However, today's schools are much more aware of the long-term difficulties that bullies can cause to their victims. Low self esteem, depression, and even increased chances of dropping out of school can all be related to a child being subjected to abuse by a school-house bully. In addition, the escalation of violence in today's society can lead to dangerous conflicts that arise from bullying.

Be involved in your child's life. Children are notoriously tight-lipped about their school day. However, with a little time and a lot of patience, parents can learn more about their children's school experience. Though life is busy for everyone in this day, it is important to take time to ask about and listen to the daily goings-on of your child. By taking the time to talk on a regular basis, your child is more likely to come to you for help if the need arises. Also be aware of who their friends are; friends can be a positive influence on a young mind or not, depending on the social dynamic between them.

Jennifer Cummings, has a B.A.in psychology, and a M.Ed. in special education from Framingham State College in Massachusetts. She has been an elementary teacher in Massachusetts for almost 10 years, serving both regular education and special education students. She has taught grades 1,4, and 5.

"I believe that families' involvement in their child's education is one of the key ingredients to creating a successful school experience for children. Keeping parents informed about school-related issues helps parents and teachers work together for the best possible outcomes for their children. Learning together makes learning fun - for everyone!" - Jennifer Cummings. Contact her at A Note from the Teacher .

  
  
  

Talk to the child's teacher. Teachers often have the opportunity to watch children interact in social situations on the playground, in the cafeteria, and in the classroom. They may be able to detect and monitor interactions between specific students. By alerting the teacher of your child's particular problem, they may be able to help document and understand the dynamics of the situation more completely.

Involve the school counselor or psychologist. Many children are uncomfortable talking about difficulties they may be having with peers. However, school personnel are skilled at helping children to work through problems, including managing stress and understanding how to deal with bullies more effectively and safely.

Watch for changes in your child's behavior patterns. Does your child try to avoid school with mystery illnesses? Are their grades dropping? Are they having difficulty eating or sleeping, or are they extremely moody? While some of these signs are typical for young adolescents in the short term, be aware that changes that persist for more than a few days may be signs of a bigger problem. Children who are experiencing difficulty with peers at school may be hesitant to involve an adult; however, if you spot these signs in your child, you need to get more information quickly.

As always, the best cure for the problem is prevention. Girls and boys should be talked to from a young age about what kind of behavior is appropriate to both give and accept. Students need to know that what may be funny to one person is often incredibly hurtful to the recipient. If you have more questions about preventing bullying, please contact your child's school counselor or principal, as they can give you information on appropriate programs in your area.

If you have a school-related question, send an e-mail to the link below and we'll try to answer it in a future column!

If you have any school-related questions, please e-mail us and we may answer your question in a future column! Beyond the Basics- Multiplication and Division Once children are comfortable with the concepts of addition and subtraction, they can be introduced to multiplication and division. These concepts can be more difficult to teach concretely, as many of the numbers are large. However, by beginning the study of these facts with manipulatives from around the house, your child can learn the foundations of each operation and then proceed to more complex learning. Here are some possible activities to try out: " Use household items to concretely demonstrate math facts. You can use dried beans, toothpicks, cereal pieces, buttons, beads, erasers, and other small items to represent each math fact. To play, give your child a math fact and challenge them to represent the answer with the manipulatives. Keep a timer on hand to see how quickly they can show each fact. Make it into a fun race by letting them challenge you! " Use your home as a model for mathematics! Do you have rows of bricks in a fireplace? Do you have tile floors or counters? Use them to teach multiplication! Have your child count the number of tiles in one row. Then, have them use multiplication to find and estimate of the number of tiles in the room or counter space. This activity can also lead to discussions of area for older children. " Shopping at warehouse stores is a great opportunity to use division! When you purchase larger quantities of an item, have your child use division to find out how many "supermarket sized" items you would have to buy to get the same amount. You can also use division when shopping for items that are priced in multiples (5 items for $1.00, for example), so that your child can learn to compare prices and be a smart shopper, too! " Have your child make a list of the point values in some of their favorite video games. Then, have them multiply to find out how many items they need to get to reach higher scores. Then, after they play for a set time, have them divide their score to see how many individual items they actually got. A Final Word Your child will be learning math facts in a number of different ways all through their school career. By helping them use their facts in daily life, you not only support their math skills practice, but you show that you care about their education. You give them a more thorough understanding of math than they can receive from a worksheet or computer program. When you give your child the chance to use math in a real world setting, you help them understand that their classroom lessons are not just important today- but for life! Keep up the good work! Beyond the Basics- Multiplication and Division Once children are comfortable with the concepts of addition and subtraction, they can be introduced to multiplication and division. These concepts can be more difficult to teach concretely, as many of the numbers are large. However, by beginning the study of these facts with manipulatives from around the house, your child can learn the foundations of each operation and then proceed to more complex learning. Here are some possible activities to try out: " Use household items to concretely demonstrate math facts. You can use dried beans, toothpicks, cereal pieces, buttons, beads, erasers, and other small items to represent each math fact. To play, give your child a math fact and challenge them to represent the answer with the manipulatives. Keep a timer on hand to see how quickly they can show each fact. Make it into a fun race by letting them challenge you! " Use your home as a model for mathematics! Do you have rows of bricks in a fireplace? Do you have tile floors or counters? Use them to teach multiplication! Have your child count the number of tiles in one row. Then, have them use multiplication to find and estimate of the number of tiles in the room or counter space. This activity can also lead to discussions of area for older children. " Shopping at warehouse stores is a great opportunity to use division! When you purchase larger quantities of an item, have your child use division to find out how many "supermarket sized" items you would have to buy to get the same amount. You can also use division when shopping for items that are priced in multiples (5 items for $1.00, for example), so that your child can learn to compare prices and be a smart shopper, too! " Have your child make a list of the point values in some of their favorite video games. Then, have them multiply to find out how many items they need to get to reach higher scores. Then, after they play for a set time, have them divide their score to see how many individual items they actually got. A Final Word Your child will be learning math facts in a number of different ways all through their school career. By helping them use their facts in daily life, you not only support their math skills practice, but you show that you care about their education. You give them a more thorough understanding of math than they can receive from a worksheet or computer program. When you give your child the chance to use math in a real world setting, you help them understand that their classroom lessons are not just important today- but for life! Keep up the good work! A Note from the Teacher