o What happens? o What does the victim or a bystander do to “Stand UP!”?

4. Rehearse the PSA. Select students or have them volunteer to practice acting out the script. You can do this with multiple groups and scenarios. It is the director’s job to lead the rehearsal.

5. Perform the PSA.

OPTIONAL: FILM YOUR PSA If you have access to a video camera or computer animation software, consider filming or animating your PSA. This can be great student-generated material to show at a school assembly or presentation.

WORD SEARCH: THE PEER PRESSURE ISSUE Instructions: Find the words in the word search that are listed in the box at the bottom of this page. Words can run forward,

backward, up, down and diagonal.

WORDS TO FIND ACCEPTANCE HARASSMENT VERBAL BULLYING RESPECT ASSERTIVE FRIENDSHIP THE LATEST BUZZ HURT BYSTANDER PIZZA PATROL SOCIAL BULLYING SAY NO DIVERSITY PEER PRESSURE STAND UP JOKES

WORD SEARCH: THE BULLY ISSUE Instructions: Find the words in the word search that are listed in the box at the bottom of this page. Words can run forward,

backward, up, down and diagonal.

WORDS TO FIND BOSSY HUMOUR RESPECT WALK AWAY BULLYING LEADER TEASING CONTROL LISTEN TELLING

WORD SEARCH: BULLY ELLIOT Instructions: Find the words in the word search that are listed in the box at the bottom of this page. Words can run forward, backward, up, down and diagonal.

WORDS TO FIND AMENDS FRENEMY STAND UP MEAN APOLOGIZE THREATENING VERBAL BULLYING BADMINTON UNFAIR SOCIAL BULLYING

WHAT’S UP, WARTHOGS!

CROSSWORD

Across 4. The theme of the webisode and this year's Bullying Awareness Week. 5. Sending mean text messages about another person is an example of ______. 6. What exists between a person who bullies and the person being bullied? 7. What Charlie encourages Laney to do about the bullying she saw. 8. What Laney helps Charlie use to realize how the girl the text makes fun of must feel. 9. Laney oversaw a boy in her class using this type of bullying.

Down 1. How Laney felt when she saw a nice boy in her class bullying another student. 2. What you can do if you're too scared to talk to an adult by yourself. 3. What is the name of the week Erik and Victoria introduce?

CRYPTOGRAM: THE BULLY BROTHERS Instructions: Cryptograms are fun puzzles where the letters of a phrase have been scrambled up. To solve the puzzle, you have to unscramble the phrase by figuring out what each letter represents. Following are two strategies that different characters in Life With Derek used throughout the episode. Can you figure out what they say? (Remember the letters are different for each phrase.) After solving the phrase, indicate whether the strategy is a good one or not by putting an ‘X’ beside the right answer.

You can use the following example to help you: F I G H T, D O N ‘ T H I D E. This is the strategy Derek used. P R T X S, Q L Y ‘ S X R Q B. This is the scrambled phrase. Was this a good strategy to use? Yes _____ No __X__

Phrase 1

Was this a good strategy to use? Yes _____ No _____ Phrase 2

Was this a good strategy to use? Yes _____ No _____

ANSWER KEYS

CROSSWORD: WHAT’S UP, WARTHOGS! Across 4. STAND UP 5. CYBERBULLYING 6. POWER IMBALANCE 7. TALK TO AN ADULT 8. EMPATHY 9. VERBAL BULLYING

Down 1. CONFUSED 2. FIND A FRIEND 3. BULLYING AWARENESS WEEK

CRYPTOGRAM: LIFE WITH DEREK: THE BULLY BROTHERS PHRASE 1

TELLING ISN’T TATTLING, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT

This is a good strategy.

PHRASE 2

IT’S NONE OF MY BUSINESS

This is not a good strategy.

BULLYING PREVENTION TIP SHEET FOR STUDENTS When you see bullying happening in your community, don’t stand by – Stand UP! Here are some ways you can react to bullying when you’re faced with it.

