No Bully Zone: Boys and Girls Club of America

The service learning project had the three of us traveling to three different Boys and Girls Clubs in order to experience the different varieties of programs that are offered against violence in the organizations. As stated in the previous post, Maria went to the Boys and Girls Club in Woburn, Mary Ellen went to Arlington and Kerrie went to Salem.

The boys and girls club of Salem is located on Hawthorne Boulevard in downtown Salem. The establishment has been home to many Salem children, who attend the program for activities, after-school clubs and activities. The programs at the Boys and Girls Club of Salem offer a variety of clubs for teens that help them to become role model citizens and help to build self esteem and make good choices. One of the programs that I was interested in finding out about was The Teen Girl Group which allows teen girls to meet and address issues that they are facing in school and their lives. The program offers trips and sessions to help teens cope with the problems in their lives.

I had the honor of speaking with the Teen Director Andre Daley on the phone, who told me that the issue of Bullying is a topic that is frequently discussed in the Teen Girls Group. He encouraged me to come down and sit in on one of the sessions that the girls would be having and said that, "It is an eye opening experience to see just how prevalent bullying is in our society. It's disturbing just how many of the teens have experienced or participated in bullying first hand," I was able to stop by and witness a discussion on the topic of bullying which was brought up by Daley himself. The discussion was immensly profound, just to see that every single girl in that room had witnessed or been bullied themselves.

For more information on the Boys and Girls Club of Salem visit:

www.bgcgs.org/index.asp

Kerrie's Reflection

I wasn't sure what to expect when I went down to the Boys and Girls Club to sit in at the Teen Girl Group, but what I found wasn't what I had expected. I thought that I would ask some of the girls some questions about if they had been bullied and if they would do anything to stop bullying. What I didn't expect was for the director of the Teen Group to accompany upstairs. He introduced me and I told the girls that I was from Salem State doing a project about Bullying for one of my classes. Daley then began asking the girls questions about whether they had been bullied or if they had ever bullied someone.

It was remarkable that the girls openly admitted to doing both. The girls who had been bullied mostly told stories about hurtful words from text messages, and one girl spoke of actually fighting another girl. Another girl openly admitted to writing slander words to a classmate over facebook, and said that she had been angry and regretted doing it ever since.

What I found to be very interesting was that the girls were very passionate about talking on the subject. They had a wealth of information about what their school was like and how bullying happened a lot.

I believe that sharing these stories were beneficial for the girls because they also discussed remorse for either participating or not doing anything to stop it. Talking about the issues could have also helped relieve the pain they could have felt when cyber bullying had become an issue in their lives.

I believe that talking about bullying and putting bullying programs into place is essential for students become educated on the topic of bullying. The more intervention there is and the earlier it starts, the less likely bullying is going to happen, according to Daley.

I would love to host a seminar at the Boys and Girls Club in the future discussing Bullying and Prevention of violence. I believe that these girls benefited from talking about it, and were interested in helping to stop it themselves. I would love to volunteer and help to make this a possibility in the future. My hopes is that they will remember what they had learned during that meeting and put it into action if they are ever faced with seeing bullying first hand.

No Bully Zone:  Boys and Girls Clubs of America

The three of us went to our local Boys and Girls Clubs to complete our service learning project. We went to different clubs because we wanted to compare and contrast the anti-bullying awareness and prevention in three different areas. We chose to do our service learning projects at the Boys and Girls Club because they offer many different activities for students that may deter them from partaking in bullying.  MaryEllen went to the Boys and Girls Club in Arlington. Maria went to the Boys and Girls Club in Woburn.

                The Boys and Girls Club in Arlington is in a relatively old building in front of Spy Pond. Despite the old building the president, Richard B. Gallagher offers many programs to prevent bullying at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club. According to Gallagher, “We do not offer any explicit anti-bullying or bullying prevention programs. However, we do offer a safe environment for kids of all ages where bullying is not accepted on any level. Through our sports and after-school programs we advocate the importance of engaging in activities other than bullying. We teach the kids how to interact with other kids without bullying.”  

