Students participate in a bully prevention program
Students in grades 4th-6th at Oak Park and Stainton elementary schools are currently participating in bully prevention programs. The program, produced by Channing-Bete Company, uses a computer-generated CD for each individual student. Students log in for three sessions where they answer questions, watch videos and have their questions answered by the Channing-Bete Company through the use of ear phones. The individual response is a direct reply to the personal information the student has shared with Channing Bete through the program.
The bullying program was developed by using the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change by Dr. James O. Prochaska, who is nationally recognized as one of the “most influential authors in his field.” The model “views behavior change as a process, not an event.” The program, entitled “Build Respect, Stop Bullying,” is accomplished in three sessions; each separated by a 30 day period, and is referred to as Success in Stages. As they work in this program, the students progress through five stages: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance. The goal is to have each student reach the Action or Maintenance levels by the end of the third session.
Bullying is defined as, “pushing, hitting, or kicking, leaving a person out of an activity on purpose, telling lies about a person, saying mean things to a person, breaking, hiding, or taking a person’s things, or even making a person do things they do not want to do. Bullying is a great concern because of the tragic situations that have occurred in schools around the nation, particularly Columbine. Other stories tell of the tragic attempts at suicide by victims of bullying. Cell phones with text messaging and computer websites only add fuel to the fire of a bully and their target, because bullying in this manner is much more covert. Often, students who put personal information in open forums such as websites do not realize how far the information can spread. Predators who lurk around these websites are often hoping to acquire information of this nature, and possibly make attempts to “meet and/or harm” these unsuspecting targets.
Long term and short term effects of bullying are damaging to all students, whether they are directly or indirectly involved. The Laurel School District is utilizing programs such as “Build Respect, Stop Bullying” to address the issue of bullying. The district desires to see all students respect themselves, their peers and their school, so that learning will be maximized for each child.
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Students participate in the computer-based program created to educate students on bully prevention. |
