Feb 18 - 22

Bullying

Bullying is when an individual with more power, repeatedly and intentionally harms another person  who feel helpless to respond. Bullying can be physical (hitting, kicking, pushing), verbal (swearing at, teasing, threatening, spreading rumours), social (excluding someone or ganging up on them) or cyber (using the internet or social media to put down or outcast someone).
Pink Shirt Day - Feb 27

Signs to watch for:
- changes in eating or sleeping patterns
- mood swings (overemotional or aggressive)
- refuses to tell you what is wrong
- doesn't want to go to school or has stomach aches in the morning
- school grades drop
- becoming withdrawn & sullen
- stolen or damaged belongings
- physical bruises / cuts

As a parent or teacher the first step is to LISTEN without interrupting. Acknowledging their feelings and letting them know you are always there to help them. It is important to get all the circumstances about what happened, how often it has happened and what their reaction or actions were in response to the bullying.
Dealing with Bullies

I Am 

I am the person you bullied at school,
I am the person who didn’t know how to be cool,
I am the person you alienated,
I am the person you ridiculed and hated.

I am the person who sat on her own,
I am the person who walked home alone,
I am the person you scared every day,
I am the person who had nothing to say.

I am the person with hurt in her eyes,
I am the person you never saw cry,
I am the person living alone with her fears,
I am the person destroyed by her peers.

I am the person who drowned in your scorn,
I am the person who wished she hadn’t been born,
I am the person you destroyed for ‘fun’,
I am the person, but not the only one.

I am the person whose name you don’t know,
I am the person who just can’t let go,
I am the person who has feelings too,
And I was a person, just like you.(This poem was written for the BEAT BULLYING ad in the UK and narrated by celebrity sports people.) 

source: http://www.stclares.ie/anti_bullying_poems.html

Feb 11 - 15

Ways to Make Your Day  More Mindfulness

MIND FULL  😳  vs   MINDFUL  😌

Breathing Exercise & Relaxation

1)   Meditate, if even just for a minute of two daily.
2)   Slow down.  Notice how your body or senses change during the day.
3)   Change is inevitable. Reality is what it is.
4)   Listen.... really listen when you are talking to others.
5)   At the end of the day think of at least one thing you are grateful for.
6)   Be kind to yourself. Often we are our worst critics.
7)   Pay attention to the small, sweet moments in the day that speak loudly.
8)   Acknowledge your thoughts, don't judge them.
9)   If stressed take 3 deep breaths, in through your nose & out through your mouth.
10) Spend some time in nature everyday.

"It's not the day that you have to manage, but the moment.

It's not the dragon you have to slay, but the fear.

It's not the path that you have to know, but the destination."

~~M. Dooley~~

Feb 4 - 8

Empathy

By definition empathy is the ability to understand and share the feeling of another. It is how we an individuals understand what others are experiencing as if we were feeling it ourselves.

In order for empathy to grow, children must first be able to identify and understand emotions in themselves as well as others. The next step is kids must have a clear idea of expected and unexpected behaviours.  We here at Ranchlands have been using the Pillars of Care to teach appropriate ways of caring for self, caring for others and caring for this place. Celebrating students that demonstrate a Pillar of Care, by reading their kind act over the intercom for the whole school to hear helps build the overall feeling of belonging in the school.
Having the children explore how they would feel in another person's shoes helps them to get a new perspective on their own unexpected behaviour. Certain stories or movies  can also help build empathy when the student is asked to make connections with between themselves and the character.  For example how one would feel if being teased about their name like in the book Chrysanthemum.

Once a child can identify their emotions and understands expected school behaviour we can them look at how they are able to control their emotions appropriately or self-regulate. Movement breaks, fidget tools, access to a quiet corner, stretching or taking deep breaths are all strategies you might see in a classroom.

                         "We are all humans who share the same fears and concerns, 
                               and we deserve to be treated with dignity."~ M. Borba

10 Ways to Boost Empathy