Bullying Prevention: Creating a Safe and Enriching School Climate

1. Bullying Prevention: Creating a Safe and Enriching School Climate Adapted from Ft. Worth Independent School District

2. Presentation Overview •Overview of Bullying –Traditional and Cyber •Impact on School –Environment –Legal •Safe Students and Staff –Prevention and Intervention Strategies –Boundaries

3. Definition • A student is bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed repeatedly, and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students.

4. Imbalance of Power • Bullying is an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim where the bully uses his/her physical, intellectual, verbal, or social skills against the victim.

5. Bullying at School Visible: • Fighting • Weapons • Gangs • Overt Bullying Less Visible: • Put downs • Teasing/taunting • Exclusion • Rumors/Gossip • Cyber

6. Types of Bullying • Physical/Gestures • Psychological • Harassment • Relational • Mobbing • Digital/Cyber

7. Bullying Episode Participants • Victim • Bully • Bystanders • Bully/Victim • Homicidal Victim

8. Traditional vs. Cyber Bullying Traditional Cyber •60% of victims were also bullied in “traditional” ways •55% of perpetrators bullied others in “traditional” ways Source: Kowalski & Limber, 2008

9. Definition Cyber Bullying involves the use of electronic technologies to engage in repeated and/or extensively disseminated acts of cruelty towards others.

10. Youth Online Research • Young people face significantly greater risks from known peers-not online strangers • Most parents are not fully involved with their child’s online activities-fear strategies aren’t effective • The majority of teens are generally making good choices online

11. Online Risks • Perception of invisibility-which can lead to a reduced fear of detection • Lack of tangible feedback that actions have caused harm to self or others • Materials in electronic form can be widely disseminated and permanently available

12. Forms of Cyberbullying • Cyberstalking • Outing and Trickery • Flaming (text rage) • Exclusion/ Ostracism • Impersonation • Harassment (text wars) • Denigration (online slam books) • Happy Slapping

13. Cyberbullying can occur… • Text Messages (flaming, text rage) • Chat Rooms (Bash Boards) • Websites (online slam books) • Social Networking • Sexting

14. Common Social Networking Sites Teens use multiple social networking apps/tools! • Twitter • Instagram • Snapchat • YikYak • Ask.fm • Omegle • Whisper • Tumblr • Vine • Facebook • Kik Messenger • Wanelo • Ooovoo • WhatsApp • Google+ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/15-sites-and-apps-kids-are-heading-to-beyond-facebook

15. Why does bullying continue? • Adult beliefs • Adult excuses • Lack of enforcement • Lack of training • Ignorance

16. Students At Greatest Risk • New to the area or school • Isolated /loners • Physically weaker or unique characteristic • Anxious, insecure, unhappy, and withdrawn What actions can you take to support these students?

17. Impact of Bullying • Academic • Emotional • Criminal • Bullycide • Homicide • Lawsuits

19. School Impact: School Climate and Safety • Social Contagion –can weaken normal inhibitions against aggressions • Decreased sense of self-responsibility • Gradual changes in view of victim

20. Student Free Speech 393 U.S. 503 (1969) • Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District – School officials can impose discipline if speech has or forseeablycould cause violenceorother substantial disruption of school activities.

21. Prevention: Environmental • Create safe and caring environment • Clear rules and expectations • Greeting • Buddy System • When supervising-supervise • Be observant

22. Prevention: Curriculum • Bullying • Relational Aggression • Cyber Safety

23. Prevention: Training • Student –Empathy –Cyber Safety –Legal Consequences • Staff • Parents

24. Prevention: Student Training • Help them stay safe –Understand the risks –Know how to prevent themselves from risk and effectively respond-ask for help –Encourage resiliency and responsibility • Encourage them to do the right thing –Make wise choices online –Respect rights and privacy of others –Do not harm others • Encourage them to be responsible –Promote digital civility –Report concerns to an adult and help others online

25. Prevention: Staff Training • Understand who is at greatest risk • Know the signs/symptoms of bullying • Be approachable • Be observant • Supervise • Be relationship minded; engage students • Set up newcomer program • Other

26. Prevention: Parent Training • Signs/symptoms of bullying • Develop relationship with school • Supervise both on and offline • Be observant • Communicate and be open minded • Help their child develop empathy and strong social skills • Other

27. Intervention: Environmental • Create environment that encourages reporting • Recognize signs and behaviors • Intervene quickly • Name the behavior • Consistent consequences • Report/document – Discipline Report – Bus Incident Report

28. Intervention: Staff Training • Do not reply to emails, taunts or lies • Save all interactions for evidence • Do not forward sexting photos • In the case of email harassment, contact the harasser's Internet Service Provider and make a complaint. • Report incidences to your administrator along with copies of the materials that you have collected.

29. Staff / Student Interactions As an educator, it is your responsibility to maintain a classroom atmosphere which is comfortable and conducive to learning for all students. Key Point: How do you remain friendly, respectful, and professional with students without violating the boundaries of professionalism?

30. What are boundaries? • mutually understood, unspoken physical and emotional limits of the relationship between the individuals • limits that allow a connection based on your student’s needs • defines the space which clarifies “you” & “me.” • preserves your purpose and mission

31. Things to think about… • Over familiarity can often take place through: – School Computer • Connecticut v. Julie Amero (1/07 convicted, 6/07 thrown out, 11/08 pled guilty) – Texting – Social Networking Sites – Other Are you staying safe?