Rona Milch Novick, PhD Dean, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration

What Do You Want to Accomplish? Consider the challenges, problems, areas of concern, or what you would like to see happen more or more frequently (particular to social issues)... If you could wave a magic wand... What one thing would you change?

Goals/Agenda for Today  Consider ecosystems – understanding bullying a systemic issue  Experience the impact of forms of bullying – engage in activities we can bring back to our schools  Increased knowledge about bullying  Strategies that impact our systems in positive ways, before, during and after bullying occurs

How do Ecosystems Impact Students’ Social Growth  Individual ????  Microsystem Family, School, Camp, Classroom  Exosystem Community, friends, extended family  Macrosystem Customs, values, laws

Numbers on Back Exercise  The sticky note on your back has a number. You may not see your number, or ask anyone what it is.  When instructed, move around the room looking for 2 others to join you. You want to form a group of 3 that has the highest point value when the numbers on your backs are added.  Once you ask someone to join you, you cannot change your mind.  Once you agree to join a group, you cannot leave that group.  When you have a group of three, sit down.

What did we experience? What did we learn? How do the systems our students “live” in mimic this experience?

What We Need  Knowledge – what is bullying, why does it happen  System- Based/Informed Solutions Before During After

Bullying  Bullying is the abuse of power to deliberately cause harm to another Physical – causing physical harm Emotional – hurting another’s self- esteem Social – limiting another’s ability to join social groups or participate in social activities

What Do Children Say?  zZ_B8Mk zZ_B8Mk  Teen version: mddWOgU mddWOgU  Re: Amanda Todd

Consider Participant Roles Students BulliesVictimsBystanders Families BulliesVictimsBystanders School/Comm unity Adults BulliesVictimsBystanders

Bullies: Understanding and Addressing Clear deficits in empathy Like generally aggressive children, may have limited problem solving May have “learned” that bullying pays  Do not require and not responsive to programs to increase self-esteem  Do require extensive intervention to build empathy  Do require clear, consistent consequences for bullying behavior, whether or not empathy is present

Understanding Victims  Reactivity is their primary issue  Largely pre-wired, difficult to change  Have been told to ignore, not react  Escalation likely following inaction

Chronic Victim - Characteristics Passive  Passive  Shy  Few friends  Submissive  Reacts to bullying with clear distress Provocative  React to bullying with combo of aggression and anxiety  Impulsive  Irritating to others

Bystander Issues  85% of all bullying is witnessed by peers  Bystanders do not get involved because of fear of becoming victim discomfort with confronting bully Limited awareness of behavioral options, none of which are comfortable

How Systems Impact Whether Bystanders Act Multiple, well-documented social factors influence group and peer dynamics Dilution of responsibility/Inaction phenomena Power to conform Dehumanization of victims

Bystander Inaction  Can be escalated in groups  Escalated when there is perceived difference

Peer Responses to Bullying Typical  Ignore  Laugh  Join in  Spread rumors  Act as lookout Pro-social  Stand up to bully  Help victim  Lead – do not follow  Tell someone who can help  Distract bully/victim

Power to Conform  Asch experiment  Where do conformity pressures occur? For students? For adults?

Dehumanization  Where are your system’s blind spots?  Who are the invisible?  How do you inculcate the value of each individual?

Adult Attitudes That Interfere Isn’t this just part of childhood He/she should just clobber the bully – that will end this My child is all that matters I’ve told my child to mind their own business

Assumptions  Every child has right to feel safe and valued  Adults must contribute to creation and maintenance of environments that promote the safety and valuing of every child  Bully prevention is an effective vehicle for teaching empathy, compassion, and responsible citizenship

Elements of Successful Bully Prevention  Increased knowledge and awareness of bullying throughout the school community  Shared responsibility for responding to bullying - particularly empowering “bystanders”  Direct teaching of a variety of bully- response strategies  Clear rules/policies/procedures to address bullying

Shared Responsibility/ Policies  How do we create environments where everyone sees their role in setting the tone? What learning activities? Any physical plant changes?  How do we create policies to support socially healthy environments? Policy content Policy process

Sample Developmental Activities  Early childhood/early elementary – In His/Her Shoes  Middle School – Trial  High School – Discussion Prompts with Assigned Roles

Three Rules  Do something  Do no harm – Protect  Initiate (systemic) change in desired direction

Cases and Solutions  Review the case  Review the provided solutions considering whether they meet the three rules and are protective AND effective  Consider solutions that would have the maximum systemic impact