ASHLAND -- Children learn the 'Three Rs' in school -- reading, writing and arithmetic -- but they don't learn how to protect themselves, a Framingham karate teacher said.

That's why Hanshi Craig Seavey joined with Ashland Police to teach the "Smart on the Street" program to the 600 students of the David Mindess School.

It is a program designed to teach children how to deal with bullies, strangers and peer pressure, said Seavey of Ashland, who owns the two Nick Cerio Kenpo Karate schools in Framingham.

"It gives these kids some strategies on how to deal with awareness," said Seavey yesterday. "They learn things in school, but they don't have a strategy how to deal with something physical. We teach them how to walk and talk and how to stop a situation from happening."

Seavey, as well as several other instructors from his school, and Ashland officers meet with about 70 students a week on Tuesdays to teach the program. He said the program will continue until every student takes the course.

Officer Gregg Wildman, a student of Seavey's, said the program was discussed this past summer.

"We all agreed this was a great idea," Wildman said. "This educates them how to deal with things in school and outside of school. It teaches kids how to handle themselves verbally if one of these situations unfortunately arises."

Ashland Police wanted to be involved to help develop relationships with children, Wildman said.

"It's great for the kids when the police are here in a non-threatening manner," he said. "This helps them begin to trust the police."

Principal Arlene Argir said the program gives the students some positive ways to help with life.

"I think they get a lot from it," said Argir. "It shows protecting themselves is important. It gives them self-confidence."

In the course, Seavey shows the students -- fifth-graders yesterday -- how they should walk and present themselves to someone. He said they should stand sideways to present less of a target and hold one of their hands near their face as a precaution.

If someone, a bully or a stranger, gets too close Seavey told them to say loudly, "Stop, what do you want," while putting their hand out in front of them.

"Say it loudly because one of the things bullies don't want is negative attraction being brought to them," Seavey told the youngsters. "They don't want to look bad."

Seavey also showed the children how to dislodge someone who grabbed them, either with bringing both arms down across the attackers arms or striking the wrist of a stranger. Then, he said, run away.

"If they walk away with two or three things from this, that's great," said Seavey, who said he hopes to expand the program to other Ashland schools, as well as schools in Framingham, Southborough and Westborough.

"A kid can go through their first six, seven, eight years of life feeling like a victim," he said. "Hopefully, this gives them some empowerment."