            The Boys and Girls Club in Woburn is a newly renovated building set back from the main road it is located off of.  Through their mission, the Boys and Girls Club of Woburn inspires and enables all young people, especially those who need them most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.  The Boys and Girls Club of Woburn holds seminars to educate club members about bullying.  Although I was not able to attend one of the club’s anti-bullying seminars, I was able to speak to one of the staff at the club who was able to tell me a little but about what goes on during the seminar.  The Boys and Girls Club of Woburn hires a speaker to come in and discuss bullying and the different aspects about bullying with staff and club members.  According to one of the staff, “The seminar was really effective.  The kids were given a lot of information along with anti-bullying bracelets.  The kids who went to the seminar could not stop talking about it, and how it changed their outlook on bullying.”

                  With no explicit anti-bullying programs present the days we volunteered, we participated in the various activities provided to the children during the drop in program. As part of the drop in program children 6-17 years old can come to the club at any time after school. During that time various activities are available to them from ping-pong tournaments, relay races in the gym, open swim time, to arts and crafts; and those are just the popular ones! There had to be at least 50 children of all ages eager to participate in the activities planned for the day. The first game was a quick game of floor hockey. While the teams were picked, we noticed that there was no kid to kid whispering about not picking a particular child to be on their team. We also noticed that the adults organizing the game arranged it so the adults were chosen last. To be honest, watching the kids select teams without whispering or complaining about a particular child surprised me. During the games, there were not any children left out. Then during the floor hockey game the teams all passed to one another. No child left any of the games because he or she was feeling left out or bored.

                We observed zero situations of emotional bullying or physical bullying during games where it could have been extremely prudent in a different setting. The adults organizing the games in the gym enhanced that “safe environment” that the Boys and Girls Clubs strive for. There was a zero bullying tolerance in the games that were organized. The children then must have become so completely accustomed to this zero tolerance that they do not even have a tendency to start bullying. The staff at all of the Boys and Girls Clubs all work together to make each club bully free.

Boys and Girls Club Websites:

Arlington:  http://www.abgclub.org/

Woburn:  http://www.bgcwoburn.org/

MaryEllen’s Reflection:

                I did not end bullying forever the day I went to the Boys and Girls Club in Arlington. I did however, participate in a particular activity that could have involved a lot of bulling but rather had a zero bullying tolerance. The children playing floor hockey developed the attitudes that bullying is not worth taking away from the fun of engaging in a game. As these children grow up they will most likely have the same general attitude. With all these children having the same general attitude bullying is likely to be less prudent. Furthermore, it is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America that are preventing bullying forever. But the children need to go to the clubs and adapt these attitudes in order for it to be completely effective.

                I would absolutely volunteer or work at a Boys and Girls Club or a similar institution to develop the bullying prevention attitudes in kids. I believe once the majority of the children in America learn that bullying is not worth the time it takes away from fun then bullying will slowly decline. However, I do not think bullying will disappear forever. But if the children develop the mentality that is instilled in the children that go to the Boys and Girls Clubs then bullying will not be as prudent as it is today.

                Teaching service learning and having students engaged in a service learning project is essential. I believe the service learning projects can make children aware of the world around them. Also, engaging in the project will help children realize that everyone can make a difference. That difference might not be catastrophic but every attempt affects someone for the better. If everyone tried to make a difference everyday then the world would be a very different place than it is today. And who knows, maybe that student I assign a service learning project to will become the next Mother Teresa or Martin Luther King Jr.

Maria’s Reflection:

            By taking time to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club of Woburn, I was able to see that bullying can be prevented and steps are being taken to do so.  Through the club’s hard work, persistence, and funded seminars, bullying is no longer an issue at the Boys and Girls Club of Woburn.  All members of the club are able to work together, whether it be in the “After the bell academic enrichment program” or on the basketball court.  Because of the success of the seminar at the Boys and Girls Club, all twelve of the schools in Woburn are working with the Boys and Girls Club to become advocates for anti-bullying seminars.  It is intended that these seminars will spread to and be adopted by surrounding communities, putting an end to bullying.

