Benefits of Author Visits Episode 4

Episode-4-School Visits: Explore user-friendly resources that assist busy educators and librarians in planning and funding an author visit. 

bit.ly/schlvis4

2019 Lemon Drop Literary Book Award

I’ve taken all the Independently Published books I’ve reviewed from 2019 and awarded one a Certificate Of Excellence In Literature for its educational value.

When I review a children’s picture book, I strive to keep students, teachers and the rigors of lesson planning in mind.

A few of the questions I ask are: How will this book translate into the classroom? How will it help teachers meet their lesson plan objectives? Is it engaging and fun? Did I enjoy reading it and most importantly do I want to read it again?

Congratulations, Judy Martialay! In my humble opinion, Bonjour! Let’s Learn French, has met all of the criteria to earn a place on my virtual classroom bookshelf!

 
Available on Amazon

Interview With School Counselor/Author Gabi Garcia

Photo courtesy of: Gabi Garica

Gabi Garcia is a woman whose accomplishments can inspire us all to set our goals high. As a young child, she and her family came to the United States from Mexico. 

When she first arrived, Gabi knew very little English, but she didn't let that hold her back. She applied herself and soon became bilingual in Spanish and English.

After high school, she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Government and Spanish. Upon graduating, she became a teacher before getting a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology.

Today she is a licensed professional counselor, a prolific author and a proud mother.

She lives with her family in Austin, Texas.

Now that I've introduced you to Gabi, let's get to know her a little better.

Hello, Gabi, welcome to Lemon Drop Literary. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

Why did you become an Elementary School Counselor?

I was a bilingual teacher for 4 years and realized that the students I worked with did not always have access to bilingual counseling services and there was such a great need.

What grades do you serve?

(K-3, K-5?) I worked on an elementary campus for 4 years and served students K-5. After that I became a Special Education Counselor in my district where I served students who received special education support in grades K-12! I did this for 12 years.

What are the responsibilities of an Elementary School Counselor?

So many! When I was on a campus, I provided classroom guidance lessons to all grade levels (weekly & biweekly), individual and group counseling, mentor/volunteer coordinator, 504 coordinator, parent and teacher support, ARDs and other duties as required that I am possibly forgetting.:)

What are your concerns regarding the mental health of young children?

I am concerned that there is not enough support to address these needs. 

Campus counselors are overburdened, and community resources seem to always have their funds scaled back, meanwhile it is our kids who pay the price.

Have cuts to education effected School Counselors? If yes, how so?

Most definitely! School counselors wear so many hats and one of the things I saw in my district was a great deal of burnout.

English Version 

                

How has your School Counseling experience influenced your writing?

My work has been a huge influence. I think it is critical that we give our students the tools to be caring, engaged, thoughtful individuals that see their worth beyond test taking. 

One of the reasons I wrote Listening with My Heart is because I saw how hard kids could be on themselves when they made mistakes or things didn’t go the way they wanted. 

I also realized that adults talk to kids a lot about how to be friends to others, but not about how to be friends to themselves and this is so important!

What inspired you to become a writer?

I have always had notebooks of stories or poems I was working on, but it took me a while to give myself permission to share my work with the world. 

In a way, I see my writing as an extension of my counseling work. It is my intention that my books will be of service somehow. This inspires me to keep writing.

English Version

Which genre do you write?

Currently I am only writing children’s picture books.

What do you find most challenging writing for your genre?

Children’s books need to be short otherwise, kids (and adults) can get bored. You need to convey the story/ message in 500-600 words, which can be tough.

What are you working on now?

I am working on a children’s picture book called Mateo Finds His Wow: A story of Wonder & Gratitude which will be out late April/early May.

                  

How many books have you written?

I have written 4 books: Listening to My Body, Listening with My Heart, I Can Do Hard Things, and my soon to be released book Mateo Finds His Wow.

What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?

It has been incredibly rewarding to hear from kids, parents and educators who take the time to let me know that they my books have been useful to them or supported their work in some way. It is very humbling.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

Make the time to write and don’t worry about it being good. Write.

Spanish Version

What message are you sharing in your books?

All of my books have an underlying message I hope teaches children to be mindful and kind to themselves, although they all do it in different ways. 

