Homework Help
From our own librarian Ms.Booker, my school VIRTUAL Library: www.tdsb.on.ca/libraries/Links.asp?schoolNo= 5232 e-Learning Ontario: The Ontario Educational Resource Bank(OERB) -ontario.ca/elearning - thousands of online resources for teachers & learners (JK-Gr. 12) ontario.ca/homeworkhelp - math help for Grades 7 - 10. www.TeachingKidsNews.com offers daily, kid friendly news plus curriculum and grammar questions. It's free for teachers, parents and kids. Created by our own Mr. Jon Tilly, Kathleen Tilly and journalist Joyce Grant. Health Wise
Canada's Food Guide: http://www.canadafoodguide.net Food Allergy Network: www.foodallergy.org Best Start Resource Centre: http://www.beststart.org Nutrition for Kids: www.nutritionforkids.com Kids have Stress Too: conducted by Toronto Public Health. Children's Mental Health: http://www.instituteforhabitsofmind.com/ Get recalls, safety alerts and reliable health and safety advice at http://healthycanadians.gc.ca Safety Wise
Student Safetyline - a TDSB run safety line for anonymous messages about anything school-related or personal safety concerns. Anything that threatens your safety such as threats, weapons, bullying, intimidation or anything that worries you. 416-395-safe(7233) or www.tdsb.on.ca/395SAFE Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868 Toronto Crime Stoppers - 416-222-TIPS(8477) |
Grade 4/5 SnowPass This is the SkiCanada program letting grade 4's and 5's ski up to 3 times for free at each of the participating ski hills across Canada. It cost $30, so even if you get out only once this year, you'll be ahead of the game. Pretty excited about the variety in that we'll be able to check out a bunch of different hills. Spread the word!
www.snowpass.ca Action Potential Lab
Please see the link for more details: http://www.actionpotentiallab.ca/opening/ Additionally, we are launching the lab's spring term after school classes and the lab's science + art summer camp programs. Class details:http://www.actionpotentiallab.ca/kids/ Please spread the word! Lisa Carrie Goldberg Lab Director, Owner Action Potential Lab - a lab for science + art 451 Christie St. 416 538 4100 [email protected] Mindfulness Practice for our children- the Mind Up project, November 21st at 7 pm
Thank you to Dr Lisa Evans, who is a parent at the school and a school psychologist with extensive experience in the Mind Up project has GIFTED her time and talent to our school. She rolled out an extensive project teaching our children and our teachers how to use the simple principles of mindfulness breathing and visualization to help the children self-regulate. This in turn will help with them calm their bodies in order to readily create an environment for learning. It also teaches respectful and empathic socialization. This is a scientifically based program with roots in neuroscience and positive psychology and it has extensive research and political backing which was started post 9-11 by the Hawn Foundation. Pls see the links below for further information, http://www.educatingtheheart.org/ http://www.mindfulschools.org/ http://thehawnfoundation.org/mindup/ |
Joanne Kates Talk, Bullying Prevention Program
The talk was given to parents on December 3rd, 2012. Please read on for useful information regarding bullying prevention.
Thus far, Joanne has met with teachers for workshops to teach them about the different aspects of bullying including the gender differences, followed by the philosophy of the program including specific teaching tools such as: socialgrams, intervention strategies, and Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS). The teachers will be following up with weekly gender based social circles and she will be returning in January with follow up workshop lessons to follow thru with the teachers. Both Joanne and her partner Leon met with the students recently in separate gender groupings to explore their understanding of perceived social categories and empathy awareness.
Of interest our children have been very insightful about their situations and perceived social categories, Ms Kates also mentioned that our teachers have been exceptional in their understanding and integration of the program.
The teachers will continue to implement the program by weekly gender based groups to ensure social safety.
Definition of Bullying as per UN: Chronic mistreatment of a child involving power imbalance and or physical emotional or sexual aggression.
Girl Bullying:
There are a number of social categories in the girl circles.
"Relational aggression" is reinforced as trying to appeal to the right guy or a "cool guy".
Boy Bullying:
Boys' preoccupations are all about their perceived masculinity. The feeling is that if I don't prove it then I may be seen as weak or incompetent or the worst is a queer. This is the main thrust behind their bullying intentions. There are not clear categories as for girls as above, but Cool (athletic or smart) and Poser are broad categories, the latter will do anything in an attempt to be cool including things against their own best judgement.
Other general info:
Favourite quote: "Give me a child until he is 6 yo and he is mine, after that you are done".
Cyber bullying is a powerful tool for the bully because it is more hidden from the parents and broader reaching.
There are 2 kinds of victims:
++crying, physically weak, insecure, lacks social cues reading ability, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Learning Disability Disorder ( aka the alphabet soup) they are typically not in control of their behaviour. Interestingly overt disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders are now more publicized and thus better understood and tolerated.
