An Interview with Nate Jackson, OUSD Teacher of the Year!

Four years ago, we couldn’t have predicted the end of schoolyard bullying with the end of schoolyards. We didn’t expect a 21st century American president to become the living example of shameless, careless, righteous, unstoppable bullying behaviors.

Nate Jackson, who this year was named OUSD’s Teacher of the Year, is now the District’s Physical Education specialist. In this 2016 interview with me (author Kristen Caven), we shared our thoughts and insights on bullying—what it is and isn’t, how it happens on the playground, how P.E. can help.

When I asked Nate what was different now, he said, “Things haven’t changed much when it comes to bullying. I feel like it’s the opposite, now; everyone has to be even more careful because student self esteem is so fragile. We as teachers have to make extra sure that they, and adults, are connected with at school.” He continues, “It’s hard to make friends and connect though zoom. It’s hard for kids to read the emotions of others, and express how they’re feeling on Zoom.”

Technology creates new problems. “While some students have the technologies and family support, as well as a quiet place to learn, others are finding themselves the head of household while their parents are working.” But even these problems seem small compared to the bigger issues. “There’s sooooo much more going on that puts education on the back burner. We’re trying to understanding what really matters… education or survival?”

I think what he’s saying is get out there and vote. Vote against bullies and short-term thinking. Vote for our national well-being.

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Zorgos = “I Will Take Care”

Today is the one-year anniversary of the Zorgos Awards ceremony to close the Zorgos Project. But Zorgos Day is every October 15th, a time to focus on solutions to bullying dynamics.

Zorgos is the Esperanto word for “I will take care.” What’s Esperanto? It’s an international language devised 130 years ago with the hope of uniting the world.

When I co-wrote The Bullying Antidote: Superpower Your Kids for Life with Dr. Louise Hart, we searched high and low for a word that sounded like a superpower yet perfectly symbolizes the opposite of and the cure for bullying dynamics.

When working with kids recently in the Upward Roots young changemakers program at a local elementary school, it was fascinating to see how quickly they came to the same idea. When asked to imagine a place where bullying never happens, they came up with groups of friends, classrooms, and families where people took care of each other.

Bullying is the careless use of power, seeing people as things, being wrapped up in negative emotions, acting selfishly without regard to consequences that may befall others. It’s different from making a mistake because it is persistent and deliberately targets those with less power. But bullying is also a dynamic of seeing others from a victim’s perspective and creating conflict where it need not exist. Most of the people in America can now, easily recognize bullying as it is constantly on display by the iconic resident of the White House. What was once thought to be a playground problem is now being seen as a social-emotional sickness that infects families, schools, communities, and political spheres.

Fortunately, the antidote is readily available and abundant in the world. Nature demonstrates that forces of nurture, of partnership, of cooperation and resource sharing are the dominant paradigm, not domination.

Join me today and every day in sharing this message:

I will take care of my children and family, of my friends and neighbors, of my city, of my work, of my world and essentially, of myself. I will create a culture of caring where bullying has no place. 

Because “Bullying simply does not have a chance to grow in a deeply developed culture of respect and caring.” — The Bullying Antidote

How will YOU take care today?

Tag an image of yourself with the words #zorgos=I will take care.

The Zorgos Awards 2017

On October 15, 2017, to celebrate the mayorally-proclaimed Zorgos Day, we celebrated The Zorgos Awards with a delicious banquet at Oakland’s beautiful Bellevue Club.

Each nominee was introduced with a stack of words that represent qualities that make up Zorgos, the antidote to bullying, and the words were put into a suitcase. They received a certificate and a golden cape…to honor their ordinary superpowers!

Invocation by Amos White: view “There Are No Bullies” & “Red Dawn”

Photo by Rich Luibrand • Click photo to hear the poet read

Welcome by Kristen Caven: read “A Silly Word for a Serious Problem”

Henry Hitz, founder of Oakland Parents Together • Photo by Rich Luibrand

Henry Hitz presented Laquisha Cowan, parent coordinator

Effective listening is a key ingredient of The Bullying Antidote, and parent organizer Laquisha’s reputation as a good listener is well-earned. Her listening helps parents grow empathy, make better choices, build relationships with one another, and foster connections that reveal the wonderful truth of positivity: when we mutually support one another, we can overcome personal obstacles and difficulties and better help our children.

