Strategies to Prevent Bullying In Elementary Schools
Introduction
Bullying is an everyday occurrence in schools around the world (Murray-Harvey, Skryzpiec, & Slee, 2012). Bullying usually involves “physical, verbal, or relational aggression designed to cause or threaten physical or emotional harm to the intended victim that is delivered directly or through technological means” (Banks, Blake, Ewing, & Lund, 2012, p. 246). Though bullying and harassment occur every day, it is something that can be prevented through the use of effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Bullying Prevention Strategies
Research shows that there are several effective strategies available to help prevent bullying and harassment. The effectiveness of these strategies depend on a few factors; the school dynamic and the willingness of the staff to implement these strategies (Banks, Blake, Ewing, & Lund, 2012). Before a strategy can be implemented, it is important that the faculty, staff, and students understand the definition of bullying (Brunner & Lewis, 2009). There are many misconceptions about what bullying actually is. Oftentimes what is reported as bullying actually is a one-time occurrence. It is best that bullying is understood to be composed of three components: intent of harm, intimidating behaviors over time, and an imbalance of power (Brunner & Lewis, 2009). Once a definition of bullying has been established with the faculty, staff, and students, additional strategies to prevent bullying and harassment can be implemented.
Educating the faculty, staff, and students about the signs of bullying, as well as the school and district repercussions is another effective set of strategies to prevent bullying and harassment (Brunner & Lewi...
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...on, D., Jenson, J., & Williford, A. (2013). Effects of the youth matters prevention program on patterns of bullying and victimization in elementary and middle school. Social Work Research, 37(4), 361-372. Retrieved 04 15, 2014
Brunner, J., & Lewis, D. (2009). Safe & secure schools: 27 strategies for prevention and intervention. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Heritage Elementary School. (2013). Heritage Elementary School Student/Parent Handbook. Retrieved 10 20, 2013, from Heritage Elementary School: https://classroom.peoriaud.k12.az.us/sites/dkidd/General/ACCEPTABLE%20USE%20OF%20SCHOOL%20COMPUTERS.pdf
Murray-Harvey, R., Skryzpiec, G., & Slee, P. (2012). Effective and ineffective coping with bullying strategies as assessed by informed professionals and their use by victimised students. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 22(1), 122-138. Retrieved 04 15, 2014
As shown as a real issue within high school through television’s Freaks and Geeks, bullying is something that needs to be understood and dealt with. In an age with more resources for bullies to use, the consequences are too severe not to do anything about it. Bullying is now stretching beyond the school hallways and has invaded students in their own homes. There needs to be more awareness on what the actual effects of bullying are and that bullied victims are not alone.
Bullying has become a major problem facing the United States today. The American Psychological Association reports that roughly 40% to 80% of children are involved in bullying on some level during their time in school. (APA, 2014) The magnitude of the problem can be observed in the statistics. In the United States, a total of 4,080,879 children between the ages of five and 18 have been the victims of bullying compared to 3,892,199 who have reported that they have engaged in bullying someone else. Additionally, 851,755 said that they have been both the victim and the bully. That's a whopping 8,824,833 people in the United States that have been involved in bullying behavior on one level or another. (High, B., 2000 Census)
Over the last decade, bullying has really been a worldwide issue. Bullying is affecting children all over the world and has grown into a huge epidemic. According to the National Education Association, “160,000 kids stay home from school each day to ...
Bullying has both short term and long effects on the victim. A victim of someone who has been bullied for so long can lead to them bullying other individuals, making this a never-ending cycle. "Bu...
Talley, R. C., Walz, G. R., National Education Goals Panel, W. C., ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services, G. C., & National Alliance of Pupil Services, O. n. (1996). Safe Schools, Safe Students. Proceedings of the National Education Goals Panel/National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations Conference on "Safe Schools, Safe Students: A Collaborative Approach to Achieving Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-free Schools Conducive to Learning" (Washington, D.C., October 28-29, 1994).
“New bullying statistics for 2010 revealed about one in seven students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade is either a bully or has been a victim of bullying” (“Bullying Statistics 2010”). How does a person detect whether someone is being bullied? “A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself” (Olweus). Bullying takes place more in middle school because they are trying to fulfill a strong need for power, fit-in with their peers, and satisfy their pain. “Fear of being excluded by peers leads to by-standing, if the teen is aware of a bullying situation and decides to stay away or not get involved” (Vassar 26). Bully victims are targeted due to their sexuality, gender, religion, disabilities, and interests. 71 percent of the victims report bullying as an on-going problem. The effects of bullying can be best understood through the types of bullying, consequences of bullying, and legal policies prohibiting all forms of bullying.
