Tag Archives: stop bullying

Help avoid cyberbullying with this 3-word phrase

girls cyberbullying anotherWhat three words could possibly help to make sure your children are never cyber-bullied? You may be surprised at the answer. These days, more and more of us are feeling challenged with the economy and therefore are picking up extra jobs and packing our schedule full of career-based activities. I totally understand. In my opinion, it is our children who are sometimes losing out. The connection between parents and children is being eroded.

We are all doing our best to make ends meet, earn a living and provide for our families. Every day we operate from a list of priorities, whether we know it or not. I think our children need to be as high as possible on that list of priorities.

The three word phrase I am talking about is simply Continue reading

Does Toronto need an anti-bullying bylaw like Port Coquitlam?

Port Coquitlam is currently working on an anti-bullying by-law which will give law-enforcement officers the power to charge people who are apprehended for bullying related offences. In November, Port Coquitlam participated in an anti-bullying campaign which was launched as a result of the suicide of Amanda Todd, the teenaged girl who committed suicide earlier this year as a result of bullying.

The anti-bullying bylaw would be the first law of this type to be passed in British Columbia. Plans are in place to have fines which would range from $200.00 to $2000.00, depending on the specifics of the offence.

People who are charged and fined with a bullying offence will be given the opportunity to have their ticket fees waived if they agree to participate in an anti-bullying course developed through the PoCoMo Youth Society.

The PoCoMo Youth Services Society was established in 1992 under the name PoCoMo Teen Centre Society and their original mandate was to develop teen centers in the three British Columbia Cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Their website is www.pocomo.org.

Another Canadian City which has had an anti-bullying bylaw in place since 2006, is Regina, Saskachewan. The bylaw in Regina was created as a result of the tragic bullying case of Reena Virk. Regina has defined bullying as: “any objectionable or inappropriate comment, conduct or display by a person directed at an individual not of the same household intended to intimidate, humiliate, ridicule or isolate, which causes or is likely to cause physical or emotional distress.”

Smartphone use can contribute to bullying incidents

The Regina bylaw also makes reference to bullying which results from the use of electronic devices, obviously a reference to the increasing seriousness of cyber-bullying. Regina also makes it possible for those charged to have the fee dropped by agreeing to participate in an anti-bullying course.

Regina officials feel the anti-bullying bylaw has helped to education its residents about bullying. They believe that it is important to raise awareness of the problem and help people understand the seriousness of bullying situations.

Some residents of Toronto believe that an anti-bullying bylaw would be a good thing for their city, as an effort to help increase awareness about a societal situation which in some cases has gotten out of hand.

I believe that education is a very important piece in the puzzle to reduce bullying. As society becomes more aware and more empathetic, our citizens will begin to raise the standards related to what is acceptable by society in general in the area of human relations and more specifically, bullying.

Please spread the word; bullying is not acceptable, in any form.

Stand Up Against Bullying!

Bruce Langford is an anti-bullying advocate in southwestern Ontario.

 

 

 

 

 

Monitoring software alternative will reduce cyber-bullying in school children

 

Monitor children's web time

Cyber-bullying has become such a concern with parents that many are looking for ways to monitor their children’s activities while on-line.
I recommend limiting the amount of time your children are on the web, and stay nearby while they are surfing. Show interest in what they are doing and encourage them to ask questions if they are not sure about something. Keep their on-line experience positive.
Be supportive and upbeat about the internet. It has tremendous potential as a tool for learning as well as powerful social benefits.
If you still feel it is necessary to use software monitoring, here are some suggestions:
SpytechSpyagent.com
WebWatcher.com
SpectorPro.com  Learn about the above monitoring products before purchasing them. Read some reviews and understand that these tools have the potential to be misused. Use them with care and realize the best parental monitoring is simply being there.

www.StandUpForRespect.com
Bruce Langford is an anti-bullying advocate who presents talks and presentations on bullying and cyber-bullying

When is Bullying Prevention Week 2011 in Ontario?

National Bullying Prevention week is November 13-19, 2011. All of November is a great time to focus on anti-bullying and ways to eliminate bullying behaviours in your school. Here are some ideas to raise awareness and help reduce bullying:
1. Encourage your students to write poems, stories or songs about anti-bullying themes. Display this throughout the school.
2. Include a bullying prevention tip on the daily announcements.
3. Have an anti-bullying conference with special guests and activities.
4. Decorate the halls with appropriate messages as part of a poster-making contest.
5. Have a pink or blue shirt ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ Spirit Day.
Some of your best ideas will come directly from your students. Meet with a group of enthusiastic students who will discuss bullying prevention ideas and brainstorm creative ways to get all the students and staff involved.

Bullying Preventions T-Shirts

I Vow To Stand Up Against Bullying

Stand Up Against Bullying T-Shirts can be ordered by contacting Stand Up Now Productions at Stand Up Now dot ca.

Toronto Middle School Welcomes Cyberbullying Guest Speaker, Bruce Langford at their Annual Safe And Caring Schools Student Conference

Willowdale Middle School BuildingWillowdale Middle School in Toronto featured their Annual Safe and Caring Schools Student Conference today. Bruce Willowdale School Mission Statement, TorontoLangford started the day by presenting a session to grade 6 and 7 students called ‘Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’. The presentation was Willowdale Middle School Logoabout how to stand up against cyberbullying. The Children’s Peace Theatre presented a hands-on workshop at the same time with grade 8 students. Willowdale Middle School students did a skit about how some kids feel pressured to have lots and lots of ‘friends’ on social network sites like Facebook. The girl in the skit told her friend to ‘just add random people so you don’t look like a loser’. She did decide to add someone she didn’t know, and was taking the risk that it could turn out to be an internet predator. In another skit, the police got involved when someone turned out to be posing as someone else online. Students were tuned in to the role-plays and commented about their effectiveness.

