Bullying

- Haim Ginott, Israeli Educator I have come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom…As a teacher; I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt, or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized. - Haim Ginott, Israeli Educator This quote helps us realize that the teacher has a tremendous impact on bullying in the classroom. The teacher’s actions can serve to decrease incidents of bullying. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

The Teacher as the Model Take the time to build a trusting and caring relationship with all your students especially bullies and victims. Bullies rarely have a positive relationship with their teachers. Taking the time to build a trusting and caring relationship with a bully may be one of the most effective ways to end the bullying. Help every student become more successful and valued for their own skills and talents. Students who have academic and social difficulties are often teased and intimidated by their peers. Model respect through your classroom management strategies. Teachers must maintain order in the classroom or teasing and bullying will flourish. Remember teachers set the tone in the classroom, here are some things Esther Williams LPC states you can do to promote a bully free environment. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

The Teacher as the Model cont. Use discipline as an opportunity to teach the correct behavior. A teacher’s discipline style has a big influence on bullying in the classroom. Use personal conferences with students to address chronic behavior problems. Public confrontations can give a bully the audience they want. Never engage in a power struggle with a student. It is said that for every minute you argue with a child your age drops 5 years. It doesn’t take long for you to be on their level and reinforcing their negative behavior. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

The Teacher as the Model Create a safe classroom community. When students feel safe emotionally and physically, they are better able to concentrate on learning. Use cooperative groups, group learning and peer tutoring to build community in your classroom. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

Teacher Interventions for Bullies Move closer to the students. Often your very presence will be enough to stop the bullying incident. When you see students exhibiting bullying behavior, stop the behavior immediately. Investigate to determine the seriousness of the situation and make an appropriate response. You do not want to over or under- react. When teachers see bullying going on and do nothing to stop it, students may assume the teacher is condoning the bullying. Many times, the teacher is either unaware of what is happening or just not sure how to intervene appropriately. Take a look at these Interventions and decide on an intervention strategy that is appropriate for the students behavior. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

Teacher Interventions for the Bully and Victim Rather than accusing the bully of bullying, privately ask the bully questions. “What did you do?” “What was inappropriate about that?” “What is the rule that covers this behavior?” “Who did you hurt?” “What were you trying to accomplish?” “The next time that is your goal, how will you accomplish it without hurting another student?” “What are you going to do for the person you hurt?” Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

Teacher Interventions for the Bully and Victim cont. Talk to the victim and or bystander separately and in private, at a later time to get a clear picture of what is actually going on and how you can best help the victim and the bully. Make sure the bully and the victim get the support they need. Provide the victim with strategies she can use to prevent future bullying episodes or refer them to the counseling office. There are times the victim may try to create the impression that he/she is not being bullied at all. The victim may prefer to suffer being bullied rather than risk the greater embarrassment of having the teacher intervene on his/her behalf. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

Handouts Teacher interventions for the victim Consequences of bullying Characteristics of families of victims Characteristics of families that bully Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007

What now? Counselors will be teaching lessons in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes to promote a bully free environment. Teachers will report incidents of bullying to counselors so that we can document and counsel students. Administrators will hand out appropriate consequences to repeat offenders. Esther Williams, M. Ed., LPC 2007