Transcript Slide 1

Understanding
Dialogue
Action
The purpose of the conference is to raise
awareness
about
research
findings
and
promising initiatives for dealing with bullying
and taxing at school, and to promote dialogue
and mobilization among the stakeholders
concerned with these issues.
Making A Difference In Bullying
Information for Parents
Prepared by:
Heather Halman
Coordinator of Educational Services
May 1st, 2003.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is a relationship problem
The lessons that children learn early on
school playgrounds transform and develop
into other problems later in life.
There is a clear negative impact on the
development of both the bullied and the bully.
Key elements of bullying:
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Bullying involves a power imbalance in which the bully has more power
due to:
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Age
Size
Support of the peer group
Higher status
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Bullying is a repeated activity in which a child is singled out in a chronic
manner.
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Bullying has the intent to harm the targeted child.
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Bullying includes:
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Physical aggression
Verbal insults
The spreading of malicious rumors or gossip
Threats of exclusion from the peer group
Common Misconceptions About
Bullying
• children grow out of it
• bullying is a natural part of growing up
“boys will be boys”
• ignoring bullying makes it disappear
What Does Bullying Look Like?
• Bullying can be expressed:
» Directly
face-to-face
» Indirectly
behind the back
» Sexually
especially in later elementary
and high school
Direct Bullying
The most common form of bullying is overt and direct.
This type of bullying has physically observable signs of
damage ( physical injury, torn clothes, etc.)
Everyone is aware of the identity of the bully.
The following are examples of direct bullying:
*open attacks
*physical harm or threats
*insults, taunts or name calling
*telling a child that s/he cannot play
Indirect Bullying
More difficult to recognize because the person being
bullied may not be present when the bullying happens
or may not know the identity of the bully.
The primary purpose is social exclusion or the
damaging of a child’s reputation or status.
Examples of indirect bullying include:
* spreading malicious rumors or lies
* writing hurtful graffiti about a child
* encouraging others not to play with a child
Is Bullying a males only
issue?
NO !
Observations of children’s behavior show
that girls engage in bullying as much as
boys.
(Atlas & Pepler, 1998)
Sexual Bullying
Sexual bullying occurs when one student is
targeted with unwanted words, actions or images
about sex.
Examples of sexual bullying include:
* unwanted jokes, comments or taunts about
body parts
* teasing about sexual orientation or sexual
activities
* passing unwanted notes or pictures
*grabbing in a sexual way or forcing
someone to engage in unwanted sexual behaviors.
Some Statistics
By conservative estimates, 10% of school children
are chronic targets of bullying, while the number
may be as high as 20%.
Almost all children have experienced occasional
bullying or seen others being bullied.
Each time a child is successful in the attempt to
bully- his/her power increases
Developmental Perspectives
The use of power and aggression in bullying is a key component of
sexual harassment, dating aggression, workplace harassment,
marital aggression, child abuse and elder abuse.
• Studies reveal that in bullying situations the victim tries a social skills
strategy each time» Ignoring
» Walking away
» Using your words
Children require adult help to gain their power
and reduce their negative power of the bully.
Bullying is a Systemic Problem
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Bullying does not occur in isolation and interventions must include:
peers, school, parents community and society
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Peers (witnesses) play an important role in promoting bullying
problems- even when they do nothing.
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Peers are present in up to 85% of bullying episodes.
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Peers often pay positive attention to the bully.
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In 75% of incidents, when peers join in, the level of arousal of the
bully increases.
Who is at-risk for bullying and taxing?
75% of students experience no problems
15% of students have occasional difficulties
10% of students are at-risk
Four Questions To Ask
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How long has the problem gone on?
(duration)
How frequent are the incidents?
(daily, weekly, monthly etc.)
How severe is the bullying?
(verbal, physical?)
How pervasive is the bullying?
i.e. how many places does it happen?
in class?
on the playground?
on the school bus?
with siblings at home?
