Essex students build kinder, safer community

In recognition of Inclusive Education Month, Essex Public School teamed up with Sue Hutton and her advocacy team from Community Living Toronto to facilitate a workshop on bullying on February 26. Advocates with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities developed an engaging workshop geared to help primary students understand how to recognize bullying and develop strategies to deal with issues when they arise.

Through a heartwarming story called Isayah’s Day, written by the advocates who experienced bullying throughout their lives, students became active participants in determining how to recognize both kind and hurtful behaviour. Students brought handmade rainbow and thundercloud props to the workshop and were asked to raise them and say “YAY” or “BOO” depending on the positive and negative interactions depicted between the characters in the story. The students were enthralled with the narrative and the room erupted in good cheer when the main character of the story, Isayah, was able to overcome his challenges with the help of his friends.

Afterwards, Essex and Hawthorne II Bilingual Alternative School students dubbed the Playground Buddies—a group that supports their peers on the playground—facilitated an activity that explored the concept and perspectives of the Target, Bully, and Bystander. Through this exercise, Essex students learned about the physical and cognitive effects that bullying can have on all individuals involved. Students left the workshop feeling empowered to take a stand against bullying in order to create a kinder and safer community for everyone at their school.

Zoe Pinsky, one of the teachers involved in the session, said that “…it was very powerful for the children to listen to people who have gone through tremendous bullying experiences, worked through it, reflected on those times and used those sad memories to help others; to shed a bright light on the damage of  bullying behaviours.”

Essex PS plans on expanding this powerful partnership with Community Living to Junior students in the school.