Progressive Education Competition

We at Buddy Bench  strive to become the leaders in progressive education here in Ireland,  social and emotional skills being key.

Emphasis on learning by doing – hands-on projects, expeditionary learning.

An integrated curriculum.

Strong emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking.

Selection of subject content by looking forward to ask what skills will be needed in future society.
Education for social responsibility and democracy.
Emphasis on lifelong learning and social skills.

In September 2017 we are running a nationwide competition to highlight  those hundreds of primary schools who intend to or are running amazing initiatives. We want to hear what your school is doing about being active, being aware of  mental health, keeping safe online and in general being a school that is conscious of progressive education with the element of social and emotional learning.

There is an amazing prize (sorry not disclosure yet), so if you think your school is forward thinking, child led and has support from parents, parents association's, teachers and an inspirational principals, do let us know about them..............

Email hello@buddybench.ie or comment below with a very short description of who is your school and what initiatives they are doing.

Thank You For Now.

Buddy Bench Aware Programmes

Our Buddy Bench Aware programmes are school-wide social and emotional learning programmes that helps children manage their behaviour, develop empathy and compassion, build positive social relationships, and understand and cope with their feelings. Children have taught us their needs and milestones change dramatically throughout the school duration, therefore our team of psychotherapists have designed four different age appropriate programmes.

• Little Buddies age pre-school 3-6
• Buddy Bench Aware age 7-9
• Buddy Bench Hero age 9-12
• Buddy Bench Post Primary 12+

All children deserve good mental health. That's why we have adapted our school programmes for children with Special Educational Needs.

We use a Buddy Bench as a visual tool to help instil much needed lifelong coping skills which is the objective of our Buddy Bench Aware programme. Our thoroughly researched program has been designed by our team and in-house psychotherapist Judith Ashton BA ITEC MFPhys IMTA, who has over 30 years expertise in her field. For the younger children the story in our interactive workbook, written by our Creative Consultant Jeffrey Gormly and illustrated by the very talented Ross Stewart of Cartoon Saloon. It is a story with animals and each animal represents a thought or a feeling but is creative and innovative , being open ended leaving so much to the individual child's imagination. Through our research if a buddy bench is placed in playground without a program it very quickly becomes an attractive climbing frame.

We, as a team of psychotherapists physically visit the school or organisation, our programmes are designed to allow and encourage a child to "feel a feeling" or to "think a thought" we know it is vital that a trained person is present and can identify a situation or problem if it arises, they will then flag a teacher/worker so they can decide if further intervention via the school or the organisation is required.

We are connected with the Ir​​ish Men's Sheds on a national level, you can source a bench through them for a cost of approximately €150  which includes a donation to each of the sheds. www.menssheds.ie

Book our team to come to your school and deliver our Buddy Bench Aware programmes which entwines heavily with SPHE. Each sessions is 45 mins in duration which consists of reading our story, role play and/or games which is delivered by our trained staff. Each pupil receives his/her own copy of the interactive workbook to be completed at school or even with the help of their family at home.

"A state of well-being in which the individual realises his or own abilities, can cope with the

normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to

his or her own community". (WHO, 2001, p.1)

Some of the photos of us Buddy Benchers delivering the "Buddy Bench Aware" programme. These bright as buttons children really got the messages behind the story and really embrace it.

The ethos behind our program is :

LOOK UP, LOOK AROUND, LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER

“We have begun to see positive changes in behaviour, better use of problem solving conversations, reduced discipline incidents, and improved feelings of safety from bullying among our children,” said  Lydia Coyne.

After implementing the programme, children knew techniques to solve problems with classmates and ways to “cool off” and manage anger-related emotions." said  Michelle Coleman

The New Bullying - Social Exclusion

Our Interactive Workbook

Bullying has taken a new form on playgrounds across the country. Instead of the child being teased, pushed around or called names, they are shunned and not invited to join games and activities.

The child is being socially excluded.

When we visit classrooms to deliver our Buddy Bench Aware programme we hear the effects this behaviour has on children, although we never use negative language  and especially the word "bullying" in classrooms, we acknowledge this is a form of such. Social Exclusion must be taken seriously, we feel children, teachers and parents should be educated and a  no-tolerance policy needs to be implemented throughout schools and maybe workplaces in Ireland.

The key message in our programme is:

Look Up

Look Around

and Look Out for Each Other!

Illustration from our workbook

Dr. Edyth Wheeler of Towson University in Baltimore County, Md, agrees and has studied social exclusion of children and young adults.

