To finish the year with a bang, the last post of 2019 in our mentoring corner will try to leave a message of hope and tolerance. Many NITEP students have asked for resources regarding bullying in classrooms. Putting a “no bully zone” poster and calling it a day just won’t help. It is a problem we have to face head-on by promoting inclusion and diversity towards respect and tolerance, but it is a challenging task. I believe the first step towards an anti-bullying classroom is acknowledging the real damage it inflicts towards our students. “To This Day” is an anti-bullying spoken word poem written by Shane Koyczan. An incredibly sensitive and deep poem about the bullying he and others received during their lives, its hurtful repercussions, and long-term impact. “To This Day” has over 23 million views, if you haven’t seen it you should! Please watch below and as Shane Koyczan says “Help this message have a far-reaching and long-lasting effect in confronting bullying. Please share generously.” (*Sensitive Content)
Shane Koyczan is a Canadian spoken word poet, writer, and member of a musical trio based here in Vancouver. He is known for writing about bullying issues, cancer, death, and eating disorders. In his website, shanekoyczan.com, he shares digital resources like reflective videos, monthly poems and support pieces like “Instructions For A Bad Day”. If you would like to know more about his famous poem, watch the Ted Talk Shane Koyczan gave: ”To This Day” … for the bullied and beautiful. He gives a heart wrenching, live reprise of the poem with a glorious backstory and even a violin accompaniment. It ends with a deserving standing ovation. “To This Day,” has captivated millions, the viral video was created, crowd-source style, by 80 digital animators from all over the world. It shows the power of combining storytelling and technology with community.
Teaching Tolerance provides digital free resources to educators who work with students at every grade level, to want to teach an anti-bullying curriculum, create civil practices and an inclusive school community, where children are respected, valued and welcome participants. Their program emphasizes on social justice with an anti-bias approach. It encourages children and young people to challenge prejudice and learn how to be agents of change in their own lives. Social Justice Standards show how anti-bias education works through four domains: Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. The SJ Standards are a road map for anti-bias education at every stage of K–12 instruction. Comprised of anchor standards and age-appropriate learning outcomes, they provide a common language and organizational structure educators can use to guide curriculum development and make schools more just and equitable.
Teaching Tolerance digital classroom resources will help you bring relevance, rigor and social-emotional learning into your classroom, all for FREE! From film kits and lesson plans to the building blocks of customized Learning Plans that include texts, student tasks, and teaching strategies. Other digital resources you will be able to find are digital literacy videos, webinars, amazing printable posters, and inspirational podcasts. Teaching Tolerance materials have won two Oscars, an Emmy and scores of honors. The project has been named a “Friend of the UN,” recognized by the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation, and selected by President Clinton’s Initiative on Race as one of the nation’s “Promising Practices” to eradicate racism. Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case That Made History is a Teaching Tolerance documentary film that chronicles one student’s ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies and offers an inspiring message of hope to those fighting harassment today. It can become a cornerstone of anti-bullying efforts in middle and high schools and it is available a digital teaching kit.
Tolerance is an important attribute to teach in our classrooms to help eradicate bullying. “Tolerance is respect, acceptance, and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance is harmony in difference.” From the UNESCO Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. Tolerance is a way of thinking and feeling, but most importantly, of acting! In today’s diverse classrooms, students need knowledge and skills related to both prejudice reduction and collective action. To fight bullying we have to engage in anti-bias, multicultural and social justice education. To tolerate gives peace in our individuality, respect for those unlike us, the wisdom to discern humane values and the courage to act upon what is just. Cedella Marley, Bob Marley’s daughter, partners with anti-bullying nonprofit No Bully. for a new children’s book adapting her father’s timeless lyrics. Watch below their message to build a kinder world.
Get Up, Stand Up! Don’t give up the fight against bullying. Love, respect and tolerance is the right in every children’s life!! Happy 2020!!!