Listening to My Body teaches kids that the better they get at paying attention to their bodies and their feelings, the better they’ll get at treating themselves with kindness and care, Listening with My Heart teaches kids to pay attention to how they talk to themselves and the importance of being a friend to themselves, and I Can Do Hard Things teaches them to pay attention to their inner voice and values so they can be true to themselves.

When you're not writing where can we find you?

I have an almost 6-year-old daughter, so I spend most of my time playing, riding bikes or otherwise engaged with her and my family. I also love going on walks, practicing yoga and reading.

What are your favorite books?

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisnero, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle, Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes by Peter Levine and Maggie Kline, The Body Keeps Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, and anything by Brene Brown.

What are your favorite TV shows/movies?

I really enjoy food shows like Chef’s Table, Ugly Delicious and most recently Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

Spanish Version

Is there anything else you'd like your readers to know about you?

I am so deeply grateful for the work that teachers and counselors do. It is such important work and while I am not in a school at this time; I do hope that my books can be of use and support the work that educators do.

Do you have a website/Facebook page?

Yes! Gabigarciabooks.com has free downloadable reader’s guides that accompany all my books. 

My hope is that these materials will be useful to you (about 80%) even if you don’t have the books.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabigarciabooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabigarciabooks/

Where can we find your books?

Amazon

Thank you, Gabi, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!

Diary of a First Year Kindergarten Teacher: 16th Entry

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Monday, September 23
Dear Diary,

Needless to say it was a long weekend. I spent most of my time lesson planning on good touch, bad touch. I also emailed the school nurse.

I was hoping she'd be able to speak to my students about personal safety, but due to her limited schedule, she just doesn't have the time.

            
When I came to work today there was a notice of a two-day suspension for Tyrone Whiting in my mailbox.

I wasn't able to speak with Ms. Temple, the disciplinarian, or Mrs. Bernard to find out what the next step is for Tyrone because they were in meetings all day.

To my surprise, Katie Thomas was present today. I guess her parents were unable to have her moved to my grade partner's classroom because she arrived in my line this morning.

Katie's stepmother offered me a kind smile and simply asked to be notified if Katie had any trouble. Thankfully, there wasn't any for Katie; some of my other students weren't as fortunate.

            
There were a couple of fights during snack time involving my usual heavy hitters: Devon Wilson, Brandon White,  Christopher Matthews, and Rafael Cruz.

           
I know it's only the very beginning of the school year but some of my students just aren't comprehending the classroom behavioral expectations.
         
How do you deal with difficult behaviors in your classroom?

           

Diary of a First Year Kindergarten Teacher: 14th Entry

https://kaboompics.com/photo/3355/empty-notebook-with-a-black-pencil-on-a-wooden-desk

Wednesday, September 18
Dear Diary,

Six days of school completed and it feels like it's been six months.

Today was absolutely crazy. It began on a sour note and continued to get worse as the day progressed.

            
In the schoolyard this morning, Rose Gil, one of my students was pushed by a second grader. The scuffle left Rose with a bloody lip. She had to go to the nurse's office.
           
Luckily, an older student was able to take Rose for me and even more fortuitous, the nurse was there to take care of her.

Due to funding issues, the nurse only comes to our school three half days a week.

            
Miss Mary was able to assist me during arrival but shortly after she was called to the office. I didn't see her for the rest of the day. 

            
Shortly after arrival, at 9:00 am, I called the class to the Large Group area for our Morning Meeting. Upon sitting, Christopher Matthews immediately started lying down on the carpet, making it difficult for the other children to sit.

            
I redirected him to his table and gave him paper and crayons to use while I instructed the rest of the class. 

Within a few minutes, a few of the children told me that Christopher had started breaking up the crayons into little pieces.

            
I ignored the behavior and continued with the Morning Meeting.  I was extremely frustrated. Since the school district wouldn't supply me with crayons for my class, I bought them.

After the Morning Meeting, I placed the crayons in a pencil box. From now on they will be Christopher's crayons to use.
                                             

Following lunch, from 11:15-11:30,  the children have a 15-minute recess in the schoolyard. When I arrived to pick up my class, Christopher and Devon Wilson were fist fighting.

Apparently, Christopher had touched Devon and Devon didn't like it. I should have done a pink slip for the both of them but I just can't bring myself to do it. Pink slips in kindergarten seems a bit harsh.

            
I did do a lesson on the appropriate ways to use our hands and read the book, "Hands Are Not For Hitting." I also informed their parents.

