Bullies




	ESE502 : The Class : Discipline : Techniques : Bullies

Bullies

Technique: Bullies were often victims first. Bullying is serious, and children are traumatized when they become the victims. ALWAYS take reports seriously and encourage students to get help if they do not feel safe.

The School Safety Check Book (1990) concluded:

School bullying is a significant and pervasive problem.
Fear and suffering are becoming a way of life for victims of bullying.
Young bullies are more likely to become criminals as adults and to suffer from family and professional problems [1:20 chance for non bullies, 1:4 for bullies].
The prevailing attitude that kids fighting each other are just experiencing normal youthful aggression must be discarded
School intervention programs are needed.

Procedures:

Assess the problem. Include parents and children in the survey efforts.
Establish clear rules and guidelines that send the message that the school will not tolerate students hurting students.
Provide clear written consequences for various acts of bullying.
Be clear that bullying that breaks laws will be reported to police.
No bullying incident will be ignored since ignoring is condoning.
Teachers never personally use, sponsor, laugh at or ‘egg on’ verbal bullying, name calling, sarcasm or put-downs.
Bullying will be confronted in private, and the bully must not be made a victim. This is critical since many children who bully others live in an unsafe environment and are the butt of someone else’s aggression.
Consequences are best when as natural and logical as possible, never given or monitored in anger and include restitution when feasible.
Parents need to be notified and helped to know about positive ways to support student efforts toward self control, and parents who call with concerns need to be given support and feel that their worries are valued.
Victims can be taught positive ways to protect themselves and healthy means for dealing with their own anger or grief.
Students will be reinforced for efforts to gain attention and power in positive ways.
Monitoring may need to be increased to “catch the students being good” as well as providing a sense of security and consistency.

- Adapted from Johns and Carr, 1995
Some youngsters are socially or emotionally delayed and need special help to recognize the needs and feelings of others. A few youngsters are suffering from illness or emotional disturbance. There are many interventions available to help children. Youngsters who misbehave need tenderness, attention to real needs and sometimes, good professional help during early years to reduce suffering, teach better behaviors, and increase the pleasure of living.

Resources:
Gaustad, J. (1991) Schools respond to gangs and violence. Oregon School Study Council Bulletin, 34. Eugene, OR.: University of Oregon.
* Johns, B. H & Carr, V. G. (1995). Techniques for managing verbally and physically aggressive students. Denver: Love.
National School Safety Center (1990). School safety check book. Malibu, CA: Pepperdine University Press.

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E-mail J'Anne Ellsworth at Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu