Overview of the Course

Introduction Students must feel safe in order to learn. The primary mission of schools is to provide a safe environment where children can learn to his or her greatest potential. Unfortunately, for some children, feeling safe does not exist. Many of them are harassed, teased, and assaulted on and off of the schoolyard because of their appearance, race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. For many students, these negative behaviors continue because adults and other children fail to respond to their need for help. Thus, for many children, the hope to attend school free from ridicule is not possible. The negative behaviors, I am referring to, is commonly called bullying behaviors, which affects children of all ages around all parts of the world. Unfortunately, bullying is not a new phenomenon; rather, it an occurrence that can be traced throughout our history. Bullying is a widespread problem in our schools and communities. It is an unacceptable anti-social behavior that can undermine the quality of the school environment, affect students' academic and social outcomes, cause victims emotional and psychological trauma, and, in extreme cases, lead to serious violence (Dedman, 2001; Espelage &Swearer, 2003; Harris, Petrie, & Willoughby, 2002; Hoover & Stenhjem, 2003; Kraut et al., 1998; The National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Drug Prevention and School Safety Program Coordinators, 2004; Vossekuil et al., 2002). Bullying does not just affect the target, but also impacts the bystanders and the bully. It is my hope that by taking this course you, as well as society, will understand that bullying is not just kids' play, but harassment that has psychological, social, and academic repercussions. We need to reclaim a positive school climate and create a school culture where children feel free to learn. It will take a village to combat bullying. Hence, school personnel is key to providing the community leadership necessary to bring educators, parents, students, and other community members together to address concerns of bullying. Bullying is everyone's business and the best response to combat it is a proactive or preventive approach. This course, Bullying: It's Not Kids Play: Addressing the Problem and Intervening Appropriately, is designed to help you become aware of the pervasive problem of bullying in our schools, how you can intervene appropriately and effectively when a situation occurs, and learn what prevention strategies should be implemented to combat these negative, destructive behaviors. The course will cover the following topics:

Why Do You Want to Hurt Me? This section provides a framework for bullying and answers to some frequently asked questions about bullying, including: What is bullying? The prevalence of bullying? Why children bully? Who are the children being bullied? The Arrow, Target, and Shield This section describes the three main players involved in a bullying incident, as well as the impact bullying has on all three players. The Bullying Cycle will be introduced. Help! Help! Somebody Help Me! This section provides an overview of some effective and ineffective intervention strategies, including how individuals can intervene in a bullying situation. Securing the School with a Protective Covering This section provides an overview of some of the effective strategies that schools, adults, and children can use to prevent bullying among students, including effective bullying prevention programs. Do You Have the Tools to Build the Village? This session proposes a model for creating an antibullying prevention program, as well as provides additionalresources that might further inform schools and individuals in their bullying prevention efforts. Ohio's state anti-bullying policy and legislation will be provided. Recognize the myths and facts of bullying Recognize the different forms of bullying Identify the three main roles that student play in bullying Identify the prevalence of bullying Recognize the signs and symptoms of bullying victimization Recognize the signs and symptoms of provocative bullying Recognize the short-and-long term consequences of bullying Explain an intervention to be used to prevent bullying behavior in social settings Identify effective strategies to intervene in bullying situations Identify ineffective strategies to intervene in bullying situations Identify anti-bullying prevention programs

The learning objectives for this course are as follows:

Identify a free helpline and other low cost resources for students who are being bullied and their families

Course Expectations
1. Read the course content. 2. Complete the quizzes. 3. Complete the course survey.

