Post submitted by Kimmie Fink, Welcoming Schools Consultant

While teachers need professional development in order to effectively address and prevent bullying, they also require specific training on harassment based upon race, gender, actual or perceived sexual orientation, national origin, religion or ability. That’s why Welcoming Schools is pleased to present our “Preventing Bias-Based Bullying” training module for elementary school educators.

Participants in this particular training will:

• Be able to foster ally behavior among students, staff and other adults.
• Understand bystander behavior and be able to utilize the Bully Circle.
• Learn and practice critical intervention steps.

In addition to these objectives, participants look at statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to examine the effects of bullying on students’ well-being and learn to distinguish between conflict and bullying. The facilitator leads participants through a Welcoming Schools lesson that they can use in their own classrooms the next day and familiarize educators with books to engage students on bullying, bias and the power of allies, as well as the wealth of resources available on our website.

If you’re looking for professional development this October or in the coming school year, please consider Welcoming Schools. You can bring one of our outstanding facilitators to your school or district to train your staff in bias-based bullying or one of our other key areas of focus. Check out all our modules here and to request a training, please fill out this form and our staff will be in touch with you shortly.

There’s so much you can do to get involved with National Bullying Prevention Month, but in terms of investment, professional development will pay dividends that go beyond what a monthly campaign for awareness can do. With the right training and support, elementary school staff have the potential to change school culture and make bullying a thing of the past.

HRC's Welcoming Schools is the nation's premier program dedicated to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools by embracing family diversity, creating LGBTQ- and gender-inclusive schools, preventing bias-based bullying and supporting transgender and non-binary students.