Good Practices for School-Based Work
- Develop comprehensive school policies to prohibit gender-based violence. Codes of conduct that prohibit violence and threats at school may fail to address common forms of hurtful language and behavior that can be described as bullying or sexual harassment. School personnel need clear policies and guidelines to help them respond effectively and consistently to these behaviors. Such policies must be sensitive to the needs of victims, ensuring that targets of bullying, sexual harassment, and dating violence are protected from retaliation and further abuse.
- Integrate violence prevention themes into existing curricula. An effective strategy is to integrate violence prevention activities, discussions, and writing assignments into existing curricula in core subject areas. Busy teachers may be willing to include lessons from selected violence prevention curricula designed to enhance their course work. With sufficient training and technical assistance from advocates, teachers can help students explore the connections between violence, sexism, racism, and other forms of injustice and oppression.
- Train staff. Teachers need support from administrators, adequate training and materials, and time to attend training workshops, plan lessons, supplement class work, and coordinate with other teachers and advocates. Training for teachers should include understanding the effects of violence and abuse on children, warning signs, how to respond to incidents and disclosures at school, and how to access community resources.
- Involve parents. Comprehensive programs involve parents at multiple levels. These may include communications with parents in meetings and newsletters, parent conferences, and referrals for families experiencing violence. Parent groups can sponsor events, and information can be disseminated through written materials, cable-access television shows, and performance pieces.
- Provide school-based counseling. Children who have been hurt by sexual or domestic violence need specialized counseling to increase their safety and social support. Schools can meet this need through a partnership with a local sexual/domestic violence agency. School-based groups offer a unique setting for young men and women to discuss issues of violence and abuse in their homes and dating relationships. Young men’s groups can provide a safe place for boys to explore their experience as perpetrators, victims, or bystanders, and serve as an intervention site for boys who have begun to use violent or coercive behavior.
- Invite guest speakers. Guest speakers from local agencies can provide expert information and, when representing diverse groups, demonstrate that violence affects men and women of different races, cultures, physical abilities, educational levels, and socioeconomic status. They can show that many people are actively working to end violence against women and girls. Agency personnel can also provide follow-up activities and materials.
Discussion Board
Go to the Discussion Board to discuss ways to work in schools.
