Peace from within--Finding a treatment for bullying that works in your school
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Module 6 (of 6) of the Learning to Get Along course for teachers and school staff. Bullying is a global phenomenon that is on the rise, including through weaponization of social media to harass and humiliate victims. Addressing bullying effectively within the culture of a school community involves stakeholders putting together informed solutions that target local issues. To help guide the process, this module offers a general overview of the causes, impacts and responses to bullying in all its forms.
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Peace from within--Finding a treatment for bullying that works in your school
- 1. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Module 6 Peace from within—Finding a treatment for bullying that works in your school. 1
- 2. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice “I allowed myself to be bullied because I was scared and didn’t know how to defend myself. I was bullied until I prevented a new student from being bullied. By standing up for him, I learned to stand up for myself. ” −Jackie Chan Actor, martial artist, film director 2
- 3. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Module 6 Objectives Upon completion of this module, you will be able to… Give a general definition of ‘bullying’. Describe four main types of bullying and give an example of each one. Identify risk factors for bullying and victimization. Evaluate treatments for bullying in light of your school’s learning environment. Explain how SEL can help to reduce and prevent acts of bullying. Design an intervention program for bullying that will work in your school and community. 3
- 4. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Asma’s story Asma’s story is fictional but is based real incidents that that take place every day in schools around the world. As you listen, think about: What kind of bullying does this story illustrate? What do you think about the teacher’s reactions? What advice does Asma’s friend offer? 4 hahahahaha!!!!
- 5. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What is ‘bullying’? Social psychology Sociology and anthropology Behavioral psychology A relationship problem involving peer abuse Exploitation of a perceived power imbalance Taking advantage of another person using methods beyond socially acceptable rules Unwanted aggression that is (or has the potential to be) repeated over time 5
- 6. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What does bullying look like? Bullying verbal physical relational cyber 6
- 7. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Bullying is a global problem Experienced in cultures around the world Not limited to any one social or economic group 246 million children and adolescents worldwide (UNESCO) Many more cases go unreported. Bullying can have significant impacts on children’s health, quality of life and high risk behaviors (World Health Organization). 7
- 8. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Causes and effects of bullying: What does the research tell us? Why people bully internally motivated (human nature?) socially driven behavior Who are the victims? Long term impact on individuals on communities and societies 8
- 9. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Why bullying is especially prevalent at school learner characteristics physical environment social climate general approach of school management 9 ✅ bullying prevention policy ✅ school wide ground rules ✅ reporting system ✅ anti-bullying intervention program(s)
- 10. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What works? 1. Assess the landscape and respond. Ask questions: what, who, why, where, how, how often? Devise an urgent response action plan. increased surveillance counseling services classroom discussions bystander training 2. Use data gathering tools to collect evidence. surveys testimonials anonymous reporting systems (ARS) 10
- 11. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What works? Continue gathering relevant data. Create a long-term action plan. Transform the school environment. physical (for example, a school ‘safe space’) clubs, sports, social activities Reach out to the community and beyond religious and social worker interventions family counseling performances/media school cleanup and fundraising political action 11
- 12. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What does NOT work? ignoring the problem relying (only) on external solutions not driven by evidence from the local context delayed, inappropriate or weak interventions conflict resolution severe disciplinary measures ‘urgent care’ measures (only) 12
- 13. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What do classroom teachers need to know and be able to do? Become familiar with: national and state (or district) legal frameworks and official policies your school’s policy teacher guidelines and other relevant resources Reach out to families and community leaders. Work in teams with other teachers, specialists and parents to understand the root causes of bullying. Emphasize course content and methods that promote core SEL concepts and related behaviors. Make time for open discussions on bullying. Create an inclusive learning environment. 13
- 14. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Peace from within: Connecting SEL with anti-bullying programs 14 Executive Function Empathy Social Awareness Emotional Awareness