Risk Factors for Bullying and/or
Victimization
• Characteristics of Bullies:
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exhibit aggressive tendencies
have experienced rejection
are marginalized
have poor social skills
lack home support
have poor impulse control
lack anger management skills
lack empathy skills
Risk Factors for Bullying and/or
Victimization
• Victims:
• have reputation problems
• have experienced rejection
• are isolated or marginalized
• have low self-esteem
Peers Are Important
• Peers presently intervene in 10-20% of incidents.
• More frequent than teachers- who intervene in
approximately 4-10% of incidents.
Peers Are Important
IN FACT:
Peer interventions are successful in stopping
bullying within 10 seconds in 57% of episodes!
Bullying is about dominance, so when a peer intervenes or
questions the bully, the power and dominance of the bully
decreases.
Are There Harmful
Consequences?
• For Children Who Bully-
Aggressive behavior in childhood persists into adulthood.
Olweus (1991) found that 60% of males identified as having
serious bullying problems between 6th and 9th grades had at least
one criminal conviction by age 24.
As these students reach the upper grades they are more
inclined to engage in aggressive behaviora pattern contributing to the development of adolescent gangs.
Are There Harmful
Consequences?
Victims of bullying often experience:
severe ostracization
peer rejection
low self-esteem
depression
loneliness and anxiety
insecurity
Research has also established a link between being bullied and
having both emotional and academic difficulties.
Protective Factors For Bullying And
Victimization
All children must be given an arsenal of strategies and
skills.
• Social Skillssocial awareness
problem solving strategies
assertiveness training
emotional regulation
communication and behavior strategies
• Language Skillscommunication abilities
expressive abilities to break the
Wall of Silence
Parents, Teachers And Communities As
Partners
Parents must strive to:
provide a supportive, warm and consistent home environment
foster positive attitudes and beliefs
teach resilience in the face of adversity
guard against over-protectiveness
take an active and pro-active approach
Warning Signs
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Shows a disinterest or refuses to go to school.
Takes an unusual route to go to school.
Withdraws from activities- wants to be alone.
Is hungry after school- not eating at lunch hour.
Goes directly to the bathroom when coming home
from school.
Is sad, sullen or scared after phone calls, e-mails.
Problems sleeping, headaches, stomachaches.
Stops talking about peers and daily activities
Has injuries not consistent with explanation.
Uses demeaning language when referring to peers.
Do’s for the bullied child and their
parents.
• Assure your child that you believe them and
that they are not alone with the problem.
• Affirm that this is not their fault.
• Establish that there things that can be done
and establish a plan.
• Report the bullying to the school.
Don’ts for the bullied child and
their parents
• Don’t minimize or rationalize the bully’s behaviour.
• Don’t rush to solve the problem for your child- unless
they are in physical danger.
• Don’t tell your child to avoid the bully.
• Don’t tell your child to fight back.
• Don’t confront the bully or the bully’s parents alone.
Parents, Teachers And Communities As
Partners
Teachers and other adults must strive to:
model positive problem solving skills
be consistent and fair
model respect
invite open discussions
help children develop empathy for differences
walk the talk
Parents, Teachers And Communities As
Partners
School communities must strive to:
gather information and evaluate the situation- pre and
post testing
adopt a multi-faceted program
intervene early
establish clear school-wide and classroom rules about
bullying
teach peer intervention skills
What Skills Do Children Need to
Cope with Bullying?
• Assertiveness TrainingWhen children use problem solving strategies such as assertively
standing up for themselves, the bullying tends to end sooner.
• Friendship SkillsFriendship plays an important role in both preventing bullying
and in helping children cope.
Children with at least one friend are less likely to be bullied and
having a friend decreases the effects of the bullying.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The trouble with bullying is that it often works.
We can make a difference through:
• Programs in schools
• Adult leadership and commitment.
• Promoting cultures of awareness and
openness.
• Commitment to changing attitudes and
behaviors
• Teaching children to be responsible
bystanders
• Societal commitment of resources
Food For Thought
Cowardice asks the question: is it safe?
Expediency asks the question: is it politic?
Vanity asks the question: is it popular?
But conscience asks the question: is it right?
And there comes a time when one must
take a position that is neither
safe, nor politic, nor popularbut one must take it because it is right.
Martin Luther King