While
schools value (or should) value the emotional and physical well-being of their
students above all else, bullying continues to be a pervasive problem in todays’
educational institutions. This stems
from two main components; a lack of understanding and communication between
parents, schools, and students. Clearly
a topic as important, large and complicated as this cannot be fully covered
here, but what can be given is an overview along with some resources to help
increase the prevention of bullying.
Formal Definition
In
order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
·
An Imbalance of Power: This occurs when an individual uses
their power (physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or
popularity to control or harm others.
·
Repetition: The behaviors happen more than once.
Understanding
Bullying/harassment leaves scars that
long outlast the act itself.
The
2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) located at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
indicates that, nationwide, 20% of students in grades 9–12 experienced
bullying.
Victims
often report increased:
·
Depression and anxiety
·
sadness and loneliness
They
lose interest in activities they used to enjoy and often experience health
issues and decreased academic achievement.
Additionally, they are more likely to be absent or completely drop out
of school. There are also effects
suffered by those who bully or even witness such incidents. The aftermath can be the root cause of a host
of anti-social behaviors. In fact, most school shootings in the 1990’s were
perpetrated by students who were victims of bullying.
Some Questions to Ask Students
Regarding…
Perception
·
What does “bullying” mean to you?
·
Describe what kids who bully are like. Why do you think
people bully?
·
What do you usually do when you see bullying going on?
·
Do you ever see kids at your school being bullied by other
kids? How does it make you feel?
·
Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied?
What happened? What would you do if it happens again?
Trust
·
Who are the adults you trust most when it comes to things
like bullying?
Action
·
What can you do if bullying occurs?
·
What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying?
·
What can your school do to help stop bullying?
Communication is Key
Many
times students will say (and they truly believe) that there is nothing adults
can do to stop bullying. The fact is
parents, staff, and students themselves can play a significant role in
preventing bullying through communication and action. Parents and staff
need to take time to check in with students to find out about their concerns
and let them know any type of bullying or harassment is unacceptable. We need to take the time to inform ourselves
about what is going on in our students’ lives.
It can be as easy as a ten minute conversation. A few examples:
Parents:
·
Meet or contact teachers and counselors
·
Read school newsletters and the school website
·
Go to school events
Staff:
·
Listen to students beyond academics
·
Be aware of hallway behaviors
·
Help kids take
part in activities
Students:
·
Report issues you see occur in school.
·
Talk about your concerns.
·
Promote a respectful environment. You would want someone to help you.
Everyone:
·
Encourage students to do what they love and be who they are
regardless of others opinions.
·
Model how to treat each other with kindness and respect.
Action
In
the end, it is everyone’s responsibility if bullying is to be prevented and
talking about it directly is one important step. Another is taking action against it. We all need to remember that students watch
how adults interact, manage stress, and treat others. They learn from us. Make sure the lesson they are receiving is
one of maturity, respect, and responsibility.
Please take the time to investigate
the following resources for a comprehensive amount of information concerning
this very important topic. After all, what
could possibly be more important than taking care of our students’ physical,
social, and emotional needs in the best possible manner to ensure they grow
into healthy, happy adults?
Sources for this post:
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