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Canadian bullying programs that work

Canadian Bullying Programs That Work - Parents Canada

Girl being comforted - canadian bullying programs that workResearch has shown the best solution to eliminating bullying is the whole school approach.

  • The WITS program in the Greater
    Victoria School District in B.C. has adopted
    a mantra that has yielded effective results:
    “Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out, Seek
    help.” This model is different because it
    reaches outside of the classroom and into
    homes and communities.
    witsprogram.ca 
  • In Ontario the Fourth R program
    developed by Dr. David Wolfe is bringing
    the missing component into secondary
    schools: Relationships.This classroombased
    curriculum emphasizes good
    decision-making skills to promote
    healthy relationships. The program has
    reduced violence and bullying, unsafe
    sexual behaviours, and substance
    use. Focusing on engaged teachers,
    active students, involved parents and
    community, students have more positive
    influences and role models to show
    them how to make productive decisions.
    youthrelationships.org
  • The Boomerang Project trains educators
    to use leadership and group-development
    in peer-mentoring initiatives. Their highand
    middle-school transition programs,
    Link Crew and WEB, have reached out to
    3,000 schools to make them a safe place
    for students to learn. There are 277 Link
    Crew schools and 34 WEB schools in
    Alberta, B.C., New Brunswick and Ontario.
    boomerangproject.com
  • Edutopia was developed by the George
    Lucas Educational Foundation based in
    California. One of its many strategies is
    Social Emotional Learning (SEL). The key to
    SEL’s success is the focus on readying kids
    to be healthy, happy, successful members
    of society. These programs can be 12 to 18
    months. The investment has paid off in the
    Ontario schools that have implemented
    the program.
    edutopia.org

Vancouver-based writer Michelle Eades is interested in social issues of children.

Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, August/September 2012.

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