Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Prevention and Intervention 6 hour Training

1. Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Prevention and Intervention 6 hour Training Presented by Dan Kosick, LMSW School Social Worker/Dignity Act Coordinator/Certified Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) Trainer R.T.S. Middle SchoolSusquehanna Valley Central School District (607)775-9127 DKosick@svsabers.org

2. The 5 Key Components of this Training 1. Understanding the intent components, and operational definitions of the Dignity Act. 2. Developing sensitivity to the experience of specific student populations. 3. Understanding how school climate and culture have an impact on student achievement and behavior. 4. Understanding bullying, harassment and discrimination, including indicators, early warning signs, prevention and intervention and how to interact with families of victims and aggressors. 5. Understanding diversity and multi-cultural environments and examining your own biases.

3. Reflecting Upon Bullying from your school days What Touches Your Heart?

4. The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) What is DASA? http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/ DignityActBrochureUpdateFinal.pdf

5. Pop Quiz! Olweus\OBPP HS How Much do YOU Know About Bullying T-F Quiz.pdf

6. DISCRIMINATION

7. Defining Harassment, Bullying, and Misconduct HARASSMENT: Including but not limited to conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), or sex. BULLYING: When someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself. ~Olweus Bullying Prevention Program MISCONDUCT: Improper or inappropriate behavior.

8. Three main components of harassment/bullying Involves an aggressive behavior or an intent to harm Typically involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time Involves an imbalance of power or strength Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

9. What is bullying? “Bullying is peer abuse.” ~Dan Olweus

10. Our job is to take prompt actions reasonably calculated to end such conduct, create a more positive school climate and culture, prevent recurrence of the behavior, and insure the safety of the student(s) subjected to such conduct. A comprehensive approach that involves EVERYONE is required. It is all of our responsibilities to provide students a learning environment free of discrimination and harassment.

11. Goals of OBPP ~To reduce existing bullying problems among students ~To prevent the development of new bullying problems ~To achieve better peer relations at school Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP)The most-researched and best-known bullying prevention program available today.OBPP is…~designed for ALL students~preventive AND responsive~focused on changing norms and restructuring the school setting~NOT time-limited: requires systematic efforts over time

12. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Program Developer, Dan Olweus US Developer, Sue Limber

13. http://www.tolerance.org/kit/bullied-student-school-and-case-made-historyhttp://www.tolerance.org/kit/bullied-student-school-and-case-made-history A Teaching Tolerance Documentary (48 Mins)

14. Why address bullying in high schools? 1. For students & their futures 2. For a healthy school climate 3. For the larger community 4. For state law requirements/risk management for schools. 5. It’s a wise investment

15. Characteristics of Bullied Students • Research suggests two categories of bullied students: • “submissive” or “passive victims” • “provocative victims” or “bully-victims”

16. “Passive Victims” • Cautious, sensitive, quiet, & withdrawn • Anxious, insecure, have low self-esteem • Physically weaker than peers (boys) • Physically mature earlier (girls) • Have few friends--find it easier to associate with adults

17. “Provocative Victims” Tend To... • Share characteristics with bullied students ANDwith students who bully others • Be less effective in bullying than other children who bully • Behave in ways that cause irritation & attract negative attention with peers and adults

18. Effects of Being Bullied Lower self-esteem Depression & anxiety Absenteeism & lowered school achievement (school drop out) Illness Thoughts of suicide

19. Health Consequences of Bullying(Fekkes et al., 2004) BulliedNot bullied Headache 16% 6% Sleep problems 42% 23% Abdominal pain 17% 9% Feeling tense 20% 9% Anxiety 28% 10% Feeling unhappy 23% 5% Depression scale moderate indication 49% 16% strong indication 16% 2%

20. Buhs et al. (2006) Study of Peer Exclusion Victimization and Academic Achievement Peer Exclusion Peer Abuse Classroom Participation School Avoidance Achievement Decrease Peer Rejection • Kindergarten 5th Grade • Peer rejection in K associated with peer exclusion & peer abuse, grades K-5. • Peer exclusion leads to decrease in classroom participation, which leads to decrease in achievement • Peer abuse leads to increase in school avoidance (but not directly to decreases in achievement)

21. Bullying and Suicide • Children who are bullied are more likely to have: • Depressive symptoms • High levels of suicidal thoughts • Attempted suicide • Klomek et al. (2008) study of hs students: • All types of victimization were related to depression and suicidality. • The more types of bullying experienced, the higher the risk. • Hinduja & Patchin (2010) study of ms students: • Youth involved in bullying or cyber bullying as an offender OR victim had more suicidal thoughts and more attempts. • Children who had been bullied had higher rates than those who bullied others. • Experience with bullying explains only a small amount of the variation in suicidality

22. Students at Higher Risk of Being Bullied: • Those with mental or physical disabilities or health problems • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or those questioning their identities (GLBTQ)

23. Students Who Bully Tend To... • Have positive attitudes toward violence • Be impulsive and have quick tempers • Show little empathy for victims • Be aggressive to adults • Be involved in other antisocial or rule-breaking activities • Be physically stronger than peers (boys) NOBULLYINGALLOWED!

24. “Students who bully are loners.” “Students who bully have low self-esteem.” Common Myths About Students who Bully

25. Like to dominate others in a negative way Gain satisfaction from inflicting injury and suffering Receive “rewards” by bullying others (prestige, attention, possessions) What Motivates Students Who Bully?

26. Popular Students May Use Bullying Behaviors To Maintain Power Who are the most powerful students in your school? How can we help students use their power to help?

27. Concerns About Students Who Bully Children who bully are more likely to: Get into frequent fights Be injured in a fight Steal, vandalize property Drink alcohol, smoke Be truant, drop out of school Report poorer academic achievement Perceive a negative climate at school Carry a weapon

28. Students Who Bully Bullying may be part of a conduct-disordered behavior pattern This pattern may continue into young adulthood Olweus study: Those who bullied others in middle school were 4 times as likely to have 3 or more convictions by age 24

29. Bullying Behavior May Violate Civil or Criminal Law • Physical bullying - assault; stalking • Gender bullying - sexual harassment or • assault, dating abuse, domestic violence • Intimidating for gain - extortion • Rumors/Lies - defamation of character • Bullying based on race, national origin, sex, or disability (civil rights violations) • Cyber bullying - harassment by communication; stalking • Sexting - child pornography

30. Family Risk Factors for Bullying Lack of parental warmth and involvement Lack of parental supervision Overly-permissive parenting Harsh discipline/physical punishment

31. Effects of Bullying on Bystanders Bystanders may feel: Afraid Powerless to change the situation Guilty for not acting Diminished empathy for victims over time

32. It’s a question of rights. Ultimately...

33. Take out completed (T/F) quiz: How Much Do YOU Know About Bullying? How Much “Did” You Know?

34. What Roles Do Students Play In Bullying Situations? Start the bullying and take an active part G Dislike the bullying, help or try to help the bullied student A Students Who Bully Defenders Student Who Is Bullied Take an active part, but do not start the bullying B H Followers The one who is being bullied Support the bullying, but do not take an active part C Supporters Possible Defenders F Dislike the bullying and think they ought to help, but don’t do it Passive Supporters D Like the bullying, but do not display open support Disengaged Onlookers E TG, p. 24

35. Group Mechanisms in Bullying Social contagion Weakening inhibitions against aggression Decreased sense of individual responsibility Gradual changes in the view of bullied student/s

36. Bullying Impacts School Climate • Creates climate of fear and disrespect • Interferes with student learning • Students may feel insecure not like school as well • Students may perceive lack of control/caring from adults

37. School Risk Factors for Bullying Lack of supervision during breaks Students have indifferent or accepting attitudes Staff have indifferent or accepting attitudes towards bullying

38. Adults Who Bully • Teacher to Student • Teacher to Teacher • Parent to Teacher • Teacher to Parent • Administrator to Teachers/Staff • Teachers/Staff to Administrators • Community Members to Administrators

39. Misdirections in Bullying Prevention and Intervention • Simple, short-term solutions • “Program du jour approaches” • Group treatment for children who bully • Self-esteem enhancement for children who bully • Zero tolerance policies for bullying • Mediation/conflict resolution to resolve bullying issues

40. Creating a Positive Learning Environment

41. Characteristics of a Positive Learning Environment Positive expectations of students. Caring attitude. Students have a potential for success. Classroom climate of cooperation. Positive group identity. Students know what to expect from you. Students are given responsibilities in the classroom. Classroom procedural rules. Consistent follow-up and enforcement of the rules. Preparedness and organization. With-it-ness “having eyes in the back of your head”. Your focus in the classroom (switching from group to individual ). Appropriate pacing. Variety in teaching styles Smooth transitions. Cooperation with parents.

42. Classroom-Level Components • Post and enforce school wide rules against bullying • Hold regular class meetings • Hold meetings with students’ parents

43. Example of Anti-Bullying Rules • Rule 1: We will not bully others. • Rule 2: We will try to help students who are bullied. • Rule 3: We will try to include students who are left out. • Rule 4: If we know somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home. • Olweus Bully Prevention Program

44. Use ofPositiveConsequences to ReinforcePositiveBehavior Why are positive consequences critical? Who receives them? Types of behavior to reinforce Types of positive consequences Tips on use of positive consequences

45. Use of Negative Consequences Why aren’t positive consequences enough? Guidelines for use of negative consequences Types of negative consequences

46. Class Meetings The purpose of holding regular class meetings are: • to teach students what bullying, harassment and discrimination is • to help students learn more about themselves and their feelings and reactions, and those of their peers, and to provide them with opportunities to express their personal opinions in a relatively safe and supportive environment • to build a sense of community and belonging • to help you as a teacher, learn more about the classroom culture, power struggles, and relationships among classmates • to provide a forum for dealing with problems in the classroom and the discussion for possible solutions to problems • improve classroom communication Olweus Bully Prevention Program

47. Be a facilitator Create ground rules for your class meetings Create discussion goals and objectives Have students sit in a circle to allow for more intimate interactions and eye contact Don’t allow students to intimidate others during meetings Do not force students to share personal experiences Provide opportunities for students to journal after meetings How do you run a class meeting?Integrate the principles of DASA into a lesson plan.DignityActLessonPlanTemplate_1.pdf

48. Benefits of a Positive Learning Environment Improved attendance rates Less distractions during “teaching” time Safety, control and a sense of community within the classroom Better communication Improved academic performance

49. Individual-Level Components

50. Individual-Level Components Supervise students’ activities Ensure that all staff intervene on-the-spot when bullying occurs Hold meetings with students involved in bullying Meetings with parents Develop individual intervention plans for involved students