Loading...
The Times Advocate, 2004-10-06, Page 14Crossroads 14 Wednesday, October 6, 2004 Exeter Times -Advocate Usborne Central students hear anti -bullying message By Mary Simmons TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF USBORNE — Students at Usborne Central Public School participated in a "live radio broadcast" about bullying Sept. 22. DJ Benny DL, also known as Bruce Langford, was at the school to present his musical program, `Stand Up Against Bullying.' Langford presented the program in three assemblies geared towards chil- dren of various ages. The primary and junior were the live studio audi- ence in varied programs which took on the form of a live ATFM (A Time For Music) radio broadcast. Interspersed with songs about bullying were callers with questions on the topic and opportuni- ties for students to win prizes. In the primary program, geared for students in Grade 3 and younger, Langford sings such songs as `I Know a Bully,' `Just Ignore,' `Please Leave Me Alone,' `The Wall,' `Be a Winner' and `Stand Up.' The junior program has the same format, but has some different songs and is geared towards students in Grades 4-6. Intermediate students in Grades 7-8 took part in a discussion on the sub- ject, including videos and role play. Langford told students some bullying should be ignored. "A lot of people are doing this stuff because they want attention," he said. But he said it is also important to know when to stand up for yourself students and others being picked on. He said sometimes bystanders don't stand up to bullies because they are scared, think it's funny or just don't know what to do. "We all want to be kind to each other but sometimes we forget," he told the students. "It only takes one person to make a difference and that one person can be you. He also told the students there is a difference between telling and tattling. "Telling is letting someone know something that has to be told," he said. "Tattling is trying to get someone in trouble." Langford, a music teacher for the past 15 years, decided to take a leave from teaching to develop the program and present it at schools in south western Ontario. He took a half leave last year and then decided to fully commit himself to the program this year. "I know there is a need out there," Langford said when asked why he decided to put together a program about bullying. "As a teacher, I am used to dealing with it." He said it is important for schools to continue to present the topic in differ- ent ways. "This is one more way to connect with the students," he added. After the sessions, teachers are left with a package of worksheets and a CD to follow up with students. Langford said he has received posi- tive feedback from students and teach- ers, some of which is posted on his Web site, www. atfm. ca. "It only takes one person to make a difference and that one person can be you." BRUCE LANGFORD A TIME FOR MUSIC PRODUCTIONS Unless Supervised Bruce Langford, also known as Benny DL, presents an anti -bullying assembly to primary students at Usborne Central Public School Sept. 22. Below, left, Zachary Brintnell answers a question about bullying and receives a prize from Langford. Home -schooling numbers down By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — The number of poten- tial Avon Maitland District School Board students being instructed at home has dropped over the past few years, according to a report delivered to trustees at a meeting Sept. 28. Education superintendent Barry Wagner, in an analysis provided yearly by the Avon Maitland board but not by all Ontario school boards, reported 190 potential Avon Maitland students from 93 families were home -schooled in 2003-04. That's down from 197 in 2002-03 and close to 300 in 2000. Preliminary statistics suggest the number may have dropped again in 2004-05 — to as low as 165. Wagner told trustees there are no new home -schooling trends in Huron and Perth counties, compared to previ- ous years. That means there remains a cluster of home -schooling families in northern Huron County, with Wingham-area elementary schools Howick Central and Turnberry Central being the nearest public school for 24 and 10 home -schooled students, respectively. Twelve home -schooled children live within the catchment area of Victoria elementary school in Goderich. Among secondary schools, F.E. Madill in Wingham would be home to 12 of the students, should they return to the public system. The 2003-04 analysis records no home -schooled students in Grades 11 and 12, partly because a considerable number of home -schooling families choose to have their children return to publicly -funded systems for secondary school, and partly because the board stops tracking the progress of home - schooled children after they reach 16 — the age at which school is no longer mandatory. Addressing the longer-term drop in the board's home -schooling numbers, Wagner noted there are now few fami- lies — he estimated five per cent of home-schoolers — who choose to stay out of publicly funded systems for what he called "social" reasons. The vast majority, he said, opt for home -school- ing for "religious" reasons. Wagner suggested the Avon Maitland board remains committed to retaining a minimal level of contact with home - schooling families, despite the removal in 2002 of an education ministry requirement for boards to visit each home annually. He says this not only makes it easier to make sure parents are fulfilling their legal obligations to provide particular elements of the provincial curriculum, but it also fos- ters the home/school board relationship and has inspired some parents to return their children to the Avon Maitland system. This year's preliminary numbers — as low as 165 home-schoolers — sup- port that argument. "And I think the communication and the advice has played a role in that," Wagner said. "Advice on textbooks, materials — not all boards do that, and I think it helps in terms of the relation- ships."