Bully-Proofing Your SchoolSession 5: Program Strategies,

Consequences, and Reinforcements

Reflect on your new learning and how you will implement it.

Bully-Proofing Your School

I DO•Identify key terms, Positive

Reinforcements, Consequences, Strategies

WE DO •Interact with text and colleagues, Positive Reinforcements, Consequences

YOU DO •Apply new learning to current environment, be alert and aware. 2

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Learning Goal Learners will understand and be able to effectively implement a bully-proofing program.

Learners will observe students on campus and in the classrooms to determine conflicts as normal peer interaction or bullying. Staff will use strategies and interventions to solve conflicts. Staff will reward with positive reinforcements. Community will observe and support children and staff.

Shifting Gears

As you enter, complete the Following…Activity on Moodle:

NEXT STEPS: Session 6: Planning Your Own School-Wide Program; Implementation

Benchmarks: Strategies, Practice Interventions, Reinforcements, Consequences

Sum-It-UpEssential Questions:What strategies could I use with the students? In my classroom? In my work area? What are some positive reinforcements? Consequences?

Common Language:•Bullying, Passive Victim, Provocative Victim, Bully-Victim, Bystanders, Caring Majority, Caring Community

Objectiv

es

Goal:To present to the staff members the

strategies include in the classroom curriculum component of this program, and suggestions for consequences and reinforcement, as background information to be used in Session 6 when planning their own school-wide program.

Tavares has Bullpup PrideCampus Expectations:

Show Positive AttitudeThink Safety FirstAlways Try Your BestRespect Yourself and Others

Tavares Elementary has CLASS: Classroom Expectations:

Come Prepared to LearnListen and Follow Teachers’ Instructions At

All TimesAlways Raise Your Hand To SpeakStay Seated Unless You Have Permission to

be UpShow Respect in All You Do

Tavares WALKS with Pride:Hallway Expectations

Walk SilentlyAllow For Personal SpaceLook Forward Keep Hands Behind Back Stay On The Blue Line

Tavares’ Manners at the TABLES:Cafeteria Expectations:

Talk QuietlyAllow for Personal SpaceBe Sure to Use Table MannersLeave Your Area CleanEat Within the Time LimitsSilent When Lights are Out

Tavares can handle STAIRS:Stairway and Stage Expectations:

Slowly WalkingTied ShoesAllow for Personal Space In a LineRailing on the RightSilent

Triangle’s PHYSICAL Interactions:Physical Fitness and Outside Activities Expectations:

Play Responsibly Help OthersYearn to Learn Stay SafeIn OrderControl YourselfAllow for Personal Space Listen to the Teachers & Staff

Program Strategies:The following strategies are included in the Bully-

Proofing You School: Teacher's Manual and Lesson Plans bookClassroom Rules“No-Bullying” PostersHA HA, SOCARESWeekly “I Caught You Caring” Classroom Sessions

They work because they define the behavior you want to stop, the behavior you are encouraging, and the outcome you want.

Remember, the focus is on the safety of all the students.

Classroom Rules:From Bully-Proofing Your School

1) We will not bully other students.2) We will help others who are not being bullied

by speaking out and by getting adult help.3) We will use extra effort to include all students

in activities at our school.

These rules correspond to the three policy statements comprising the formal school policy regarding bullying.

“No-Bullying” PostersThe Stop Bullying Now have been

laminated and are to be hung in the classrooms and around the school building to remind the students about the rules against bullying.

Teachers may wish to display no-bullying posters drawn/colored by their students in their classrooms as well as or instead of the posters that came with the program.

HA HA, SOThis is a mnemonic device to help students

remember strategies that they can use when they are being bullied.H – HelpA- Assert YourselfH – HumorA – AvoidS – Self-TalkO – Own It

Each of these strategies is detailed for the student in the classroom curriculum in the teacher’s manual.

CARESThis is a mnemonic devise to help students

remember a set of strategies that they can use when they see someone else being bullied.C – Creative Problem SolvingA – Adult HelpR – Relate and JoinE – EmpathyS – Stand Up and Speak Out

Each of these strategies is detailed for the student in the classroom curriculum.

Weekly “I Caught You Caring” Classroom SessionsThese weekly sessions are designed for

reinforcement of caring behavior within the classroom.

Sessions occur at the end of the week, Fridays, before dismissal.

They should take approximately 5- 15 minutes.

Each teacher chooses a student that was “caught” being kind or helpful to another student.

Teacher’s should keep a log of “acts of kindness” that she or he notices during the week, and pick a good example to reinforce.

Weekly “I Caught You Caring” Classroom SessionsDuring the session, the teacher should announce the “Caring

Student of the Week” and describe the caring behavior that he or she performed.

The teacher should discuss with the class:Why the behavior workedHow it complied with the classroom rulesModel the skill(s) for the studentsSome brief discussion can then occur about what motivated the

caring behavior.Suggestion ~ Do this activity on Wednesday’s instead. Promote

excitement and reminders mid-week about positive behaviors. Students have Thursday-Friday and then Monday-Wednesday to be “caught.” Students then have a fresh motivator mid-week to try and get caught on Thursday and Friday. Plus they won’t have to wait until Friday. The lesson is reinforced mid-week and not forgotten over the weekend.

Weekly “I Caught You Caring” Classroom Sessions

Note: These class discussions can be expanded and

enlivened, if you wish, by employing creative discussion techniques.

For example, you could read Finding the Greenstone by Alice Walker to your class, and then allow the children to pass a green marble among themselves as they are “caught caring.”

Other ideas? (Moodle: Discussion Forum)

Student Nominations of “Best Caring Behavior” and “CARES Buttons”

As the program progresses, and the students become more adept at performing and recognizing caring behavior in the classroom, the students can nominate each other and vote weekly on the best example of caring behavior.

