A special Anti-Bullying Program was started at Pickaway Elementary during the month of October, which is Anti-Bullying month. All fourth grade students participated in several activities targeting the harmful effects of bullying behavior at school, in the community and on the Internet.

The fourth graders were taught to identify bullying behaviors in others as well as themselves.

Through the use of videos and classroom projects the students learned to respect others while also sticking up for themselves in bullying situations. They learned to “walk with a purpose” because bullies are attracted to those who appear afraid or weak. They also learned to stick up for each other and to report bullying incidents immediately so they don't become “passive bystanders”.

Through role-playing and discussion, the students practiced responding to bullies who try to engage them in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking or the use of illegal drugs. At this age the students are becoming more independent and are not always closely supervised by an adult. Therefore, we are teaching them how to avoid negative situations and how to respond if approached.

The students also watched movies on cyberbullying and cybersafety. They made posters to hang in the school with cyber safety tips. Those tips included: never get on the internet without an adult nearby; never respond to an email that you don't recognize or that makes you feel uncomfortable; never click on “pop ups”; never talk on chat rooms or share personal information with someone that you don't know and always report suspicious emails or internet conversations to the cyber

safety hotlines. The students were introduced to cyber safety websites where they could find activities to play online as well as find information to share with their parents. At the end of this unit of study the students will sign a cyber-safety pledge which will recognize their commitment and understanding of the importance of being safe on the internet. Click here for additional pictures.