            
Around 1:55, Devon was caught up in another fight with Brandon White. The pair had started arguing at their table.

Before I could get to them to intervene, they were slapping and punching each other.

            
In order to avoid future conflict with the boys, I reassigned Devon to another table. Five minutes later, Devon had slapped Jason Peters on the arm for pushing his char. Jason was clearly shaken.

            
He said that he was just trying to get Devon's attention. I explained to the boys that we have to use our words instead of our hands for certain situations. Jason seemed to get the message. I'm not so sure about Devon.

            
At 2:10, Samuel Bishop started tickling Violet Martinez. She told him to stop but he kept doing it.

I gave him several warnings and reminded him about the book we'd read earlier, but he wouldn't stop the unwanted behavior. I moved Samuel to another table and spoke to his father.

            
Not five minutes later, Cyrus Jackson pulled Rose's hair. He continued to do it even after she told him to stop. When I got to the table he stopped and apologized to Rose.

            
Tomorrow I'll do another lesson on positive ways we use our hands and make the individual sticker charts for Devon, Ramona and Christopher. That's all I'll be able to manage right now.

            
If Miss Mary is able to stay with me for longer than 20 minutes, I'll try to get her to help me with more sticker charts.

            
Hopefully, in a few more weeks the children will learn the classroom expectations better and be able to engage with each other more appropriately.

How are behaviors the first few weeks in your classroom? How do you deal with them?

10 Things You Need To Know About Out-Of-School Suspensions

Photograph by: Wokandapix  https://pixabay.com/en/classroom-school-education-learning-2093743/

As a former classroom teacher I know that out-of-school suspensions aren't very effective, unless the student is usually a well-behaved, first-time offender who will learn a lesson from their temporary removal.

Some of their chronic counterparts, however, tend to view suspensions as an impromptu holiday and will deliberately misbehave to be granted another one.

So what's the proper way to handle this tricky discipline technique?

In order to make an informed decision you need to know the facts. I have uncovered some of the most pertinent.

1. A high accumulation of student suspensions leads to negative consequences, such as lower academic achievement levels and a larger number of school dropouts.

These side effects contribute to the cycle of unemployment, which in turn can lead to a higher crime rate.

2. African-American students and students with disabilities have a higher suspension rate than white students.

3. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students have a higher probability rate of not only being suspended, but expelled.

4.  According to an article by the AFT, during the 2011-2012 school year, nearly 3.5 million public school students were suspended at least once.

5. It's been estimated that in one school year public school children in the United States lost a sum total of 18 million instructional days due to suspensions. Staggering!

Photograph by: geralt   https://pixabay.com/en/board-school-task-auto-task-2161880/

6. Research has shown that suspensions do not promote safer school climates.

7. Students who are suspended or expelled are more likely to become involved with the juvenile justice system. 

8. There are research-based programs, like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) and Safe and Responsive Schools (SRS) designed to train teachers and administrators in techniques to improve student behavior and school climate.

9.  It will take willful political strength, adequate funding, community involvement, and unwavering commitment to properly integrate a cohesive non-exclusionary discipline plan in schools, especially in high-risk areas.  

10. Our children and teachers deserve better.

Photograph by: Sweetlouise  https://pixabay.com/en/friendship-hands-union-life-2156174/

How do you think school suspensions should be handled?

           

School Shootings: What Do Nikolas Cruz And Dimitrios Pagourtzis Have In Common?

Photos courtesy of Wikicommons

Originally appeared on CHW on June 4, 2018

Trigger Warning: This article contains sensitive material related to school shootings.

What could drive a young person to commit the heinous act of mass murder?

I asked myself this question on April 20, 1999, when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (both 17 years-old) killed themselves, plus 13 others, and wounded 24 more at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

And again on, April 16, 2007, when Seung Hui Cho (23 years-old) killed 32 people, including himself, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, in Blacksburg, Virginia.

And again on, December 14, 2012, when Adam Lanza (20 years-old) killed his mother, then entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and killed 20 first graders, six school employees, and himself.

And again on, May 23, 2014, when Elliot Rodger (22 years-old) killed six people and wounded 13, before killing himself outside the University of California, Santa Barbara in Isla Vista, CA.