 Tell kids who bully to stop!  Stand up for kids who are bullied – they can’t always do it themselves.  Help kids who bully, don’t hurt them – speaking out helps, but bullying back hurts.  If it’s hard for you to speak out against bullying on your own, ask a friend to do it with you.  Talk to someone who can help: o An older student, your friends, classroom teacher, guidance counselor, school principal, sports coach, parents or any adult you trust.  Remember, telling is not tattling. Telling is what you do to get someone out of trouble; tattling is what you do to get someone into trouble.  If you walk away and get help, you are part of the solution. If you stay and watch, you are part of the problem.  The best thing you can do for kids who are bullied is be their friend.  Comfort the person who was hurt and make it known that what happened to them was not fair or deserved.  Invite kids who are bullied to play somewhere else.

When you Stand UP! to bullying, you are helping to make your community a better and safer place. For more information, visit: www.prevnet.ca

BULLYING PREVENTION TIP SHEET FOR TEACHERS Talk to your class about bullying early to prevent

incidents throughout the school year.

WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying is a relationship problem in which a person or group repeatedly uses power to cause distress to another. It requires relationship solutions. Bullying can be verbal, physical or electronic. Sometimes it focuses on racial, ethnic or religious differences, sexual issues or disabilities. Children and youth don’t have to be friends with everyone, but everyone has the right to be safe and treated with respect.

WHY SHOULD TEACHERS BE CONCERNED ABOUT BULLYING? Children who bully are learning to use power and aggression to control and distress others. This can lead to a pattern they carry forward. Children who are repeatedly bullied become increasingly powerless and unable to defend themselves; they get trapped in the abusive situation. Both children who are bullied and who bully are at risk for academic problems. Children who are bullied are at risk for absenteeism and children who bully others are at risk of dropping out.

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT BULLYING Be proactive. Use Bullying Awareness Week and other opportunities to start a discussion with your class and address the topic often. Listen to what children say about bullying and take it seriously. Make it clear that you think bullying is wrong and encourage kids to Stand UP! for others. Let children know that you will help solve the problem, whether your child is the victim, the bully or a witness to bullying. Always recognize the courage it takes to report bullying and be sure to let children know that telling is not the same as tattling.

ENCOURAGE DIFFERENCE Be a positive role model by demonstrating acceptance of all differences. Actively encourage students to value their own differences. Do not tolerate oppressive slang, including racial slurs or insults based on sexual orientation.

WORK TO SEE STUDENTS’ ROLES Help the staff in your school understand the different roles students can take in bullying situations so that students are not disciplined for their positive efforts to Stand UP! and stop bullying.

For more information, visit: www.prevnet.ca

BULLYING PREVENTION TIP SHEET FOR PARENTS It’s never too early to talk to your child about bullying.

WHY SHOULD PARENTS BE CONCERNED ABOUT BULLYING? Children who bully are learning to use power and aggression to control and distress others. This can lead to a pattern they carry forward. Children who are repeatedly bullied become increasingly powerless and unable to defend themselves; they get trapped in the abusive situation. When kids become involved in bullying, adults need to be involved to help them learn from their experiences.

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT BULLYING Be proactive. Start a discussion with your child about bullying and raise the topic often, especially in times of transition such as a change of school. Listen to what children say about bullying and take it seriously. Make it clear that you think bullying is wrong. Let children know that you will help solve the problem, whether your child is the victim, the bully or a witness to bullying.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD IS A BYSTANDER TO BULLYING Encourage children to Stand UP! for kids who are being bullied. Let children know there are many ways to Stand UP! for someone who is being bullied and they should choose a method they’re comfortable with. Always recognize the courage it takes to report bullying and be sure to let children know that telling is not the same as tattling.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD IS INVOLVED IN BULLYING Calm down and think before you take action. Respond caringly and let your child know you’ll help. Keep a record of what happened and work with other adults to make a plan. Evaluate your success.

For more information, visit: www.prevnet.ca

BULLYING PREVENTION AND RELATIONSHIP PROMOTION RESOURCES

WEBSITES ABOUT BULLYING AWARENESS www.family.ca/standup www.antibullying.net/youngpeople.htm www.prevnet.ca www.canadiansafeschools.com www.kidshelpphone.ca www.mediasmarts.ca www.bullying.org

BOOKS FICTION FOR CHILDREN (GRADE 3 – 6) o Moss, Peggy. (2004). Say Something. Tilbury House Publishers o Brown, Marc. (1998). Arthur’s April Fool. Little, Brown and Company o Shreve, Susan. (1993). Joshua T. Bates Takes Charge. Alfred A. Knopf o Estes, Elenor. (1974). The Hundred Dresses. Harcourt Brace & Company

NON-FICTION FOR CHILDREN (GRADE 5 – 6) o Sanders, Pete. (2004). Bullying: What do you know about it. Aladdin Books Ltd. o Cohen, Posey, Kate. (1995). How to Handle Bullies, Teasers and Other Meanies: A Book That Takes the Nuisance Out of Name-Calling and Other Nonsense. Highland Rainbow Books Inc.

