Sudden adjustments in conduct. Loneliness and isolation. Quickness to anger. In case your college students noticed these behaviors of their pals or classmates, would they acknowledge them as warning indicators of potential violence? I’m guessing that the majority wouldn’t, and it’s more and more clear that we as educators should explicitly train them. As a result of empowering our college students with the abilities for each methods to spot warning indicators and methods to “say one thing” is a big step towards making our college communities safer.
What are the warning indicators of potential violence?
The next warning indicators are taught in Sandy Hook Promise’s Say One thing program. This record is just not exhaustive, nor does exhibiting one among these indicators essentially imply there’s an instantaneous menace. Nonetheless, sharing these warning indicators together with your college students will go a good distance towards serving to them acknowledge when their classmates could also be at risk or need assistance.
1. All of the sudden withdrawing from pals, household, and actions (together with on-line/through social media).
2. Bullying, particularly if focused towards variations in race, faith, gender, or sexual orientation.
3. Extreme irritability, lack of persistence, or turning into offended shortly.
4. Experiencing power loneliness or social isolation.
5. Expressing persistent ideas of harming themselves or another person.
6. Making direct threats towards a spot, one other individual, or themselves.
7. Bragging about entry to weapons or weapons.
8. Recruiting accomplices or audiences for an assault.
9. Straight expressing a menace as a plan.
10. Cruelty to animals.
Can your college students spot the warning indicators of potential violence?
Gun violence is preventable once you “know the indicators.” Watch this award-winning Public Service Announcement (PSA), “Evan,” which follows a scholar who begins a brand new relationship. Did you see the indicators?
What ought to college students do after they see warning indicators?
It’s one factor to know the warning indicators and one other to know what to do about it. First, college students have to take warning indicators critically and act instantly. College students who witness troubling behaviors ought to inform a Trusted Grownup or use an nameless reporting system. If the menace is imminent, they need to name 911.
How do I train the warning indicators and what to do?
Greater than 18 million folks have participated within the Know the Indicators packages in faculties and neighborhood organizations nationwide. The “Evan” PSA is likely one of the hottest curriculum choices for serving to establish the warning indicators. Sandy Hook Promise presents a free curriculum information for center and highschool school rooms to show it.
Sandy Hook Promise’s Say One thing program has quite a lot of sources for instructing this content material to college students in grades Okay–12. Listed below are a few of our favorites:
- Say One thing Self-Led Coaching Video: That is the core coaching for center and highschool college students concerning the warning indicators of somebody liable to hurting themselves or others and when and methods to converse as much as a Trusted Grownup.
- Say One thing: Elementary Animated Collection: It’s by no means too early to be taught the warning indicators, and this age-appropriate coaching is designed particularly for the youthful set (Okay-5). It features a slideshow, interactive storybook, movies, classes, and actions designed to develop a neighborhood of Upstanders.
- Trusted Grownup Triangle: On this exercise, college students establish a Trusted Grownup in three settings: throughout college, after college, and on the weekends or when college is just not in session.
- Warning Signal State of affairs Playing cards: College students learn by means of totally different situations and kind them into situations that point out they need to speak to a Trusted Grownup instantly, situations that don’t comprise warning indicators, and situations they’re not sure about. Then they role-play one of many situations of their Trusted-Grownup pile.
Need these plus extra no-cost protected faculties sources? Get began with Sandy Hook Promise’s Say One thing program.
And bear in mind: Say One thing Week is March 13–17. Try the #SaySomethingWeek hashtag on Instagram and Twitter.
