Get ready for National Bullying Prevention Month!

National Bullying Prevention Month was created by PACER in 2006 with a one-week event which has now evolved into a month-long effort that encourages everyone to take an active role in the bullying prevention movement.  Efforts are focused on encouraging both personal and community responsibility to prevent bullying. During this month, communities are urged to address the problem of bullying through media campaigns, classroom activities, workshops, and other special events. The theme for the 2012 campaign is "The End of Bullying Begins with Me," running throughout the month of October.

Promote school-wide awareness of bullying issues by sponsoring a poster contest. First, complete one of the lessons below and review information learned about bullying and the roles of bystanders and victims. Divide the class into three groups, and have each group create a poster representing the role of the bully, the victim, or bystanders to educate other classes about bullying issues. Then, advertise a poster-making contest to other classes, asking students to create posters that illustrate ways each student in the school can help stop bullying and make the school environment safer.

• Invite entrants to use any medium they wish to create their posters, including pencil, crayon, paint, or even an interactive medium such as the ReadWriteThink Printing Press (flyer format).
  
  
• Ask other classroom teachers, the school counselor, and the art teacher to help in judging the posters. Be sure to communicate your judging criteria as part of the contest.

Include a reproduction of the winning poster in the school newsletter or website, or feature the poster in the library, cafeteria, or main office.

• PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
  

  The goals of this site/center are to engage and educate communities nationwide to address bullying through creative, relevant and interactive resources.

• NCTSN Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
  

  In support of Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is providing resources for families, teens, educators, clinicians, mental health professionals, and law enforcement personnel on how to recognize, deal with, and prevent bullying.

• McGruff.org
  

  McGruff.org provides resources for adults and children looking to stop bullying and educate others about bullying issues. Look for comics, a kids' poll, parent articles, and more.

• Stop Bullying Now!
  

  This site, from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, offers fun games, webisodes, and other resources designed to teach children about bullying prevention.

• STRYVE
  

  This site provides information about bullying and offers tips for preventing bullying and providing help both to victims and to students who engage in bullying behavior.

• Educator's Guide to Bullying
  

  The Meet Kelly Bear website provides this teacher's guide with strategies for teaching about bullying.