Committee for Children Blog

Helping Bystanders Stand Up to Bullying

Bullying is complex in that it involves more than just the student who is bullying and the student who is being bullied. It frequently involves bystanders, who can contribute to the bullying situation and make it worse.Read More


Book Review: Will I Have a Friend?

by Miriam Cohen. Illustrated by Ronald Himler.
Reading Level: Preschool to Grade 1

Hovering on the outskirts of all the play, Jim spends his first day of school wondering if he will have a friend. All the other children already seem to have made connections with each other, but Jim doesn’t know how…Read More


Assertiveness

The fourth-editionSecond Step curriculum teaches four main Skills for Learning that are important for children's success in school: listening, focusing attention, using self-talk, and being assertive. Assertiveness includes many actions, but in Second Step, it involves teaching students to ask for help in a calm, confident, and positive manner.Read More


Massachusetts Safe and Supportive Schools Act

On May 30, 2013, Committee for Children submitted testimony encouraging the Massachusetts Legislature to support S210/H420, An Act Relative to Safe and Supportive Schools.

The bill:

  • Requires all schools, by 2016, to develop actRead More

The Second Step Program and the Bullying Prevention Unit: A Powerful Combination

We here at Committee for Children have long recognized that there are solutions that help reduce the levels of bullying in schools. The new Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit is such a solution. The Unit was created for elementary students and staff so the skills, behaviors and attitudes that help prevent bullying are instilled as early as possible and alongside…Read More


Bullying Down, Academics Up with SEL

The Second Step program empowers schools to create positive classroom climates where students thrive

Every state but one has adopted anti-bullying legislation. By now, many school districts have developed and put into place policies and procedures that outline actions to take against bullying. These policies are necessary in setting the groundwork for promoting a safe, positive climate for…Read More