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The foundation of conflict resolution skills is identifying the difference between conflict and bullying. Conflict is a natural part of relationships, and there is personal power in knowing that conflict can be solved. When students label a conflict as bullying, they become victims and can feel there is no solution. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior has the potential to be repeated over time, or sometimes or actually is repeated. Children who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. (stopbullying.gov)
The foundation of conflict resolution skills is identifying the difference between conflict and bullying. Conflict is a natural part of relationships, and there is personal power in knowing that conflict can be solved. When students label a conflict as bullying, they become victims and can feel there is no solution. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior has the potential to be repeated over time, or sometimes or actually is repeated. Children who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. (stopbullying.gov)
While any act of meanness or aggression is taken seriously at Kinard, it is important to make sure that the unwanted actions you are experiencing are indeed bullying. Consult the picture and definitions to the right to decide if you are experiencing bullying, teasing, conflict, or rude/mean behavior.
While any act of meanness or aggression is taken seriously at Kinard, it is important to make sure that the unwanted actions you are experiencing are indeed bullying. Consult the picture and definitions to the right to decide if you are experiencing bullying, teasing, conflict, or rude/mean behavior.
At Kinard, we are intentional about teaching relationship skills and conflict resolution strategies through SEL (social-emotional learning) lessons that the School Counselors teach in classrooms at each grade level. Conflicts can be solved through the positive use of personal power along with healthy communication and dialogue. See below for the schedule and content of the Counseling Department's SEL lessons.
Rude: accidentally or unintentionally saying or doing something that hurts feelings or embarrasses someone
Mean: Saying or doing something on purpose to hurt someone; happens once or twice
Conflict: Conflict is a disagreement between friends or peers who are equal in power. There is always a solution to work through conflict (and other categories), though it does take practice and isn't always easy.
Bullying: Behavior that is on purpose, repeated over time and involves an imbalance of power (power = older, bigger, stronger, social power). Types of bullying include physical, relational, and cyberbullying.
When to report a bully
When to report a bully
After deciding that that you are a target of bullying, it is important to take immediate action especially if the actions demonstrated by the other person are making you feel unsafe. If you notice that you are unable to concentrate in class, be happy with your friends, be open with your family, or are starting to see a change in your behavior and attitude as a result of how you are being treated, then it is time to speak up.
First start by trying to let the bully know that their actions are making you feel bad. Sometimes, people are unaware that their actions are hurtful. If the bully is unresponsive, meaning that they continue their harmful actions even after you tell them to stop, then it is time to get a trusted adult involved.
Remember, telling an adult about a bully is not tattling; it is asking for help. The process of how the counselors and administration deal with a bully is outlined below.
How to report a bully
How to report a bully
You can speak with your teachers, our school resource officer, administration, or the counselor, or any adult in the building about your bully. Teachers will contact either the administration or the counselor to begin the process of talking to both you and your bully to resolve the conflict and make sure that everyone is feeling safe and secure inside and outside of school.
While it is encouraged that you face your bully head on, we understand that some may wish to remain anonymous when reporting their bully. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can click on the button below to report your bully.
Kinard's Response
Kinard's Response
Kinard uses the tiered levels of support that address bullying prevention and intervention offered by PSD. The process begins with educating our staff and setting the expectation for a universal level of research-based behavioral support. This allows for each member in our building to be a safe and knowledgeable person to approach when a student is feeling bullied.
As the tiered support suggests, a single incident of harassment results in a response team reviewing any evidence of bullying. An administrator will then meet with both the targeted individual and the bully's parent(s) to explore the reason(s) behind the bully's behaviors and to offer support and instruction to the targeted individual.
If the behaviors continue, the bully is subject to a risk/safety/threat assessment and begins a more structured monitoring process that takes place both at home and in school. Teachers will be asked to more closely monitor both the bully and the targeted individuals' actions throughout the day and report out their findings. Along with this, the bully will sped time working with administrators to set behavioral related goals as well as receive social-emotional instruction and support.
For more intense instances of bullying, the bully will receive a supervision plan as well as intensified intervention or instruction. The bully and their family will be asked to interact with comprehensive person-centered, function-based, and school-based community family resources in order to make sure messages are received both inside and outside of school. The student may be paired with a faculty member who will escort them to and from classes and act as a behavior monitor who then reports back to the administration.
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