Cyber Bullying Presentation Reaches Classrooms

Cyber Bullying Presentation Reaches Classrooms

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Students at A.L. Horton School in Vegreville learned all about cyber bullying on Feb.26 during Pink Shirt Day presentations. in a fun and interactive manner when Nadine Callihoo-Hansen, Workshop Coordinator/Facilitator with Bearpaw Education which is a division of Native Counseling Services of Alberta, conducted the presentations in a fun and interactive way for the students.

Nadine was with the emotional support service dog, Professor Boo. Because the presentation was done with elementary students, Nadine turned the workshop into a game.

“We played a trivia game where the students were asked questions about cyber bullying and the different elements of it. They also learned the laws that were designed to protect people from cyber bullying and the different ways that people themselves can protect themselves from this, how to recognize when they are being cyber bullied, and also what ways they can protect themselves online by reporting it to adults and people that they trust, as well, they learned not to open e-mails from people they don’t know and not to reply or engage with bullies online,” Nadine explained.

Nadine Callihoo-Hansen, Workshop Coordinator/Facilitator with Bearpaw Education with the emotional support service dog, Professor Boo.

(Rosanne Fortier/photo)

“We played a game so it was engaging but also educating them. I also always end the sessions with a paper exercise where I try to teach kids how their words and actions affect people and no manner how much they do to make amends, that it still leaves people with a scar, that hopefully the next time they say or do something that is mean that they will think more about the long lasting effects of their words or actions.

Nadine said they are trying to teach the kids to be aware of what cyber bullying is, recognize when they are being cyber bullied, and also how to prevent cyber bullying and protect themselves from it.

Nadine added that Bearpaw Education creates a lot of different legal topics on relevant subjects and they change it so it is understandable and not legalese but done in plain English and accessible as they are based in Edmonton but they try to travel all across Alberta.