And again on, October 1, 2015, when Christopher Harper-Mercer (26 years-old) killed nine people and wounded nine others at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Oregon. Mr. Harper-Mercer was later killed exchanging gunfire with police.

And again on, February 14, 2018, when Nikolas Cruz (19 years-old) gunned down 17 and wounded 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

And again on, May 18, 2018, when Dimitrios Pagourtzis (17 years-old) shot and killed ten students and wounded ten others at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas.

And again on, May 25, 2018, when a middle school student injured two people before being disarmed by his teacher at Noblesville West Middle School in Noblesville, Indiana. The name of the student cannot be released at this time.

I hope I don’t have to ask it again, but sadly I have a feeling I will.

This nagging question led me to research the background of two of the latest killers, Nikolas Cruz and Dimitrios Pagourtzis to see if I could find a common theme in their pasts. According to the facts I uncovered, this is what I discovered:

Both shooters were male teenagers, who had a fascination with guns, were drawn toward white supremacist dogma, were reported to have difficulties with girls, and experienced bullying.

These characteristics are superficial and merely scratching the surface of a much larger problem in our society. According to Dr. Reid Meloy, there may be an intermittent sociological contagion that has become a part of our culture, a psychological phenomenon known as the “copycat effect.”  Copycats feel such a strong unconscious connection with someone else’s behavior or appearance they consciously emulate their fixation.

Most of us have gone through a phase where we take on characteristics of people we admire like our parents, teachers, peers, or famous figures. When this fixation with another becomes obsessive, there can be a more serious problem known as identification.

Most often identification can be expressed in a non-threatening way such as wearing your favorite icon’s tee shirt or sporting your favorite designer shoes. Dr. Meloy surmises that this characteristic in tandem with violent tendencies is an area that needs to be investigated. He stresses, “that identification warning behavior is a new concept, is not a predictor of violence–but may be a correlate of targeted violence–and should be treated at this point in time as another helpful lens through which the threat assessor can view his or her case.”

Studies have shown that mass murders are on the rise in America. Four or more unrelated people killed in a public setting is considered a mass murder. Social media may be the key reason for why these killings have increased. Cyberspace has made it all too easy for the people who commit these terrible crimes to achieve their goal—notoriety.

Nikolas Cruz and Dimitrios Pagourtzis both used social media to post pictures of their guns and other toxic items related to their deviant behavior. To top it off, they have also become mainstream media sensations, garnering front-page headlines across the country, conversations on various news outlets, and articles like this one being written about them.

Since we are steadily learning the driving force behind the shooters’ actions what can we as a society do to stop them? First and foremost, we must be vigilant in our perception of dangerous behaviors and report them. The Sandy Hook Promise is a national Non-profit Organization that offers a program to help protect children from gun violence. They have relevant resources that help students, teachers, and parents identify potential threats.

We also have to reevaluate our media consumption. Like sex, violence sells. Many Americans, myself included, enjoy video games, movies, and TV shows that showcase violence almost like a main character. This isn’t a new fascination; it is only a side effect of the human condition magnified by technology. As a species, our fascination with violence and its many lethal weapons has wrought civilizations that conquered and raped the Earth, enslaved other humans, and drove many species into extinction.

A return to nature is something else we must strive to accomplish. When we gave up our connection to the earth for processed food and bottled water, we lost a fundamental element that helped us interact more harmoniously with the world and all of its inhabitants. Shinrin-yoku or forest-bathing is a common practice in Japan that people engage in to reconnect with nature and reduce stress.

In one study, hostility and depression levels dropped significantly after time spent among the trees. Some experts have recommended nature walks for children with ADHD. A study of children who engaged in these types of walks found that these children were better able to concentrate afterward.

Although we have made great strides in advancing our sciences and technologies, we have a long way to go in our evolution towards equality for all and to curb our propensity for violence.

 

 

Diary of a First Year Kindergarten Teacher: 13th Entry

https://kaboompics.com/photo/243/lovely-workplace-with-red-roses

Thursday, September 11
Dear Diary,

Another hectic day, I'm exhausted.

I did get a few major things accomplished that I'm pleased with:

*The anchor chart with the rules and consequences was written and discussed during our first large group meeting this morning. (Miss Mary was there for that.)

      
*We practiced walking in the classroom and lining up.

      
*We read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, and then the children traced their hands, decorated them, and drew a heart in the center. (Ramona Johnson and Christopher Matthews ripped theirs apart.) The others look cute on the wall outside the classroom. 