References
Dedman, B. (2001). Schools may miss mark on preventing violence. Retrieved on December 15, 2004, from http://www..suntimes.com/shoot/shoot16.html Espelage, D. L. & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here? School Psychology Review, 32, (3), 365-83. Harris, S., Petrie, G., & Willoughby. (2002, March). Bullying among 9 graders: An exploratory study. National Association of Secondary School Principals, NASSP Bulletin, 86, 3-14. Hoover, J. & Stenhjem, P. (2003). Bullying and teasing of youth with disabilities: Creating positive school environments for effective inclusion. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, 2(3). Retrieved June 2004, fromhttp://www.ncset.org/publications/printresource.asp?id=1332. Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53(9), 10171031. The National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Drug Prevention and School Safety Program Coordinators. (2004). Exploring the nature and prevention of bullying. Retrieved on June 7, 2004, from http://www.k12coordinator.org/events.cfm Vossekuil, B., Fein, R. A., Reddy, M., Borum, R., & Modzeleski, W. (2002). The final report and findings of the Safe School Initiatives: Implications for the prevention of school attacks in the United States. Retrieved on September 19, 2003, from http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_final_report.pdf NOTE: Some links will need authorization by you to access. Simply, go to the yellow bar at the top and click on "click here for options." Then, choose the "download file" option.
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Course Developer:
Kimberly L. Mason, PhD, NCC Cleveland State University 2121 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 216-523-7114 kim.mason@csuohio.edu Kimberly L. Mason, Ph.D., NCC is an Assistant Professor in Counseling, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning at Cleveland State University. She received a M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education with emphasis on School Counseling, from the University of New Orleans. Dr. Mason has given numerous workshops on issues such as bullying, cyberbullying, internet safety and conflict resolution to school districts, schools, and communities across the state of Ohio. She has consulted with the Educational Council on Safe & DrugFree Schools Consortium, Ohio Resource Network, The Diocese of Cleveland, The Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators, The Ohio Commission on Conflict Resolution, The Global Issues Resource Center, Project LEAPS (Literary Enrichment and Achievement for Preschool Success), and numerous school districts across the state of Ohio. Her teaching and research interests include bullying, cyberbullying, internet safety, conflict resolution, school counseling, standards based counseling programs, child and adolescent counseling, and clinical supervision in counseling. Dr. Mason has been a K-12 counselor for 5 years and a mental health and substance abuse counselor for a year. She serves as the Practicum Coordinator for school and mental health counseling students. She is a National Certified Counselor, and is a member of the American Counseling Association and its divisions, American School Counselor Association, Ohio Counseling Association, Ohio School Counselor Association, and Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society in Counseling. Last modified: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 09:38 PM Why Do You Want to Hurt Me

As a former school counselor in K-12 schools, I have dealt with several administrators, teachers, students, and parents who do not accurately understand the nature and role bullying plays in schools. Furthermore, so many students have come into my office crying because they could not understand why someone was harassing them. After reviewing this section, you should have greater understanding of the epidemiology of school bullying, and a framework for bullying behaviors. What is Bullying? Professor Dan Olweus (1992, 1993, 1994), the pioneering researcher of bullying among school-age children and youth, defines bullying as repeated, physical, verbal, or psychological attacks or intimidation directed against a victim who cannot properly defended himself or herself because of size, strength, or because the victim is outnumbered or less psychologically resilient. A power imbalance is found at the heart of the bullying dynamic. A student who is stronger, more aggressive, bolder, and more confident than average typically bullies other students who are weaker, more timid, and who tend not to retaliate or act in an assertive manner. Sometimes older students bully younger ones, or upper year students bully new students. Sometimes bullies pick on students who are disadvantaged by being new immigrants or are from a cultural minority group. Bullying does not apply to a conflict between two students of nearly equal physical or mental strength (Smith et al, 1999). Bullying tends to be more dangerous as it continues over time, and it has been equated to violence rather than harassment (Patchin & Hinduja, 2006). According to Roland (1989) he states that bullying is "long standing violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or a group directed against an individual who is not able to defend himself in the actual situation" (p. 21). As with other interpersonal violence, such as dating violence, racial harassment, child abuse, and wife assault, the power imbalance is a main factor in understanding what is going on. Interventions must take this into account.

Types of Bullying Physical Bullying:

Hitting, pushing, shoving, or tripping the victim. Taking or damaging victim's property. Verbal Bullying: Taunting, teasing, name calling, and making degrading comments Relational Bullying: Convincing others to exclude or isolate a certain person, people, or group of people in order to isolate victims from making from social connections. Nonverbal Bullying: Threatening gestures, obscene gestures, spatial invasion, staring Cyberbullying Being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material using technological means An individual or group uses information and communication involving Internet or mobile electronic technologies to facilitate deliberate and repeated harassment or threat to an individual or group by technological devices, such as e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, social networks, websites, camera phones, text messaging, and voting booths What is the level of intensity of the behavior? The severity of the bullying incidents can vary within each of the different types. All types of bullying are harmful and can progress from mild forms of bullying to more severe types of bullying. In this session, a bullying behavioral chart is provided. It describes the three levels of intensity of bullying behaviors, as well as the levels of severity. Forms of Bullying

Olweus (1993) suggests there are two distinct forms of bullying.

Direct: Overt form where the bully personally attacks the victim Physical- Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, property destruction, physical restraint, unwanted sexual physical contact Verbal - Taunting, teasing, name calling, degrading comments Nonverbal - Threatening gestures, obscene gestures, spatial invasion, staring Indirect: Covert form where the bully gets someone else to engage in the bullying behavior against the target. Physical - getting another person to assault someone Verbal - spreading rumors about a person but hiding that you are the source; cyberbullying a potential form Nonverbal - social isolation and deliberate exclusion from a group or an activity Playing, Fighting, or Bullying: What's the Difference?