“Four year olds are master at this,” she says. “When they say ‘I’m not going to be your friend anymore’, they are making the threat of exclusion. Children at that age are at the point where their need for adult approval is declining and they are dependent on peer approval.”

Wheeler says she doesn’t believe that children learn from their parents or other adults how to exclude others from their parents or other adults. Instead, she believes it is a knowledge of the human condition which leads to the ability – and desire – to exclude their peers.

“It’s this innate understanding that makes people want to be accepted and let ‘in’,” she said. “To show we have power, we can not accept them and leave them out. Or to cement ourselves as a group – to be a stronger ‘we’ – we’ll identify a ‘them’.”

According to her work, young girls are specifically good at performing acts of social exclusion. For them, it’s a strong and powerful tool used to negotiate their world and relationships.

There’s good news, according to Wheeler, if you’re the victim of social exclusion.

“It’s not a permanent condition,” she says. “It peaks and then goes away. Part of it is about finding your own identity.”

Teachers and parents may also play a role in preventing social exclusion or healing the hurt after it has taken place.

“The adults really need to listen to their children and to pick up the signals,” said Wheeler. “Children need to trust that somebody can help them. If the message can be that everyone is valued and everyone will be listened to, the situations can become better. In classrooms, teachers can create a sense of community and be very aware of grouping. Really, It all goes back to the responsibility of the adult.”

Colin's Sunny Beach Memorial Bench

Today March 16th 2016 New Ross Educate Together N.S.  installed a Buddy Bench. This bench was no ordinary bench it was a sunny beach bench and it has a very special meaning to all 15 pupils of this fantastic school. It is in memory of a boy named Colin from the USA,  that although very close to us today, is not here on earth but a very bright Angel in heaven and alongside his family is  doing fantastic work even in his passing.

Colin's Mom sent me a some intimate information about who Colin was in this life:

"He was like a big teddy bear. He was much taller and heavier than all his friends and classmates. People say that Colin was an old soul, that he was born before his time. Colin went through a lot more than a child his age should have gone through. Colin lived with myself and his older brother Matthew, his father passed when he was six.

When Colin was in third grade he had a Birthday Party with his school friends, he asked that they not bring presents for himself, but instead bring a donation of clothing for children so he could donate to an organization called Cradles to Crayons. He was a very giving child. He never was disrespectful to his parents or his teachers. Colin was always joking and a class clown. He loved to dance and sing. Colin was a lineman on the Weymouth Wildcat Football team. He loved the beach and collecting rocks and shells.

Colin struggled with school he was on an Individual Education Plan for Math and ELA which put him in classrooms with other students with the same struggles. It did not bother Colin that he needed special help for school but others sometimes were being bullied. Colin always stood up for those students who would get bullied. His size played a key factor in assuring there were no more problems.

Colin had a lot of friends, he is very missed by all that knew him. He also comes from a big family. Colin always wanted to be around his family either for a visit or any holiday.

Colin especially loved his Irish heritage. Unfortunately he never was able to make a visit to visit hisrelatives in Ireland. His Great Grandmother Daley was from Ballyvaughan, County Clare and his Great Grandfather was from Swiftsheath, County Kilkenny. He has cousins today, the Hurley's in Lisdoonvarna and cousins in County Mayo and many in County Clare. 

His passing was 2 years this past 1/17/2016"

For more information about Colin and his mission please visit http://colinsmission.org/

Thanks to the Carlow Branch of the Irish Men's Shed for making the bench although the lovely art work was created by the teachers of the school, the children have yet to make their mark, I am sure they will.

Colin's Mom sent over these lovely t-shirts for all the children and teachers and even one for me. Thank you Lisa.

By now we all know the meaning of the Buddy Bench to promote friendship among our children and we use the bench as a visual aid in conjunction with the "Buddy Bench Aware" program that we have developed. Visiting these children today and other schools, we see that children are naturally loving, caring and pure of heart. It is our responsibility to provide a healthy environment that encourages these natural attributes.

We will return to New Ross after the Easter break to deliver our program and give each child their interactive workbook for keeps.



A bench fit for a King, I know from my communication with Lisa just how unique and special Colin was, his selflessness, thoughts for others and bubbly personality. We are proud to have part of him here in Ireland and in educating our children about friendship, love and caring for each other,what more would he want.

Thank You Colin and Happy St. Patrick's Day !

4 Your Community: Buddy Bench battles bullying in Avon

Courtesy of http://cbs4indy.com/2016/01/21/4-your-community-buddy-bench-battles-bullying-in-avon/

AVON, Ind. (January 21, 2016) – Avon is a quickly growing community, and that means a lot of new students too.

Students at Sycamore Elementary are making sure those new kids feel welcome.