            Volunteering at my local Boys and Girls Club is something that I have done since high school, and continue to do.  As a former club member, and member of the swim team, I think it is important for college and high school students to volunteer at these institutes to give the club members a role model.  I think it is important for people to volunteer and spend time promoting something they believe in.  Bullying is an issue that is important to me as a future teacher.  By seeing the actions taken at the Boys and Girls Club of Woburn and the results, the actions should be adopted by all student centers.  I would continue to spread bullying awareness to children, to assist in the end to bullying. 

            By going out and focusing my volunteering toward something that is important to me, it has made a major impact on me and my outlook on bullying.  Although I believed in anti-bullying programs, I always thought it would be difficult to end bullying.  The Boys and Girls Club of Woburn allowed me to have hope, and to see that bullying can be prevented with hard work and persistence.  Without completing this service learning project, I would always be skeptical of the idea of bullying coming to an end.  In the future, I would like to have students complete a service learning project on a topic of their choice, in hopes that they would obtain the same insight that I was able to.

Taking a Stand

 

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America are located throughout Massachusetts. The establishment offers various programs for children. Therefore, as anti-bullying advocates we could volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club. The Boys and Girls Club do not offer direct anti-bullying programs. But by simply getting involved in the establishment we are giving children a safe haven. With no bullying allowed a child facing abuse could confide in an adult volunteer. And with so many afternoon activities from sports to arts and crafts the children will be too preoccupied to develop schemes to bully a peer.
One of the best specific programs to get involved with would be the Delinquency and Gang Prevention Initiative program. Within the program adults will teach children about violence prevention and positive alternatives to problems. The program directors bring in local partners to monitor the program participants’ progress through individualized case managements. The clubs are assisted by local and state funding to address delinquency, gangs, and violence.
When contacting the establishment, it is learned that volunteers must go through Cori-checks and a volunteer application process. Also, it is evident that a desire to work with and help children is necessary. A volunteer must be passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of children.

Learn More About the Boys and Girls Club:  http://www.bgca.org/Pages/index.aspx

MaryEllen: I believe that bullying can come to an end. But for it to come to an end programs need to be adapted and adults need to take time and help the children through programs like those offered at the Boys and Girls Clubs. It is truly tragic to see what has happened presently due to child bullying. Nevertheless, the adults across the nation, teachers or not, need to come together and make it change. Child suicide can never be a static of the norm. If the adults want to see progress in the nation then they need to help and aid the future of America. With the adults helping and taking care of the young future, the future will eventually take care and help the elders of the nation.

Maria:  Bullying is an issue that is becoming more dominant in society.  Many tragedies have occurred as a result to bullying.  It is time to stop bullying and reduce the number of childhood suicides.  In order to stop bullying, parents, teachers, and other student centers need to gather together and adapt a process for students to eliminate bullying all together.  Bullying cannot be stopped by one person; everyone involved in students lives need to work hand in hand.  Student’s lives should not be casualty to bullying.  Because of the drastic increase in student suicides, bullying is making headlines.  We should not have waited for suicides to stop bullying, so we need to be persistent with the issue and find a resolution.

Kerrie: Bringing these programs to children will help facilitate the importance of anti-bullying rules and regulations in schools and establishments. Some children who do not understand the seriousness of bullying may scoff and feel like the topic is not important, and it is that reason why they are so important to introduce to children early on and continue towards the High School Level. Students who are exposed to the dangers and actively participate in helping to see it end will be less likely to participate in the acts themselves.

Practice What you Preach

The three critical attributes of bullying are acknowledging: the power struggles, the self esteem levels, and the 3 time of bullying “golden rule”.