Rough Play

Real Fighting

Bullying Typically not friends; generally repeated Unequal power Intent to harm and disempower Affect is hostile, negative, differs for aggressor and target

Usually friends; often repeated, same Usually not friends; typically not players repeated Balance of power No intent to harm Affect is friendly, positive, mutual Power relatively equal Intent to harm Affect is hostile, negative, mutual

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004). Last modified: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 02:13 PM Why doesn't anyone want to help me? The answer is for several reasons: 1. Adults believe bullying is just a normal part of childhood ( Ross, 2003). 2. Teachers intervene in most physical forms of bullying, but indirect bullying goes unnoticed (Hazler, Miller, Carney, & Green, 200; Pepler, Craig, Ziegler, & Charach, 1994). 3. Teachers may not know how to effectively intervene in a bullying incident (Boulton, 1997). 4. The belief that victims bring bullying on themselves (Oliver, Hoover, & Hazler, 1994). 5. Bullying make students tough (Oliver, Hoover, & Hazler, 1994). 6. The belief that children who bully just suffer from low self-esteem (Olweus, 1999). 7. The belief victims just need to learn how to stand up for themselves. 8. The belief that bullying only happens when physical violence is involved (Pepler, Craig, Ziegler, & Charach, 1994). 9. Adults should stay out of it. Why does the bully want to hurt me? This is a frequent question that students asked me when they became targets of bullying. In trying to understand why the bullying behaves in such a negative manner toward others, it is helpful to try to understand the intention of the bully. In other words, what need(s) are being met by bullying others? To provide a framework for the bullying behaviors, I will discuss William Glasser's (1998) psychological needs and Adler ( Wolfgang, 2001) four goals of misbehavior, as well as a number of different factor that have been identified which contribute to bullying problems (Pepler & Craig, 2000). Satisfying Basic Psychological Needs Dr. William Glasser (1998) attributes action, thoughts, and feelings as attempts to meet the basic needs of love and belonging, power, freedom, fun, and survival (Glasser, 1998). Individuals learn to meet these needs in specific ways. If a particular need goes unmet, or conflict arises between needs, the unmet need drives an individual's behavior. Love and belonging. The most important need is to be loved and belong, as connectedness with people they care about is a requisite for satisfying all of the needs. These two needs are a powerful energy that drives all humans at all times during the course of a lifetime. This includes groups as well as families or loved ones. Adolescents could choose to bully because they feel disconnected or unloved from their parents, have a strong need to belong and be accepted by their peers, or feel powerless over their family and social life (Schwartz, Dodge, Pettit & bates, 2000). Power. This includes achievement and feeling worthwhile as well as winning. Most people want power. They want to run things, to have it their way, and to tell others what to do. In pursuit of power, some adolescents choose to engage

in bullying behaviors to gain a sense of power and control over their family, friends, or life situations (Shields & Cicchetti, 2001). Freedom. Freedom or ability to make choices is also a human need, which motivates people to act, think, and feel. This includes independence, autonomy, your having own 'space'. Children's desire for freedom is played out by the choices they make to fulfill this desire. Fun. Individuals seek out activities which are pleasurable and enjoyable. Children's need for fun is found in their play. Children who bully seem to enjoy harassing others (Houndoumadi & Pateraki, 2001). Survival. We all seek survival or self preservation. This included nourishment, shelter, clothing, etc. Our bodies generate behaviors designed to keep us alive. Four Goals of Misbehavior Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs stated children are usually unaware of their goals ( Wolfgang, 2001 ). Their behavior, though illogical to others, is consistent with their own interpretation of their place in the family group. Children continually try to find ways to fit and belong. Therefore, we can think of the intent of the behavior by asking what they are trying to get/avoid through their misbehavior. There are four goals of student misbehavior: attention seeking behavior, power seeking behavior, revenge seeking behavior, and avoidance of failure behavior. Attention Seeking Behavior. Some students misbehave or bully to get attention. The message is "Look at me!" These students require an audience and they never seem to get enough attention to satisfy them. Though this behavior is relatively benign, it can agitate teachers and trigger the fight or flight response. Power Seeking Behavior. Students who seek power ultimately want the upper hand. They want to have power over others. They challenge teachers directly (let's fight, or argue) or indirectly (passive noncompliance). The key goal of the misbehavior is to establish control or to be in charge, thus usurping the teacher's authority in or out of the classroom. Revenge Seeking Behavior. Students who seek revenge are retaliating against real or perceived hurts or injustices. Students are not usually angry with their peer or teachers but angry with an administrator, parent, or peer who may have hurt them. It might be too risky to take their retribution out on school staff so they take it out on the most likely target - their peer. Students, who are revengeful, lash out, sulk, and scowl. Revenge behavior may emanate from power seeking behavior. Displays of inadequacy. Their behavior is predicated on a belief system that they are unable or can't do things well. Students bully others because they make feel inferior or inadequate in some area of their life. Procrastination, clowning around, noncompliance, feigned illness, ambivalence, and displays of inadequacy characterize their behavior. These four goals of misbehavior give us the clues we need to redirect children and help them find positive ways to achieve their need to belong. Understanding that children are not consciously plotting their misbehavior but that it is based on a child's mistaken goal, goes a long way in promoting a respectful relationship with others. Related Issues Family factors: There is a relationship between family environment factors and bullying (Espelage, Bosworth, & Simon, 2000). Physical discipline was associated with bullying behaviors. A number of child-rearing styles have been found to predict whether children will grow up to be aggressive bullies. A lack of attention and warmth toward the child, together with modeling of aggressive behavior at home, and poor supervision of the child, provide the perfect opportunity for aggressive and bullying behavior to occur (Loeber & Stouthamer-Loeber, 1986; Patterson, DeBaryshe & Ramsey, 1989; and Olweus, 1993). Modeling of aggressive behavior may include use of physical and verbal aggression toward the child by parents, or use of physical and verbal aggression by parents toward each other. The connection between witnessing wife assault by children, particularly male children, and bully behavior by children toward peers, has not been well studied, but studies do indicate that aggressive behavior of all kinds is elevated in children who witness violence by their father toward their mother (Jaffe, Wolfe & Wilson, 1990). Conversely, children who spent a significant amount of time with adults who use nonviolent strategies reduced the likelihood of children to bully (Espelage, Bosworth, & Simon). Individual factors: The best-documented individual child factor in bullying is temperament. Temperament refers to basic tendencies by children to develop certain personality styles and interpersonal behaviors. Children who are active and impulsive in temperament may be more inclined to develop into bullies. With boys, physical strength compared to age peers also seems to be a characteristic which is associated with bullying, although of course there are many strong, physically adept boys who never bully. School factors: The social context and supervision at school have been shown to play a major part in the frequency and severity of bullying problems. While teachers and administrators do not have control over individual and family factors which produce children who are inclined to bully, bullying problems can be greatly reduced in severity by appropriate supervision, intervention, and climate in a school. Supervision of children has been found to be of prime importance. Just as low levels of supervision in the home are associated with the development of bully problems in individual children, so too, are low levels of supervision at school, particularly on the playground or schoolyard and in the hallways. Also, the appropriateness of interventions by adults when they see bullying, or are made aware of it, are very important. How Often Does Bullying Happen?

