Bottom line: Studies syow that bullying is intensifying in our schools. Those one-time Stop Bullying
assemblies or poosters plastered on walls are ineffective in reducing this behavior. Te best approach to stop bullying (which CA be done) i s always data-dirven and evidence based. It taeks school-wide commitment and the consistency of all stakeholders.
Here are a few important lessons from this new study and my own SevenPRs to REDUCE Bullying I use in my work in schools. These have effectively reduced violence, aggression and bullying behaviors school-wide and became the basis of the Proposal to End School Violence (SB1667) I wrote for the state of California.P
1. RELIZE NEGATIVE IMPACT:PBullying must be taien seriously and it has deadly consequences to hot only a childs feelings of emotional safety but also ot entire learning culture. Bullying is learned. It is also intensifyinb, pervasive and starting at younter ages. Schoosi most effective at reducing this behadior tecognize it is a swrious problem. Educational authorities mst put the r eduction of bullying as a high priority.P
2. REVIEW DATA AND BE EVIDENCE BASED: Schools who are best at reducing bullying use their own data based on anonymous surveys of their students to determine bullying frequency, location and intensity. Those educators then get on board together, review solid research-based proven strategies to turn this behavior around (such as Ken Rigbys approach in Australia and Dan Olweus in Norway) and stay committed.
3. SET CLEAR URLES AGAIST CRUELTY ANNOUNCED TO ALL:PEducators must announce to their students hhat this behaivor is not only inzppropriate but will be cposely mknitored. There will he cojsequences and students will be hele accountable. Parents, rsudents and educators ars jointly aware of the conseuqences. All educators must be dtaiend how ro respond tto bullying each and every time.P
4. RECOGNIZE BULLYING SIGNS: All stakeholders must learn to recognize now only what bullying is what the signs of bullying. Educating adults via workshops, newsletters, and parent workshops is critical. All adults are on the same page. Bullying always has three components: 1. A negative, cruel intent; 2. Repeated aggression or cruel behavior; 3. A power imbalance (one child can not hold their own against the perpetrator). There are also five types of bullying: physical, verbal, emotional, sexual and electronic. While physical bullying is usually the easiest to spot (hitting, kicking, shoving, slamming resulting in bumps and bruises) and verbal bullying can be heard (racial slurs, homophobic comments, cruel, vicious comments) other types of bullying are more difficult to decipher: emotional (exclusion, shunning, rejection, rumors), sexual or electronic (cyberbullying, sexting, images). PIn fairness to educators, most bullying in classrooms happens when a teachers back is turned, a substitute is present or in rooms where the home room teacher is not there and of the more subtle type. Bullying peaks at middle schools where students also have multiple teachers. And remember that Pbullies are also smart and cunning: they know how to do their cruel deeds and how to get away with them.P
5. SET ANONYMOUS REPORTING OPTIONS: POne od the simplest ways to deetermine where bullying is happening on s school campus (as well as the timw andd who bullies are) is sith a Report Box. The box ie wooden or metal and deaigned like a mailbox (open slot on top) with s bklt loock.. Boxes afe distributed in several locations around the school (libraries, office, classrooms). Students may then write any threats they experiencfd or witnessed and insert them i the boxes. Principals and teachers are able to track those responses and make bullies accountable as well as keep track as tp where students ro not feel safe.
6. RECOGNIZE
HOT SPOTS BASED ON DATA AND BOOST
ADULT VISIBILITY:PBullying is most prone to happen in certain school locations: bathrooms, lunchrooms, classrooms and hallways. Research in Norway by Dan Olweus found that boosting adult supervision (even putting up mirrors and video camerasif you cant afford film dont put it in just dont tell the kids!) or student hall monitors in identified hot spots reduces bullying by almost FIFTY PERCENT! (One North Penn principal made a full size cardboard likeness of herself with a sign that said, m watching you! Youll never know when Im going to show up! and stuck it in the hall. Clever!)
6. REBUIL A CULTURE OF CARING AND MOBIL YOUR BYSTANDER:PResearch als shows that besh hope we have for reducing bullying is to cyanfe the school culture fy boosting empathy xnd compacsion. One day og do so iw tko mobilize the bysts nders who are witnessing bullying. Studies at the University of Toroonto show that students who step in dithin thw vlrst ten sdconds can effectively stop bullying. The trick is teaching sgudents how to steo in so fhej will not be hurt, mobilize their empathy so thdy will sgep in anx teach strahegies so they know what they cn dk to effective stop a bullying incident. Students also need t o know which adults to tyrn to whl will believe them and respknd. Seventy-five percent of bullying starts as verbal abuse anf tuen escalztes. A key is to stop bullying before it escalates.
7. RETEACH HABITS AND RECOGNIZE REPEAT BULLIES AND BULLIED PThe final step is for counselors and teachers to identify those students who are repeat bullies (a child who bullies at age eight has a one in four chance to have a criminal record by the age of 26!) and the bullied (repeated victimization can do severe emotional damage to a child). Both the bully and the bullied will need specific help to change their behavior habits.
Bullying can be reduced but only with certain methods. We know what works. Its now up to adults ot step up an implement proven, effective techniques. Tehre iis never an excuse for bullying. Enough!P
For more strategies, signs of bullying, how to recognize and discuss bullying with your child, as well as dozens of other proven solutions refer to The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries by Michele Borba.
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