Throughout history and movie plots society has created this generalization that bullying is strictly a “bigger” kid beating up a “little” kid. That generalization has evolved over the past several years as children became more mature at a younger age and had technology placed at their fingertips. The “bigger” kid bullying the “little” kid has now become the “mean girl” generalization. More often groups of children are bullying a specific peer because he/she looks, acts or is different than them. These groups bully by starting rumors or talking negativity behind his/her back. In most cases these rumors or negative conversations stem out of jealousy from the bullies towards the bullied victim. Then those ignited rumors create a power boundary between the bullies and the victim; the bullies rise in popularity over the victim. For instance, Phoebe Prince, who was originally from Ireland, was bullied by girls in high school because she dated a senior football player. The new girl Phoebe was gaining popularity as she began dating a senior football player and the girls that bullied her, the “original popular girls” were feeling threatened by her, so they began to bully her. And their bullying Phoebe ensured their “popularity/power” over Phoebe. Therefore, as the first critical attribute of bullying, attention must be paid to the power struggles and popularity structures in schools.

The final critical attribute of bullying is acknowledging the golden rule of bullying. The rule of thumb is if bullying incidents with a child occurs in three similar situations then he/she must be reprimanded as a bully. In some scenarios in which a child is accused of bullying another child are not accurate. That child could be defending him/herself. Therefore, the three chances before punishment it vital. This attribute needs special attention from school administrative figures and teachers. As we already learned, bullied students are not likely to act out against being bullied. In other words, they are not likely to tattle-tale on the bully. So it is up to the teachers and administrative figures to observe bully-like situations. Serious punishments are not necessary until the child is accused of a bullying situation three times. But after that first bully-like situation that child needs to be carefully watched for the safety of the other children. As the final critical attribute of bullying, the three times golden rule pinpoints the most harmful bullies in schools. Those three chances allow the “bullying” children to start behaving correctly before punishments. But in many cases the students do not start behaving correctly. This critical attribute needs to be observed by the school administrators and teachers; after all the bullied children cannot hand out the punishments. And if the school administrators and teachers start paying a close eye of attention to the students accused of bullying once or twice before serious punishments bullying could be reduced.

The second critical attribute to bullying is located within the self-esteem of children. Children bullying other children physically or mentally have a high self-esteem level than the other children. On the other end of the spectrum the children that are being bullied have a significantly lower self-esteem level than the rest of the children in school. The bully’s self-esteem levels rise because they are rough-housing another child physically or mentally and getting away with it. The bully gets away with such rough-housing because he/she creates the situation in which the victim is too afraid to tell an adult what is going on. And it is that same situation created by the bully that causes the self-esteem of the victim to drop severely. The victim is being mentally and/or physically abused and cannot do anything about it because it will probably get worse. Bringing Phoebe Prince back into the picture, she was bullied for months upon the beginning of her relationship with the football player immediately after she arrived from Ireland. But she did not act out against the bullying. She let it keep going, probably out of fear that it would get worse if she told. And by letting the bullying continue day after day, her self-esteem level dropped so low that she committed suicide. As her self-esteem level dropped rapidly, the self-esteem of the girls that bullied her rose. Nevertheless, as the second critical attribute of bullying, the self-esteem levels of children need to me acknowledged. For it is those self-esteem levels that will indicate if a child is bullying another or if a child is being bullied.

Informational and Procedural Knowledge

In order to stop bullying from occurring in schools, students must first learn what it means to be a good student, friend and peer.  Teachers, parents, and staff should provide students with the key ingredients to being a good person; this includes anti-bullying notions.  In doing this, students will gain the informational knowledge that they need to maintain in order to reduce and eventually stop bullying in all schools.

Although, having these ingredients does not mean students will practice what they have learned.  In order to ensure that students have all of the necessary procedural information about bullying, teachers, parents and staff must assign students to different roles—acting out the good behaviors that all students should follow.  The goal in acting out the different roles is to ensure that if students do not have this procedural knowledge, they will obtain it through role playing.

