Bully prevention through emotive learning, at HAFTR

Last year, Dr. Rochelle Brand, principal of HAFTR Middle School, understood that the universal challenge of bully prevention was a critical need for the students. Mrs. Yali Werzberger, the school’s psychologist and director of student services, identified the evidence-based Olweus Bully Prevention Program as a program that could help address this need.

The school community eagerly embraced the program and implemented it throughout last year. Now, with their extensive training in the program, students at HAFTR Middle School are well-aware of how to identify, prevent, report and respond to bullying behavior. More importantly, they actively work to shift make bullying “uncool” within the culture of the school, and to make students feel comfortable and empowered to stand up for their classmates and friends.

The Olweus Bully Prevention Program that was launched last year created a safe and bully–free culture at HAFTR Middle School, where rules against bullying are clearly posted and adult supervision is highly visible during transitions and unstructured settings. Teachers also conduct classroom meetings with their students, where topics such as bully prevention, standing up for others, and appropriate reporting of bullying behavior are discussed.

This year, HAFTR Middle School has moved beyond bullying, and is implementing a social and emotional learning curriculum within the school. Mrs. Werzberger, the Olweus Bully Prevention Program Coordinator, began by conducting a mandatory teachers’ workshop on social and emotional learning (SEL). The research behind SEL, its five core competencies, and the way in which social emotional learning can be implemented in a way that is most meaningful and appropriate for middle school children was discussed.

Classroom meetings then began in earnest.

Under the auspices of Ms. Rebecca Zweibon, social studies teacher, a dynamic group of the middle school’s teachers and mental health professionals worked on developing a curriculum that would address both bully prevention as well as healthy social skills. Concepts such as making and maintaining friendships, calming oneself in stressful situations, acting in an assertive (and not aggressive) manner, and conflict resolution are discussed.

The sixth grade boys are benefitting from class meetings with Rabbi Simcha Loiterman, their Navi teacher and Mr. Yehuda Klinkowitz, the school’s social worker, while the sixth grade girls engage in discussions with their Chumash teacher, Ms. Alyson Jacobs.

The seventh grade meanwhile, meets with Ms. Rebecca Zweibon, Ms. Leora Tanzman(school psychologist), Mrs. Miriam Shteingart (science instructor), and Mr. Klinkowitz, where student build upon the class meetings they participated in last year, and are working on self-management, social awareness and relationship skills. The eighth graders are also building on the classroom meetings they had last year with Rebbetzin Sori Teitelbaum, Rabbi Loiterman, and Mr. Yeshaya Lieber.

Classroom meetings help facilitate a real sense of cohesion and community among students, and providing students with tools to further develop their social and emotional intelligence will prove to be very useful in school and in life!