By: Ms. Ward

What can we do to make our classroom hate free? How can we make every person feel safe and valued? What can you do to make your own speech and actions hate free?

Physical or mental abuse that occurs over time Physical or mental intimidation that occurs over time Bullying can be overt (out in the open) like teasing, hitting, or stealing. Boys most often engage in open bullying. Bullying can be covert (in secret) like spreading rumors or leaving someone out on purpose. Girls most often engage in secret or hidden bullying. Bullying is violence. Violence is any mean word, look, sign, or act that hurts a person’s body, feelings, or things.

Bullies often come from homes that use physical punishment (like spanking or slapping) to discipline Caregivers of bullies often are uninvolved in the bully’s life and lack warmth Children who bully often do not respect authority figures and like to break rules

What are some ways we can behave in a civilized way?

Children are usually bullied by one child or a small group of children Common locations that bullying takes place at: playground, classroom, lunchroom, halls, and bathroom Bullying is way more common at school than on the way to or from school

Most studies find boys bully more than girls, but girls bully more severely than boys Boys report being bullied by boys, girls report being bullied by girls and boys Boys are more likely to be physically bullied by their peers, while girls are more likely to be mentally bullied by their peers Girls are most likely to be bullied through rumor spreading, sexual comments or harassment, and social exclusion

Short Term effects on the victim Lowered self esteem Higher rates of depression High rate of being absent to school More likely to have lower grades because school is seen as an unsafe place More suicidal thoughts Likely to experience criminal or legal problems as an adult Bring bullying behaviors into adulthood, making relationships hard to maintain Experience low self esteem and depression as an adult Long term effects on the bully

In 2001 a sample of 15,600 students was taken from the grades 6 th -10 th, this is what they had to say about bullying: 19% bullied others sometimes or more often 9% bullied others weekly 17% were bullied sometimes or more often 8% were bullied weekly Only 6% reported not being bullied at all

Around 10% of children must take time off from school because of bullying Up to 40% of students think teachers have no clue that bullying is happening within the school About 17% of all calls to child help lines are made by children being bullied Almost 1/3 of school children report being the object of sexual jokes, gestures, comments By the average age of 23, children who had been bullied were still reporting problems with self esteem and depression Nearly 60% of boys who were classified as bullies when they were younger had been convicted of at least one crime by the time they were 23.

The average bullying behavior lasts only 37 seconds, but can be remembered by the victim for a lifetime Teachers notice and intervene in bullying incidents only 1 time out of every 25 times Most victims experience bullying at least 2 to 3 times a month But, 6 out of 10 teens witness bullying at least once a day 66% of children are teased at least once a month An estimated 160,000 students miss school at least once a week due to fear of attack or intimidation

4 out of 5 middle school students admit they act like bullies at least once a month 7% of 8 th graders stay at home at least once a month because of bullies 14% of 8 th -12 th graders and 22% of 4 th -8 th graders reported bullying negatively affected their ability to learn in school 10% of students who drop out of school completely do so because of being bullied

Bullied Percent of kids who experience: Headaches: 16% Sleep Problems: 42% Stomach Pain: 17% Feeling Tense: 20% Anxiety: 28% Feeling Unhappy: 23% Percent of kids who experience: Headaches: 6% Sleep Problems: 23% Stomach Pain: 9% Feeling Tense: 9% Anxiety: 10% Feeling Unhappy: 5% Not Bullied

Studies have shown that kids who bully are more likely to: Get into frequent fights Be injured in a fight Steal or vandalize property Drink Alcohol Smoke Be truant or drop out of school Have poor academic performances Think of school as a negative place Carry a weapon 60% of boys who were bullied in middle school had at least once conviction by the time they were 24 40% had 3 or more convictions Bullies were 4 times as likely as non-bullies to have convictions

Stop Bullying Now!

Many do not report being bullied Older children and boys are less likely to report bullying Why don’t children report bullying? 2/3 of victims felt the school staff would respond poorly Most victims are afraid telling will only make the bullying worse

38% do nothing because they believe it is none of their business 27% did nothing, though they felt they should have done something to help Only 35% would stand up for the victim or turn the bully in

The bully is often someone others look up to or want to hang out with They want to “side” with the bully because that makes them feel strong They’re entertained by the bullying They don’t think speaking up will help They’re afraid that if they say something, the bully will turn on them

A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth or say no. That’s where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully, it’s having backbone to do the right thing. A quote by Robert Kiyosaki

Bullying behaviors should be addressed before it interferes with the health (mental or physical), academics, or learning process of a student.

Why? Bullying is not a conflict, it is abuse There is not a question of “some right” and “some wrong” on both sides. The bully is wrong period. Adults need to claim responsibility.

Don’t bring expensive things or money to school Label your belongings with permanent marker in case they get stolen Avoid unsupervised areas Sit near the bus driver or walk with a teacher to class Act confident. Hold your head up, stand up straight, and make eye contact Avoid places where bullying happens

Ask yourself these questions… Does it make your feel better to hurt other people or take their things? Are you bigger and/or stronger than other people your age? Do you sometimes use your size and strength to get your way? Have you been bullied by someone in the past and feel like you have to make it up by doing the same to others? Do you avoid thinking about how others might feel if you say or do hurtful things to them?

Apologize to people that you have bullied, and follow it up by being friendly They might not trust you right away, but eventually they will see that you have changed If you are having a hard time feeling good about yourself, explore ways to boost your self esteem If you feel like you’re having trouble controlling your feelings, especially anger, talk to a school counselor about it

Treat others the way you want to be treated. Stand up for someone when he or she needs it, and when you need it, someone will stand up for you.