A few drawbacks that I'm concerned with are:

*Ramona Johnson threw the box of materials I made for her.         

It nearly hit another student in the head. When I removed the box, Ramona screamed, threw herself on the floor, and wrapped her arms around my calves.         

It was difficult to get her off of me and I almost fell.

        
*Rafael Cruz was angry because he thought another child was bothering him.

This wasn't the case. The child was simply looking at him.

I tried to explain this to Rafael but he didn't want to hear it. He ran away from me and pulled down the curtain hanging in the window.

       
*Devon Wilson grew angry when I didn't keep calling on him during the real-aloud of The Kissing Hand.
I told him that I had to give other children a chance to speak but he just turned around in his spot mumbling, and ignored me.

       
*Christopher Matthews seeks negative attention. All day long he pestered his classmates, talked incessantly, and fell out of his chair.

A lot of the children laughed when he fell out of his chair. Naturally, this encouraged him to keep doing it, until I took his chair and made him stand for a few minutes.

When I gave it back to him, he was falling out of it again within five minutes.

            
The other students were of course watching all of these behaviors and taking them in. Some were startled by the angry outbursts, others were afraid.
           
Each outburst was a total distraction that jeopardized my lessons. I was able to rein most of the students back in with a finger play or a clapping song, but it took a lot of effort.

            
To reward the positive behaviors of the other children throughout the day, I gave out lots of stickers and verbal praise. They were very excited, however, some of the children who didn't get stickers had tantrums.

           
I'm thinking of starting personal sticker charts for the students with challenging behaviors. I'm not sure what to do about Christopher and his chair. I'll sleep on it.

How do you handle difficult behaviors in your classroom?

Harmful Sexual Behavior Among Children

Greyerbaby https://pixabay.com/en/boy-looking-fence-chain-link-young-529067/

(WARNING: Contains sensitive material.)

Personal Connection

Recently, a close friend of mine confessed that her twenty-year old daughter had just told her that, while in middle school she'd been inappropriately touched by another girl her own age.

         
When she was even younger, that same daughter also had an older girl force herself on top of her and grope her genitals, during a visit to a family friend's house.

        
When asked why she hadn't told her mother about the incidents sooner, the daughter had replied that, I was always warned to watch out for grown- ups who might touch me inappropriately, or the white van with the stalker inside, or someone trying to lore me in their car with a puppy. 

       
During that same conversation, the daughter had also admitted to being ashamed about the incidents and had blocked them out.

        
When I was teenager, I remember learning that one of my cousins had 'made a pass' at their younger sibling. I was appalled by the news. It shook me to my core. I couldn't comprehend why anyone would do that to a loved one.  

Janko Ferlic https://unsplash.com/photos/oWDRVgk04EA

      

Like my friend, I was stunned into sadness to hear her daughter's well-reasoned argument for not alerting anyone of the assaults.

As adults, we constantly warn our children to be wary of grown-ups who may sexually abuse them: never conceiving that other children or siblings could be potential perpetrators. Our naiveté on this subject stems from the lack of disclosure to the authorities and the media, as well as our disbelief, that children are sexual beings capable of such harmful actions. 

            
Stop It Now reports, that over a third of sexual abuse that occurs among children is committed by a person under 18 years old.

Culture of Safety states, that the younger the victim of the abuse is, the higher the probability that the offender is a minor. These are disturbing statistics that require our undivided attention.

Pin Me Please!

Professional Connection

As deplorable as it is to contemplate, sexual harm does indeed happen among adolescents and very young children. Sadly, I have been a witness to such events. One year in my kindergarten classroom, there were three sexual assaults among the students.

            
The first one occurred shortly after the start of the school year. While sitting at a table, a little boy put his hand on the private part of the little girl beside him. He refused to move his hand when she protested and tried to push it off.

            
The second one happened a month later, when another boy crawled under a table and kissed a little girl's private part.

            
The third one occurred closer to the end of the school year and was the worst. A little boy, who was new to the class, forced a girl onto a shelf and lay on top of her.

He put his hand down her underwear and wouldn't get off of her when she asked. Another child intervened and pulled him off of the little girl.

Kat J https://unsplash.com/photos/NPmR0RblyhQ

Needless to say, I was troubled by each occurrence, but the third horrified me the most. I was so heartsick by the episode; I took off the following day.

