Gemini developed this important course working closely with industry expert Stan Davis. Stan has worked as a social worker, child and family therapist, and trained Child Protective Workers. He designed and implemented training for a network of rape crisis centers and collaborated with police to develop effective interventions for domestic abuse. Since the mid-1990s he has been featured in newspaper, radio, and TV articles and on a special 20/20 report on bullying with John Stossel. He is the author of several books and has presented keynotes and workshops at conferences and trained school staff and students in 25 US states, in Canada, in India, and in Africa.
Earlier research on interventions focused on a distinction between bullying and peer conflict. There have been many attempts to differentiate between these two types of behavior. Most definitions of bullying focus on the aggressor’s intent to harm, on repetition, and on a difference in status of power between the two parties. Many people in this field now question whether we can ever tell what someone intends or whether we can be sure there is a power differential. More importantly, we know that harm can be done even if no harm is intended – or that harm can be done by people of equal status to us. Thus, in this course, we will focus on actions by peers which have the potential to do harm, rather than just on “bullying” behaviors. We will call those actions: “Peer Mistreatments.”
This is a two-hour online course.
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
- Strengthen positive, inclusive school environment
- Use effective strategies to reduce mistreatment and increase helpful behaviors
- Help mistreating youth to change
- Build resiliency for all
- Support youth who are mistreated
- Support positive actions by peers