The student selected, may wear a special “CARES Button” for the week.

Teacher’s Manual ~ Page 119, Handout 33

ConsequencesThis program is not a punitive one by

nature, as with almost any intervention, some use of consequences will need to be applied.

Before curriculum begins, a plan will be made in session 6 to determine the consequences for students who bully.

Consequences should be consistent with the consequences for breaking other school rules.

ConsequencesSince bullying behavior is antisocial and hurts

other children, it works well to assign consequences that involve prosocial behavior and helping other students.These desired behaviors are practiced and reinforced.Review Chapter Six: Effective Prosocial Discipline

It is important to delineate consequences for the first offense and subsequent offenses.

It is important for all staff members to be consistent in applying consequences for all bullying incidents by all students.

Possible Consequences for Bullying:Missing recess and,

instead, helping in the office

Making an “I Caught You Caring” award, button, or poster for use in the school

Staying after school to perform a helpful act

Tutoring another student in a mastered subject

Having to call one’s parent(s) to explain one’s

behavior and have a “caring act” set as a consequence

Teaching a “class” on “thinking errors” to a lower grade level

Cleaning up trash on the playground or in the cafeteria

Possible Consequences for Bullying:Writing a report about an

altruistic leader (e.g., Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa)

Having lunch with or doing something nice for the student one bullied (this requires adult supervision and victim willingness)

Role playing being the victim of the same behavior with one’s teacher

Meeting with the counselor or school psychologist to

discuss one’s aggressive behavior and to process “thinking errors”

Observing playground time, recording in a journal observed acts of kindness

Observing the playground time of younger students, passing out rewards to children displaying caring, kind behaviors to others

Threats – not very effective and not recommended

Reinforcement: (PBS Works!)Reinforcement is significantly more

effective than applying consequences for long-term effects.

Typically, much of the caring behaviors between students goes unnoticed and is not reinforced.

If we are lucky, some caring behaviors continuesIf we are not lucky, acts of kindness dwindle and

die for lack of acknowledgement.

Reinforcement: +3 -1It is very important for staff members to

notice and give rewards for caring, prosocial behaviors observed in their students.

A good general rule to maintain a positive, caring school environment is three reinforcements for every correction of negative behavior. (+3 -1)

Bullying and misbehaviors are pretty easy to spot.

Caring behaviors are sometimes elusive to staff members. We are not accustomed to looking for them.

Reinforcement Examples:Asking a new student

to eat lunch or play with them

Speaking out when one child says something mean to another (e.g., “Calling Billy dumb was mean, and he’s not.”)

Including a child who is often excluded in a game, conversation, etc

Noticing another child’s distress and asking if he or she is okay (e.g., “You look sad. Did something happen?”)

Easing another child’s embarrassment (e.g., “Oh, I lose my place too when I’m reading out loud.”)

Reinforcement Examples:Sharing something with a

child who has forgotten his or hers (e.g., a book, pencil, snack, sports equipment, etc.)

Noticing and complimenting another child who has shown growth in something that was difficult for him or her (e.g., “You really have gotten good at kickball.”)

Being patient with

another child who is going slower, either mentally or physically (e.g., helping another student who needs more time to complete his or her work or purposefully choosing a game at recess that can be enjoyed by a child who is not as skilled athletically).

Most Powerful Reinforcers and Other Examples:Teacher attention

and verbal praise are the most powerful reinforces for elementary children.

Being allowed to sit net to the teacher at lunch

Helping the teacher with a special project (e.g., hanging holiday decorations in the

room, etc.)

A positive note or special certificate sent home

Displaying the child’s school photograph and name in the classroom or hallway on a “Caring Student of the Week” poster

Most Powerful Reinforcers and Other Examples:A “cool” pencil or other

school suppliesAny small toy or other

item coveted by studentsGift certificates to a

local fast food restaurant or video arcade

Any edible treat (popcorn, crackers, etc.)

Being allowed to pick his

or her partner for the next project

Getting to go first in something

Extra free time or recessEtc. Etc. Etc. (The

possibilities are almost endless!)

Whole Class Reinforcement Examples:After the students become adept at performing the

caring behaviors and following the classroom rules, the entire class could be rewarded, weekly or after X amount of Y was earned. (e.g., Y = marbles, warm fuzzes, stickers, filled the jar/cup, etc.)

Pizza, popcorn, or ice-cream partyWatching a video in classExtra recess time or free time within the classFun Friday The whole class reinforcement should be a special

reward, but it should not replace individual acknowledgement altogether.

Group Activity:Brainstorm in small groups other possible:

ConsequencesReinforcersStrategies that have workedStrategies that have NOT workedRecord these ideas down

Share out ideas within the whole group Take notes on additional ideas for future

reference

Letter, April 16, 1936:Boys Take Warning Before It Is Too Late

We have just learned that during the past 10 days there have been some of the boys writing bad and indecent language on the walls of this outbuilding.

Would you like to have your folks know of the kind of language you are using? [sic] Some of you have sisters. Would you like to have them know you would write such language?

Do not think for one minute you are going to get by without being found out. We just about know already who of you have done this and there is the possibility of not having real trouble if there is not any more of it done.

Regardless of who you are when found guilty, we will go as far as consulting the authorities of The Reform School who will always have a place for you.

Don’t think this is a joke.

The School Board Edan Jenings, George Rowe, and Mr. Noyes

A child cannot be taught by anyone who despises him, and a child cannot afford to be fooled. James Baldwin

Next Session: Planning your Own School-Wide ProgramIn the next session, staff members will plan

their own school-wide program against bullying!