The Power Shuffle

Today, with the help of my guidance intern Ms. Hickey, the sixth grade students participated in an activity called "The Power Shuffle." The silent activity began when all students lined up side-by-side on one side of a long line in the multi-purpose room.  Mr. Sussman had Ms. Hickey read various statements regarding bullying to the students.  All students were instructed by Mr. Sussman to cross the line and turn around to face students on the other side of the yellow line if they believed a statement held true to them. 

A few examples of the statements read are as follows:

*Cross the line if you've ever been teased or called a bad name or made fun of
*Cross the line if you've ever been called a mean name or put down just because you're a girl
*Cross the line if you're a boy and you've ever been told you shouldn't cry, show your emotions, or be afraid
*Cross the line if you've ever been a part of gossip/spreading a rumor.
*Cross the line if you've ever had someone write something negative about you on Facebook, Twitter, or on another form of social media.

After all the statements were read, Mr. Sussman separated the boys and the girls.  Ms. Hickey, spoke with the girls, while Mr. Sussman spoke with the boys.  Students opened up to Mr. Sussman, Ms. Hickey, and their peers about the difficulties of standing up to bullies.  Students were given tips on how to stand-up for one another, as well as a reminder of who to speak with if they feel they are a victim of bullying, or witness another student being bullied.

The Truth About Bullying

I stumbled across this infographic online over our Thanksgiving Break.  The facts and statistics about bullying are well visualized for parents and students to comprehend.  I found the most important portion of the infographic The 6 Warning Signs that your Child is Being Bullied.  After school, our children so often keep to themselves like many other teenagers do.    Sometimes they want to chat with friends on OoVoo, listen to music, or text friends until their phone breaks....  Even when they wish for this independence, be sure to keep an eye on their demeanor.   Are they retreating into their bedroom with tears in their eyes?  Are they skipping dinner?  When was the last time they had a friend over?   Please look through the warning signs, and if you have any questions, or any red flags are raised in your mind, please never hesitate to contact me.

SAFEBOOK

I found the poster above  on EducationalTechnology.com.  It is a concise, easy way for our students to understand the dangers of Facebook, and tips for their privacy settings.     The minimum age to join Facebook now is only 13 years old.  Although that seems young, I am not foolish enough to believe there are not students on Facebook that are even younger.  At such a young age, our students may not understand the ramifications of their words and or actions on Facebook.  Please go through the above poster with them and don't be afraid to check their privacy settings to be certain that they are safe.