- 15. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Tips for creating a bully-free learning environment 1. Take steps to understand the type and frequency of bullying going on in your school and community. 2. Develop a ‘safe school’ action plan. Reach out to parents and community leaders. Include bystander training and anonymous reporting systems. Involve students in shaping and implementing the plan. 3. Launch and sustain a high visibility campaign to make your school a ‘bully free’ zone. 4. Make every classroom and learning space a place where SEL skills are developed and strengthened. 15
- 16. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice School policies on bullying: an example from Scotland • FAIRNESS • RESPECT • EQUALITY • INCLUSION 16
- 17. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Examples of strategies for dealing with bullying from around the world Context Location Strategy Objective Pre-school United States Story-telling featuring inclusive and anti-bullying themes, e.g. ‘The Bully in the Barn’. Promotes pro-social skills though empathy with fictional characters. Lower primary Canada ‘Friendship’ or ‘buddy’ benches placed in or near the school playground. Provides a place for children to talk to a friend about bullying or other troubles. Upper primary South Africa Promote specific bystander strategies, such as walking away instead of given the bully an audience. Reduces bullying by taking away motivations based on attention and perceived social status. Secondary Chile National Policy of Coexistence at School Establishes a framework and guidance for local safe school action plans. 17
- 18. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice An example from Trinidad and Tobago • B – be your brother’s keeper • U – Uplift and support each other • L – Love and respect one another • L – Lean on his/her/my shoulder • Y – Yes, we can do it together Jeromy Rodriguez, founder of the Anti-Bullying Association of Trinidad and Tobago 18
- 19. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice The Takeaway Bullying is defined as unwanted aggression that is (or has the potential to be) repeated over time. Bullying can be verbal, physical, relational or cyber, among others, and is most often perpetrated within peer groups. Bullying is a serious global problem with damaging impacts on individuals, communities and whole societies. Current thinking on the causes of bullying tends toward considering it to be (mostly) a socially driven behavior. Successful responses to bullying are locally implemented, data driven and sustainable. Students, parents and teachers all need to be actively involved. 19
- 20. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Self-Checkout 1. ‘Asma’s story’ illustrates an example of… o teacher indifference o cyber bullying o a long term solution o an effective school policy 2. Which of the following best describes bullying behavior? o unwanted aggression o based on a perceived power imbalance o repeated over time o all of the above 20
- 21. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Self-Checkout (continued) 3. One of the factors which has been identified as a cause of bullying is the desire to achieve… o good job opportunities o a happy life o academic success o social status within one’s peer group 4. In which parts of the world are reported incidents of bullying on the rise? o poor countries o all regions and countries o industrialized countries o developing countries 21
- 22. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Self-Checkout (continued) 5. Why is bullying at school a problem for all students, even those who are not victims or perpetrators? o It creates a stressful, unsafe learning environment for everyone o It helps students to prepare for life in the real world o It strengthens students critical thinking and problem solving ability o It creates friendships between different social groups 6. What matters most in developing a ‘peace from within’ treatment for bullying that is sustainable over time? o strict enforcement of disciplinary codes o better surveillance technologies o locally developed, evidence based prevention measures o training students to mediate disputes 22
- 23. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice Think like a TEACHER Design an intervention for treating bullying that will work in your classroom. Work with your students. Begin by finding out what is going on (what kinds of bullying, how often, and so on). Then discuss what the group as a whole can do about it. Finally, assign specific responsibilities to yourself, as well as to individual students (monitors) and to the whole group. What is going on? What can we do to make this class a bully-free zone? Who is responsible for what? 1. Treat each other with respect. 2. Offer a helping hand. 3. …… 4. …… 5. …… 1. The teacher will…. 2. Class monitors will…. 3. All students in the class will… 23
- 24. Learning to Get Along How to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning into Your Teaching Practice What’s next? Thinking ahead – Learning to live sustainably 24
Notas del editor
- Bullying is a global phenomenon that is shaped locally and experienced personally. In a recent study covering 144 countries, UNESCO reported that 1 in 3 students (or 32%) had been bullied by their peers during the previous month. Addressing bullying effectively within the culture of a school community involves stakeholders putting together informed solutions that target local issues. To help guide the process, this module offers a general overview of the causes, impacts and responses to bullying. You will begin by examining a variety of approaches for bringing the scourge of bullying to an end in real time and consider the role of social and emotional learning in preventing it from ocurring in the future. From this foundation, you will begin to shape a treatment for bullying that works in your school and your community, taking into consideration both short and long term needs.
