Teach Your Children to Dream

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Alicia C. Shaw, Ed.D,  principal, Gideon #37 Elementary

The prevention of bullying is not about control, discipline, adding rules, policies, consequences, etc. (which we all know are designed to make the lives of adults easier). Preventing bullying is about empowering all students with knowledge, encouragement, understanding, compassion and tolerance. Most bullies are simply children who have been bullied themselves and often by an adult. They feel a loss of control in their own lives, so they attempt to find control by whatever means possible. By helping children understand the only person they can control is themselves, we can help them discover positive attributes they all possess.

Everyone wants to say that children are our most valuable asset. This is not true, assets are material objects. Children are our lifeline. We as educators must strive every day to build the hopes and dreams of our children. We tend to focus on negative things and look for new ways to dish out punishment and control behavior. It is the same concept of control for us. Teachers can’t control behavior any more than kids can control other kids. We have to spend more time understanding behavior instead of trying to control it.

Asking all children to fit a “mold” of rules and policies is like asking a river to control the flow of water. It is not possible. We have to see children as individuals with hopes, dreams, difficulties and frustrations. The choices we make and the words we speak may mean the difference for a child having a life of fulfillment or a life of difficulties.

Teach your children to dream. Our dreams are not just the thoughts that roll around in our heads everyday, they are what gives us hope that tomorrow will be better. If we help all children, including the bullies, realize their dreams, then we give them hope. By giving them hope, we take away the hurt that causes them to bully others. Your bullying policies should reflect positive approaches to children. If you do this, you won’t have to worry about bullies. They will become the leaders of the future. Have faith in a child.

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For more information on bullying prevention and available resources to support your efforts, sign up today for the FREE professional development webinar for educators presented by the School Improvement Network, Bullying: Understanding the Problem, Defining Solutions on May 30th 2012, 3:00 p.m. with Robin Young of the National Crime Prevention Council.

Click here to register for the FREE webinar:http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D783884f