A Japanese education reform writer has included a local school’s anti-bullying program as an example for schools in Japan to follow.
The book, called, “The Key to Reform Education in Japan is Zero-Tolerance,” was published in January by Juhachi Kato, a professor at a Japanese university.
Kato had heard of the anti-bullying program in formation at Creekland Middle School from Sandra Hange, a teacher at the school, who used to live in Japan, and asked school Principal Dr. Deborah Wiseman to contribute to his book, by outlining the school’s program. He came to visit Creekland last year, as educators were formulating the plan.
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This is the cover of the Japanese book featuring Creekland Middle School principal Deborah Wiseman, “The Key to Reform Education in Japan is Zero-Tolerance.”
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News reports indicate that Japan has had an increasing problem with bullying in schools, and Wiseman said Kato indicated that the country has a problem it is trying to deal with.
The teachers at Creekland have been trained in Olweus, an anti-bullying program developed by Clemson University educational researcher Dr. Dan Olweus.
“We took from Olweus what would work for us,” Wiseman explained. “The students picked a name for our program, which is HOPE. It stands for “Helping Organize Peace Everywhere.”
The school implemented its program fully at the beginning of this school year, and has seen in-school suspension numbers drop by half, the principal said.
She explained that students are being nicer to one another.
“Our program focuses on developing the leadership skills of each student, helping them to implement responsible behavior,” Wiseman explained. “We reward positive behavior and peer mentoring.”
Wiseman said students receive HOPE lessons once every two weeks that train them in bullying intervention techniques.
“The kids call it, ‘Spreading peace and love everywhere,’” Wiseman said, “They know to say ‘We’re not supposed to talk behind other people’s backs.’”
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Deborah Wiseman’s photo is included in the Japanese education research book.
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Wiseman said she benefits from supportive, involved parents and the school district’s strict no-tolerance bullying guidelines, which involve “serious consequences” for bullying behavior.
“We maintain an environment where children feel safe,” she said.
Wiseman said she told Kato that in order for an anti-bullying program to work, there must be zero-tolerance for bullying, students need to be taught the behaviors to help avoid bullying and intervene in bullying situations, and the students must be able to “buy in” to the program.
To help them buy in, a student-designed HOPE T-shirt was created. Students must earn the shirt.
To earn the shirt, a student must be caught practicing a random act of kindness toward another, by a staff member.
Wiseman said, at this point in the school year, almost all students have earned their shirts, and wear them to school every other Friday, when HOPE lessons are taught.
“We are encouraging good behavior,” Wiseman said, noting that the “spreading peace and love” theme this year really has improved all student behavior, not just bullying behaviors.
“I tell the kids you can never have enough friends,” she said, noting that the school doesn’t have much of a problem with cliques.
Wiseman said she was surprised one night in January when a FedEx truck arrived at her home after dark, with a copy of Kato’s book, written entirely in Japanese.
Kato has invited Wiseman to come to Japan to speak about the program this summer.