- ”I allowed myself to be bullied because I was scared and didn’t know how to defend myself. I was bullied until I prevented a new student from being bullied. By standing up for him, I learned to stand up for myself. ” −Jackie Chan Actor, martial artist, film director
- Upon completion of this module, you will be able to… Give a general definition of ‘bullying’. Describe four main types of bullying and give an example of each one. Identify risk factors for bullying and victimization. Evaluate treatments for bullying in light of your school’s learning environment. Explain how SEL can help to reduce and prevent acts of bullying. Design an intervention program for bullying that will work in your school and community.
- Asma is a new student at Manchester Junior High. She arrived recently to the United States with her father and two brothers from Islamabad, Pakistan and was placed in the 9th grade halfway through the school year. Everything about living in an American city is strange and new for her, but the school is her worst nightmare. In Pakistan, she was an excellent student and had many friends, but at Manchester Junior High, she struggles with American English and is exhausted from trying to catch up in all of her subjects. The teachers are kind and helpful, but Asma feels lost in the crowded hallways and sprawling campus. All she can think of is how she misses chatting and laughing with her friends as they walked home from school in Pakistan, sharing their snacks and stories. “This is America”, her dad says, “You have to work harder.” Somehow, her brothers are getting good grades and fitting in faster than she is. On top of all this, two popular girls in her history class, Ashley and Emma, have become increasingly hostile towards her. Whenever they think the teacher is not looking, they exchange secretive glances and stare at Asma’s headscarf. “Good morning, class” says the history teacher, “today, we are going to begin by reading aloud the one of the greatest speeches in American history. Asma, would you please begin?” Asma stands up reluctantly. “Yes, Mrs. Gilbert.” Behind her, Ashley groans softly while Emma stifles a giggle. The teacher shoots both of them a disapproving look and waits patiently for Asma to begin. She tries desperately to hold the book steady in her trembling hands. Softly, almost imperceptibly, the words start to tumble out of her mouth. Her heart is racing, “Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent….” Asma’s voice trails off into silence. “You’re doing fine” says Mrs. Gilbert encouragingly. “I am sorry, I don’t understand,” says Asma. “What is the Gettysburg Address? What is fourscore and seven years?” At this, the girls erupt into open laughter, along with most of their classmates. “Those are both very good questions,” replies Mrs. Gilbert, ignoring the reaction of the class. She writes the word ‘address’ on the board, explaining that the word has two meanings, in this case it means a formal speech delivered to an audience, in this particular example it was a famous speech delivered by President Lincoln at a battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. “Emma,” directs the teacher, “please go to the map and show the class where Gettysburg is. Then you can explain to all of us when, why and to whom Lincoln delivered this famous speech.” Emma sulks, but does as she is told while Asma remains standing, nervously awaiting a nod from Mrs. Gilbert to continue. As Mrs. Gilbert focuses on listening to Asma, Ashley secretively pulls out her cell phone and videos Asma as she makes her way through the rest of the speech. One of Ashley’s friends sees the phone, laughs and gives a dramatic fake yawn for the video when Asma finishes. Mrs. Gibson looks straight at the yawning boy disapprovingly. “That was very disrespectful, Nicholas. You know that you are breaking our class’s ground rules, don’t you?” “But, but…” stammers Nicholas. “No buts,” says Mrs. Gibson firmly. Emma, Ashley and Nicholas. I will talk to all three of you after class. Asma sits down quickly, her face warm as the teacher moves on with the day’s lesson. She is the first one to leave when the class ends, grabbing her cell phone from the drop basket on the way out. As soon as she can, Asma rushes outside to a quiet spot near the sports field and checks her Instagram account., hoping to hear news from her friends in Pakistan or some encouraging words from her Mom. Instead, the video Ashley took of her in history class flashes onto her screen with the words “Pakistani Lincoln, hahahaha’ typed underneath. As she watches, Asma clenches her teeth and swallows as her eyes begin to swell with tears. Saba, another student from Pakistan who is two years older than Asma, sees her sitting alone, crying. “What’s wrong, sister?” she asks gently in Urdu. “Look at this,” replies Asma, holding up her phone. “These girls don’t even know me, but they hate me and they’re out to get me all of the time. They’re so mean! How many other kids are watching this now? I hate it here and I just want to go home.” Asma trembles and buries her face in her hands. “You are being bullied,” says Saba as she slips an arm around Asma’s shoulder. Those girls are totally out of line. Have you talked to anyone else about what’s going on? Does your family know about it? “No,” Asma shakes her head, “my brothers are happy here and my dad works so hard to support us, I don’t want to seem ungrateful.” “It’s not about that! You need some help with making a new life in a new school and we all know what it’s like to be on the outside in one way or another. It’s really important to help make the school better by speaking up against bullying.” Saba smiles knowingly and continues, “You have the evidence in your hand. You should file an anonymous report about this post to the main office. You’re not even supposed to have a phone in class. It’s school policy and this kind of stuff is why they’re banned! I can show you how to make a report if you like.” “Maybe…”Asma says slowly. “What would happen to those girls? What if they found out it was me who reported them?” “Don’t worry,” says Saba reassuringly, “you won’t be found out- besides, YOU haven’t done anything wrong, THEY have. Like the principal says, there is no room in this school for bullying, and reporting them can help them change for their own good, and for the good of everyone.” “By the way,” continues the older girl, “I don’t think you’ve met Jorge- he’s on the student council and president of the photography club. Did you know there are all kinds of clubs you can join? Come on, I’ll introduce you. When I first came here, I felt really weird, too, but being part of a club really helped me to make friends and to feel more comfortable here. Don’t be afraid to talk with the counsellor or the teachers about what you’re going through, too－the adults here are really supportive.”
- Bullying behavior is generally defined as ‘unwanted aggression by one person against another that is, or has the potential to be, repeated over time’. Bullying is often viewed from the different perspectives of researchers who study human behavior, mainly in the fields of social psychology, behavioral psychology, sociology and anthropology. From the perspective of social psychology, bullying is a relationship problem involving peer abuse. In simple terms, bullies act against people they do not respect or like. From the behavioral psychology point of view, bullying is exploitation of a perceived power imbalance. That is, the bully feels stronger than his or her victim. And from the perspective of sociology and anthropology, bullying is taking advantage of another person using methods that are beyond socially acceptable rules, such as direct physical abuse, name-calling or ridicule. From all three perspectives, bullying is a form of unwanted aggression that is, or has the potential to be, repeated over time.
- Most people think of bullying as a form of physical violence like hitting, punching, biting or kicking but this is only one of four distinct types of bullying behaviors. Bullying is often physical, but it can also be verbal, relational or cyber or some combination of these, as in the example of Asma’s story, in which bullies use a social media platform (Instagram) to bully her relationally. Verbal and physical bullying are usually direct, while relational bullying; for example, ignoring or making fun of someone behind her back, are almost always indirect. Bullying behaviors happen in or near virtually all places of learning, even in well regarded institutions of higher learning, but they can look very different in a well resourced school in an affluent community than they might in an overcrowded, under-resourced school in a community living with poverty, domestic violence, civil conflict or all of these. Bullying behaviors are also influenced by culture. For example, direct verbal abuse is less prevalent in societies where it is not normal for people to confront each other directly, but may may surface in equally devastating ways by purposefully humiliating or isolating someone indirectly.
