Bullying Prevention Blog

What Makes Instructors for “HEAR – High School Edition” Special?

HEAR for High School presentations are provided by instructors from the Army National Guard at no cost to schools.  The staff at HEAR has the privilege of meeting these members of the Army National Guard at the bi-annual HEAR Train-the-Trainer Workshop on the campus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). We join leading experts from Harvard and University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) for an intense, comprehensive training event. Participants build the knowledge and skills needed to bring their A-game to every HEAR classroom presentation and also to teach other Guard members in their states to do the same.

To date, we’ve facilitated training for 235 Guard members from 43 states at the Train-the-Trainer Workshop at Harvard. This latest group trained on December 10-11 was made up of a diverse assortment of 33 men and women. They reminded us how much of an asset they are to our schools.

What strikes us the most is their depth of character.  This was revealed in their allegiance to core values like respect, the connections they shared as impassioned parents, grandparents, coaches, and community members, and the respect they showed each other in the group as they learned together. These Guard members come from all walks of life — representing different ages, cultures, regions of the country, and all bringing to the table different ideas, experiences and worldviews.

Dr. Sue Swearer leads a discussion about the complexity of bullying.

Dr. Sue Swearer leads a discussion about the complexity of bullying.

We learned together by sharing stories, engaging in debates, practicing HEAR presentations in small groups, and internalizing information from our subject matter experts, Dr. Sue Swearer (UNL) and Dr. Rick Weissbourd (HGSE). Dr. Swearer is gifted with the unique ability to connect with everyone she meets. She challenged our thinking as we considered her research on the complexity of bullying. Dr. Weissbourd managed to impart a wealth of knowledge on provocative topics in a way that had us laughing one minute and thoughtfully considering his research-based point-of-view the next. He inspired us to be role models to young people – role models who nurture self-respect and an understanding of how to show respect, particularly in adolescent romantic relationships. Lively discussions always looped back to our common goal — helping young people be the best they can be.

Finally, these trained HEAR guest instructors come to your classrooms as Soldiers in the Army National Guard. They have devoted their lives to protecting, serving and defending our country, our states and our communities. My community. Your community.

The people we met left a clear impression that they truly represent the core values of the Army National Guard – loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. According to www.nationalguard.com, National Guard Soldiers are agents of change. They have the desire to better the world around them by taking a path with purpose and being a part of something bigger than themselves. They have taken a vow to rebuild the broken and defend the good. These are the people we want in our classrooms talking with students about building respect and stopping bullying. People with character, an appreciation of differences, the ability to collaborate, help solve problems and laugh. They live what HEAR advocates, and as guest instructors, they help make the HEAR presentation an invaluable resource for schools.

To request a HEAR presentation, visit our website at www.project-hear.us or contact us directly for additional information.

Dr. Amy Smith, Director of Educational Programs

Career Training Concepts, Inc.

Phone: 678-405-5670 / Email: [email protected]

 

Jeff Musumeche, Program Manager at CTC, provides best practice teaching strategies.

Jeff Musumeche shares best practice teaching strategies.

 

Learning in small groups

Participants learn by presenting HEAR to peers in small groups.

 

Participants in the HEAR training at Harvard sign the "I Respect Others" commitment banner. The students they teach will have the opportunity to sign a banner, which can be displayed in the school.

Participants in the HEAR training at Harvard sign the “I Respect Others” commitment banner. The students they teach will have the same opportunity to sign a banner, which can be displayed in the school.

 

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