Author Stan Davis presents school staff with knowledge and skills for empowering student bystanders of bullying and changing schoolwide attitudes toward bullying.
In this book, Davis provides a wide range of realistic, safe, and effective options that bystanders can use during or after bullying situations.
The approach is both research-based and practical. It provides specific techniques for teaching empathy and social problem solving skills, limiting the rewards of bullying behavior, and building a partnership between students and staff to create a positive and inclusive peer culture.
The accompanying DVD features a 50-minute audiovisual presentation. In it, author Stan Davis provides an extensive discussion, accompanied by a slide presentation, to help illustrate and expand on important ideas covered in the book. During the presentation, he provides a detailed overview of the program, cites bullying research, offers suggestions and implementation guidelines, and includes numerous personal observations. The DVD can be used for individual learning, book study groups, or staff in-service training.
Comments from Colleagues
“In a field inundated with different types of bullying prevention programs, Stan Davis’ work stands out for its practical, realistic, and usable approaches. Using research to identify important knowledge that others have bypassed entirely, Stan Davis offers a method for conceptualizing, addressing, and preventing bullying that incorporates best practices in a sensible, concrete application. His books are internationally renowned, and for a good reason.”
Elizabeth K. Englander, PhD,
Director, Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center
“With Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention, Stan Davis has distinguished himself as a leading expert in the field of violence prevention – taking bullying prevention to new heights. This important new book will show both researchers and practitioners how kids can become genuinely empathic, with skills to help them express that empathy. If all schools adopted the well-documented program Davis has created, we would live in a much safer and more compassionate world.”
Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D., author of the I Can Problem Solve series and Raising a Thinking Child
“. . . an invaluable resource for creating and maintaining a safer social and learning environment for elementary and middle school students. It provides a practical blueprint of tried and true techniques (including specific lesson plans) for empowering bystanders and building empathy and problem-solving skills among children. This is a must-read for K-8 educators, administrators, and counseling professionals everywhere. I highly recommend it!
Trudy Ludwig, Children’s Advocate and Anti-Bullying author, www.trudyludwig.com
“This book is grounded in an essential truth – to reduce bullying and other forms of social aggression, we have to get to the ‘bystanders.’ Stan Davis provides excellent insight into the motivations and behaviors of bystanders and effective strategies to support, motivate, and ultimately empower them to take responsibility for the well-being of others and their social environment.”
Nancy E. Willard, MS, JD, author of Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats and Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens
“Empowering Bystanders deals with specific ways educators can motivate children to not only become more empathic when they witness peer abuse but to become active supporters/advocates for their peers. Stan gives examples of student conversations, possible scenarios, encouraging phrases, inspirational stories and sayings as well as outlines techniques for helping young people build the confidence to solve social problems.”
Anna Arnold, Olweus Bullying Prevention Trainer and Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinator for Henry County Schools
“This book reflects a wealth of hands on experience doing the work that makes safe, fair and responsive schools a possibility for everyone. It is a very ‘how to’ book. It really is a great package of practical suggestions that educators can use as seeds for change in their own schools. One of the strengths of the book is that it encourages people to expand on the ideas presented and make them ‘personal’ to their own school. This book fills avoid in the bullying prevention literature.”
Charles Saufler, Coordinator, Main Project Against Bullying