- Bullying is not a modern phenomenon and it happens all over the world, although in different forms and with different degrees of harm to both individuals and societies. In recent years, international organizations have begun to gather and track evidence of bullying and report that it is on the rise in schools and other institutions of learning, and, as a result, presents serious obstacles to fulfilling children’s human right to education. In 2017, UNESCO reported that worldwide, 246 million children and adolescents are exposed to bullying or some form of violence at school every year. In reality, in the number is likely to be much higher, as many cases are simply not reported. Research by the World Health Organization concludes that bullying has significant impacts on children’s physical heath, mental health and quality of life.
- Why do people bully? Who are the victims? What is the long term impact of bullying on individuals, communities and societies? Answers to these questions, especially the first one, are complex. So, let’s begin with the ‘why’. Is bullying internally motivated－that is, is it part of human nature? Or is it socially driven, in other words is it behavior that children learn from peers, families and others they come into contact with. Unfortunately, bullying appears to be part of the human experience that manifests itself to some degree in most, if not all, cultures. But that, in itself, does not explain why some children and adults engage in bullying behavior and others do not. Some researchers, based on their observations, conclude that certain individuals in any group are naturally more aggressive than others while other researchers argue that bullying is a learned behavior that is driven by such factors as poverty, prevalence of violence in the family or a set of shared values that glorify power and strength over cooperation and inclusiveness. Current thinking tends to explain bullying through the eyes of the perpetrators as a way of gaining social status and power, not as a psychological abnormality. In other words, bullies do it because it works for them in their social group. Who are the victims? In most cases, the victims of bullying those that are perceived by the dominant members of the social group as weak or different－different in physical appearance, in the way they dress, their personalities, their hairstyles, race, gender identity or sexual orientation. The victims of bullying, whichever group they fall into, can be damaged for life in terms of health, self-esteem, academic and career success. There is also a negative impact on the perpetrators, because unless they are able to change their bullying behaviors, they may fail to benefit from the lifelong rewards of building empathy and healthy social relationships. In addition to the devastating impact of bullying on individuals, there is a profound social and economic cost to tolerating bullying, as many victims simply drop out; therefore, are not enabled to reach their full potential as contributing members of society.
- What is it about school cultures that seems to invite bullying behaviors? Even children and teenagers who are not exposed to agressive behaviors at home may become bullies at school. Some say that this is because of their desire to ‘fit in’ to a social group or, worse, submitting to peer pressure to join exclusive cliques or gangs that require new members to exhibit violent behaviors in order to be accepted. Generally, bullying at school has been attributed to four major factors: (read). Learner characteristics－that is, what they bring with them from home and community influences, including exposure to media violence. Physical environment of the school that fails to prevent acts of bullying. A social climate that tolerates, even rewards, aggressive attitudes and behaviors. General approach of school management in recognizing and treating the problem through, for example: bullying prevention policy school wide ground rules for teachers and school staff reporting system for victims and bystanders anti-bullying intervention programs Although such policies and programs may not stamp out bullying altogether, they do establish an authoritative position and set of regulations for members of the learning community to live by and, when necessary, take action. Some of the policies, actions and interventions that schools around the world have put into practice to address bullying and other forms of school based violence will be discussed next. As you listen, think about how social and emotional learning is connected to prevention of bullying, what actions your school has taken and how well they have worked, AND what more can be done over both the short and longer term.
- In schools where bullying is endemic and cited as the cause of physical abuse, depression, dropout or, in worst case scenarios, self harm or suicide, there is a critical need for need ‘urgent care’ that prioritizes immediate and forceful action to respond to and prevent repeated incidents. In these situations, the first step is to carry out a quick landscape assessment that provides answers to questions like ‘what is going on?’ ‘Who are the perpetrators?’ Who are the victims? Where does the bullying take place?’ ‘How often?’ and so on. On the basis of this basic situational snapshot, an ‘urgent response action plan’ can be set into motion to reduce incidents of bullying at school using tools such as video cameras and adult monitoring, increased counseling services, and teacher-let classroom discussions. In addition to these immediate interventions, the school counselor can train teachers, school personnel, and upper level students as mentors using methods and tools such as bystander training, and ‘friendship benches’ so students who have been victimized can choose to seek help from a variety of sources. It is critical for victims to have someone they can talk to, and who can offer support and options. The second step, and the one that is most often overlooked once visible signs of bullying have begun to deline, is to lay the ground work for a longer term, sustainable anti-bullying program by putting into place data gathering tools such as student surveys, testimonials, and anonymous reporting systems to collect hard evidence on the nature, frequency and severity of the problem.