Photo by Rich Luibrand

Sharon Fillion presented to Rebecka Langum, 4th Grade teacher

“Ms. Langum” is known for her enthusiasm and directness, and using humor and empathy to create calmer situations. She sees the best in everyone, and guides those around her to positivity…all of these qualities contribute to a growth mindset, which creates expanded possibility and solutions, interrupting and replacing negative bullying dynamics with the opposite: friendship, self-esteem, hope. She loves little Buddhas.

The award was accepted by everyday hero, Dave Caven.

click to see video of Dave’s remarks

 

Alice Wertz presented to Genice Jacobs, local and global activist, www.abolitionistmom.org.

Genice Jacobs Simenauer’s work protecting young girls has put the spotlight on an area that urgently calls for prevention. Bullying is a human rights issue, and slavery, the highest (lowest?) form of bullying, needs to be abolished. AGAIN! Her work bringing this issue to public consciousness through a 2014 billboard campaign, her work on policy at the city and state levels, and her work educating parents and teachers through her “Abolitionist Mom” website all support and demonstrate the concept of assertiveness — the “gutsy middle road” away from both bullying and victimhood and towards personal empowerment.

Photo by Rich Luibrand • click it to see video of Genice’s inspiring acceptance speech.

Bellevue Zumba Club says: NO!

All my ladies listen up / If that boy ain’t giving up / Lick your lips and swing your hips / Girl all you gotta say is… / My name is no / my sign is no / my number is no / You need to let it go! / I’m feeling untouchable…. — Meghan Trainor

Photo by Rich Luibrand • KRS-10 teaches Zumba at 8:30 on Wednesdays

Gary Yee presented to Ron Lytle, composer & lyricist www.ronlytle.com

Ron Lytle’s wonderful works of imagination for East Bay Children’s Theatre have made Grimm’s fairytales less grim, helping to heal a dark history of European childrearing. All of his works demonstrates character arcs towards virtue and happiness, and each show creates opportunities for positive, inter-generational community experiences. The arts as a renewable resource and a powerful primary prevention tool in teaching empathy. Thank you for helping us imagine more “Happily ever after!” These stories teach optimism and a growth mindset.

Photo by Rich Luibrand • Does it look like Ron is getting an idea for a new musical? We hope so!

Clidell “Franceyez” Jackson III presented to Lamar Hancock, kingmaker

Lamar’s presence and work at Oakland Tech, relating to students and developing programs such as REAL HARD and the African American Male Achievement/Manhood Development program, has been part of an upshift in the story of black boyhood in Oakland. His day-to-day attention to positive change and respect has helped a generation of what might have been “lost” children identify their strengths, new perspectives, and greater powers in a world that defines them by and aligns them with heavy and often deadly bullying dynamics. We honor his spirit of capability in changing a downward spiral to an upward spiral.

Lamar Hancock, Kristen Caven, Clidell Franceyez Jackson III, Dr. Louise Hart • Photo by Rich Luibrand

Louise Hart presented to Jeanne Gibbs, Thought Leader

The 1987 publication of Jeanne’s book, TRIBES, and subsequent creation of the Tribes Learning Community program created a classroom revolution with Community Circles. When things are going “right” in Oakland Schools, it’s usually because there is some form of this practice, which creates connection, inclusion, and caring among students. The simplicity of circles is a tried and true way to promote social emotional learning, a fundamental ingredient in The Bullying Antidote! Mia Lang accepted for Jeanne Gibbs.

Photo by Rich Luibrand

(Read: “A Zorgos Day Blessing” by Clidell Franceyez Jackson III)

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Louise Hart presented “Putting Out Fires” circle

The “grand finale” put us all in mind of the fires burning north of us. Louise talked us through a simple backrub technique for healthy touch, featuring snowflakes, raindrops, hail, thunder, lightning, hurricanes, tidal wave, and a calm after the storm.

“Climate Calming” exercise • All photos by Richard Luibrand

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Nominees who were not able to make the banquet, but who are honored and appreciate just the same, are

Lynette Gibson-McElhaney, city council member

Lynette Gibson McElhaney​ is a champion of evidence based, data-driven approaches to reduce violence such as Ceasefire and the new Department of Violence Prevention in Oakland. Children have a right to grow up without violence. Thank you Lynette, and the Oakland City Council for your foresight in moving Oakland from crisis mode to prevention mode.

