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Bullying is an insidious issue that causes long-term problems for the victims. According to Ted Feinberg, Assistant Executive Director of National Association of School Psychologists.

“…an estimated 15 to 30 percent of students nationwide are either bullies or victims.” Bullying can come in the form of overt aggressive actions or subtle verbal taunting that is equally damaging. Interventions can significantly reduce bullying.

Yet the real challenge is in altering the perceptions held by administrators and teachers. Twenty-five percent of teachers admit they do not intervene in matters of bullying. Nevertheless, there are effective policies such as mediation and improving culture that schools can adopt to prevent or reduce bullying.

School Community

A code of conduct that states clear principles of behavior is an effective way to prevent or reduce bullying. The code needs to be embraced by the entire school community including parents and staff. It should emphasize caring, fairness and respect while clearly stating specific consequences for violations. The language needs to be modified according to the grade level and primary language.

In order to make the code of conduct a priority, it can be hung throughout the schools in highly visible areas, in the school handbook and on the school website. Students will feel a sense of camaraderie and make efforts to reduce cruel behavior rather than ignore it.

Empower Students

When students feel a sense of responsibility they are empowered in positive ways. Provide opportunities for students to discuss and contribute to the code of conduct and the consequences. They can design posters and decide where it will be displayed in the classrooms and the hallways.

When students are empowered, and feel a sense of ownership, it increases the chance they will buy into the code and keep each other in line. When bullying is not tolerable by enough students it is less apt to occur.

Teaching the Skills

Proactive strategies used to prevent bullying need to be taught. You can complete a needs assessment to determine what skills require teaching. For instance, if half the students believe that chastising a student about a grade is acceptable and happens to everyone, they need to be taught otherwise — that it’s cruel and unacceptable.

Training for teachers is necessary to show how to embed the code of conduct into the curriculum and lessons. Parents need to be on board. Meetings can evoke community understanding regarding bullying. If a student is bullied at home by a sibling or even a parent, he is more likely to bully a classmate.

Mediation

When bullying occurs, mediation works best. A mediator can meet with both the victim and the bully individually and gather feedback from each, along with reliable sources that may have witnessed bullying behaviors. It’s important to encourage reflection and critical thinking in the discussion using an objective professional who can facilitate the discussion.

On the contrary, if the bully is punished with suspension without a chance to make amends, the chances of him bullying again is greater. On the other hand, when a bully and his victim confront each other in a face-to-face open discussion there is a greater likelihood of stopping the bullying behavior and promoting a positive climate that offers alternatives and closure.

Whether you plan to homeschool your child through high school, or just for a few years, it is smart to start homeschooling at preschool age. Here is what you need to know to homeschool your preschooler.

1. Continue parenting as usual. There should not be a distinct difference between normal care for your preschooler and homeschooling your preschooler.

Continue reading to them regularly, singing nursery rhymes with them and teaching them important skills like getting dressed, tying shoes, and keeping themselves clean.

2. Find a place that the child can clearly see and tape the alphabet to the wall. Tape numbers to the wall as well. Teach them to sing the alphabet song while at the same time pointing to each letter so that thy will learn to associate the name of the letter with what it looks like.

3. Take your preschooler on play dates. Learning to get along with others and to share are skills taught in preschool. Make sure your preschooler gets to spend ample time with other children in his or her age range, and also of different ages.

4. Take your preschooler to the library. Learning to pay attention is also a very important preschooler skill. You can teach this skill by taking them to the library for free story time where they will sit with other children and families and be entertained by the stories.

5. Purchase Preschool CD-ROM programs. Numerous CD-ROM games will teach and reinforce everything a child needs to learn in a preschool program. My favorite program for homeschooling your preschooler is Reader Rabbit Preschool. Some of the other titles available are School Zone Alphabet Express, Disney Preschool Bundle and Jumpstart Advanced Preschool.

6. Use the computer to play online games. There are hundreds of websites that have games that will teach your preschooler important skills while they are having fun. Check out websites like funschool.kaboose.com, noggin.com, and iknowthat.com, which are just a few of the many websites available.

7. Watch TV with your preschoolers. Yes I said watch TV, as there are numerous educational programs that will reinforce important skills for your preschoolers. The operative word in this statement however is “with.” Do not leave your child in front of the TV for hours unattended, but sit with him and watch programs that you have deemed to be educational.

8. Purchase a curriculum guide book (optional). If you feel you need step by step instructions, you can purchase a preschool curriculum guide book. Some titles to consider are Easy Daily Plans: Over 250 Plans for Preschool Teachers, What Your Preschooler Needs to Know: Get Ready for Kindergarten, or Preschool Success: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Child Learn.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, “In the spring of 2003, an estimated 1,096,000 students were being homeschooled in the U.S.” and “According to the U.S. Census Bureau as many as two million American children are schooled at home today, with the number growing at 15-20% per year.”

The top three reasons why parents choose to homeschool their child are protection, religious instruction and academics. If you are considering to homeschool your child you may want read further to get an idea of what is both required and how to begin. Home schooling isn’t for everyone but, for those who choose it, it is rewarding!

1.  Contact your local superintendent to see what your state’s requirements are. Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states. However, the law may differ in requirements from one state to another. Most are just a matter of different paperwork.

Some states require a letter of intent, quarterly reports and annual testing, while other states require less. While some state’s requirements may be lesser than others, math, history, science, English, and physical activity are standard subjects taught throughout the United States. In addition, you may want to incorporate language and other subjects into your curriculum.

2. Research which curriculum will work best for you and your child. Here are some things to take into consideration before purchasing a curriculum.

Does the curriculum allow more independent study or does it need you as the teacher for a lot of the instruction? Is there religious influence in the curriculum? Some people want it and some do not. Is the curriculum academically challenging for your child? Also consider the cost.

3. View material hands on at a local home school book sale. Find the nearest home school group in your area and they will be able to let you know when the next one is. They also can give you advice on different curriculum.

Home school groups are very friendly and are more than happy to help new people. It’s a great idea to join up with these groups as they are very valuable. There are also online groups that discuss various topics such as high school to college issues. Read the rest of this entry »