Payton Baker and her fellow student council members got a bench donated to them from IU West, but they’ve turned it into something more than just a place to sit.

"We just kind of make sure that everybody has respect for everybody," said Baker.

Rex Rabb is the student council President and loves the idea of the bench. "It's for people who might not have a lot of friends," said Rabb. "Maybe you just want to make a new friend. So at recess you go and sit on it and people will come up to you and ask if you want to play with them."

So they painted it and call it the “Buddy Bench. Third grade teacher Erica Banas said the bench fights back against bullying.

"We here at Sycamore try so much to be together," said Banas. "We’re a family. We’re a community here."

Avon is a community that is getting bigger too. Sycamore Elementary is expecting 100 new students next school year.

"The Buddy Bench is a great way, especially for new students to meet new people," said Banas.

"As new kids come in I hope they have the same respect for others," said Baker.

Our News- This Is Working

We’re working away here developing the creative materials that go along with our "Buddy Bench Aware Program".

The simplicity and openness of the story at the heart of the program invites the schoolchild’s imagination to ‘rise up’ to meet the various situations of the main character.

Through this exercise in listening and imagining, the children experience qualities of empathy and connection, and the importance of having, holding and honouring one’s own thought processes;

feeling, containing and articulating an emotional state;
knowing one’s needs, and asking for what you want;

developing an awareness that others have similar thoughts, feelings, wants and needs;

the mutual value of sharing one’s inner life;

and the already present emotional capacity of most children to engage in these exchanges.

We’re so proud of the sensitive creative innovation happening here, and of the great kids that are testing the material and guiding our efforts.

This is working!
By Jeffrey Gormly
Creative Advisor

'Buddy Bench' Creates A Safe Spot For Shy Classmates To Find Friends

Everyone deserves a pal on the playground.

Cameron KeadyGood News Associate Editor, The Huffington PostPosted: 11/27/2015 11:18 AM EST | Edited: 11/27/2015 12:05 PM EST

This school has some truly stand-up students. 

A group of kids at McIntyre Elementary School, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have created a special bench to make sure their fellow classmates aren't left out on the playground. Called the "Buddy Bench," students can use the seat as a safe and supportive place to let others know they'd like to be included in playtime, but may be too shy to ask.

"The school community, students, parents, and faculty understand that the buddy bench is a tool for kids to use to advocate for themselves, to always include others and to promote a safe, respectful and responsible environment for all children," Regina Farrell, school counselor at McIntyre Elementary, told The Huffington Post. 

The concept of the Buddy Bench is simple: Students who want to partake in playground games and activities, but may feel hesitant, can take a seat, which signifies to other children on the playground that they may need an extra boost to participate. 

"The bench is a powerful anti-bullying tool," Farrell explained. "It builds kid’s self-esteem to ask others to play with them. Likewise, reaching out to a peer who is feeling left out is significant as well."

The idea for the bench came about last year, when Farrell was conducting a leadership group to help students overcome shyness and gain confidence. Four fourth-grade students came up with the idea for the Buddy Bench in this workshop, and worked with Farrell to draft a letter to present to the Parent Teacher Staff Organization to make the bench a reality. The PTSO approved the students' pitch, and designated funds to install a bright metal bench with a cheerful sign that reads "Buddy Bench" on the school's playground. 

Since it was installed on Nov. 16, the bench has been effective. The simple concept has resonated with the students, and already has created a more inclusive environment within the school community. 

"Each day, I go to recess and see the buddy bench working," Farrell said. "The lessons they are learning now will benefit them their entire lives. It is simply a beautiful example of kids wanting to be kind and continue to be kind every day."

Our Message To The World

Our Message to the World

Buddy Bench Ireland sees a future where the health of each child is nurtured and cultivated throughout the school years. The values we cultivate with the Buddy Bench Awareness Program include creativity, mindfulness and communication as core competencies that support each child to build personal resilience. The Buddy Bench Aware Program is oriented around Thinking and Feeling: having confidence in the value that each person brings through their own uniqueness; & Finding a voice and Listening: the social value of self-expression, empathy, and mutual understanding. Supporting the capacity of children is one leg of the stool that supports an emotionally and mentally healthy economy. The other two legs are the willingness of the school to gather around the child with a challenge, and work together with the child, parents and others to find initiatives that help the situation; and the expertise, and readiness to listen and learn, of the organisations that appropriately resource and support the school to cultivate mental and emotional well-being. We pride ourselves on being one of those organisations. We are learning every day how to better deliver our value to classrooms and playgrounds. We want to bring the Buddy Bench, and our creative Awareness Program, to every school child in Ireland!

by Jeffrey Gormly
Creative Advisor

Carlow Mens Shed Interview with Helen from Nationwide

Helen McInery from RTE Nationwide interviewing Michael from Carlow Mens Shed about our partnership.

