Bullying at School

1. Bullying at School Dan Olweus Norway Addressing the issue for over 20 years Stan Davis, Schools Where Everyone Belongs Dorothea Ross, Childhood Bullying and Teasing

2. Bullying • When a student is exposed to: • Negative actions on the part of one of more students • Repeatedly • Over time • Negative actions: When a student intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict injury or discomfort upon another. • Olweus

3. Types of Bullying • Direct: Verbal; Physical • Indirect: Exclusion, non-compliance, non-verbal, body language • Target can be one or more people. Usually in school, actions are directed at one person. • Power differential between bully and victim. Victim has difficulty defending himself. • Olweus

4. Typically… • Teachers misunderstand the scope of the problem. • Number of incidents decreases in higher grades (1-6). Younger students report being most exposed. Less of a decline in secondary school. • Less physical bullying in higher grades. • Decline in boys’ bullying in 7th grade. • Olweus

5. Typically… • Bullying is more of an issue with boys than girls. • Boys use direct approach. • Girls are exposed to indirect bullying, including social isolation, rumors, slander. • Non-physical bullying is reported among boys, too. • Olweus

6. According to Olweus’s Research • 60% of bullied girls (grades 5-7) report being bullied mainly by boys. • 15-20% of bullied girls report being bullied by boys and girls. • 80% of bullied boys were targeted by boys. • Bullied students report teachers try to put a stop to it “once in a while.” • Parents are relatively unaware.

7. Research, continued… • Most bullying occurs at school. • No significant difference between urban and rural schools. • No significant difference between large and small schools. • More supervision means less bullying. • Attitude of teachers and adults has a significant effect. • Olweus

8. Victim Characteristics • More anxious and insecure • Cautious • Sensitive • Boys are generally physically weaker. • Quiet • Olweus

9. Victim Characteristics • View of self: • Low esteem • Feels “stupid” • Feels like a failure • Feels unattractive • Feels ashamed Harassment intensifies poor self image. Olweus

10. Victim Characteristics • At school: • Lonely • Abandoned • Lacks one good friend • Generally not aggressive or teasing/provocative* • Negative attitude toward violence • Signals to bullies that they won’t retaliate • Difficulty asserting themselves • Bullies target kids they think no one will stick up for. • Olweus

11. Victim Characteristics • At home: • Often close relationships with parents/mothers • Can be a cause or a consequence • Characteristics apparent from an early age • *Provocative victims – small group • Anxious and aggressive reaction pattern • Irritating/annoying • Problems with concentration • Provokes negative reactions from the whole class • Olweus

12. 3 Stages of Harm • 1. Pain and injury from the act of bullying. • 2. Reduction in the feelings of safety and comfort in one’s environment. • 3. Exclusion from friendships because others see them as “different.” Harm to the school community: School Violence • Davis (p. 20)

13. Victims carry scars affecting them into adulthood. ACES Study: Adverse Childhood Experiences are a major contributing factor in adult depression, suicide, substance abuse, obesity, etc. • 30% of adolescent depression is associated with peer harassment. (Bond, et al, 2001) • Olweus

14. Bully Characteristics • Aggressive toward peers/teachers/parents. • Positive attitude toward violence. • Impulsive. • Need to dominate, be in control of others. • Lack of empathy. • Relatively good view of self (contrary to popular belief that bullies are basically insecure). • Physically stronger than peers (boys). • Popular to average or slightly below. • Olweus

15. Bully Characteristics • Some degree of hostility toward environment • Gets pleasure inflicting injury on others • Benefit component: Victims provide something of value: Prestige, financial gain. • Conduct-disordered: rule breaking behavior pattern, anti-social. • Family with contributing factor for raising aggressive children. • Passive bullies or followers: • Usually mixed anxious and non-anxious. • Olweus

16. Dorothea RossStan Davis • “Young people who bully enjoy the power they have over their victims and do not bully in order to receive tangible rewards, such as lunch money. Instead, bullies focus on behaviors that will hurt or embarrass their targets.” (p. 66) • “Bullies experience a wish for power that is stronger than their empathic sense, so they are willing to hurt others in order to feel powerful.”

17. Over time… • Some studies confirm association of bullying behavior and adult anti-social behavior, criminality, alcohol/drug use. • 60% of bullies in grades 6-9 had 1 criminal conviction by age 24. • Those who exhibited bullying behavior had 4 times the average of relatively serious criminal behavior. • Olweus

18. Contributing Factors for Families Raising Aggressive Children • Emotional attitude of parent/primary care giver: • Negative • Withdrawn (lack of involvement, warmth) • Permissive, allow aggressive behavior • No clear limits, • “Too little love, too much freedom” • Power assertive child rearing methods: • Physical punishment • Emotional outbursts • Temperment of the child • Olweus

19. Socioeconomics of the family is NOT a factor. • Nothing to indicate that victims lack love – • Need help toward independence • Increase their self-confidence • Increase assertiveness • Olweus

20. Groups • Children and adults behave more aggressively after observing aggressive model • Stronger influence if there is a positive evaluation of the model. • Most strongly influenced are those who are somewhat insecure or passive and lack natural status with peers. • Stronger influence if bystander sees payoff for the aggression. • Consequences can lessen impact on observers. • Olweus

21. Bystanders • Watch silently or laugh nervously. Interpreted by bully as sign of approval. • Bystander believes what bully says about the target. • Bystander fears having the bully turn on them or associate them with target. • Davis (p. 11)

