Wednesday, October 1, 2008

National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week is October 5th-11th, 2008

In honor of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, running from October 5th – October 11th, we are spotlighting those books that we carry on the important topic of bullying prevention. All of the books featured in this blog posting will be on sale at a discount of 10% for the whole month of October. Please make your purchase through our secure website:www.autismbookstore.com to take advantage of the discount.

As always, full descriptions of these titles can be found on our website. You can find them all easily by visiting our Education/Bullying Page!

Three informative books on bullying prevention:

Asperger Syndrome and Bullying: Strategies and Solutions

Nick Dubin is able to do what many authors are not able to do when writing about bullying; he is able to bring a lifetime of personal experiences to the reader. Dubin was not diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS) until he was an adult, but he knew his differences made him stand out and made him a target for bullies throughout his childhood not just by other children, but by adults as well. He discloses reasons why individuals with AS become victims, and how to understand the motives of a bully. Dubin takes a pro-active role in bullying prevention by teaching how to empower not only victims, but teachers and bystanders as well. Dubin’s plan of attack does not stop there, however; he also writes about empowering parents and entire schools by creating a system of support that helps protect all individuals. The reader will find strategies for persons with AS, as well as programs for classrooms and schools.

Gray’s Guide to Bullying

The author, an internationally known educator and the creator of the Social Stories™ method, published a series of three articles in response to numerous questions she received about helping children with ASD who are bullied in various situations. This issue combines those articles on ASD and bullying into one useful guide that can be used by adults who live and work with children who have ASD. Article I provides the basics about bullying, ranging from the current definition to roles of participants and categories of bullying. Article II describes ten practical solutions that have been developed to effectively decrease bullying. Article III is a guide and student workbook on how to handle a bullying attempt. All three articles provide valuable strategies and resources to help parents, teachers, and caregivers decrease bullying in the life of the child with ASD.

Perfect Targets: Asperger Syndrome and Bullying

As the author notes, children and adolescents with Asperger Syndrome (AS) have a lack of social understanding that can lead to bullying by their classmates. These children are not only hurt emotionally and sometimes physically, but they are also deeply confused because they cannot make the distinction between manipulation and friendliness. This practical resource examines the social phenomenon of bullying and the social challenges and needs of children with AS. The author provides many insights and effective strategies for creating a bullying prevention program, and she also discusses specific environmental factors that foster bullying behaviors. The book also includes a chapter that offers a variety of personal perspectives on the subject. Written for parents and professionals, this book focuses on a whole-school approach to bullying prevention that involves administrators, teachers, parents, and students.

A DVD on bullying prevention:

Being Bullied: Strategies and Solutions for People with Asperger's Syndrome

This DVD is based on a presentation by Nick Dubin on the effects of bullying in school on children with Asperger Syndrome (AS). His presentation is primarily aimed at teachers and administrators, in order to give them ideas on the steps they can take to minimize the incidence of bullying in their schools. He provides sobering statistics on the number of children bullied each year, and he also offers constructive, encouraging advice on how to break down the culture of "bystander apathy." In addition, he introduces strategies for empowering the bullied child as well as the bully, so they can utilize their energy for more constructive purposes. His presentation is interspersed with clips of people with AS giving their thoughts on how bullying has affected their lives.

And a children’s book about bullying:

Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story About Bullying

This beautifully illustrated children’s book tells the story of how one student gained the courage to deal with bullying. The classmate of a boy named Ray narrates the story. Ray is frequently the target of bullying. The other students don’t like it, but they are afraid to inform their teachers. One day, after having been beaten up the day before, Ray does not come back to school. The classmate hears the bullies talking about their future plans for Ray, and he gains the courage to tell his teacher. When Ray returns to school, the teacher and principal intervene, and the classmate tells of his pride in learning to stop bullies by working together with others.

If you’d like to know more about National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week click here.