Bullying:

What Can You Do?

Purpose of Today:

To educate you all about the latest research on bullying, and some of the obstacles that make it difficult to effectively address in schools.

Outline the plans for Shepard’s upcoming Anti-Bullying Week.

We will send this PowerPoint in its entirety after the presentation today so that you may use it for reference.

Before We Get Started:

To frame our conversation for today, we want to get an understanding of everyone’s prior knowledge, so we will ask you to answer these questions:

1.How much do you know about bullying?2.Do you think that bullying is a problem here

at Shepard?

Please take out your Cell Phone!

Polls:

How Much: http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/AaBswpZAPHsj8SJ

Bullying: http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/l7xWz9nGt3eJlKA

Agenda

I. Bullying Defined/Obstacles II. Bullying Statistics/Why Do We Care? III. Overview of Anti-Bullying Week----- IV. Relational Bullying V. Cyber Bullying VI. Tips for Teachers

What is Bullying?

Bullying is:repeated, intentional, aggressive behavior towards one person from another person or group of people.

Bullying involves: the bully, the victim, and the bystander.

There Are Four (4) Main Types of Bullying Physical Verbal Social (Relational Aggression)* Cyber*

*We’ll talk more about these two later.

Obstacles to Effective Bullying Prevention

Lack of a clear definition of bullying – leading to confusing language in school policy and laws.

Getting full commitment from all stakeholders. (aka “buy-in”) Requires that they participate in defining what will

be done and have meaningful input. Time for training all involved – requires

administrative support at the highest level and behavior that implies that the issue is important.

Sustaining all of this over time.

Agenda

I. A Brief History/Bullying Defined II. Bullying Statistics/Why Do We Care? III. Overview of Anti-Bullying Week----- IV. Relational Bullying V. Cyber Bullying VI. Tips for Teachers

Gender Differences in Aggression

Girls are more likely to use relational aggression.

Boys are more likely to use physical aggression.

Generally, girls are socialized to be “nice.” Generally, boys are socialized to be

“tough.” Often, when girls become troubled, they get

sad. Often, when boys become troubled, they

get mad.(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

At your school, how often are students bullied, called names or harassed for?

% Very Often/Often

Source: “From Teasing to Torment,” GLSEN/Harris Interactive, 2005.

Most Common Reasons for Bullying

Some Statistics

160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by their peers.

Schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies, and approximately 2.7 million victims.

Statistics also show that 56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school.

71% of today’s students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school.

Source: The Bureau of Justice School Bullying and Cyberbullying statistics Study

So What?

15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school.

1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying.

Among students, homicide perpetrators were more than twice as likely as homicide victims to have been bullied by peers.

Bullying statistics say revenge is the strongest motivation for school shootings.

Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shootings incidents in the United States alone.

Agenda

I. Bullying Defined/Obstacles II. Bullying Statistics/Why Do We Care? III. Overview of Anti-Bullying Week----- IV. Relational Bullying V. Cyber Bullying VI. Tips for Teachers

So, What Are We Going to Do About It? October 9th is Unity Day (HAND OUT FLYERS)

(REMIND TEACHERS TO WEAR ORANGE!) We at Shepard think that one day is not enough.

Therefore, we will be having an anti-bullying week during PEP for the week of October 7th-October 11th.

We’ll be kicking off anti-bullying week at First Friday on October 4th.

You will be provided with activities to run with your class during PEP. We ask that you please choose the ones that you think will be most helpful for your particular set of students. If nothing else, give students a chance to talk about the

issue! Banner in the Cafeteria!

Your Thoughts?

Please take out your phones for one more poll!

Would you like to know more about: A) Cyber Bullying!B) Relational Bullying!C) Tips for Teachers to Prevent Bullying!D) All of the Above. You guys are the best

presenters ever; I wish you would narrate my life.

E) None. I know enough about bullying, and I just want to go home.

Any Questions?

Does anybody have any questions about Anti-Bullying Week, or what they can do to help prevent bullying within our school?

If you answered E. to the previous question, you are free to leave. Anyone else is also free to leave. If you’d like to know more about Cyber

Bullying, Social Bullying, or Tips for Teachers, please stick around!

CYBER BULLYING

“What makes cyber bullying so dangerous…is that anyone can practice it without having to confront the victim. You don’t have to be strong or fast, simply equipped with a cell phone or a computer and a willingness to terrorize.” (King, 2006)

What is Cyber Bullying?

Cyber Bullying: the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Electronic Aggression and Youth

As high as 35% of youth have been the victim of electronic aggression

Up to 21% report perpetrating electronic aggression

Between 7% and 14% report being both a target and a perpetrator

From 2000 to 2005 there was a 50% increase in the number of targets of electronic aggression

Source: CDC

Teen Perceptions of Cyber Bullying

% strongly/somewhat agree% strongly/somewhat agree BoysBoys GirlsGirls

Bullying online is a serious Bullying online is a serious problem with today’s youth.problem with today’s youth.

