BULLYING, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR AND HARRASSMENT AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCHOOS: WHAT CLASSROOM STAFF NEED TO KNOW Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

Topics of Discussion 1 – What is School Bullying? 2 – Types of Bullying 3 – Further Key Issues for Classroom Staff 4A – Dealing with Incidents of Bullying Behaviour (1): Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management 4B – Dealing with Incidents of Bullying Behaviour (2): Support Strategies for those involved in Bullying Behaviour 5A – Preventative Strategies (1): General Talks to Class Groups about Bullying Behaviour 5B – Preventative Strategies (2): Specific Anti-Bullying Activity Classes 5C – Preventative Strategies (3): Anti-Bullying Across the Curriculum 6 – Questions and Answers Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

1- What is School Bullying? ‘…the systematic abuse of power’ (Smith and Sharp, 1998) ‘Bullying is long-standing violence, mental or physical, conducted by an individual or a group against an individual who is not able to defend himself or herself in that actual situation (Roland, 1989, in Mellor, 1999) Smith, P.K. and Sharp, S. (eds) (1998) School Bullying: Insights and Perspectives. London: Routledge Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

2- Types of Bullying Direct Bullying  Verbal Bullying  Physical Bullying  Gesture Bullying  Extortion  E- Bullying Indirect Bullying Girls and boys tend to be involved to differing extents in the various types of bullying behaviour Labelling someone as a ‘bully’ is not helpful. Instead of using the ‘blame/punishment’ approach, we advocate the ‘no blame’ approach: challenging and changing the inappropriate behaviour Young people who are involved in bullying, aggressive behaviour and harassment as either victims o0r perpetrators (or in some cases, both), need the help and intervention of both parents and school personnel. Bullying is best viewed as a community issue – don’t focus exclusively on the student-student dyad, but consider also teach-on-student, student-on- teacher, and parent-on-teach (etc) Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

3 – Further Key Issues for Classroom Staff Anti-Bullying Policy in Schools  Should specify How bullying is defines, and the forms it takes How incidents of alleged bullying behaviour are to be reported, investigated and recorded How incidents of bullying behaviour are to be dealt with, including support and intervention strategies for those involved (both perpetrators and victims) and, where necessary, the specification of sanctions for perpetrators Preventative strategies in the school and classroom The role of school management staff, classroom staff, parents/guardians, students and relevnat others in the above Measures for dissemination, evaluation and review  Should underpin all of the anti-bullying work that is undertaken in schools The Role of Classroom Staff in Anti-Bullying Work  The practical and day-to-day implementation of the procedures and strategies specified in the school’s anti-bulling policy Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

4A – Dealing with Incidents of Bullying Behaviour (1) Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management  A five-stage model Identification, assessment, formulation of causes, intervention, evaluation  Being objective, and being preceived as being so Equal and fair consideration to each side before action; action will be fair and just, and be consequence of the choices made by the peopole involved in the conflict, and their subsequent behaviour Ground rules and taking notes  Dealing with feelings People rarely fight about facts or events, but rather how they feel about them Attending to safety needs, use of active listening, open-ended and feeling-level questions, empathic standpoint Conflict management  Where compromise is not possible – enter into a third-part arbitrated agreement  Hopefully, paves the way for future conflict resolution N.B. – Bullying may not involve conflict (mutual antagonism/ dislike/ distrust), but may be connected to the perpetrator's desire to manipulate and exert power Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

4B – Dealing with Incidents of of Bullying Behaviour (2) Support Strategies for those Involved in Bullying Behaviour  Counselling/emotional support services for those who have been victimised Undertaken by a suitably qualifies professional Should be just one of a range of options  Social skills work Anti-social persistent perpetrators ‘Provocative’ victims Can be undertaken by skilled classroom staff member or suitable qualified professional  Emotional (esp. anger) management work ‘Unintentional’ perpetrators, or those poor in impulse control Can be undertaken by skills classroom staff member of suitable qualfied professional Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

5A – Preventative Strategies (1) General Talks to Class Groups about Bullying Behaviour  Key points to put across: what bullying is, and the different forms that it can take; that bullying is, and is seen in this school, as an unacceptable form of behaviour; That we all have a responsibility to safeguard the well-being of others; That is we are being bullied, or if we know about someone else being bullied, that the best way to get help is to tell a member of school staff; That violent retaliation will only make things worse in the long run; That everyone has a right to a school that is free of bullying and harassment, and we all have t play our part in achieving this.  Repetition is essential; a guideline could be that young people in school should hear such a talk at least once a term Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

5B – Preventative Strategies (2) Specific Anti-Bullying Activity Classes  General points Whole class groups with a self-esteem focus; inclusiveness Combination of creative media and facilitated discussion work ‘Circle time’: group work and group boundaries  Warm-up activities  Video and structured discussion sessions  Visual arts Posters, pictures and sculpture  Performance arts Musical composition and drama sessions Role-play and its problems  The use of class charters  Public display of student’s creative contributions Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

5C – Preventative Strategies (3) Anti-Bullying Across the Curriculum  It is possible to convey an anti-bullying message through one’s day-to-day teaching practise  Primary teachers have perhaps a greater degree of freedom over curriculum, this this is possible in subject teaching at the secondary school level, too  General advice – take the issues of bullying behaviour in schools seriously, and then take every opportunity, using one’s own creativity and ingenuity to convey a pro-social and anti-bullying message Dealing with Bullying in Schools © SAGE, 2004

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