The approach to combatting bullying at Glenwood Elementary isn't about punishing bad behaviour, but it's about teaching students good behaviour.

The school in central Maple Ridge spent the week focusing on positive activities to build self-esteem and respect for each other.

Monday they started by pledging not to bully, and on Tuesday they listened to a presentation on overcoming obstacles. On Wednesday, which was Pink Shirt Day, the Grade 5 and 6 girls learned about self-esteem.

On Thursday, the students were tasked with writing a positive note or picture, and on Friday, they spent time with their buddies - younger and older grades mixing - doing activities.

Instead of focusing on bad behaviour and on a bully, it's more important to teach good behaviour, said the school's vice-principal Risha Golby.

"If the focus is too much on the bully, we get the opposite effect," she added.

This can result in the bully becoming the focus of negative attention.

Kids at school need to be taught to be respectful, responsible, and to be safe.

"It really is important to build a focus of those social skills that kids need in school and life," Golby said.

Instead of just giving consequences to bad behaviour, students need to be taught and modelled good behaviour.

The school has put into place a WITS strategy: walk away, ignore, talk it out, seek help.

In addition, students need to be acknowledge when they do some-thing right, Golby said, "catching kids" when they show good behaviour.

This can be just positive reinforcement, a smile, or a pat on the back, said the school principal Jovo Bikic said. Or it can be a positive phone call from the school to the parents.

Bikic and Golby both concurred that the education system no longer "oversimplifies" issues, but each child is recognized as a unique learner.

mrantanen@mrtimes.com