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Inspirations...
Strengthening Families Program |
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Little Egg Harbor Family Excels in
Strengthening Families Program
Most parents would agree...raising a child on the brink of becoming a teenager isn't easy. Pressure from friends, combined with academic demands, the computer age and world of social media introduce a myriad of obstacles that can sometimes seem impossible to overcome.
Nina Lesniak of Little Egg Harbor, her 12-year-old son Nicholas Schowalter, and her boyfriend Michael Morrison, were not immune to the issues presented to so many families at this time of life. Nicholas, who was adjusting to his parent's recent divorce and the merging of households with Michael, was having a difficult time with the transition and experiencing problems in regards to his schoolwork. To help the family navigate the challenges, they were referred to Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention's (IFP) Strengthening Families Program by Nicholas' school.
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Michael Morrison, Nicholas Schowalter and Nina Lesniak |
Click here to read more about Nina, Nicholas and Michael. |
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Question Session with IFP |
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"From your experience, what suggestions would you give to teachers to prevent bullying in the classroom."
Bullying certainly isn't a new problem in schools, but it has recently garnered a lot of much needed attention - according to the American Psychological Association approximately 40 - 80 percent of school-age children experience bullying at some point in their school career.
- Make the rules clear. Let your students know that your classroom is a place where bullying behaviors will not be tolerated and let them know what the consequences will be. You may want to implement a pledge that the students sign committing to respect others while in your class.
- Be observant. Many students who are being bullied are hesitant to report the person who is harrasing him/her. You may be amazed at what you can determine just by watching students in the hallway between classes.
- Keep parents informed. Just as you set expectations with your students, also establish them with parents. Let parents and guardians know about your no-tolerance policy for bullying in your classroom, be clear about what you consider to be bullying behaviors and inform them about the consequences prior to an issue arising.
Also keep in mind that anti-bullying legislation enacted by the State has set clear standards and expectations for school personnel and school districts in regards to harassment, intimidation and/or bullying. For further information, please refer directly to the
Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights.
Connie Greene, Vice President, Institute for Prevention
We're continuing the conversation on our Facebook page.
If you have ideas you would like to share, or comments about the ones above, let us know what you think!
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