22. How Big is the Problem? • Teachers and administrators think they are aware of the amount of bullying in a school. • Research says that is NOT the case. (Craig and Pepler (2000) • 71 % of teachers report they intervene “almost always.” • Hidden cameras revealed 1 act of bullying every 7 minutes. • Teachers intervened 4% of the time on the playground, and 17% of the time in the classroom. • Davis

23. How Big is the Problem? • AMA study in 2002: • 11% of school children in grades 6-10 report being bullied frequently. • 13% report that they bully others frequently. • Estimate 50 million school-age children in the US. • 10% = 5 million children are bullied frequently. • 37 children at Taylor Elementary? • Davis (p. 19)

24. Why don’t we intervene? • “We don’t have a problem.” • “Being teased is a normal part of growing up.” • “He doesn’t mean to hurt anyone.” • “_______ was teased because __________.” • “They need to stand up for themselves.” • “I don’t know what to do to stop it.” • Less than 1/3 say they report bullying incidents to adults. • Davis

25. Why don’t we intervene? • Thinking: Adult intervention will encourage further harassment and weaken the target. • Thinking: The target needs to “get over it.” • Thinking: “I don’t want to hurt the bully’s already low self-esteem. • Davis (p. 38)

26. Rules are Enforced Inconsistently • Reason #1: Teachers may not discuss with each other what rules are important to them and why. • Reason #2: The amount of time involved. • Reason #3: The rules aren’t specific enough. • “We will respect each other and be kind.” • Our inaction teaches bullies that their behavior is OK. • It teaches targets that they deserve to be bullied. • Davis

27. Prerequisite to Change • Adults are aware of the scope of the problem. • Adults agree to implement change to improve the situation. • School: Whole group • Class: Whole group • Individual: Those with concerning behaviors • Olweus

28. School-wide Agreement • Bullying will not be tolerated at J. A. Taylor Elementary. • “Intervene too early rather than too late.” • If you don’t intervene, you silently condone. • Olweus

29. Supervision • Adults need to be present and ready to intervene. • Secluded areas • Restrooms • Olweus

30. Classroom Agreements • 1. We shall not bully. • 2. We shall try to help students who are bullied. • 3. We shall make a point to include students who are often left out. • Discuss “Tattling” vs. Helpful Telling. • If someone is being hurt, it is helpful telling. • If you just want to get someone in trouble, it’s likely tattling. Most targets of bullying try many other interventions before asking for adult help. If adult shows annoyance at their request for help, they will often suffer in silence. Olweus

31. Use Abundant Praise • Combination of “carrot” (praise” and “stick” (consequence) is the most effective way to change behavior. • Recognizing positive can help a student accept criticism and a desire to change. • Individual praise: for using self control • Whole class praise: for increasing “non-exclusionary” behaviors, including everyone • Important of relationship with working with troubled students. • Olweus

32. Praise: Research Results • Praise should be tied to performance—including improvement. • Praise can empower and support positive change, or interfere with growth. • May backfire if student doesn’t believe what you are saying, or the student doesn’t want peers to believe he’s pleasing adults.

33. Effective Praise • “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford • What we think about ourselves influences our behavior. • “I’m dumb.” • “I’m smart.” • When we tell someone they’re no good, they may believe us.

34. Effective Praise • Earned self-statements can help some students persist. • Unearned self-statements can lead to complacency and entitlement for some. Narcissism: When receiving even minor criticism a narcissist can react violently.

35. Individual Make sure victim has assurance of protection from further harassment. Notify parents of issue. Help victims build confidence, practice skills, develop peer attachments. Help students who bully develop more appropriate reaction patterns. Olweus

36. What Doesn’t Work? • 1. Talking to the general population about kindness to others. • Peer mediation: Bullying is NOT a conflict between students of equal status. • Training for targets • Training for bystanders: minimal effect. • Davis (38-39)

37. What Does Work?

38. Successful Change Requires a Combination of Strategies • Clearly define behavior to be changed. • Enforce rules to raise cost of behavior to bully. • Model positive behavior. • Change wide-spread acceptance of behavior. • Davis (p. 29)

39. Sanctions • Consistently applied series of rules. • Class meetings to understand how students are getting along. • Cooperative learning to practice groups skills • Choose groups carefully • Positive activities for the whole group • FERPA: Don’t forget every student has a right to have their privacy protected. Keep identities anonymous in group meetings. • Olweus

40. Keep Discipline In A Positive Emotional Context • The least likable young people need our nurturing the most. • Look for small signs of progress. • Change takes time. • “…Most importantly: we can make sure that the tone of our interactions with them is positive and nurturing. “ • Look at the reasons you are getting frustrated and angry at a student. Are you feeling ineffective? • What is the antecedent of the behavior? Davis (95)

41. Building staff/student connections • Do adults initiate positive social conversations with students? Do they greet and praise them? • Do adults talk with students respectfully? • Do adults model respect and inclusion for all? • Do adults acknowledge improved behavior—is that acknowledgement specific? • Do adults mentor at-risk students? • Do staff members maintain a positive emotional tone with students? • Does the school have time for adults to interact informally with students? Davis (71)

42. Step 1 • Bullying Survey during the first week of school. • Shauna will administer and district will score.

43. Step 2 • Continuing to improve our practice through staff development.