blog post #5

DASA Workshop: Reflection

On November 11th, 2019, I attended a DASA workshop, which was taught by Rev. Dr. Majorie S. Schiering. I was very happy I was able to attend this workshop with Dr. Shering as the instructor because last semester, she was a professor of mine for the course, Children's Literature. She has an amazing personality that made the workshop very enjoyable and informative for me! Lasting a total of seven hours, this workshop operated from 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm. Before attending the workshop, I personally thought these seven hours were going to pass by very slowly. But, Dr. Sherieieng made sure to keep all of us amused, engaged, and delighted the whole time. We did many hands-on activities, read and discussed some poems, read children's books, and many other things that I will get more into later on.

DASA workshop. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://dc1707store.unionactive.com/product/dasa-workshop/

What is DASA?

DASA stands for Dignity for All Students Act. This act is expected to provide all public school students with a setting free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination. This act is intended to prevent behaviors that separate individuals from each other throughout various educational means that impact school atmosphere and culture positively. These Codes of Conduct require that harassment, bullying (cyber-bullying), and hatred against students by students and/or school employes on school grounds or at a school gathering are prohibited at all times. Also, the response to these various elements requires provisions against students by students and or employees. 

I learned that some parents of students attending public school, don't even know about the DASA act. Therefore, in some situations that occur with their child, they aren't aware of the proper measures they can take to fix the problem.

Dignity for all Students Act: Teachers College Columbia University. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://www.tc.columbia.edu/continuing-professional-studies/programs/all-offerings/dignity-for-all-students-act/

Sticky Hands

With that being said, I'd like to discuss some highlights from this workshop, and a few things definitely stuck with me. The first consisting of an activity where you get acquainted with your peers. This activity was called Sticky Hands, and to do it properly, you must touch your fingertips with another individual and have a conversation. I liked how she included this exercise in the workshop because I feel it's an excellent way to break the ice and enforce the rule of treating everyone fairly, as DASA does require. I enjoyed talking to my peers and definitely had some great conversations with people I met for the first time! Sticky hands is something that teachers could use at any grade level to make students more comfortable with each other. As a future teacher, I will be using this activity in my classroom, to set a relaxed environment for my students.

Appropriate use of touch in class. (2017, November 20). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://ltprofessionals.com/appropriate-use-of-touch-in-class

Heart Activity

Another highlight from the DASA workshop was the Heart Activity. This involved everyone writing their name on a big cut out paper heart. Then after the heart was filled with our names, Dr. Shering asked us to say some negative things that kids say to one another. Each time a negative remark was said, she would make a fold in the heart. After a little while passed, the heart was folded completely. She then asked us to say some positive comments that kids would/should say to each other. After each positive statement, Dr. Sheering unfolded the heart, and eventually, the heart was a whole again but didn't look like it initially did. It had many creases and was very wrinkled. Therefore, this activity taught us that when you say hurtful words to an individual, it never goes away, and those scars will always be left on their hearts. I feel this would be a great activity to do at the beginning of a school year in my classroom one day, to set the tone that hurtful things shouldn't be said to a peer no matter what the situation is. This heart visual definitely stuck in my head. Therefore, I feel it would really influence a child's mind and make them think twice before saying mean expressions.

Chrysanthemum activity: Crinkle the heart every time she's teased and smooth it out when someone tries to make her fee...: Bullying lessons, bullying activities, wrinkled heart. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/91197961177128732/

Poster Activity

The last activity that stuck out to me was when Dr. Sherring gave us the opportunity to make posters expressing something from the workshop. Some individuals wrote inspiring quotes, and some drew illustrations. I chose to write a quote form the workshop, "What you think and feel becomes what you say and do." I feel these words significantly describe the Dignity for All Students Act because if you change your way of thinking to be positive, the things you say will also be positive. After everyone finished their posters, we held them up, and everyone got a glimpse of each other's creations, which I also thought was really neat.

The overall purpose of this activity was for everyone to reflect on what truly stuck out to them. Personally, for me, the words I chose were something I myself live by and want to encourage others to live by, especially my students one day. 

My Overall Opinion

My experience at the Dignity for All Students Act workshop was impeccable. I have learned many things I wasn't aware of before that I feel are crucial for everyone to know. The Dignity for All Students Act is something that should continue to be strictly enforced in public schools everywhere, and everyone should realize there are consequences if you don't treat others fairly. But also, people shouldn't harass, bully or discriminate against others just because of this act, they should do so because they want to. If people do not respect others, students could end up with permanent marks on their hearts, as seen in the visual heart activity. The many other activities we did were also great ways of gearing students to want to treat others properly, and I will undoubtedly be using these in my classroom one day. As for Dr. Shering's presentation and her way of teaching, it was outstanding, apparent, and enlightening. I have taken a lot of knowledge away with me from this workshop, and I am excited to implement it in my classroom one day.

The once and future teacher. (2013, April 02). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://www.singularityweblog.com/the-once-and-future-teacher/