FILMS Note: All films are produced by the National Film Board and can be ordered by calling 1-800- 267-7710 or by visiting http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/. o “It’s A Girl’s World,” Classroom version (52 minutes), Produced by the National Film Board. (Grades 4 – 6). o “Glasses,” (23 minutes), Produced by the National Film Board. (Kindergarten – Grade 6) o “Learning Peace: A Big School with a Big Heart,” (57 minutes), Produced by the National Film Board. (Grades 5 – 6). o “Make the Change…Don’t Be a Bully,” (20 minutes), Produced by the National Film Board. (Grades 5 – 6).

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS o “Alone.” Produced by Spyflms. Commissioned by Family Channel for the Canadian Initiative for the Prevention of Bullying. (Available at www.prevnet.ca; click on Resources for Educators and Others tab.) o “Tell Someone,” “Words Hurt” and “Walk Away.” Developed by Concerned Children’s Advertisers. (Available at: http://cca-arpe.ca/psas/bullying_prevention.html.) o “The Pledge.” Created collaboratively by Bullying.org and Family Channel. (Available at: www.bullyingawarenessweek.org.)

PROGRAMMING RESOURCES Canadian Best Practices Portal (CBPP) http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca/~cbpp/public/ o The CBPP is a part of an evidence-based public health approach that encourages the use of effective interventions based on appropriately designed methods that are well evaluated. Basing decisions on evidence follows part of the over-arching Population Health Approach developed by the Public Health Agency and endorsed by the CBPP. o From the Home page, select Preventing Violence from the right-hand menu, Featured Topics. Scroll down the new page to find Related Programs/Interventions. The list of programs/interventions is organized according to age. Continue to scroll down until you find Middle Childhood 6 to 12 years; here you will find a list of evidence-based intervention programs.

CASEL: Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning http://casel.org o CASEL’s mission is to establish social and emotional learning as an essential part of education. It envisions a world where families, schools and communities work together to promote children’s success in school and life, and to support the healthy development of all children. o From the Home page, select the heading, In Schools. Of particular interest is the section entitled, Selecting Programs. This links to a downloadable version of the guide, Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programs that reviews 80 multiyear, sequenced social and emotional learning programs designed for use in the general education classroom.

Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative www.jersvision.org o Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (and the International Day of Pink) works to stop bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia in schools and youth communities in Canada. Through workshops, presentations, conferences and a variety of youth initiatives, they engage youth in celebrating diversity. o The International Day of Pink (www.dayofpink.org) is celebrated on the second Tuesday of April each year. This event is a useful opportunity to review and consolidate some of the learning that comes out of Bullying Awareness Week. As well, you can organize longer-term projects coming out of Bullying Awareness Week to be completed in time for the International Day of Pink. These projects can be put on display and/or celebrated by the school as part of the activities throughout the day.

LOVE (Leave Out Violence) www.leaveoutviolence.org o LOVE (Leave Out Violence) was founded on the belief that youth challenged by violence (such as bullying) can be agents of change, capable of transforming their own lives, investing themselves in their communities and making the world a safer place. LOVE programs consist of the following: o Leadership Training o School and Community Violence Prevention Outreach Program o Violence Prevention Committees o Media Arts Program (MAP)

MyHealth Magazine http://www.myhealthmagazine.net/index.html o As a resource, MyHealth Magazine functions as a unique broker of high-quality health information presented in a variety of interactive formats (e.g., info sheets, Q&As and quizzes) that can be customized to meet the individual needs of local schools and groups. Magazine issues address a range of topics, such as nutrition, fitness, Internet safety, mental illness, bullying and substance use. o MyHealth Magazine is offered in three formats for young people, educators and college students. o On the Homepage, click on the link for educators in the Welcome to MyHealth Magazine introduction. Here you will find a wealth of easy-to-implement resources to integrate into your lesson plans and classroom environment.

