Bullying

by: Kimberly Greelish

Three Learning Targets:

Define bullying.
Explain the types, causes, and effects of bullying.
Describe preventive measures to stop bullying and who to report to.

Have you witnessed or experienced bullying when you were in school? If so, what did you do? How did it make you feel?

“What is Bullying?”

Today, bullying is becoming more of a serious issue in our schools and around the world. Students who are bullying or contributing to bullying are affecting a person’s well-being as well as their school academics. School administrators, staff members, teachers, and parents are partnering together to recognize the signs and behaviors of bullying. Students may not be aware that their behavior displays the act of bullying. However, it is important for educators and families to teach children the importance of what bullying is, how to identify the behavior, and who to report to. The question is though, what is bullying? The definition of bullying is when a person purposely treats another person with harm such as by verbalizing threats, physically hurting the individual, and/or intimidating another person repeatedly (Brank et. al., 2012). Most students are aware of what bullying is and can recognize the behaviors. Unfortunately, some students are not aware that they are actually displaying this behavior towards others. It is important for all educators to teach students about bullying and self-awareness.

What are the types, causes, and effects of bullying?

“What are some preventive measures to stop bullying and who to report bullying to?”

There are multiple preventive measures to help stop bullying in our schools. Parents, families, teachers, and/or school staff members will need to teach students what bullying is, how to identify it, learn how to try to stop it safely, and know how to report it if it’s happening to them or to someone else (Boone, 2019). School administrators will need to establish clear policies and procedures inside of their schools. Teachers will need to create a positive classroom environment, develop strong classroom management skills, monitor conversations, and ensure their class is behaving appropriately (Allen, 2010). School administrators will also need to provide on-going professional development courses and/or training for teachers and school staff members on how to identify bullying and who to report to. More importantly, students will need to know how to report in a safe manner. Students should report immediately to the following such as the principal, teacher, school staff member, parents, and/or family members if they have been mistreated and/or observed bullying. Displaying posters throughout the school buildings that promote kindness, providing information of who to contact to report an incident, and/or information about learning how to respond to an individual who is bullying will also help students become more aware of the behavior.

SCRIPTS OF WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE A VICTIM OF BULLYING

PLEASE STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE.
I AM GOING TO TELL THE TEACHER IF YOU DO NOT STOP.
PLEASE DO NOT SAY THAT COMMENT. THAT IS NOT KIND.
THAT COMMENT HURT MY FEELINGS. PLEASE DO NOT SAY THAT AGAIN.
I AM WALKING AWAY BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT TREATING ME NICELY.
I DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.
BE KIND & BE RESPECTFUL.

Reflection & Conclusion

Being proactive at effectively communicating, role-playing, modeling the behavior, and sharing how it can negatively impact a person’s health are ways we can share our knowledge to teach our students (Armitage, 2021). It is important that all schools take immediate action when an incident has been reported. Disciplinary actions will need to be enforced and consistent. Teachers and school staff members will need to be proactive at monitoring conversations in the classrooms and encouraging students to display responsible behavior (Allen, 2010). In conclusion, learning the definition of bullying, the types, causes and effects of bullying, preventive measures, and who to report to will hopefully help reduce the behavior significantly. It’s our role, as educators, to empower our students to make good choices, responsible decisions, build and maintain healthy friendships, respect one another, and support their peers.

How I used AI Tools:

I used AI to help create images for my lesson. I used Google Slides to explain the four types of bullying, causes and effects of bullying, and gave examples for each type. I used Genially to create flipcards to review what families, teachers, schools, and students can do to help prevent bullying. I did not use any additional AI tools when revising my final lesson.
When creating my lesson, I used AI to create my images and to brainstorm information about bullying. It was very helpful in learning more about my lesson topic: bullying. Using AI was simple to use when creating images. I did not use AI to enhance my writing skills.
This class is the first time I have used any kind of AI Tools. My policy for using AI is that I will use it responsibly in helping me learn and/or brainstorm information on a specific topic. I am committed in upholding academic integrity when using AI for all educational purposes.

Multiple-Choice Questions:

Who should a student report to if they have become a victim of bullying?

A. Peers

B. Not say anything at all and hoping it will stop.

C. Parents, Family Members, School Principal, and/or Teacher(s)

D. Tell the bully's parents.

After learning the effects of bullying, how can you help a friend who has been bullied by another classmate?

A. Tell your friend that it is not a big deal.

B. Inform your friend the importance of reporting bullying to a trusted adult and offer to go with them for support.

C. Ignore your friend who has been bullied and go play with other friends.

D. Encourage your friend to fight the bully.

References

Allen, K. P. (2010). Classroom management, bullying, and teacher practices. Professional Educator, 34(1), n1.

Armitage, R. (2021). Bullying in children: impact on child health. BMJ pediatrics open, 5(1), e000939. doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000939

Boone, C. (Ed.). (2019). Bullying in schools: prevention, gender differences and perspectives. Nova Science Publishers.

Brank, E. M., Hoetger, L. A., & Hazen, K. P. (2012). Bullying. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 8(1), 213–230. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-102811-173820

Swearer, S. M., & Hymel, S. (2015). Understanding the Psychology of Bullying: Moving Toward a Social-Ecological Diathesis-Stress Model. The American Psychologist, 70(4), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038929

Answers to the Multiple-Choice Questions:

1. C

2. B

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