- Research on anti-bulllying interventions in schools around the world shows that ‘urgent care’ responses have a very limited impact. While some programs claim to significantly reduce incidents of bullying over the short term, there is scant evidence to show that it has been prevented from recurring over the longer term. Ideally, in schools that may be said to be in crisis mode, planning for urgent care is quickly followed by (or takes place at the same time as) planning for a long term, sustainable solution that not only reduces bullying incidents at the moment of intervention, but gets at the roots of the problem and sets into motion remedies that aim to change the culture of the school community into one where bullying is no longer ‘cool’ or acceptable. To make this happen, use the results of the data collection to inform plan development, e.g. in deciding what to prioritize and how to sequence interventions. If a school policy to prevent bullying is already in place, use the information to strengthen and reinforce implementation of the policy. If there is no policy in place, work with community leaders and parents to develop one. Then designate concrete steps to set into motion a complete transformation of the school environment, for example through the creation of a schools ‘safe space’, and support to related activities such as music, art and poetry. Also, introduce inclusive team sports, peace building clubs and other after school activities. When causes are clearly related to problems in the surrounding community, such as gang v iolence, drugs, high crime rates, home, lack of safe recreational areas and social and economic inequalities, consider establishing a school-community outreach program to help dampen the bullying trend. A program might include, for example, interventions by religious and secular community leaders, parent outreach, high profile performances, or school and community cleanups. Within the school buildings and grounds, conditions may call for a complete transformation of both the physical and social environment, together with the implementation of measures that call for building specific SEL skills, like resilence and self-esteem.
- Obviously, ignoring the symptoms and root causes of a growing and damaging problem hoping that somehow it will go way does not work. Yet, little or no response from school authorities and staff has long been the norm, largely because of the widely held assumption in many societies that bullying is normal, especially among adolescents, and it is simply a part of growing up. Nor, generally, does relying solely on external solutions such as ‘comprehensive’ and often expensive anti-bullying programs that claim to reduce incidents of bullying in any context—not driven by objectively collected evidence from the local context on, for example, frequency and types of bullying and socio-economic data from the surrounding community. Interventions that have been shown NOT to work include those that are delayed, inappropriate or weak, for example: supervised conflict resolution between perpetrators and victims is ill conceived, because conflict resolution assumes two equal sides in a dispute. In bullying, only one side is the transgressor. Examples of other measures that do not work, and may even have a reverse effect, include severe disciplinary measures such as expulsion for minor incidents that could be dealt with constructively, and ‘urgent care’ measures such as slogans, signs, or motivational speakers that are not followed up with long term, sustained actions, as discussed in the previous slide.
- Become familiar with: national and state (or district) legal frameworks and official policies your school’s policy on bullying. teacher guidelines and other relevant resources Reach out to families and community leaders. Work in teams with other teachers, specialists and parents to understand the root causes of bullying. Emphasize course content and methods that promote core SEL concepts and related behaviors. Make time for open discussions on bullying. This best happens as a regular, recurring sharing time at the beginning or the end of the day. Create an inclusive learning environment.
- What matters most in developing a ‘peace from within’ treatment for bullying is PREVENTION. That is, a long term strategy integrated into the curriculum that values the development of students’ internal moral compasses alongside their developing academic skills. From the perspective of what the scientists say, this means enhancing the executive functioning of the brain and building on the natural human capacity for empathy in ways that build strong emotional and social awareness skills, and thereby construct a living, breathing, inclusive learning environment—where there is no space for bullying, where it is not considered ‘normal’, acceptable or tolerable, where bullying, in other words, becomes a thing of the past.