Important point: It is easier to teach the "cool kids" to be emphatic than to have the limited kids be more functional.
Bystander kids have an important role as they take away power from the bully which is like "realigning the chess board", it will often lead to the bully backing down. 80% of the time if grown-ups take a firm stance on the behaviours it eliminates the problem. Bullying is Not a discipline problem. When the bullies realize that the adults will go after them aggressively ( not recommended) the bullying goes from open mode of functioning to under the radar. This is called "reprisals". This makes life worse for the victim often, ie if adults focus only on the bully, the bullying intensity increases and it becomes harder to detect.
It is not an easily eradicated problem as many of the bullies have habitual behaviour and are smart. We must think of it as a relational problem and cultural problem rather than individuals ie bully or victim.
Listening is best way to build relationship skills. Ask questions, ie What needs to happen next rather than telling them to apologize, asking for how to go about it helps them take what they generate more seriously. This is not a time efficient process, it is very slow, and requires ++ repetition as they forget, but it is highly effective. The goal is to help them articulate and generate the need for an apology by constantly asking more question in a calm neutral, curious tone. Moment adults start to be premeditated and pre-scripted about their kid's behaviour ( ie using shoulds), the kids shut down, and either will dismiss the content or tell you what they think you want to hear.
Best strategy is to model in one's own life, ie adult behaviour and parental conflict resolution: use your words, use your ”I” statement. "I felt hurt when u shut me out, or didn't play with me on the playground". Typically candid self-disclosure moves the bully.
Specific aspects of the program:
I) Model of "Collaborative Problem Solving" aka CPS:
It consists of brief, 1-5 min interviews and debrief with the children involved and an adult that can mediate in this model.
Calm, neutral body stance, (adults must contain all their frustration as otherwise it angers the bully more and shuts the process). Can't take any stance and doesn't matter if the bully or victim are exaggerating or even lying about the events as the most important point is the expression of their feelings: release of the "pressure cooker of feelings" in order to decrease the pent up anger or frustration in order to increase their empathy.
90% of the time kids get there on their own, usually this ends up in the culprit “girls crying, and the boys wanting to shake hands on it”.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
In this model, adults do not actively teach, just get the children to express their feelings; the process needs to be simple as the kids need to be able to do all this processing on their own.
The adult says in a supportive way, non-judgmental way to one child at a time:
1. TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
2. HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
3. TELL ME MORE.
4. AH HAH.
Repeat 2-4 until each child has no more to add.
Then say to each child " What do you think should happen next?"
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Need to ++ reward and encourage them when they get to express their feelings and acts, no matter the content, so no party feels bad afterwards. Works about 50% of time, need ++ reinforcement. Adults need to continue to be non judgemental. Second round of CPS generally captures another 25% as the kids are often sceptical at the first round and do not necessarily buy in.
If 2 rounds of CPS do not work, unusual circumstances are at play and child is poor in empathy domain and need to use 3 strike strategies with behaviour contract. Ultimately not pro social behaviour will be excluded from community.
2. Girl and boy circles:
This is another important component of the program. They are confidential, they each respond to a question by the teacher: eg when have you been a “good” and “not good” friend for self and for others. Pressure of relief of the weight gets the victims and the bullies to open up often as long as they feel safe and that the adults are on their side and capable to keep a safe environment.
3. student safety questionnaire:
Confidential, identifies vulnerable circumstances in the school and also captures children who do not feel safe enough to talk. It’s a good barometer for how safe the children feel.
In summary:
The most powerful victim is the one that stands up for themselves, if expressing self doesn't work then need to get an adult involved.
The talk was given to parents on December 3rd, 2012. Please read on for useful information regarding bullying prevention.
Thus far, Joanne has met with teachers for workshops to teach them about the different aspects of bullying including the gender differences, followed by the philosophy of the program including specific teaching tools such as: socialgrams, intervention strategies, and Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS). The teachers will be following up with weekly gender based social circles and she will be returning in January with follow up workshop lessons to follow thru with the teachers. Both Joanne and her partner Leon met with the students recently in separate gender groupings to explore their understanding of perceived social categories and empathy awareness.
Of interest our children have been very insightful about their situations and perceived social categories, Ms Kates also mentioned that our teachers have been exceptional in their understanding and integration of the program.
The teachers will continue to implement the program by weekly gender based groups to ensure social safety.
Definition of Bullying as per UN: Chronic mistreatment of a child involving power imbalance and or physical emotional or sexual aggression.
Girl Bullying:
There are a number of social categories in the girl circles.
- "Queen bees" (QB): long hair, often but not always pretty, have nice stuff (uggs, iphones...)
- "Ladies in waiting": included by QBs, will do her bidding, gossip on her behalf, cooperative with QB's agenda, always her support.
- "Wannabee's": would like to be with above group, but are only included when convenient for them (QB) otherwise often fall back to the average categories.
