| by
Linda Tracey
THE SIGNPOST
“It only takes
one person to have the courage to be a friend to
someone. It only take one person to speak up and
say, ‘hey, don’t do that,’ or
to tell a teacher.”
That comes from deejay
Benny DL, from radio station ATFM. Benny DL, a.k.a.
Bruce Langford of Mossley, brought his lively ‘radio’
show to River Heights last week to talk to students
about bullying and how bystanders can prevent it.
Students sat riveted
as Langford hosted a call-in radio show from his
mock studio in the gym. He kept their attention
by jumping up to play the piano, singing lively
songs and handing out prizes to students who could
correctly answer questions about bullying.
Langford told the
students there’s a difference between bullying
and teasing. Unlike teasing or an occasional disagreement
in the schoolyard or with a sibling, bullying is
one-sided and being mean on purpose over and over
again. Langford said there are several ways to deal
with bullies; try to ignore them, ask them to stop
and tell a trusted adult. And just as important,
don’t be a bystander and watch someone else
being bullied. |
“You
have to have courage,” said Langford.
Langford is a music
teacher at New Sarum Public School. He created
his ‘Stand up Against Bullying’ radio
show because he felt bad after seeing some kids
being treat not-so-nicely at his own school. Students
who were involved in his extra-curricular programs
started opening up to him and he thought, something
needs to be done about this.
Langford created
his program last summer, writing all his own songs,
which he recorded onto a CD. He has performed
over 75 shows at schools throughout the Thames
Valley board region, Avon-Maitland and has been
invited to perform in Ottawa and Lambton.
Langford tailors
his program to fit the age of the kids he’s
performing in front of. Younger kids get a kick
out of his radio show, but with students in grades
7 and 8 it’s more discussion based.
Following up after
a school visit is important to Langford. He leaves
each school with a CD and information package
and encourages teachers to have students draw
or write about bullying. Students can send in
their picture or story and it will be posted on
his website, www.atfm.ca.
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