- Take steps to understand the type and frequency of bullying going on in your school and community. Work with colleagues to develop a ‘safe school’ action plan that works in your context. The plan should include both ‘urgent care’ and long term solutions. Always keep in mind that any one of these actions, taken alone, is not likely to have significant and sustained impact. Consider including these elements in your plan: Reach out to parents and community leaders. Include bystander training and anonymous reporting systems. Involve students in shaping and implementing the plan. Launch and sustain a high visibility campaign to make your school a ‘bully free’ zone. Make every classroom and learning space a place where SEL skills are developed and strengthened.
- Many school systems around the world that have established specific policies and plans for responding to bullying have succeeded in reducing the frequency of reported incidents. Respect for All, the national approach to bullying for Scotland’s children and young people is grounded in four shared values: fairness, respect, equality and inclusion. Respect for All provides guidance to schools in how to develop local policies and plans that are consistent with its shared vision for creating learning environments that are free from all forms of bullying and school based violence.
- These examples offer a range of different strategies in a wide range of situations. Given the intransigence of the problem, it is clear that strategies for prevention can and should start at a very young age, even though frequent and overt acts of bullying may not become apparent until children reach pre-adolescence. It is often the case that younger children are the victims of older ones in areas where children of different ages gather and mix socially, such as playgrounds, in transit to and from school, and, of coursem at home and in communities. Overall, it is essential that school based strategies such as friendship benches and bystander training be grounded in a school wide action plan which is, in turn, guided by a strong state or national legal framework that is well publicized and implemented throughout the system.
- When Jeromy Rodriguez was just eleven years old, his older sister came home in tears. Confiding in her brother that she had been bullied repeatedly and never wanted to go back to school. From that moment on, Jeromy and his family have used their amazing talents to organize and mobilize students in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in neighboring island nations in the Caribbean to stand up and shout out against bullying. Using live music performances, school rallies, social media, radio and television. Let’s listen… Think about how you and your colleagues could motivate and support students like Jeromy to use their talents and skills to take a stand against bullying, keeping in mind that raising awareness is just the start. To make a real impact, they must be followed up with plans and actions that bring about transformational change.
- Bullying is defined as unwanted aggression that is (or has the potential to be) repeated over time. Bullying can be verbal, physical, relational or cyber, among others, and is most often perpetrated within peer groups. Bullying is a serious global problem with damaging impacts on individuals, communities and whole societies. Current thinking on the causes of bullying tends toward considering it to be (mostly) a socially driven behavior. Successful responses to bullying locally implemented, data driven and sustainable. Students, parents and teachers all need to be actively involved.
- As in the previous modules, choose the best way to respond to each item. You can check your answers on slide 22, or, if you are watching the video version of Module 6, look for the answers at the end of the presentation.
- Self checkout answers: cyber bullying all of the above social status within one’s peer group all regions and countries it creates a stressful, unsafe learning environment for everyone locally developed, evidence based prevention measures
- Design an intervention for treating bullying that will work in your classroom. Work with your students. Begin by finding out what is going on (what kinds of bullying, how often, and so on). Then discuss what the group as a whole can do about it. Finally, assign specific responsibilities to yourself, as well as to individual students (monitors) and to the whole group. This activity works best if you discuss your plan with colleagues and supervisors before implementing it in an actual class. It can be introduced at the beginning of a term or year as a prevention measure based on previous incidents of bullying in your school (What might happen?), or in the middle based on actual incidents (what is going on?). Prevention measures should be suggested by the class as a whole, using a brainstorming technique to establish up to five positive actions students can take, for example: always treat each other with respect, offer a helping hand when someone needs one
- That’s it for now, but not for long. We hope you have enjoyed the basic Learning to Get Along course, and have already begun to try out some of the ideas and activities for integrating SEL into your classroom or learning space. If so, we hope you have begun to observe its impact on your students’ well-being, as well as on their learning processes and outcomes. Thank you for joining us, and stand by for news of new modules on learning to get along globally and how social and emotional learning contributes beyond the classroom to the movement to mitigate climate change and protect our planet from further harm for generations to come.