 October is bullying prevention month.  We focus more on solutions to bullying during the month of October on a school-wide level, but bullying is an action that is NEVER ok, regardless of the month.

 What is your answer to the question?

 A bullying behavior is something that is done on purpose to hurt someone else.  Bullying behaviors are repeated over and over again by someone who may not feel bad about hurting someone else.  The person doing the bullying behaviors may feel more powerful than someone else.  The hurt may be painful to the body, feelings or popularity.

 To complete the survey on the next slide students should take out 1 sheet of notebook paper.  Students should write today’s date and their grade level at the top of the paper.  Students should not write their names on the paper.  Students should number their paper 1-9 and answer each question with “agree” or “disagree”.  This paper will be used again at the end of this presentation for a final assignment to be turned in at the end of ELT today.

Bullying is a problem at WMS.Agree Disagree Someone I know is sometimes afraid to come to WMS because of being bullied.Agree Disagree I am sometimes afraid to come to WMS because of bullyingAgree Disagree WMS is not safe for some students.Agree Disagree WMS is not safe for me.Agree Disagree I’m not sure what the procedures are for reporting bullying at WMS.Agree Disagree I feel comfortable reporting bullying.Agree Disagree At WMS, there are no consequences for bullying.Agree Disagree In my opinion, some people deserve to be picked on or bullied.Agree Disagree * What would you like for WMS staff to do to make this school safer? (School staff can’t just take one student’s word over another. There has to be some type of proof.)

 Some people feel entitled. They mistakenly believe that rules do not apply to them. They are wrong.

 The person who is practicing the bullying behaviors feels insecure. The person may feel like they have to pretend to be tough or better than someone else because in reality they feel like they aren’t as good as someone else.

 Jealousy Sometimes people practice bullying behaviors because another person has something they want. Some folks feel angry because they don’t have what they want. These people may act out in inappropriate ways because they do not know how to handle their anger. Not knowing how to deal with your anger is never an acceptable excuse for bullying someone else.

 Physical Appearance skin color (race, differences within races of skin color) too tall/too short too thin/too fat eye glasses teeth (braces) acne clothes etc.

 Individual talents (strengths, weaknesses) too athletic/not athletic enough too high of an academic achiever/not achieving enough academically too artistic/not artistic enough

 Individual Style/Likes clothing style musical tastes hobbies etc.

 Family Economic Level

 Different Religions/Faiths

 What do you think and why?

 Look the bully in the eye and calmly tell him/her to stop.

 Let an adult know. You have to be brave and specific. (Who, when, where, what) Make sure that you are not bullying others. (If someone calls you an ugly name after you did the same to them, what is the fair thing for an adult to do?)

 Become a part of a support group. Seldom will a bully pick on someone who has friends with him/her and stands together with that group.

 If you see someone being bullied, show your leadership skills and create a support group for the person who is being bullied. (Invite the person to hang out with you and your friends. Give accurate and specific information to an adult.) *If you stand by and watch without taking any action, bullying will continue. If you laugh at or encourage inappropriate behavior, the behavior will continue. You are responsible for doing something to help.

 Bullying is against school rules. (School rules can be enforced on any school property at any school-sponsored event and any time, including bus stops, field trips, athletic events, etc.)  Bullying is against the law.  A student who has been proven guilty of bullying on 3 separate occasions can be sent to Ombudsman. (Remember the definition of bullying. Bullying includes verbal, physical and written attempts to hurt someone else.)  Those who have been bullied can also work with local law enforcement officers to file criminal charges against the bully, even if the bully is younger than 16.

 Requires a group effort School Staff Students Parents Law Enforcement No one group can stop bullying.

 What is a good plan for WMS to follow to decrease/stop bullying? Be specific, and be sure to reflect back on the information from the PowerPoint slides. Don’t just say suspend the bully. Give details. Remember, administrators cannot take one student’s word over another without some kind of proof. 1. Write your plan on the same sheet of paper that you used for your survey answers.