60%60% 76%76%

There should be stricter rules There should be stricter rules about online bullyingabout online bullying

70%70% 80%80%

(Cox Communications, 2009)

Cyber Bullying Statistics

*Taken from an i-SAFE America survey of students nationwide.

Cyber Bullying and “Traditional” Bullying

Similar characteristics:

Aggressiveness

Power imbalance

Repetitiveness

Differences Found in Cyber Bullying

TRADITIONAL BULLYING

DIRECT

Occurs on school property

Poor relationships with teachers

Fear retributionPhysical: Hitting, Punching & ShovingVerbal: Teasing, Name calling & GossipNonverbal: Use of gestures & Exclusion

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

CYBER BULLYING

ANONYMOUS

Occurs offschool property

Good relationships with teachers

Fear loss of technology privileges

Further under the radar than bullying

Emotional reactions cannot be determined

{McKenna & Bargh, 2004; Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004}

What Else Makes Cyber Bullying Difficult to Combat? Few parents and educators are talking

with children about cyber bullying. When asked if parents are talking to them

about cyber bullying, students primarily share messages about internet safety.

Some people don’t believe that cyber bullying is the school’s responsibility to address.

What Can Teachers Do?

Understand and talk about bullying (including cyber-bullying) with the whole school community.

Emphasize that silence is not acceptable – encourage children to report Cyberbullying. Make it known to students that they can report

cyberbullying incidents to you! Promote the positive use of technology. Promote a positive school climate in general. Involve parents!

SOCIAL BULLYING(RELATIONALAGGRESSION)

Elaine: Why do they call it a wedgie?George: Because the underwear is pulled up from the back until... it wedges in.Jerry: They also have an Atomic Wedgie. Now the goal there is to actually get the waistband on top of the head. It's very rare." Elaine: Boys are sick." Jerry: Well, what do girls do?" Elaine: Nothing. We just tease someone until they develop an eating disorder."

Social Bullying (Relational Aggression)

(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

Relational Aggression: Any behavior that is intended to harm someone by damaging or manipulating relationships with others.

Possible Effects of Relational Aggression

(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

Students who are victims of relational aggression tend to be more susceptible to: Lower gradesRefusal to go to schoolPhysical fightsPoor self-imageDepressionAnxietySchool shootings

What Makes it Difficult to Address?

(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

Relational aggression is very hard to prove! There has been little/no intervention on behalf of

some schools. No blood, no bruises, no classroom disruption –

where is the evidence? Lack of intervention escalates just like it

would if nobody intervened with physical fighting.

Parents often refuse to accept their child was punished for spreading a rumor. “NOT MY CHILD.”

What Can Teachers Do?

(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

Having a safe school depends on what you choose to react to or ignore.

If a student comes to you because she is being harassed, please don’t minimize it. Listen, offer for them to come and talk to you, and help them cope! Try not to tell them “It’s going to be OK”,

“Don’t worry about it”, or “You won’t remember this when you are 18”. Those types of comments invalidate every “valid” feeling they have.

How Else Can Teachers Help? Emphasize empathy and considering the

feelings of others, as well as developing listening skills and other character traits.

If you see it, intervene immediately! Encourage bystanders to stand up to bullying! Help students understand that conflicts are a

normal part of friendship: Empower students to have open discussions and be willing to compromise with one another!

Be a role model! Lunchtime and hallway breaks are often ideal times for faculty to gather and “gossip” themselves – practice what you preach.

Relational Aggression- In Conclusion

(c) 2009, Julia V. Taylor, All Rights Reserved

“Give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he will eat for a

lifetime.”Chinese Proverb

GENERAL TIPS FOR TEACHERS!

Tips for Teachers to Prevent Bullying! Treat students and each other with warmth and

respect. Demonstrate positive interest and involvement in your students. 

Establish yourself as a clear and visible authority with responsibility for making the school experience safe and positive. 

Reward students for positive, inclusive behavior.  Take immediate action when bullying is observed and

consistently use nonphysical, non-hostile negative consequences when rules are broken.  If you do witness bullying, move closer to the students.

Your presence alone is often enough o stop the incident (at least for the time being)

Listen to parents and students who report bullying in your classroom. Quickly and effectively resolve the issue to avoid perpetuation of bullying behaviors. 

Tips for Teachers to Prevent Bullying! Notify parents of all involved students when a bullying

incident occurs, and resolve the problem expeditiously, according to discipline plans at school. 

Refer students affected by bullying to school counseling or mental health staff, if needed. 

Hold class meetings during which students can talk about bullying and peer relations. 

Use discipline as an opportunity to teach correct behavior (a teacher’s discipline style is a big influence on how students will treat each other)

Use personal conferences with students to address chronic behavior problems. Public confrontations are embarrassing and give an audience.

"Little things can make a big difference. Simple and genuine gestures, such as regularly greeting students, talking to students, and addressing students by name, help to make students feel connected."