BULLYING Lisa Serrao 1

Myth or Fact? Bullying is just a part of growing up. The effects of bullying on victims are short-term and minor. MYTH: In addition to the social, emotional, and physical torment of the actual bullying experience, victims are also more likely than non-victims to suffer from physical illnesses, academic troubles, and enduring mental health problems. Bullies are usually insecure loners with low self-esteem. MYTH: Bullies are likely to have both friends and followers in fact, they tend to be rather popular in the early school years. Research also indicates that bullies typically have average or above average self-esteem and self-confidence. 2

Myth or Fact? More bullying occurs in elementary and middle school than in high school. FACT: Some studies indicate that bullying is most prevalent during the elementary school years, other studies indicate that it increases and peaks during middle school. However, it’s clear that bullying though certainly present in high school is more prevalent among younger students. If you tell someone about being bullied, it will just make it worse. MYTH: Research shows that bullying will stop when adults in authority and peers get involved. Bullying is done by both boys and girls. FACT: Both boys and girls bully, just in different ways. Male bullies are more likely than female bullies to engage in physical bullying; female bullies typically use verbal and emotional tactics. 3

What is Bullying? Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself. 4

Types of Bullying Physical: Acts that hurt others physically Verbal: Use of words to hurt and humiliate others 5

Types of Bullying Social: Actions that exclude others or cause damage to their reputations Cyberbullying: Using computers, the Internet, mobile phones, etc. to bully others 6

How to Tell If You Bully Others… There's a boy or a girl (or maybe more than one) whom you've repeatedly shoved, or punched or physically pushed around in a mean way just because you felt like it. You had someone else hurt someone you don't like. You've spread a nasty rumor about someone. 7

How to Tell If You Bully Others… You and your friends have regularly kept one or more kids from hanging out or playing with you. You've teased people in a mean way. You've been part of a group that did any of these things. 8

How Bullying Hurts It can mess up a kid's future. Young people who bully are more likely than those who don't bully to skip school and drop out of school. It scares some people so much that they skip school. As many as 160,000 students may stay home on any given day. It can lead to huge problems later in life. Children who bully are more likely to get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school. 9

What You Can Do About Bullying… If you are a BYSTANDER → Report the bullying to an adult → Support someone who is being bullied → Stand up to the person doing the bullying → Don’t join in → Don’t try to fight the bully 10

What You Can Do About Bullying… If you are a VICTIM → Always tell an adult → Stay in a group → If it feels safe, try to stand up to the person who is bullying you → If you are being bullied on-line, don't reply → Join clubs or take part in activities where you'll meet other kids. → Don’t think it’s your fault 11

What You Can Do About Bullying… If you are a BULLY → Think about what you're doing... and how it affects others. o put yourself in their shoes o think about how it must make them feel o and just don't do it → Talk to an adult 12

Stop Bullying Now “K.B.’s First Day” 13

Stop Bullying Now “K.B.’s Day” 14

Discussion Questions How would you have felt if you were K.B. and this had been your first day of school? When K.B. went to the wrong classroom and bumped into Cassandra on the way out and Cassandra called her a freak. What are some ways K.B. could have handled Cassandra's rude comments? At lunch time when Cassandra made K.B. sit in ketchup one of the girls, Melanie didn’t seem to think this was funny. What could Melanie have done to help K.B. in this situation? When K.B. went to the library two of the girls took a picture of the ketchup stain on her pants and posted it on the computer for everyone to see. What type of bullying is this? 15

Discussion Questions Do you think that this type of bullying was more hurtful, less hurtful, or just as hurtful as the other types of bullying that happened to K.B. that day? Why? When K.B.’s mom asked her how her first day of school was she told her it was great and didn’t tell her about being bullied. Why should K.B. have told her mom about what had happened? How could her mom have helped her? Who else could K.B. have gone to for help? 16

What Have You Learned About Bullying? 17

References Bullying.org. (2003). Bullying basics. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from Bullying.org. (2003). Bullying information. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from Bullying.org (2003). Bullying myths and facts. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from Facts%20Pamphlet.pdf. Facts%20Pamphlet.pdf Hazeldon Foundation (2007). What is bullying?. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Are you being bullied?. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.).Do you bully others?. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Do you witness bullying? Are you a bystander?. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from

References Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Effects of bullying. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Signs that you bully others. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Questions for Stop Bullying Now! Webisodes. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Webisodes (1&5). Retrieved November 25, 2007 from Smokowski, P. R. & Kopasz, K. H. (2005). Bullying in school: An overview of types, effects, family characteristics, and intervention strategies. Children & Schools 27 (2), Retrieved October 26, 2007, from EBSCOhost. U.S. Department of Education. (2007). Bullying quiz. Exploring the Nature and Prevention of Bullying. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from Whitted, K. S. & Dupper, D. R. (2005). Best practices for preventing or reducing bullying in schools. Children & Schools, 27 (3), Retrieved October 26, 2007, fromEBSCOhost. 19