In Our Children’s Schools

What Is Bullying?

• Physical or psychological intimidation that occurs repeatedly over time

• Bullying can be overt (i.e., teasing, hitting, or stealing); boys are most often overt bullies

• Bullying can covert (i.e., spreading rumors or exclusion); girls are most often covert bullies

Who Are Bullies?

• Children who bully typically demonstrate a strong sense of self-esteem

• They like to feel powerful and in control

Who Are Bullies? (continued)

• Bullies often come from homes that use physical punishment to discipline

• Caregivers of bullies are typically uninvolved and lack warmth

• Children who bully are often defiant toward authority figures and are apt to break rules

Who Are The Victims of Bullying?

• Children who are bullied are often insecure, socially isolated, anxious, and have low self-esteem

• They are unlikely to defend themselves or retaliate

• They tend to be weaker than their peers

Who Are The Victims of Bullying? Cont’d

• Parents of children who are bullied are often overprotective or enmeshed with their children

• Children who are bullied perceive parent or teacher intervention to be ineffective and are unlikely to report the problem

Typical Adult Responses To Bullying

• Bullying is often perceived as a harmless rite of passage that all children will experience

• Unless bullying is likely to lead to physical injury, many adults believe it is best left to be resolved by children and their peers

Long-Term Implications of Bullying

• Children who are bullies are likely experience legal or criminal problems as adults

• Children can carry bullying behaviors into adulthood and experience difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships

Long-Term Implications of Being Bullied• Children who are bullied often

experience low self-esteem and depression even into adulthood

• Children who are bullied perceive school as an unsafe place and are likely to miss more days of school than their peers, as a result their education is negatively affected

Responding To The Problem Of Bullying

• Develop a school-wide bullying policy to: raise awareness of teachers and

administrators create a framework for responding to

bullyingimprove overall school environmentensure change is occurring in the

classroomempower students through programs

such as peer counseling, mediation, or conflict resolution

Responding To The Problem Of Bullying• Develop a school-wide bullying policy• Implement classroom curriculum:

Develop classroom rules against bullyingDevelop cooperative learning projects that

encourage teamwork and reduce social isolation

Create activities or assignments that teach problem-solving or conflict-resolution skills

Participate in role-playing or other activities to help children understand the perspectives of

others and identify feelings

Responding To The Problem Of Bullying

• Develop a school-wide bullying policy• Implement classroom curriculum• Raise awareness of bullying:

Allow students to fill out surveys to better understand their perspective of bullying

Inform caregivers of bullying policies/curriculum through conferences, newsletters, or PTA meetings

Encourage parent involvement in anti-bullying initiatives

For More Information About Bullying Visit:

• National Parent information Network www.npin.org• Educators for Social Responsibility

www.benjerry.com/esr/about~esr.html• Bullying in Schools and What to do About it http://www.education.unisa.edu.au/bullying• Anti-Bullying Network http://www.antibullying.net