The parent/community workshop is 90 minutes long. Workshops are available for the entire community, or can be geared to parents with children of a specific age and developmental level (elementary, middle school, high school).
Parents are presented with a framework for working collaboratively with the school(s) to establish nonviolence as a school norm. The psychological dynamics and consequences of mean and aggressive behavior, including bullying, are presented. The kinds of temperament issues and family dynamics that contribute to children acting as aggressors or becoming targets are shared. The research on how to reduce school-based aggression, bullying, and harassment is discussed, as well as how to increase empathy, compassion, and tolerance.
Parents are shown how to intervene when they see aggressive behavior. Parents are also given strategies to empower their children when they are targets or bystanders, and how to modify/mitigate aggressive behaviors. A particular emphasis is placed on how parents can encourage and teach their children to be positive bystanders when aggression is occurring. All strategies are demonstrated through a series of lively role-plays and video clips.