- "Hobby girls": passionate about something outside of relations (gymnastics, music, art or science) allows them to care less about social status and have an alternate source of self-confidence. It is protective against most of these social dynamics.
- "Losers": Often and sometimes don't want to come to school, lonely and bored at playground.
"Relational aggression" is reinforced as trying to appeal to the right guy or a "cool guy".
Boy Bullying:
Boys' preoccupations are all about their perceived masculinity. The feeling is that if I don't prove it then I may be seen as weak or incompetent or the worst is a queer. This is the main thrust behind their bullying intentions. There are not clear categories as for girls as above, but Cool (athletic or smart) and Poser are broad categories, the latter will do anything in an attempt to be cool including things against their own best judgement.
Other general info:
Favourite quote: "Give me a child until he is 6 yo and he is mine, after that you are done".
Cyber bullying is a powerful tool for the bully because it is more hidden from the parents and broader reaching.
There are 2 kinds of victims:
- Passive victim: inexplicable seemingly random victim, typically reasonably adjusted target, the focus passes with time.
- Provocative victim: They have an "invisible label on their forehead", not all their fault, characteristics that make them targets:
++crying, physically weak, insecure, lacks social cues reading ability, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Learning Disability Disorder ( aka the alphabet soup) they are typically not in control of their behaviour. Interestingly overt disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders are now more publicized and thus better understood and tolerated.
Important point: It is easier to teach the "cool kids" to be emphatic than to have the limited kids be more functional.
Bystander kids have an important role as they take away power from the bully which is like "realigning the chess board", it will often lead to the bully backing down. 80% of the time if grown-ups take a firm stance on the behaviours it eliminates the problem. Bullying is Not a discipline problem. When the bullies realize that the adults will go after them aggressively ( not recommended) the bullying goes from open mode of functioning to under the radar. This is called "reprisals". This makes life worse for the victim often, ie if adults focus only on the bully, the bullying intensity increases and it becomes harder to detect.
It is not an easily eradicated problem as many of the bullies have habitual behaviour and are smart. We must think of it as a relational problem and cultural problem rather than individuals ie bully or victim.
Listening is best way to build relationship skills. Ask questions, ie What needs to happen next rather than telling them to apologize, asking for how to go about it helps them take what they generate more seriously. This is not a time efficient process, it is very slow, and requires ++ repetition as they forget, but it is highly effective. The goal is to help them articulate and generate the need for an apology by constantly asking more question in a calm neutral, curious tone. Moment adults start to be premeditated and pre-scripted about their kid's behaviour ( ie using shoulds), the kids shut down, and either will dismiss the content or tell you what they think you want to hear.
Best strategy is to model in one's own life, ie adult behaviour and parental conflict resolution: use your words, use your ”I” statement. "I felt hurt when u shut me out, or didn't play with me on the playground". Typically candid self-disclosure moves the bully.
Specific aspects of the program:
I) Model of "Collaborative Problem Solving" aka CPS:
It consists of brief, 1-5 min interviews and debrief with the children involved and an adult that can mediate in this model.
Calm, neutral body stance, (adults must contain all their frustration as otherwise it angers the bully more and shuts the process). Can't take any stance and doesn't matter if the bully or victim are exaggerating or even lying about the events as the most important point is the expression of their feelings: release of the "pressure cooker of feelings" in order to decrease the pent up anger or frustration in order to increase their empathy.
90% of the time kids get there on their own, usually this ends up in the culprit “girls crying, and the boys wanting to shake hands on it”.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
In this model, adults do not actively teach, just get the children to express their feelings; the process needs to be simple as the kids need to be able to do all this processing on their own.
The adult says in a supportive way, non-judgmental way to one child at a time:
1. TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
2. HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
3. TELL ME MORE.
4. AH HAH.
Repeat 2-4 until each child has no more to add.
Then say to each child " What do you think should happen next?"
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Need to ++ reward and encourage them when they get to express their feelings and acts, no matter the content, so no party feels bad afterwards. Works about 50% of time, need ++ reinforcement. Adults need to continue to be non judgemental. Second round of CPS generally captures another 25% as the kids are often sceptical at the first round and do not necessarily buy in.
If 2 rounds of CPS do not work, unusual circumstances are at play and child is poor in empathy domain and need to use 3 strike strategies with behaviour contract. Ultimately not pro social behaviour will be excluded from community.
2. Girl and boy circles:
This is another important component of the program. They are confidential, they each respond to a question by the teacher: eg when have you been a “good” and “not good” friend for self and for others. Pressure of relief of the weight gets the victims and the bullies to open up often as long as they feel safe and that the adults are on their side and capable to keep a safe environment.
3. student safety questionnaire:
Confidential, identifies vulnerable circumstances in the school and also captures children who do not feel safe enough to talk. It’s a good barometer for how safe the children feel.
In summary:
The most powerful victim is the one that stands up for themselves, if expressing self doesn't work then need to get an adult involved.