Delivery of the Buddy Bench

Tara the dog stole the show when we brought  the Buddy Bench to Danesfort National School before we delivered our "Buddy Bench Aware" program.

Two Camera Crews Today November 5th 2015

Well, didn’t we have an exciting day on November 5th 2015. The weather may have been dull and wet,

but inside Danesfort National School was bright with excitement – children, teachers, parents, all eagerly awaiting not one but TWO camera crews – one from RTE, filming a segment for RTE Nationwide and the other from Glass Eye Productions, who are making the first Buddy Bench Ireland promo video for our crowd funding campaign.

We will be crowd funding to bring our "Buddy Bench Aware" program within reach of every primary schoolchild in Ireland, this takes funding to say the least.

The kettle was boiling, the cakes were laid out, and the school was abuzz!

Congrats to Danesfort NS, the pioneers of the Buddy Bench Aware Program! soon you will see yourselves on the television, be very proud you were fantastic. Thank you to the students, fantastic teachers Muinteor Helen and Muinteor Natalie and the parents for their co-operation. Anne and Parent Committee for the "too nice" cakes. We had a very special guest appearance of the former head master Mr. Joe Hickey.

Judith reading the story of the child on the bench, the teaching fable at the heart of our workshop;

Helen from RTE interviewing the children from Muinteor Natalie’s class;

Sam explaining the story of the Buddy Bench Movement while children ran and laughed around their playground at break-time.

Muinteor Helen’s Class taking full energetic part in the games and exercises with Jeffrey Gormly our creative Advisor, that develop the creativity, confidence, mindfulness and communication skills that form the core of the "Buddy Bench Aware" Program. Jeffrey wrote our "Buddy Bench Aware" story that we use for the interactive workbook for every child who takes part in the program. It consists of animals and each animal represents a coping skill will feel will benefit the child for the rest of it's life. Through our research we found the early invention is key.

We use a buddy bench as a visual tool alongside the paediatric-psychologist-designed "Buddy Bench Aware" program, we want to reach every primary school children in Ireland. We want to help them release the stigma of asking for help, celebrate the children who act with compassion, kindness empathy and encourage them in developing conflict-management skills, thus relieving anxiety, stress and feelings of isolation.

Then off to the Men’s Shed Carlow for more filming – the lovely men there are going to make the benches

that we roll out as part of our initial pilot program in the South East! It is fantastic we have the support of this initiative. we feel we are bringing two elements of the community together in a very positive way. Plus these guys are great fun.!

The two Michael s are based in the Carlow Mens Shed, this is a hive of activity you can feel the energy and the talent and craftsmanship has to be seen to be believed. I hear they do a great "Fry Up" on a Thursday lunchtime. They told me that was a big secret!

We want to roll this initiative out nationally as it entwines heavily with the SPHE program (Social Personal and Health Education) in the primary school curriculum.

Help us so we can deliver the Buddy Bench Aware Program to every primary school child in Ireland, forming a happier society and the voices of our younger children  heard.

It’s a movement, and we’re moving fast!

Get in touch by email buddybenchmovement@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Donate, and support the delivery of Buddy Bench Aware Programs in a school near you!

The Butterfly Effect

Butterfly Effect takes flight at Dickson Middle School

The Butterfly Effect has continued to receive national attention since this year when Chris Rosati, of Durham, N.C., gave two girls he saw at a restaurant $50 each and asked that they do something kind with the cash.Dickson Middle School students and teams of students were chosen to receive $100 to do good deeds in the community and test out the “Butterfly Effect.”

Rosati has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that is slowing down his body, and looks for ways to make the world a better place, largely through a charity organization he runs.

The two girls, ages 13 and 10, sent the money to a village in Sierra Leone for a feast. The village then took a photo with signs showing their thanks — the signs said “Thank you Chris Rosati” — and emailed it to Rosati.

He realized that small acts of kindness could spread and grow.

The Butterfly Effect saying goes: “An act as small as a butterfly flapping its wings can strengthen and even form a hurricane, and an act of kindness, no matter how small, can create ripples that spread farther than we could ever guess.”

