Introduction
This coursework or training is designed to fulfill the harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention and intervention training required for certification/licensure under the Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act).泭 The Dignity Act requires, among other things, school districts to create policies and guidelines to be used in school training programs to discourage the development of discrimination or harassment and to enable employees to prevent and respond to discrimination or harassment. The course is six instructional hours.
Description
This coursework or training will address the social patterns of harassment, bullying and discrimination, marginalization and microaggressions, including but not limited to those acts based on a persons actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex as defined in 禮 11 Definitions. This training should address these issues from a proactive rather than a reactive - position and present the goal as creating an affirming educational environment for all students through addressing school culture and climate. It will also cover the identification and mitigation of harassment, bullying and discrimination; and strategies for effectively addressing problems of exclusion, bias and aggression in educational settings. Successful completion of this course will meet the certification requirements in 禮14(5) of Chapter 102 of the Laws of 2012.
Objectives
As a result of taking this coursework or training, participants will be able to:
- Understand the intent components, and operational definitions present in the Dignity Act.
- Develop and enhance awareness and sensitivity to the range of experiences of the specific student populations as named in the Dignity Act.
- Understand how school climate and culture have an impact on student achievement and behavior.
- Understand bullying, harassment and discrimination, including indicators, early warning signs, prevention and intervention and how to interact with families of victims and aggressors.
- Enhance the understanding of diversity and multi-cultural environments and examine personal biases.
- Articulate the Reporting Requirements for Educators as specified in the Dignity Act.
Coursework or Training Outline
Understanding Diversity, Multi-cultural Environments, and Examining Personal Biases.
- Participants will engage in powerful activities as individuals and group activities to reflect upon their own personal identities including privileges and vulnerabilities. This could include a range of activities including review of case studies, role play, and/or video review and discussion.
- Participants will learn about diversity, including but not limited to acts based on a persons actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex, understand the meaning of each of these categories, and understand the role of diversity in multi-cultural environments.
Developing sensitivity to the experiences of specific student populations.
- Participants will become familiar with the needs of student populations that are most often targeted for bullying and harassment and the research behind bullying behaviors in students who target others.
- Participants will learn and understand the different roles involved in harassment and increase their understanding of intervention and prevention strategies
Participants will understand how social patterns of harassment, bullying and discrimination impact all students and families covered under The Dignity Act. The coursework or training must include the experiences of students who identify as LGBT and their families, in addition to those students who experience social patterns and/or acts of harassment, bullying, and discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, gender or sex.
Understanding how school climate and culture have an impact on student achievement and behavior.
- Participants will understand what a positive school culture and climate looks and feels like and the benefits of a positive climate for students.
- Participants will understand how to cultivate an inclusive environment in which bullying and harassing behaviors are addressed swiftly and equitably so that the identities of all students are respected within the school community.
Participants will learn intervention and prevention strategies including how to interact with families.
- Participants will be presented with examples that detail instances of bullying, cyber bullying, harassment and discrimination and learn intervention and prevention strategies. These examples can be presented in a variety of ways including but not limited to, case studies, guest speakers, and personal experiences from candidates and/or faculty.
- Participants will learn how to communicate and work with families of victims and aggressors.
- Participants will learn and understand strategies that they can implement to support targeted student.
Introduction to the Dignity Act:
- Participants will be provided with an overview of the legislative background of the Dignity Act, increase their understanding as to the purpose of the Dignity Act, and learn who is protected under the Dignity Act.
- Participants will understand the importance of the terminology and how it can assist with intervention strategies.
- Participants will be provided with an overview of the highlights of the law.
Understanding how school climate and culture have an impact on student achievement and behavior.
- Participants will understand the relationship between harassment, bullying, cyberbullying, microaggression, marginalization, and discrimination on student achievement, attendance and dropout rates.
- Participants will understand the direct relationship between harassment, bullying, cyber bullying, and discrimination and a negative school climate as it relates to a students readiness for learning.
- Participants will understand how harassment, bullying, cyber bullying, and discrimination affect student achievement.
Participants will understand the indicators and early warning signs.
- Participants will hear narratives of bullying, harassment, and discrimination, (based upon the enumerated categories) as well as suggestions for how to handle each scenario.
- Participants will learn and be able to recognize early indicators of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
- Participants will be able to recognize the reasons why students engage in bullying, destructive behavior and learn how to intervene.
Reporting requirements for educators
- Participants will learn and understand the reporting requirements for educators as it relates to the identification of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
- Participants will learn the timelines and procedures for reporting verbally and in writing.
- Participants will learn and understand definitions and role delineation in the investigation and reporting process.
