Developmental Guidance Bullying Prevention
“Stop-Walk-Talk”
Elm Dale Parents: If you should hear your students using the phrase “Stop-Walk-Talk”, they are referring to the bullying response steps that they have learned at school. This technique teaches students what to do if they are either being bullied or if they observe others being bullied. All Elm Dale students in Grades Kgn-5 have learned about “Stop-Walk-Talk”, and all staff members have also been informed of this strategy. Staff members also learned how to respond if a student reports bullying behavior (the “Talk” step), as well as how to respond when dealing with the students who do engage in such behavior, that is, behavior that is disrespectful and possibly even unsafe.
“Stop-Walk-Talk” is the Bullying Awareness and Prevention component of our school-wide behavior management system, or (PBIS) Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
We would like to inform you of this strategy so that you are best able to support your child if bullying should occur, or even if they themselves are involved in some bullying behavior.
Students were also taught how to distinguish true bullying behavior from typical “Peer Challenges”. While all grades of students were given a definition of bullying, those in Grades 3-5 were taught the acronym “R.I.P.S.” This reminds us that bullying is Repeated, Intentional, involves the bully’s sense of Power, and is Serious or Severe. “Peer Challenges”, on the other hand, refers to more typical friendship issues, such as disagreements, changing friendships, etc. Therefore, teasing, name calling, gossiping, excluding students from an activity, pushing and hitting are examples of bullying, while accidentally bumping into someone or politely declining an invitation to play are not.
The following are more detailed explanations of the “Stop-Walk-Talk” steps that your children have learned:
1) “Stop” Students were taught our hand motion for the “Stop” signal, which is to simply hold their hand up, palm outward, while keeping their hand close to their own body. The student should then say “Stop”, “Cut it out”, “Stop that”, etc. in a firm, strong voice. Students were taught to use this “Stop” signal if they are being bullied or if they witness someone else being bullied.
Likewise, students were also taught how to respond if they are given the “Stop” signal. The student receiving the “Stop” signal should immediately stop what he or she is doing, take a deep breath, and then go on with their day following our school rules. Students were taught that they should stop what they are doing, regardless of whether or not they agree that they deserved the stop signal, or even if they think they were “just joking”, etc. In other words, students were told that “when someone at Elm Dale School tells you to stop, you need to stop”. By following these guidelines, students are thereby showing respect for themselves and others.
2) “Walk” If a student gives another student the stop signal, but the problem behavior still continues, students should then “Walk” away. When it is not possible to walk away, such as while riding the bus, students were taught to “ignore” the bullying student by looking the other way and not responding to them further, either verbally or nonverbally (through gestures, facial expressions, etc.). Walking away serves the purpose of taking away the reinforcement otherwise given to the bully from the target or bystander.
3) “Talk” Finally, if students have tried to solve the problem by doing the “Stop” and “Walk” steps, but the bullying behavior continues, then the student should “Talk” to an adult. All of our staff members have been trained on how to respond to a student’s request to talk. First, the staff member will ask the student about the problem. Then, they will ask the student if they used the “stop” signal and tried walking away. Students will be praised for trying these steps or reminded about using these steps first before talking to an adult. Finally, the staff member will discuss the problem behavior with the student who is engaging in the problem or disrespectful behavior. They will remind students what they are to do when they are given the stop signal by another student or students (i.e., to immediately stop what they are doing, take a deep breath, and continue with their day following our school rules). In addition, staff will enforce the appropriate consequence for breaking one of our school rules. If the student continues to engage in disrespectful or unsafe behaviors, parents will receive notification from a staff member.
One important exception to the “Stop-Walk-Talk” sequence would be if a student has been hurt or is in some type of danger. In such cases, students were told to immediately tell an adult, without even using the “Stop” and “Walk” steps.
Our goal in teaching and encouraging the use of the “Stop-Walk-Talk” steps is to provide students with some problem-solving tools that can help them deal with situations they may encounter now or in their futures. Furthermore, we also hope that students will help and support one another, will make good choices for their behavior, will feel safer at school, and will thereby be better able to keep their focus on learning during their school days.
Please support our students’ use of “Stop-Walk-Talk” at home, at school, and in the community. Likewise, please model and encourage respectful behavior toward others, as well as supporting others who may need our assistance. By working together as partners, we can best assure that our students and your children are following the “Elm Dale Way” of being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible.
Attached you will find a small version of the “Stop-Walk-Talk” posters that are hung up throughout our school.
Please contact me at any time if you have any questions about “Stop-Walk-Talk”.
Mrs. Mary Starnes,
Elm Dale School Guidance Counselor
& PBIS Internal Coach
(414) 281-7100, ext. 1525
Rules for a Bully-Free School
1. We will RESPECT all students.
2. We will include students in our activities.
3. We will be RESPONSIBLE and use the
3 Steps to Stop a Bully.
Use these 3 steps.
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