At Bet Yaakov Ateret Torah, Shaare Zion Ohel Bracha and Yeshivat Shaare Torah…
Hidden Sparks External Coach, Dr. Tamar Bauman, gave three riveting anti-bullying workshops at Shaare Zion Ohel Bracha, Yeshivat Shaare Torah and Bet Yaakov Ateret Torah as part of the schools’ preparation for the new school year. Dr. Bauman described the commonly held misconceptions about both bullies and their victims and explained when it was appropriate for adults to intervene and how they should respond when bullying was happening in their classrooms. Participants read case studies about bullying situations and discussed how they would interact with the students in the case studies. Dr. Bauman encouraged the teachers and administrators to describe the difference between “bullying” and “horseplay” and reminded the participants that “careful observation is required to distinguish between the two.” She provided specific examples of what bullying can look like versus “accidental” interactions between children that can sometimes be incorrectly labeled “bullying.” It was a very engaging and stimulating workshop that captured everyone’s attention.