Willowdale Principal, Mrs. Angela Caccamo said: “Bruce Langford’s Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’ assemblies were excellent. I will spread the word to my colleagues.”

The point was made that every middle school student can do something to make sure that cyberbullying does not exist and grow in a school environment. We can all agree; Cyberbullying’s Got 2 Go! Contact Bruce Langford at 1-800-901-8831 (www.atfm.ca) for more information.

A Bully of a Storm Hammers Southern Ontario Closing Thousands of Schools

Finch Avenue Public School Toronto

Finch Avenue Public School Sign

Sometimes storms strike with no apparent reason. The same thing can be true with bullying. A bullying incident can happen suddenly taking everyone by surprise. Maybe it was triggered by anger, jealousy or resentment. Maybe someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe someone had a bad day.
Just like a snow storm, bullying can catch us off guard and cause a lot of disruptions, inconveniences and upset.

Finch Avenue Public School Building, Toronto

There is one major difference though. We can learn to end bullying. We can council our children and teach bystanders how to change the direction of bullying incidents. Do this by changing the subject, moving to another location, or just speaking up in a confident way with a non-confrontational request to leave the person alone.
Today at Finch Avenue Public School in Toronto, the students were completely captured with the ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ presentations. They learned how bystanders can make a difference. They joined in with the songs and were totally tuned in to a music video called ‘The Wall’.
We can’t change a snow storm, but we can reduce bullying. Remember to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’. Contact Bruce Langford to book assemblies with DJ Benny DL at your school: www.standupagainstbullying.com

Bullying Tips for Kids in Toronto School with DJ Benny DL

Benny DL rocked the house in Toronto today with cool songs and bullying tips for kids as he went on the air live at Lynngate Public School in Toronto (Scarborough). Staff and students gave the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ shows two thumbs up as Bruce Langford (aka Benny DL) gave out prizes, showed videos, and featured role-plays by Lynngate’s own students.
Lynngate really believes in living respect and growing character. That is proven when you meet the children and glance around the halls.

This poem spotted on the wall is only one of the signs of proof:

Watch your thoughts;
they become words.
Watch your words;
they become actions.
Watch your actions;
they become habits.
Watch your habits;
they become character;
Watch your character;
it becomes your destiny.
                      Frank Outlaw

 Lynngate School Principal, Ms. Diane Kriksciunas, remarked that the assemblies were ‘simply excellent’ after watching her students interact with presenter Bruce Langford of Stand Up Now Productions.
Here are three tips to help you deal with bullying in your life:
1. In some cases, ignore the bullying. The bully is often trying to test you to see if you will lose your cool. Don’t lose your cool!
2. Tell a parent, teacher or other adult if you feel you are being bullied. If you get no help, talk to someone else or ask the original person again. Call Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) if you have no one else to talk to.
3. Try to keep acting and looking confident. Don’t let the bullying think he or she is winning.

Contact Bruce Langford at 1-800-901-8831 or by emailing through the website: www.standupnow.ca

Stop Bullying Now in Toronto, Ontario Canada

William Berczy Public School, Toronto

Why Does An Imbalance of Power Cause Bullying?
That was one of the questions we set out to help the children answer at William Berczy Public School in Unionville (Toronto) yesterday.

 Bullying takes place when an imbalance of power exists between people, and the person or people with the most power, use that power to create discomfort or harm to the target person.

Respect at William Berczy

Bullying becomes less common when children are taught to show respect to each other. Specifically, be honest, use kind language and be nice to others, even on the internet or cell phone.

 A Berczy Person Shows Respect!
That is the first sentence we read as we walked into William Berczy Public School in Unionville. Very quickly we found that sign to be true about ‘Berczy People’.
They do show respect. And they were eager to learn more about how they could reduce bullying and increase respect within their school.

 After three daytime student assemblies, parents and children returned in droves to learn more from DJ, Benny DL (aka Bruce Langford). More than 70 families received free CD’s from the Stand Up Now team.

One of the parents had this to say following the parent/student anti-bullying presentation called ‘Stand Up – Keep Your Kids’:
“The Stand Up Now program was wonderful. I think that all children will benefit from watching the show. It grabbed their attention, was very entertaining, and yet was filled with important information for all of us.”
David L. Tenn, Parent and School Council Member, William Berczy Public School
Visit the ‘Stand Up Now’ website at www.standupnow.ca to arrange programs for your school.

Bullying Prevention at Summer Camp

Camping Fun and Bullying

Don't Let Bullying Ruin Your Camping Fun!

Kids at summer camp have lots of fun doing the traditional camp activities as well as some non-traditional fun experiences. Camp councilors should keep a close eye on campers to make sure everyone is showing respect and that any signs of bullying are stopped immediately before they grow into bigger problems. Don’t let bullying ruin the fun!

We provide special programs for summer day camps and overnight camps. Contact us for more details at info@standupnow.ca. Visit our website at www.standupnow.ca

Middle School Assemblies (Ontario) About Bullying & Bystanders

Middle School Bullying Prevention Presentation

Middle School Bullying Prevention Presentation

Bystanders can make a big difference if they decide to do something to stop the meanness. Our anti-bullying school assemblies for intermediate students using videos, role-plays and music will teach your kids how the bystander can make a positive difference. Students tell us they relate to the bullying scenarios in the role-plays we teach. In the video below, a kid gets bullied as he walks down the stairs, but wait … is there a twist? See what someone decides to do. See how one person can make a difference in a matter of seconds. This shows how bystanders can become winners.
Book school assemblies with Stand Up Now Productions telephone number 1-800-901-8831  or email info@standupnow.ca