Written by Connie Melton, South Haven Home School Advisor
Recently the Home-School Advisor from seven of the elementary schools in the Portage Township Schools took their show on the road. Their show being an early bullying prevention program designed for pre-school age children. Portage Township Schools and the local pre-schools/day cares share a cooperative relationship. So when the leader of the local Head Start needed to address the increasing number of incidents between the children that could lead to future bullying, she used this connection to get some assistance. The Home-School Advisors were more than happy to create and present a fun, amusing and informational half hour program for the students. Presenters included: Lois Felten (Crisman Elementary), Pam Carpenter (Jones Elementary), Stacey Kinsey (Kyle Elementary), Dede Bairaktaris (Myers Elementary), Karen Kinsey (Paul Saylor Elementary), Connie Melton (South Haven Elementary), and Nicole Slack (Central Elementary).
During the program the book, Billy the Bully by Alvanro and Ana Galan, was read with assistance from some puppet friends to act out all of the parts. Students were asked questions throughout the story about why they thought Billy was losing all of his friends. And then what they saw and heard Billy doing in order to win his friends back. The theme of kindness was the focus throughout the entire program. It was pointed out to the students that with kindness Billy would never have lost all of his friends. The 3 to 5 year olds seem to understand what it meant to be a bully as well as how to make and keep good friends. The students were then given their own stuffed animals to help sing a song and to discuss how every puppet and every person is special and unique.
Bullying behavior can often be seen when students are younger. It is important to address these incidents so that we can teach them how we would like them to behave and treat others. Equally important is helping students accept the differences of others and teaching tolerance of others ideas and decisions. If you see behavior that you feel may be bullying there are several resources that can be used to talk with children. On the internet information can be found at www.bullying.org, www.no-bully.com, and www.stopbullyingnow.com. There are also many great books for children that can be read at bedtime: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, My Secret Bully by Trudy Lugwig and Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman.
The Home-School Advisors hope to continue this community outreach program with other area day care facilities. They feel that reaching children that will be coming to the elementary schools in the next few years will have a positive impact on their current and future behavior.