The Quest for the Golden Rule (E-learning Program by Practi-Quest Corporation) http://practiquest.com/ o In this evidence based online learning tool, children in grades 2 – 5 interact with virtual characters in realistic bullying scenarios. The choose-your-own-adventure format of the program makes it especially useful in teaching children effective solutions for solving bullying problems. o On Practi-Quest’s Homepage, select the heading, Bullying Prevention. This will take you to The Quest for the Golden Rule’s webpage. From here you can watch a demonstration of the program, gain access to related research articles as well as sign up for a year’s worth of unlimited access. Note: There is a charge associated with this program.

WITS – Walk Away, Ignore, Talk It Out, Seek Help http://web.uvic.ca/wits/ o The WITS Programs bring together schools, families and communities to help elementary school children deal with bullying and peer victimization. WITS has two components: the WITS Primary Program (Kindergarten – Grade 3) and the WITS LEADS Program (Grade 4 – 6). Almost all of the WITS Programs resources are available free-of- charge on their site, including the resource guide, lesson plans, training, videos, posters, pamphlets and more. o WITS Teacher Accreditation Program . A free 90-minute online training module that teaches elementary school instructional staff about the WITS Programs and enables them to become Accredited WITS Programs Teachers, recognized with a certificate of accreditation. o WITS LEADS Program: http://web.uvic.ca/wits/schools/leads-program/ . WITS LEADS Training Program . Book List & Lesson Plans . Classroom Resources & Activities . Resource Guide

REFERENCES

1 Prevnet.ca.

2 Tokunaga, R.S. (2010). Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 277-287. doi:10.1016./j.chb.2009.11.014

3 Mishna, Saini, & Solomon. (2009). Ongoing and online: Children and youth’s perceptions of cyber bullying. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 1222-1228. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.05.004

4 StopBullying.org. (n.d.). What is cyberbullying.

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8 Dumouchel, P. (n.d.). How to write a Code of Conduct for your class. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_2024000_write-code-conduct-class.html

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10 Bell, K. (2005). Teacher’s Guide for grades 4 to 6: Addressing bullying from the bystander’s point of view. Toronto: The Family Channel, Inc.

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12 The Tip Sheet on Teasing is an updated version of the document available at www.prevnet.ca. Research for the updates includes the following two sources:

Hymel, S., Av-Gay, H., & Darwich, L. (2009). Schoolyard humour: Funny how it hurts. In W. Craig, D. Pepler, & J. Cummings (Eds.) Rise up for respectful relationships: Prevent bullying. (pp. 19-36). PREVNet Series Vol. 2. Ottawa: National Printers.

Shute, R., Owens, L., & Slee, P. (2008). Everyday victimization of adolescent girls by boys: Sexual harassment, bullying or aggression? Sex Roles, 58(7-8), 477-489.

13 Birkett, M., Espelage, D. L., & Koenig, B. (2009). LGB and questioning students in schools: The moderating effects of homophobic bullying and school climate on negative outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 989-1000.

14 Espelage, D. L., Aragon, S. R., Birkett, M., & Koenig, B. W. (2008). Homophobic teasing, psychological outcomes, and sexual orientation among high school students: What influence do parents and schools have? School Psychology Review, 37, 202-216.

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19 Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C. E. & Gebhard, P. H. (1953). Sexual behavior in the human female. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.

20 Klein, F. (1993). The bisexual option. (2nd ed.). New York: Harrington Park.

21 Klein, F., Sepekoff, B., & Wolf, T. (1985). Sexual orientation: A multivariable dynamic process. Journal of Homosexuality, 11(1/2), 35-49.

22 Shively, M. G., & DeCecco, J. P. (1977). Components of sexual identity. Journal of Homosexuality, 3, 41-48.

23 Rose, C. A., Espelage, D. L., & Monda-Amaya, L. E. (2009). Bullying and victimisation rates among students in general and special education: A comparative analysis. Educational Psychology, 29, 761-776.

24 Rose, C. A., Espelage, D. L., & Aragon, S. R., & Elliott, J. (2011). Bullying and victimization among students in special education and general education curricula. Exceptionality Education International, 21, 2-14.

25 Cummings, J. G., Pepler, D. J., Mishna, F., & Craig, W. M. (2006). Bullying and victimization among students with exceptionalities. Exceptionality Education Canada, 16 , 193-222.