Owleus: A Bullying Prevention Program Dr. Katherine Sprott Best Practices Omaha, NE

MEAC Facebook/Website http://www.meac.org

Midwest Equity Assistance Center Conference Date: October 10-11, 2012 Location: Kansas City Marriott Downtown Register online or call 785-532-6408 Free

(Get to Know One Another) How much do you know about bullying (Get to Know One Another) How much do you know about bullying? True or False Find a partner. Introduce yourselves. Discuss first two questions. Choose a response. Find another partner and continue the process until the questionnaire has been completed.

1. True or False Studies suggest that fewer than 10% of children are involved in bully/victim problems. False B

TODAY Today Almost 77 % of youth in US are involved in bullying by either as a bully or a target of bullying according Safeyouth.org. B

2. True or False Children are more likely to be bullied in middle school than in elementary school. True B

Middle school is the age when bullying is most common. Prevalence of Age Middle school is the age when bullying is most common.

3. True or False Most bullying is physical in nature. False B

4. True or False 4. True or false Girls bully just as much as boys they just do it differently. True B

Gender plays a role Similarities: Differences: Both boy and girls engage in frequent verbal bullying. Girls and boys engage in relational bullying. Differences: Boys are more likely to physically bully. Girls are more likely to use more subtle and indirect forms of bullying; social exclusion, rumor-spreading friendship manipulation. Boys are bullied primarily by boys: girls are bullied by boys and girls.

5. True or False 4. True or false Boys are more likely than girl to be involved in cyber bullying. False B

Frequency of Cyber-bullying Females are twice as high as males to participate in cyberbullying. Females (60%) Males 30%

6. True or false 4. True or false The vast majority of children who are bullied tell a teacher or other member of the school staff. False B

Reporting of Victimization Many children do no report to school staff Older student and boys are less like than younger and girls to report their victimization.

7. True or False 4. True or false Bullying is just as likely on the way to and from school as during school hours. True B

Common Bullying Locations Unnever et al. (2010) 48% Hallways/stairwells 32% in class with teacher absent 29% in gym class/locker rooms 27% in class with teacher present 24% lunch room 17% bathroom 15% on the bus

8. True or False 4. True or false Most students who observe bullying don’t think they should get involved. True B

Student Who Observe What do you usually do when you see someone being bullied? 38% Nothing- I think the bullying is OK/I take/I Just watch 27% I don’t do anything but I think I should help 35% I try to help him or her

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Dr. Dan Olweus First systematic research in 1970’s 1983 three teenager committed suicide in Norway Until 1990’s U. S. there was little attention

Record your definition of bullying on the handout provided. What is Bullying? Record your definition of bullying on the handout provided.

Bullying Is….. An aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power. Usually is repeated over time. Occurs in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power or strength.

Bullying In Everyday Language “Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean and hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself.

Direct Bullying Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting… Taunting, teasing, racial slurs, verbal harassment Threatening, obscene gestures Bullying takes many forms. We are, perhaps, most familiar with direct forms of bullying, which include…

Indirect Bullying Getting another person to bully someone for you Spreading rumors Deliberately excluding someone from a group or activity Cyberbullying It also is important to keep in mind that there indirect forms of bullying, which may be less apparent to adults, but which may cause a good bit of distress to children who are bullied. Indirect forms of bullying might include… (Note that cyber-bullying is a relatively new form of bullying, which includes bullying via e-mail messages, instant messaging, text messaging, chat rooms, and web sites.)

Cyberbullying (On line social cruelty or electronic bullying) Sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images. Posting sensitive, private information about another person. Pretending to someone else in order to make that person look bad. Intentionally excluding some from an online group. Cyberbullying happens in other places but effects students at school.

Cyberbullying 65 percent of teens have been victims. 81percent thought that it was funny or a joke. 80 percent of teens said that they didn’t have parent rules. 17% of 6-11 and 12-17 years reported that threats or embarrassing things. 11 percent talked to parents about the incidents 70 percent said that being able to block cyberbullies was most effective.

How Does Bullying Affect Children? Record your response in your handout. Nearly one in five students in an average classroom is experiencing bullying in some way. The rest of the students, called bystanders, are also affected by the bullying.

Students Who are Bullied Students deserve to feel safe at school. But when they experience bullying, these types of effects can last long into their future: Depression Low self-esteem Health problems Poor grades Suicidal thoughts

Students Who Bully Others Students who intentionally bully others should be held accountable for their actions. Those who bully their peers are also more likely than those students who do not bully others to *: Get into frequent fights Steal and vandalize property Drink alcohol and smoke Report poor grades Perceive a negative climate at school Carry a weapon

Observers of Bullying Students who see bullying happen also may feel that they are in an unsafe environment. Effects may include feeling: Fearful Powerless to act Guilty for not acting Tempted to participate

School With Bullying Issues When bullying continues and a school does not take action, the entire school climate can be affected in the following ways: The school develops an environment of fear and disrespect Students have difficulty learning Students feel insecure Students dislike school Students perceive that teachers and staff have little control and don't care about them

Warning Signs Refer to handout!

The Bullying Circle

Video Clip Scenario

Program Components Parents School Classroom Individual Community

“Systems Change” Changing the school climate requires multilevel effort. Consistent manner across grade levels All areas of the school

Benefits Fifty percent or more of student reports of being bullied. Significant reduction of vandalism, antisocial behavior, truancy, school violence and theft. Significant improvement of school classroom climate Greater supportand intervention for students being bullied

Program Components Parents School Classroom Individual Community

School Level Components Coordinating Committee Committee and Staff training Questionnaire Schoolwide Hold Staff discussion group Introduce School rules against bullying Review and refine the school’s supervisory system Hold a school kick-off event to launch the program Involve parents

Support District Leadership Building Administrators Certified trainer Olweus Bullying Prevention Website Hazelden Publishing Website District Leadership Building Administrators Classroom teachers, key staff

Coordinating Committee Training Program Information Questionnaire Schoolwide Hold Staff discussion group Obtain feedback Events in the school Plan a school kick-off event to launch the program feedback parents community media

Committee and Staff training Two training with Olweus trainer All other staff full day training Learn skills to Hold class meeting, on the spot bullying, follow up with student, work with parents

Questionnaire Schoolwide Administer with students before program begins Tailor bullying prevention Nature and extent of bullying at your school Reveal how it impacts the school envirnoment Assess how the program is working over time

Hold Staff discussion group One half every two weeks/monthly Program components Solve problems Plan how to direct activites

Introduce School rules against bullying Every class will adopt the same four antibullying rules Meet with all staff to discuss the rules, examples of positive and negative consequences Who will follow up with bullying incidents, consistence of staff

Review and refine the school’s supervisory system Use staff to monitor and enforce anti-bullying rules Hot Spots More staff participating the less likely bullying will continue Playground, athletic fields, restrooms, lunchroom etc…

Hold a school kick-off event to launch the program Assembly, skit, play, video, group activity Introduce antibullying rules Firdt class meeting should occur right after the event Involve parents

Involve throughout the program Individual class parent meetings Involve parents Involve throughout the program Individual class parent meetings Parent serve on the BPCC Inform parent newsletters, brochures, letters, online bulletin boards etc… Hold a school kick-off event to launch the program

Schoolwide Implementation Checklist

Bullying is like . . .because

Thank You!!! Dr. Katherine Sprott Kansas State University Midwest Equity Assistance Center Krs8888@k-state.edu