See what S. Hadley is doing to stop bullying:  http://www.gazettenet.com/2010/06/24/anti-bullying-recommendations-hailed?SESS37d9ba501fcd32b4158cc614f0247243=gnews

Talking Tough on Bullying

Talking Tough on Bullying

                         Should Stricter Standards be put into Place about Bullying in High Schools?

Bullying has become a hot topic among school administrators, parents and students alike. Last year, the increase and controversy about bullying became a hot topic after the death of South Hadley’s Phoebe Prince, who tragically took her own life after facing months of bullying and harassment by several of her classmates. After the awareness of just how serious and rampant this issue had become, the media exploded with news stories, statistics and allegations from schools across the nation. You could not turn on the television without the topic of bullying being the top story.

See Phoebe’s Story here: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/03/29/2010-03-29_phoebe_prince_south_hadley_high_schools_new_girl_driven_to_suicide_by_teenage_cy.html

Phoebe may have died an untimely death, but it was not all in vain. Because of her story, there has been a new legislation being passed to try and get stricter rules and standards in schools so that what she went through would not be experienced by any other student again. The article below talks about some of the restrictions and rules that are being put into place in High Schools all over the country. These rules include a strict cell phone ban, cameras in classrooms, and mandatory anti bullying programs once a week for students.

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1314876

                The Boston Herald article also talks about the opinions of the students. Some believe that with the new restrictions, school has become more of a prison than a learning environment. With teachers monitoring internet use, cameras tracking their every move, students feel as though they do not have the freedom and privacy that students crave. The bottom line is that even if students can become more trustworthy after becoming educated on the topic, these measures could ultimately stop a story like Phoebe’s from happening again. Sure, it may not be ideal to be monitored, but if it will even help one student in the future who may be facing bullying, would it all have been worth it in the end?

                We believe that these restrictions are a great idea. Intervention programs should be present in all schools, whether bullying is an issue or not. When students are informed, they are less likely to participate, or to tell an adult about what they see. If the students of South Hadley had resources such as this program, tragedy could have been stopped. Budgets for school should be stretched to include these important programs which install values and life lessons that can be passed from student to student and beyond.

Questions on Bullying:

-What can schools and governments do to prevent bullying?
-Why is bullying more prevailent today than it was in the past?
-What can be done at the elementary level to educate students about bullying to stop it  
             from happening in the future? 

About Us!

"Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now!"
http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/

My name is Maria.  I am a senior studying elementary education and English at Salem State University.  For social studies block, my group and I are going to explore the issue of bullying in schools. The issue of bullying is becoming more dominant as technology increases.  Consistent with the rise of bullying is the rise of teen suicide.  As someone who is aspiring to become an elementary school teacher, I believe bullying is an important issue that needs a solution.  In order to find a solution to bullying, research must be conducted to find what triggers people bully their peers, and what steps can be done in order to stop this trigger.  With the help of my group, I hope to get more insight into bullying and deliver this insight to students, teachers, and parents to stop bullying!

My name is Kerrie and I am also a senior at Salem State University studying elementary education and psychology. I chose the issue of bullying to focus on because I believe that this is an issue that needs to be solved from the beginning. Teaching students who are young about bullying could stop the tragedy and the incidences that unfortunately, happens at all ages. These days with cyber bullying being possible, the issue has become even more serious, and with the tragic suicides that have been happening, something must be done. I personally want to help to stop this epidemic and help students learn why it is wrong, and to try and make a difference.

My name is MaryEllen. I am a junior at Salem State University studying elementary education and English. I think bullying is a matter in the schools that is overlooked at times. Those oversights result in children being harassed everyday in school and via the internet. And some children that have not received help tragically end their lives because of the harassment they receive from their peers. Needless to say, bullying needs to come to an immediate end! I believe there is an answer to ending bullying in every form. Furthermore, I believe it is the responsibility of the teachers and parents to stop bullying for good. As a future educator, with learning the skills to teach my future leaders of America I, also, need to learn the skills to prevent bullying in my classroom. With that said, through my research with my group members, I hope to discover methods and strategies to end bullying to exemplify for other teachers and parents.