Children, Adolescents and Bullying A Presentation from Metro TeenAIDS

Bullying in Every Day Life Welcome Do now Bullying facts DCPS Cyber-bullying LGBTQ bullying Suicide Youth violence Potential Solutions NBC Dateline Follow-up

Do now… Please take your quiz Please write down on your note card: Your definition of bullying An example of bullying you have witnessed

What is bullying? Attack or intimidation Imbalance of power Repeated attacks

Bullying Facts Variety of bullying One in seven children grades 5-12 have been involved in 2010 56% of children report witnessing bullying at school in 2010 20% of children report that they are actually bullied at school

Why does it matter to DCPS? From the youth risk behavior surveillance survey Are nearly three times more likely to avoid school because they feel unsafe More likely to be threatened or injured with a weapon on school property Nearly two times more likely to be in a fight on a school campus Slightly more likely to consider suicide Two times more likely to have a suicide attempt that requires medical treatment

Effects of Bullying Physical injury, social and emotional distress Children who are bullied Children who are bullies Children who are bully-victims

Risk Factors of Bullying Children at risk for bullying Lower self esteem Physically smaller Poor social skills Children at risk for being bullies Impulsivity Harsh parenting by caregivers Attitudes where violence is accepted

Signs & Symptoms of Bullying That a child is being bullied Becoming withdrawn Showing fear when it is time to go to school Increasing signs of depression Decline in school performance That a child is being a bully Views violence as a solution to most problems Shows aggression towards adults as well as other children Needs to dominate others and control the situation Easily frustrated

What is cyber-bullying? This includes electronic messages in the forms of webchats, email, instant messaging, social networking sites, a chat room, or videos or pictures posted on a website or sent through cell phones. This is called electronic aggression.

Cyber-bullying Facts Up to 35% of children affected Most common in grade 8 Instant messaging is most common

Effects of cyber-bullying High risk behaviors Encouraging others Victim-bullies Cyber-bullying & sexual harassment Combining tactics

What can be done about cyber-bullying? Offer training to fellow educators Talk to children and teens Notify IT Positive atmosphere Make a plan

LBGTQ Bullying Facts Lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender and questioning children are at a higher risk for bullying because of negative attitudes towards their orientation 2009 survey showed startling facts LGBT and Q(uestioning) students were more likely to report bullying and substance abuse and be at a higher risk for suicide

Bullycide Bullycide is a term used to describe suicide as a result of bullying Suicide is the 6th leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds, the 3rd leading cause of death in adolescents and the 2nd leading cause of death among college aged youth 4 out of 5 teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs

What can you do to support LGBTQ youth? Recognize challenges this population faces in your school Be self-aware Confront inappropriate remarks Seek chances to discuss contributions of LGBTQ in class No assumptions

What can be done about LBGTQ Bullying school wide? Positive school environment Respect for all “Safe” spaces Gay-straight-lesbian alliance clubs Recognize community resources for LBGTQ students

Youth Violence Youth violence includes bullying, slapping, hitting, punching, robbery and assault and can often cause more emotional damage then physical damage Although only 1% of homicides occurred on school grounds perpetrators were 9 times more likely to demonstrate suicidal ideation before committing these crimes and twice as likely to have been bullied by their peers In 2007 DC the number is 49.8 homicides out of 100,000 people aged 15-24

What can be done about youth violence? Difficult for schools to manage- truly a community problem Family prevention programs Teaching children social development skills Mentoring programs with positive adult role models Physical and social changes within the environment

Teachers who are Bullied In 2005 a survey showed that 36% of teachers reported they had been bullied by their students 61% were part-time 34% were full-time 30% support staff Understand it is common- and needs to be reported

What can teachers do about bullying? School wide efforts by creating a positive school environment No changes in bullying rates shown in “Zero Tolerance” Policies Preventing bullying in the classroom Preventing children from being bullying targets Teaching bystanders to be active bullying preventers

School Wide Efforts Assess bullying at each individual school Set boundaries that indicate when educators should intervene Create a menu of consequences for those who bully Establish a policy for contacting the parents of the bully Monitor bullying prevention measures to make sure they are effective for reducing bullying at the school

Preventing Bullying the Classroom Make sure students understand the definition of bullying Hold a class meeting where students come up with rules for behavior Have students create a list of bullying that are kept on the board Teachers confront bullies in a firm and fair manner Other strategies

Helping Children Develop Positive Self-Esteem Find out where children are reporting they are most often bullied Create a safe room in school Help children who struggle socially with basic skills Pair students off for fun activities in class to encourage friendship and collaboration Teach assertiveness skills

Teaching Bystanders to be Active Bullying Preventers Train students to play an active role in supporting the victim of bullying Clearly distinguish between tattling and telling Invite trusted adults to introduce themselves and identify themselves as a safe person Hold bystanders accountable for their actions if they join in on bullying a victim Instruct students who witness bullying to never partake in it

Dateline NBC- My Kid Would Never Bully http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/ March 6th, 2011 Elementary school Are purses just for girls? Everyday speech leaves lasting effects Middle school & High school My kid would never bully part 4 My kid would never bully part 5

Documentary & Resources http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRMxURmvyxI

References Wright, Jim (2004). Preventing classroom bullying: what teachers can do. www.interventioncentral.org. Retrieved on March 2, 2012 at http://www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/bully/bullyBooklet.pdf National Center for Injury Control and Prevention (2011). Understanding bullying: fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved on February 18, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/Bullying_Factsheet-a.pdf Wired Kids Inc. (2012). What is it? Stop cyberbullying. Retrieved on March 1, 2012 from http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html McCollum, S. (2010). Country Outpost. Teaching tolerance. Retrieved Febuary 28, 2012 from http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/Country_Outposts_38.pdf

References Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender health (2011). Youth. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved on March 3, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health (2011). LBGT youth resources. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved on March 3, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth-resources.htm#school Hartjes, E. (2007). Some students bully teachers too. Teachers at risk. Retrieved on March 14, 2012 from http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/05/07/some-students-bully-teachers-too/ National Center for Injury Control and Prevention (2011). Youth violence national and state statistics at a glance. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved on February 27, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/stats_at-a_glance/index.html Poland, S. & Poland, D. (2004). Dealing with death at school. Principal leadership. Retrieved on March 19, 2012 from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Dealing%20with%20Death%20at%20School%20April%2004.pdf