A Climate of Respect: The Best Remedy for Bullying October 16, 2007
Fairfield Board of Education, Fairfield, CT
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Registration 8:30 AM
SUMMARY
This workshop explores the issues of school violence,
bullying, and intimidation. Attendees will learn practical
ways of creating a climate of respect, thereby preventing
emotional and physical violence in their school.
School Districts
A Climate of Respect is one of the many practical
workshops CIRMA provides to its members.
For more information about this and other CIRMA
workshops, please email CIRMA at
cirmaworkshop@ccm-ct.org.
"Bullying, harassment, assault, battery:
all are found along the violence continuum.
All interfere with a student’s right to a safe,
secure, and disruption-free learning
environment."
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
No longer are bullies regarded as an inevitable part of
growing up. While they have long been a hazard of the
schoolyard—one study estimated that 10% children are
regularly victimized each year—Connecticut schools are now
required by state statute (Public Act 02-119) to have a policy
addressing bullying behavior.
But a policy alone does not protect victims from their
tormentors; nor does it protect Connecticut school districts
from legal liability. Staff indifference to bullying behavior
remains grounds for liability claims within Connecticut.
Educators know that a safe and respectful emotional
climate is a prerequisite for learning. Fear disrupts learning
and is linked to lower scores, and increased absenteeism,
and dropout rates. Worse, bullied children are five times
more likely to develop clinical depression than others.
This CIRMA workshop provides attendees the practical
understanding and strategies they need to create a climate
of respect in their schools; it is the ultimate antidote to
childhood cruelty. A respectful environment is one of the most
effective ways of improving the overall lives of students,
preventing violence, and creating the conditions for optimal
learning.
Topics include:
The effect of stress on learning.
The relationship between bullying behavior, school violence, and school shootings.
Managing the “student code of silence.”
Discipline practices, including suspension, expulsion, and “zero tolerance” policies.
Creating a “caring majority.”
The role of character education, modeling, and the responsibilities of adults.
Effect of technology.
Identifying children at risk.
AUDIENCE
Boards of Education members
School administrative staff
Classroom teachers, special education teachers,and para-professionals
School Social workers, school psychologists
PTO/PTA Board Members
SPEAKERSJo Ann Freiberg, Phd Ed.
Connecticut State Department of Education
Jo Ann is an associate education
consultant with the Connecticut State
Department of Education. She has worked
as a classroom teacher and as a teacher
educator, and has held faculty
appointments at a number of universities,
including Central Connecticut State
University, Eastern Connecticut State
University, the University of Hartford and
the University of Connecticut. Jo Ann holds a Ph.D. in
philosophy of education from Ohio State University. She
served on the statewide task force on bullying, and served as
an educational consultant around the nation.WHERE
Fairfield Board of Education, Fairfield, CT
COST per attendee
This seminar is open to CIRMA members only and is free of charge.
