What is bullying? How Can Someone be a Bully? There are different types of Bullies..... Recognizing Bullying: Characteristics of Bullies: Ways to Prevent or Stop Bullying: 1. Primary Need: Physiological
Bullying is intentional aggressive behavior, which involves and imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can happen once, but it is usually repeated aggressive behavior over time. [1]
- Bullies can hurt people physically, verbally, or emotional.
- Boys are more likely use direct aggression, physical violence. But girls are more likely to use subtle methods, such as exclusion and ostracization.
In order to prevent or to stop bullying, an educator must be aware of how to identify potential victims and bullies. Some children, with certain personalities, appearances, or behaviors are more likely targets. Some children with certain personalities, characteristics, or behaviors are more likely to become bullies.
Characteristics of Victims: - loners - physically different: smaller, taller, overweight- poorly coordinated or lethargic- sullky, tearful, emotional outbursts - prone to psychosomatic illness - different ethnicity, language, or accent - unpopular family - new to the school or environment
In order to eliminate bullying, a teacher must get to the cause of the problem. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a helpful tool in determining where the learner’s need to stems from. According to this theory, a child will bully another if their needs are not being met. If the needs are satisfied, they will no longer have to manipulate, demean, or hurt another person. To discover a child’s needs, the teacher must understand the learner’s home and school environment.
Many children in the EMDC school district struggle with meeting their basic physiological needs—good food, adequate sleep, warm and safe shelter. They often intimidate more vulnerable children to get food, money or other things that are otherwise unavailable to them.
2. Secondary Need: Safety and Security
Even if they have physiological needs met, far more children do not live in a safe, secure environment. Some children resort to bullying as a form of defense. By dominating other people, they will not be dominated themselves. Others act out in frustration, that they do not have the safety and security they need.
3. Third Need: Belonging
They seek a sense of belonging and form exclusive groups. Children without these other needs also lack self-esteem, and often search for it or express their frustration by picking on other children.
When using this model to establish classroom guidelines, establish ones that make everyone feel safe and included. Also, when addressing any issues of bullying, make sure that learners discuss the thoughts and actions of both sides.
- Example:
Harsh discipline exemplifies intimidation and power. If teachers manipulate, demean, intimidate, or yell at learners, they often interpret this as acceptable behavior. Violent or aggressive behavior demonstrated by adults serve as the model adopt for their own lives.
- Supervision:
When it comes to bullying teachers, must be strong, consistent, and constructive. Teachers can inhibit a great deal of bullying just be being attentive and creating an environment where bullying is more difficult:
1. To and From School:
- Find out if students are taking safe routes to and from school. Help them plan alternative ways if they are not.
- Find an older student to walk with them or help them find transport home.
2. At School:
- Check isolated places and unsupervised places like: empty classrooms, bathrooms, halls, behind walls, playgrounds.
- Develop a consistent policy amongst all teachers on how to prevent, identify, and address bullying.
- Separate older and younger children. Bigger children will be less likely to intimidate smaller ones if they are separated by age.
- When you see or hear an incidence of bullying, confront it. Ignoring the behavior tells the bully that picking on others is tolerated.
- Give lots of encouragement. Reinforce the idea that students will be applauded for positive behavior.
- Emphasize empathy, concern, and sharing in class. Integrate these messages into lessons and discussions already part of the curricula.
- Record Reports of Bullying: Write down where, when and who was participating. Also record any witnesses or evidence of the event.
This will come in handy if the parents or principal ask for specific events or proof. This will also help the teacher determine if the bully’s behavior (have they stopped, have the found a new victim, etc.) or the victim’s behavior (more confident, less talkative, more emotional, etc.) has changed.
- Maintain a positive learning environment: This will reduce stress in the classroom, which helps students interact more calmly.
- Building Relationships:
Establishing strong relationships with a student, particularly a student from a disadvantaged background or a student with little adult involvement, boosts their self-esteem and self-confidence.
- This teaches the victim that they are worthy of respect and have to right not to be controlled.
- This teaches the bully that they do not have to manipulate, demean, or suppress others to receive attention and respect. They already have it.
- Create a fun, exciting environment!
Creating lessons students get excited about boosts their enthusiasm for learning and in turn, improved performance. If children are interested in the topic and are encouraged to pursue it, this bolsters their self-esteem. Establishing self-esteem in a bully lessens the need to pick on other children. A confident victim is more able to stand up against a bully than one who is not.
- Discussing Bullying with the class:
There are many things a teacher can do to promote a safe, inclusive environment for all students. By impressing upon the children that such a classroom is a happier, healthier environment, they will be more likely to participate in a bully-free setup.
- Create a pledge wall: Have the students create a pact not to bully and have each individual sign it. Hang this pact on the wall as a reminder.
- Skits and Role Playing: Facilitate a session where learners come up with situations when bullying arises (on the playground, in the lunch room, after school, etc. Then allow the learners to act out the situations and how they could be addressed. Allow for group discussion.
- Ask the students: Where and when does bullying occur? How can it be stopped?
Working with the Victim:
- Unite isolated children under a common interest or purpose, such as a sport or activity after school or during recess.
- Find activities the child enjoys and can call their own. This builds the child’s self esteem and other introduces them to others with similar interests. (Strength training and self-defense are particularly successful in boosting a victim’s self-esteem.)
- Find a pet. Providing the child with a companion and responsibility gives them self esteem. A pet also gies them something to talk about and share with others.
Working with the Bully:
- Explain to the bully the hurtful results of their actions. They may not realize that their teasing is being interpreted as bullying.
- Get to the root of the problem: are family issues, basic needs, or difficulty in school causing the child to act this way?
- Do not put the bully and the victim on opposing teams: Encourage them to work together, not against each other.
Working with new learners:
- Do not draw attention to the fact that they are new: Draw them a map instead of walking them to class. Give them previous assignments after class. They are already weaker and more vulnerable. If a teacher highlights this, bullies will notice.
Working with Parents:
Parents can react many ways to hearing their child is bullied or bullying: “embarrassment, anger, worry, denial, disappointment, defeat, powerlessness, or incompetence.”[2] The parent may or may not know about any incidences of bullying.
When talking to a parent:
- Be sensitive to the parents feelings. They may not even know about the incidences of bullying.
- Do not become offended of defensive when a parent reacts. Parents could interpret the teacher’s behavior as: intrusive, presumptuous, or arrogant. Or they may be very willing to work with the teacher.
- Emphasize the confidence you have in other teachers and the code of conduct. Ensure the parent that the teacher will work with both children to stop any bullying that is occurring.
- Encourage parents to talk to their children themselves about the bullying.
[1] “What is bullying?” Stop Bullying. 10 Oct. 2007. <http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp?area=whatbullyingis.>
[2] Besag, Valerie. Bullies and Victims in Schools: A Guide to Understanding and Management. Buckingham: Open University Press. 1989.