AWhole School Approach

Ann Tamaccio

May, 2010

BULLYING & Victimization

What is Bullying:

Bullying is an act of repeated aggressive behavior in order to intentionally hurt another person, physically or mentally. Bullying is characterized by an individual behaving in a certain way to gain power over another person.

Bullying behavior may include name calling, verbal or written abuse, exclusion from activities, exclusion from social situations, physical abuse, or coercion.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullying#Definition

Bullying Statistics

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly a third of all students aged 12 - 18 reported having been bullied at school in 2007, some almost daily.

Of those students in 2007 who reported being bullied during the school year, 79 percent said that they were bullied inside the school, 23 percent said that they were bullied outside on school grounds, 8 percent said they were bullied on the school bus, and 4 percent said they were bullied somewhere else .

Reference: www.nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators 2009

Bullying Statistics

There is noticeably more bullying in middle school (grades 6, 7, and 8) than in senior high school;

Emotional bullying is the most prevalent type of bullying, with pushing/shoving/tripping/spitting on someone being second;

Cyberbullying is - for the middle grade levels - the least prominent type of bullying, but it is greater in the last three years of high school than in grades 6 - 9.

Reference: www.nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators 2009

Bullying Behaviors“Bullying is a learned behavior” (Selekman, 2006)

Physical Verbal/Nonverbal Emotional Sexual Cyberbullying “Bully by proxy”—Hazing

Bullying by definition indicates that these behaviors are repeated over time and regardless of the method used, have a psychological impact. (Selekman, 2006)

BULLIES:

Are aggressive with others (including parents and teachers)

Frequently hit or push other children Are physically strong and socially dominant Have a positive view of aggression Have trouble following rules Show little empathy for others Are emotionally immature Are irresponsible Show inadequate social skills (also true for bully/victims) Seek attention (think fear equals respect) Are often contemptuous of both children and adults Are often academically below average Cannot and will not accept responsibility for their

actions

Victims:

Typically anxious, insecure, or cautious Suffer from low self-esteem Rarely defend themselves or retaliate when confronted

by bullies May lack social skills and friends Often socially isolated Males tend to be physically weaker than their peers Tend to be close to their parents or may have parents

who are overprotective May refuse to go to school May have frequent psychosomatic complaints –

headache, stomachache, “don’t feel well”

“Watchers”

“Bully-assistants” or “Reinforcers” Multiple studies have shown that peers are present in more

than 85 percent of bullying incidents. Watchers want to be accepted by the bully and his group. May not see the target as a person. Do not consider the consequences of their actions or those of

the bully. May fear that the bully will turn on them if they intervene. May believe in the bully’s logic that the victim “deserved” it. Underestimate their true power to make change. Some researchers believe that the witnesses to bullying are

the key to eliminating bullying because they are the sizable majority in any school.

Reference: (Selekman, 2006)

Effects of Bullying

Depression, anxiety, loneliness, withdrawal

Low self-esteem Drop in grades School absenteeism Somatic complaints

—Stomachaches, Headaches, Muscle aches and pains.

Suicidal ideation

CYBERBULLYING:

Consistent use of web technology, such as instant messaging(IM), e-mail, and text messaging to insult, threaten, and/or harass someone. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

Sexting refers to the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding nude photos or sexually suggestive messages via cell phone. (Diliberto & Mattey, 2009)

Cyber bullies have virtually constant access to their victims because the bullying can take place anytime and from anywhere.

Cyber bullies often are anonymous—anyone can create a false screen name and then send information, mean comments, or crude images over the internet.

Reference: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2009

Cyberbullying:Signs to look for Avoids use of computer, cell phone, or

other technological devices Acts nervous when receiving an e-mail,

IM, or text message. Seems uneasy about attending school or

other events. Avoids conversations about computer

use.

Reference: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2009

Cyberbullying:What to do:

Parents: Additional Tips:

Talk to kids about what they are doing in cyberspace.

Know who your kids are communicating with.

Consider limitations on electronic communication.

Set expectations. Be aware of what your

teens are posting publicly. (Facebook, MySpace)

Teach teens that they are in control of their own image: Think about the

consequences. Never take images you

wouldn’t want to share with everyone.

Remember that you cannot control where the image may travel.

Report any activity to a trusted adult. Never delete.

BULLYING

A Whole School Approach

The most effective way to reduce bullying in schools is to involve the entire school in teaching children and adolescents how to change attitudes and behaviors. A whole school approach that involves students, parents, staff, administrators, and the community is more effective than dealing with the problem on an individual basis.