Bullying has been around for decades and yet it is still a reoccurring problem, and it is only getting worse. The National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2009, said nearly 1 in 3 students between the ages of 12 and 18 reported being bullied in school. Eight years earlier, only 14 percent of that population said they had experienced bullying(Ollove,2014). There are two types of bullying the direct form and indirect form, in the direct form the victim receives physical harm example kicking pushing shoving. In the indirect form the victim receives emotional or mental harm by name-calling, rejection, gossip, threats, or insults(Green,2007). It doesn’t matter which way the victim was bullied it still causes
Bullying is a growing concern in a society where status and exercising power over another human being are increasingly important in developing one’s social circles. Dan Olweus (Norwegian researcher and founder of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program) defines it as an “aggressive behaviour that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power. Most often, it is repeated over time” (Violencepreventionworks.org). School victimization is an especially delicate matter that has only really been in the public eye for the past half century, as more and more researchers and psychologists pointed out its short- and long-term negative effects on targeted individuals. It has since been widely investigated and numerous programs have been developed in an effort to address and prevent the many forms of bullying that exist today. The negative effects of such an abusive behaviour are various and can greatly differ from individual to individual. However, there are three main consequences that can be associated with school bullying, which are: school avoidance, depression/anxiety and even suicidal attempts.
No matter where you go, bullying is just around the corner. There’s no certain age for anyone to become a bully. Movies make it high school the biggest place for bullies to be created; but in the real world, that’s not the case. Bullying is a serious issue and can happen anywhere at any time to anyone.
Bullying is an issue that has been around for decades and is something that can affect everyone, no matter what his or her age is. Even though bullying has changed over the years from being physical abuse and harassment that happens on the playgrounds of schoolyards to tormenting over the Internet. The same groups are still affected namely adolescents. Statistically about 30 percent of all teenagers in the United States are bullied in one-way or another (“Teenage Bullying”).
Shootings and physical violence are only part of the problem in schools. More than twenty percent of students have encountered bullying whi...
Bullying among American elementary, middle and high school students is a growing problem. Bullying can be defined as the use of aggression, force, abuse, and intimidation to impose power or status over another person. More children are becoming victims of this often tragic problem today than ever before. In fact, one in seven students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying (MBNBD). It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of an attack or intimidation by other students (MBNBD). Bullying can be the result of prejudice based on race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and appearance. Bullying is a problem because it affects a person’s self esteem and emotional health. Bullying can cause children or teens to feel tense, afraid, and can also affect an adolescent’s confidence.
Throughout the years, many adolescents have gone through bullying in school. A child starting at the age of five to about eighteen has either been bullied or was the bully. Schools should have a bullying awareness program to prevent dangerous acts upon themselves and the other humans surrounding them. Victims in these situations often belittle themselves and do not want to attend school. While these targets work together in the program they will create a bond between each other as a community. All schools should have bullying awareness programs because it would decrease teenage suicide rates; bring unity between students, help the bully overcome their reasons of bullying and let adolescents feel comfortable in a school environment.
Bullying is something that is not something new and is actually something that society continues to face. Over the years, bullying has been looked at as being so ordinary in schools that it is continuously overlooked as an emanate threat to students and has been lowered to a belief that bullying is a part of the developmental stage that most young children will experience then overcome (Allebeck, 2005, p. 129). Not everyone gets over the extreme hurt that can come as an effect from bullying, for both the bully and the victim. Because of this, we now see bullying affecting places such as the workplace, social events and even the home. The issue of bullying is not only experienced in schools, but the school environment is one of the best places
Bullying has always been present within the United States. Although the issue has been around for a long time, it continues to grow and become more of problem. It is said that about 160,000 children within the United States are refusing to go to school because of bullying. Another statistic is that within American schools alone, there are an estimated 2.1 billion bullies and 2.7 billion victims (Dan Olewus, MBNBD). The numbers presented here are outrageous and although there are organizations to stop bullying, obviously there needs to be a new set of solutions. Any type of bullying presents problems to children, “Suicide, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trouble with the law, poor performance in school and work, and lack of involvement in socially accepted activities are some of the difficulties resulting from bullying (Austin, Reynolds, Barnes, Shirley). Of course, there is more than just a single type of bullying. Feeding ground for bullies can range anywhere from text-message or cyberbullying to physical bullying in schools. Also, bullies can begin to strike at a young age and could also be; teenage, middle-age, or even the elderly. Even though there are these many versions of problematic bullies, the largest bullying problems take place within the school setting: a place that is supposed to be safe for children rather than harmful. Although it seems impossible to completely get rid of bullying, these are a few suggested solutions; making the school informed on bullying issues, schools implementing rules on bullying, and having students positively use electronics to stop bullying.