Grade 6 Anderson elementary student Cienna is teaming up with her younger school colleague, Grade 1 student Margo, to tackle bullying head on.
Thankfully, neither have felt bullied at school.
And a big reason why is the awareness teachers are bringing to the problem.
“There’s a lot more conversation before bullying happens,” explained Anderson’s vice-principal Brooke Douglas, a teacher of 18 years, prior to stepping into the administrative role.
Cienna understands bullying, and knows what to do to stop it, thanks to daily school initiatives.
“Bullying is repeatedly hurting another person. It gets to your emotions. It makes you angry,” said Cienna.
“You should confront a bully and tell them to stop,” she added.
On Pink Shirt Day (Feb. 22), students will organize into teams and work on “heart stretchers,” said Douglas.
“Heart Stretchers are about understanding what kinds of things we can tell each other or say to each other in order for our hearts to grow bigger.”
Students will learn to discern between actions and words that hurt people’s feelings, and those that make people feel better.
“It’s also about making it more concrete for students so they have a sense of what they do and what their behaviour is going to look like and sound like when they’re helping and being kind; and what does it sound like and feel and look like when they’re unkind,” said Douglas.
When asked how addressing bullying in schools has changed over the years, Douglas said the main change has been awareness.
Douglas said there’s more information out there to understand why bullying happens. And there’s more understanding of who a bully may be. “From my own observation, I’d say there’s less (bullying) now, particularly at the elementary school level.”
“Things that kids used to make fun of in other kids, we just don’t really see that any more. We see a lot more tolerance, inclusivity and appreciation of diversity. I think that speaks a lot to the philosophy we find in Richmond,” added Douglas.
Morning announcements reflect the school’s harmonious ways, said Douglas, with special quotes or reflective comments to remind students to learn as a team.
Douglas explained that the school is promoting a “growth mind set.”
“We can grow and change and evolve and be different. So, if someone is in a fixed mindset, they think things...can’t change. If you’re someone who acts like a bully and you have that fixed mindset, maybe you think you can’t behave any other way and that’s who you are,” said Douglas.
Furthermore, students who are bullied benefit from knowing that bullying should and will stop.