At such a young age, I knew the boys couldn't appreciate the harmful consequences their behaviors were causing their classmates. Still, I needed time to collect myself, digest what had happened, and plan my lessons accordingly.

            
I reported each incident to the school office and they were investigated by the administration. The first two boys were placed in the other kindergarten room, while the third remained in my classroom.       

            
I was extremely uncomfortable with the third child being so close to the boy who had harmed her.  I couldn't understand why he was allowed to remain in my classroom, when the two other boys had been promptly removed.

            
Apart from my reporting the third incident and receiving a notification of the boy's suspension, the school administration never communicated with me again about the event. No plan of action was discussed; no follow up by the administration regarding prevention and student safety. 

         
The third boy stayed home for two days, and after a meeting with the school counselor, he returned to class.

            
While I was home, the office had handled the situation, and it appeared that all parties involved were content with the outcome. 

          
 For my part, after dealing with the three sexual assaults, and a host of other socially, emotionally challenged students, I was too burnt out to pursue administration for their opinions. I did what I could through targeted lessons on good touch, bad touch, and by separating the third boy from the little girl.  

            
Of course my lethargy, didn't assuage my concerns. 

           
I felt responsible. I had been present for each episode. My assistant and I discovered the first two almost immediately. 

          
However, during the third episode, my assistant had left for the day, and I was in the middle of a small group lesson on the other side of the room. I kept telling myself, "It's difficult to watch over and instruct 30 kindergartners by yourself". The mantra didn't ease my conscience.

            
Often, children who commit these harmful acts, have been victims of sexual assault themselves, or have been regularly exposed to adult sexual activity or pornography. In addition, these same children may have either experienced or witnessed some form of physical or emotional abuse at home.

            
In other cases, children are just exploring their curiosity about their bodies.

            
So, how can you tell the difference between the two? 

Chinh Le Duc https://unsplash.com/photos/TV1QYUtTxJ8

Distinguishing Between Sexual Harm and Curiosity

Whether it is innocent curiosity or a visceral response to mistreatment, a child who performs a sexual action toward another child, can do serious harm. 

         
One common way children explore sexuality is through playing games like "doctor". Once this expressive method is identified, it can be corrected with a conversation about respecting another's privacy and keeping everyone safe. 

         
What is cause for alarm is when a child continues to display aggressive behavior, after being corrected.     

            Other potentially harmful behaviors include:

            *Older children spending a large amount of time with younger children.

            *Maintaining physical contact with another child who refuses the attention.

            *Forcing another child to have sexual intercourse.

            *A child speaking sexually to children or adults.

            *Children viewing child pornography.

cablemarder https://pixabay.com/en/teddy-soft-toy-funny-teddy-bear-2977694/

Awareness and Prevention

 Sexual harm among children is under reported, which in turn leaves children as vulnerable targets, unprepared to handle uncomfortable and confusing situations.

Instead of alerting an adult, the victimized child will often internalize the incident, blaming himself for what happened.

If left untreated, this feeling of self-guilt can lead to a lifelong pattern of depression, self-harm, and drug abuse.

            
According to Dr. Gemma McKibbon, from the University of Melbourne, a proactive way to prevent child-on-child sexual harm is to teach age-appropriate sex education classes to elementary students, warning them that other children may hurt them in this way.

Additional strategies to help protect children from mistreatment are:

*Let children know there are trusted adults with whom they can talk.

*Observe how children engage with each other.

*Teach children to be respectful toward themselves and others.

*Reach out to organizations that specialize in child safety and welfare for information to educate your entire family.

*Design a safety program for your family and with your child's school. Parents Protect! offers a downloadable family safety plan booklet at: https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/resources.htm.

*Be vigilant. Images of violence and abuse are evident in video games, movies and television shows. Curtail how much of this media your child views.

*Model appropriate social and familial behaviors.

*Spend quality time with your child and have meaningful conversations.

mintchipdesigns https://pixabay.com/en/boy-facepalm-child-youth-666803/

If you suspect that your child or a child you know is harming other children get help immediately. Stop It Now! is an organization experienced with these behaviors.

            
You can contact them at their national, toll-free line: 1-888-PREVENT (1-888-773-8368). 

               
How would you deal with this situation in your family or classroom?