Operation Respect

Operation Respect "Don't Laugh at Me" Project

Roughly 35,000 children a day miss school across the country because of bullying.

The creation of the Don't Laugh at Me Project (DLAM) is designed to reduce this problem by establishing an atmosphere of respect where students can learn and teachers can teach.

Founded by Peter Yarrow of the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary, DLAM utilizes inspiring music and video to support well-tested, highly regarded conflict resolution curricula developed by the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP) of Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR).

DLAM is a gateway program designed to provide teachers, school counselors, social workers, administrators and other professionals with an entry point for year-round social and emotional learning.

DLAM has developed three curricula for:

• Grades 2-5
• Grades 6-8
• Summer camps and after-school programs

The program is designed to inspire children, along with their teachers and other educators, to transform their classrooms and schools into "Ridicule Free Zones."

Thereafter, students and educators take mutual responsibility for preserving the climate they have created.

1. The healthy expression of feelings
2. Caring, compassion and cooperation
3. Creative resolution of conflicts
4. Appreciation of difference

Why is State Farm® interested in DLAM?

One of the nine elements business has identified as essential to Education Excellence is safety and discipline.

Many of the recent incidents of school violence have been attributed to children who did not feel they were valued or felt they didn't belong to a peer group at their school.

Several states and communities have passed, or are in the process of passing, anti-bullying legislation as a result. Support for DLAM helps schools and communities address this critical issue.

In addition to the curricular piece for K-12 schools, DLAM is also being used by higher-education institutions, which are infusing social-emotional learning into pre-service teacher education.

For example, State Farm has partnered with the University of Alabama-Birmingham to pilot Don't Laugh at Me training in their teacher preparation program.

Learn more about Operation Respect and Don't Laugh at Me www.dontlaugh.org.