Scott Johnson, journalist

Scott’s reporting on the widespread effects of trauma on Oakland’s children helped create awareness and empathy, leading to a greater understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Scott’s ground-breaking journalism helped empower those working to create change and build resilience. Understanding the consequences of trauma helps to create a deeper understanding of bully prevention.

Walk On Pup, local business

A dog-walking upshifted the emotions of dogs from conflict to friendship in one Oakland neighborhood, approaching owners of aggressive behind-the-fence dogs so their pets could walk with the neighborhood pack. Their efforts were part of a renaissance, weaving a social structure where people would stop to say hello. The mood of the neighborhood changed from tense and fearful to open and relaxed. A key concept in bully prevention that, as mammals, our brains are wired for connection, and intentional positivity can replace the urge to fight for territory and self-preservation.

Steve Kerr, basketball coach

Steve’s leadership of The Warriors demonstrates democratic authority, the exemplary “middle road” between permissive and autocratic leadership. Being a public “upstander” has influenced other national sports leaders. Steve’s insistence his team “play with joy” counter-models the punitive autocracy that is often associated with sports coaching, and has allowed talent to thrive and happiness to infuse our city as we share the success of his team. Oakland has experienced great happiness due to the ripple-effect of his positive leadership.

Pete Docter, screenwriter

We can all see joy, anger, sadness, disgust, and fear so differently now, so much more compassionately, thanks to the Pixar film Inside Out! We thank Pete Docter and Meg LeFauve for bringing the conversation of emotional literacy into the mainstream in a huge new way. It addressed not only the importance of all of our emotions, good and bad, and how different people experience emotion differently, but showed what can happen when we suppress our feelings. When parents understand brain science, they are more likely to use curiosity as an effective parenting tool that creates empathy and closeness, and less likely to identify behavior as “bad,”falling into traps of blaming, shaming, and punishing. Thank you for this beloved work!

NOTE: Nominations are still coming in. 

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By the end of the night, the suitcase was full of words…just like how Oakland is full of solutions.

The date was chosen because of a mayoral proclamation for Oakland, but….

Anyone can give out Zorgos Awards!!!!

Thank you to “Team Zorgos!”

Nakeyma Randle, Kristen Caven, Dave Caven, Louise Hart, Vicki Luibrand, Sharon Fillion. Not pictured: Alice Wertz, Laurie Panther

Thank you to our musicians, Sara Klotz de Aguilar and Daniel Finnamore.

Photo by Rich Luibrand

And thank you to all of the members and staff of The Bellevue Club for such a memorable evening!

The Bellevue Club is a social club hosting a rejuvenation drive. We are all social creatures, hardwired for relationships! Please call for a tour if you would like to learn more about joining. 510-451-1000

 

 

There are no bullies in a poet’s eyes

There are no bullies in a poet’s eyes

Only those who poorly struggle

To be seen

Or coarsely, to be heard

With every broken word

Or brutish lash

Do not despair

We learn and share our knowledge

Each one

We reach

one

We teach

—Amos White Haiku for Zorgos Day 10/15/17

photo by Rich Luibrand • Click to hear the poet read

 

5 Ways to Celebrate Zorgos Day … Anywhere!

The mayor of Oakland has proclaimed October 15th “Zorgos Day.” (You can read the proclamation here.) Here are some ways to celebrate it.

1. Read a chapter of The Bullying Antidote with a friend or family member. Don’t have the book? The first three chapters and discussion questions for the whole book can be found here. There are good questions in every chapter!
2. Look through the slides from our back-to-school presentation.
3. Download “What to Do When…” and share with other parents.
4. Talk with your kids, your friends, your parents. Draw pictures, write poems, talk about how you moved from picked-on to powerful. Maybe write an acrostic together!  Share it with us.
5. Check out all the great ideas and resources available right here in The Zorgos Reader!

Say you are coming to our Zorgos Day Everywhere Facebook Event! Share something!

Make every day a Zorgos Day!

Have you got some other good ideas? Let us know!