DMS kindness

On Sept. 18, Dickson Middle art teacher Lisa Moore launched a Butterfly Effect program of her own. An anonymous donor provided $1,000 whereby 10 students or teams of students could use the $100 to do something kind. Students submitted grant proposals and the following were chosen:

Buddy Bench Project

Matt Roberts and Jack Dawson

The buddy bench is a simple idea to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. Let’s spread the message of inclusion and kindness. It will built on an elementary playground and if a child needs someone to play with they sit on the bench and someone will come and play with them.

Lupus

Ethen Holman

Ethen wants to use the money to donate and help him buy a few products to promote Lupus awareness throughout the community.

Keeping Homeless Warm

Alton Hayes, Jasper Halbrooks, Jeren Ferguson, and Collin Jameson

Buying blankets and McDonalds food cards to distribute to the homeless in our community.

Pastries for Pets

Lucy Potter and Allie Potter

Creating delicious pastries to raise money and awareness of Proverbs 12:10 animal rescue.

St. Jude’s

Montana Heggie and Alyssa Beasley

Sending blankets, toys, and movies to the children at St. Jude’s.

Soles 4 Souls

Savannah Coppedge

Purchasing shoes for the Soles 4 Souls charity that distributes shoes to children throughout the world.

Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital

Hannah Oliver

Provide toys for children and items for hospitalized teens to brighten their day.

Sarah Cannon/NHC

Calie Pickering

Half of the grant money will be used to purchase gift cards to give to patients at Sarah Cannon Chemo Center The remaining money will be used to brighten the day of a patient at the NHC nursing home.

Miles of Smiles

Summer Lemaster

Grant money will be used to purchase art supplies, cameras and homemade cards for patients at St. Jude’s.

Nurse’s Little Helpers

Elizabeth Reid, Maggie Jones, and Kenzie Faulkner

Grant money will be used to purchase gas and food gift cards to distribute to parents with children at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

It’s a Wonderful Life

Katlyn Smith, Jada Davidson, Rylee Moore, Aliyah Edmondson

Host a celebration of strength, faith, and hope at one of our county nursing homes.

Heart for Malawi

Trula Holt

The money will be used to provide meals for 10 families for 1 month in the African nation of Malawi.

Kait's Angels adds Buddy Bench

Community

Kait’s Angels adds Buddy Bench to Aquebogue Elementary School

Kait’s Angels, a North Fork organization created in memory of Kaitlyn Doorhy, donated a new “Buddy Benches” on Friday at Aquebogue Elementary School.

Students from first to fourth grade gathered for an assembly as the Buddy Bench was officially unveiled.

Darla Doorhy, Kaitlyn’s mother, said elementary schools at Riley Avenue, Oysterponds, New Suffolk, Southold and Greenport will all be receiving a Buddy Bench.

“It’s pretty special because it is the first one Kait’s Angels is doing as an organization on the North Fork,” she said.

A second grader from York, Penn., first created the Buddy Bench idea after deciding to help lonely classmates at his school’s playground.

Lisa Fox, the president of Mattituck Cutchogue PTA, pitched installing a Buddy Bench locally last year as a way for students to come together when they might otherwise feel alone. In November 2014, the “Kaitlyn Doorhy Memorial Buddy Bench” was unveiled at Cutchogue East Elementary School.

Kait’s Angels picked up the idea from there.

Aquebogue principal Phil Kent, who said he knew Kaitlyn from living in Cutchogue, said she was an example of living life to the fullest.

“She loved to be amongst friends and kids,” he said.

During the assembly, he spoke to the students about what the bench represented.

“You can use it and access when you are looking for a buddy or to sit down and calm down,” he said. “You can say I need a friend today.”

Kaitlyn was a 2012 Mattituck High School graduate, honor student, varsity soccer player, accomplished musician, cheerleader, volunteer and 2011 Mattituck Strawberry Queen who died at the age of 20 in 2014 when she was struck by car near her sorority house at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.

Top Photo Caption: Kait’s Angels board members Laurie Italia (from left), Mary Lou Araneo, and Kait’s parents Darla and Joe Doohry. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

See more photos of the Buddy Bench below:

Aquebogue Elementary School third and fourth graders in the cafeteria for the “Buddy Bench” assembly Friday afternoon. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Fourth graders Samantha Davis and Ja’Dah William became friends Friday at recess. Samantha told the principal Phil Kent she was having trouble making friends. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

RTE Nationwide's Visit

We are so excited to have Nationwide ‪#‎RTE‬ visit us tomorrow. Hairs washed, shoes polished uniforms ready to go for all the children of our pilot Buddy Bench Aware programme Danesfort National School,‪#‎Kilkenny‬. These children are amazing and are loving the limelight at the minute. Early nights for us all tonight, we are so proud of you all, our star lite Buddy Benchers.

Photos Too Follow!