There was no doubt that everyone at the Barriere Elementary School (BES) was taking a stand against bullying on Feb. 29, for pink shirt day.
There was a sea of pink shirts being worn throughout the building, and when students were directed to Mrs. McCloud’s classroom to join together in a demonstration against bullying with songs, dancing, and readings no one was hanging back. Both teachers and students got right into the spirit of the event with great enthusiasm.
When asked, one teacher commented “Our students with their teachers did a great job today to create an awareness about the destructiveness of bullying in schools, but also anywhere else.”
Remember that even though the ‘Bullying Stops Here’ day is now over, it is important to carry the decision to stop this behaviour on into our everyday living.
There are many ways and means to counteract bullying, being aware of the behaviour of kids around you and not to allow them to slip into bullying behavior is especially important.
People are encouraged to watch for warning signs. Some possible indications are kids grouping together and intentionally leaving others out; aggressive behaviours with peers, such as yelling, hitting or throwing, laughing when other kids get hurt, and name calling of siblings or friends are a few of the more obvious indications of bullying behaviour.
Developing empathy is a core element to changing bullying behaviour. Here are a few examples about how to build empathy for adults who are in teaching positions: by reading stories about bullying, draw pictures and role play with the child and adult exchanging roles, and discussing how each feels. Help kids to see how hurtful bullying is, and help them to see the victims point of view.
You can find more about pink shirt day by going to www.pinkshirtday.ca.