| How
to Build Classrooms that Discourage Bullying Behavior
Children spend the majority of their day
in school where they are continuously interacting with their
peers. We must provide children with a learning environment
where they will not be distracted by the damaging effects
of bullying. Students, teachers, administrators, staff and
parents must work together to create safe, bully-free schools.
Occurrences of bullying are unacceptable and it is imperative
that schools adopt a zero tolerance policy against it. A
child cannot be expected to stop the bullying alone- they
need our help.
Schools with serious bullying problems should
consider implementing a bullying prevention program. Programs
such as the Olweus
Bullying Prevention Program and The
Blueprints for Violence Prevention Program, use a whole
school approach to eradicate bullying through awareness
and intervention
What Schools Can Do:
- Develop
curriculums that discourage bullying and promote positive
peer interactions- books, lessons and discussions used
in the classroom should incorporate an anti-bullying message
to raise awareness of the harm caused to victims of bullying.
- Provide staff with appropriate training
from a bullying prevention program on how to deal with bullying
in classrooms, playgrounds and cafeterias.
- Designate specific teachers and/or administrators
that students can speak with and encourage students to seek
counsel if they are victims or know of others who have been
targets of bullying.
- Establish clear sanctions and a plan of
action to deal with bullying situations.
- Promote peer support encouraging students
to stand up for those being victimized.
- Keep parents involved with the school to
reinforce the anti-bullying message in the home as well
as in the classroom- encourage parents to contact teachers
with concerns, provide materials to parents on how to talk
to their children about bullying, and keep parents aware
of any problem situations in school.
The
above information was compiled from “Bullying and
Harassment in Schools and the Rights of Children”
a journal article in Children and Society, volume 14, 2000.
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