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

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

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

4. (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.

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

6. 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

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

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

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

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

11. 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.

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

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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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…

25. 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 messages, instant messaging, text messaging, chat rooms, and web sites.)

26. 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.

27. 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 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.

28. 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.

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. Warning Signs
Refer to handout!

34. The Bullying Circle

35. Video Clip Scenario

36. Program Components
Parents
School
Classroom
Individual
Community

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

38. 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

39. Program Components
Parents
School
Classroom
Individual
Community

40. 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

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

42. 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

43. 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

44. 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

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

46. 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

47. 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…

48. 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

49. 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

50. Schoolwide Implementation Checklist

51. Bullying is like . . .because

52. Thank You!!! Dr. Katherine Sprott Kansas State University
Midwest Equity Assistance Center