Reference: (Hendershot, Drake, Price, and Lartey, 2006)

Bullying Prevention/Intervention Strategies for Educators Have administrative support and involvement. Use a comprehensive approach:

Bullying policy Guidelines for teachers, staff and students--schools

should ensure that all their teachers have effective classroom management training.

Post classroom signs prohibiting bullying and listing the consequences for it. Set clear expectations.

Interventions should be immediate when bullying behaviors are seen.

Reinforce positive behaviors. Educate and involve parents. Encourage students to report bullying. Develop a reporting system to track bullying and the

interventions used to deal with specific bullies/victims.

Strategies for Parents:

Be supportive of your child—never tell them to ignore the bullying.

Don’t blame the child who is being bullied—they may have done nothing to provoke the bullying.

Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to say they have been bullied. You may only have one chance to step in and help. Listen carefully to your child to learn as much as you can about the bullying.

Always keep lines of communication open with your child.

Empathize with your child—emphasize that bullying is wrong, not their fault, and praise them for telling you about it.

Reference: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

Don’t bully your children or bully others in front of them.

Teach kids to solve problems without using violence—physical retaliation could just escalate the problem.

Contact the school—teacher/principal—if bullying persists, contact school officials again.

Help your child become more resilient to bullying—involve your child in activities (sports, music, art) to increase their confidence and develop relationships with peers.

Teach your child safety strategies—how to seek help from an adult.

Make sure your child has a safe and loving home environment.

What students can do: Walk away. This shows bullies that their

behavior is not funny or okay. Speak up. Tell bullies that what they are

doing is wrong. By saying, “that’s not funny, let’s get out of here” or something similar, kids can stand up for each other. This may also give other bystanders the confidence to speak up or walk away.

Be a friend. Sometimes kids get picked on because they don’t have any friends or anyone to stand up for them. When kids befriend someone being bullied, bullies are less likely to pick on them. Friendship can also give children the support and the confidence to stand up for themselves.

Ask others to help. When more kids stand up to bullies, the bullies will be more likely to realize their actions are not okay.

Get an adult. Sometime kids who are bullied are scared to ask an adult for help because they think it will make the bullying worse. Kids can help by telling an adult what is happening, or going to speak to an adult with kids being bullied.

Reference: http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/teaching-kids-about-bullying/what-to-teach-kids-about-bullying

Bullying Resources

www.safeyouth.org National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (Topics include bullying, school violence, dating violence, depression, chemical abuse)

www.online-bully.com Cyber bullying resource for parents.

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov Resource on bullying awareness, interventions, and prevention.

www.ncpc.org National Crime Prevention Council—resource for parents about crime prevention and safety.

www.mcgruff.org National Crime Prevention Council—resource for kids about safety topics.

www.storylineonline.net Children’s books read aloud by members of the Screen Actors Guild—each book includes accompanying activities and lessons.

Books on Topic

Adolescent/Adult Books Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen

Chbosky Tripping the Prom Queen by Susan

Barash Please stop Laughing at me by Jodee

Blanco

Books on Topic

Children’s Books Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom Deluise Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister Herbert Me First by Helen Lester Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester Enemy Pie by Derek Munson The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt Marty the Broken Hearted Artichoke by

Josephine Baskin Minow

References

Diliberto, G. M., & Mattey, E. (2009). Sexting: Just How much of a Danger is it and What can School Nurses do about it? NASN School Nurse, 24(Nov), 6th ser., 263-267.

Hendershot, C., Drake, J., Price, J., & Lartey, G. (2006). Elementary School Nurses' Perceptions of Student Bullying. The Journal of School Nursing, 22(Aug), 4th ser., 229-236.

Juvonen, J., & Gross, E. (2008). Extending the School Grounds?--Bullying Experiences in Cyberspace. Journal of School Health, 78(Sept), 9th ser., 496-505.

National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Bullying Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from www.nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators2009

National Crime Prevention Council. (n.d.). Teaching Kids about bullying. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (2009). Helping Students Deal with Cyberbullying. NASN School Nurse, 24(Sept), 5th ser., 201-203.

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). How to Intervene to Stop Bullying: Tips for on-the-spot Intervention at School. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). What to do if your Child is being Bullied. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

Violence in Schools. (2006). In J. Selekman (Author), School nursing: a comprehensive text (pp. 919-942). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.