Many characteristics such as popularity, physical strength or statue, social competence, confidence, extroversion, intelligence, age, sex, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (Olweus, 1993, 1999; Rigby & Slee, 1993; Roland, 1980; Slee & Rigby, 1993) can instill an offender with perceived or actual power over a victim and often a license to dominate and control. Estimates of bullying suggest that 30% of American youth (or nearly 6 million children) in grades 6 through 10 have had experience with moderate or frequent bullying (Nansel et al., 2001). DeVoe and Kaffenberger (2005) conducted nationally representative survey of 8, 374 youth in grades 6 through 12 and found 14% of students were bullied at school 3% stated they were harassed or forced to do something they did not want to do 7% of students stated they were either rejected, socially isolated, or excluded from activities Nansel et al. (2001) conducted a nationally representative sample of 15,686 students in grades 6-10 and found approximately 11% of respondents were victims of bullying, 13% were bullies, 6% were both victims and bullies during the year 19% bullied others sometimes or more often 9% bullied others weekly 17% were bullied sometimes or more often 8% were bullied weekly 6% reported bullying and being bullied sometimes or more often 16,000 students miss school every day due to fear of bullies (Fried & Fried, 1996) 14% of 8-12th-graders surveyed reported that bullying diminished their ability to learn in school (Hoover & Oliver, 1996, p. 10) Click here to examine the prevalence of bullying in the state of Ohio . Why do I get bullied when no one is around? Bullying tends to happen most often in and around schools -- specifically in those areas where there is little or no adult supervision (e.g., playground, hallways, cafeteria, classroom before the lesson begins). Unnever et al. (2001) surveyed 2,472 6-8 grade students in Virginia and found 48% Hallways and stairs 32% In class with teacher absent 29% In gym class/locker rooms 27% In class with teacher present 24% In lunchroom 17% In bathroom 15% On the bus/at the bus stop 16% On the way to and from school Do You Know What a Bully Looks Like? Student regularly engages in hurtful teasing, name calling, or intimidation of others (especially those who are smaller and weaker) Student thinks he/she is superior to others (contemptuous) Student who encourages others to hurt smaller/weaker students Students who have little empathy Student who seem to desire power and control

So what, I'm Different. Why Don't You Leave Me Alone? Not all students bully for the same reasons, and many students are bullied based upon their gender, grade level, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Harris Interactive and GLSEN (2005) found the vast majority of students (66%) reported being verbally or physically harassed or assaulted because of their perceived or actual appearance, gender, sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, disability or religion. The following sections will help you understanding how several groups of people have been targets of bullying.

Gender Differences in Bullying. Studies frequently reveal that boys bully and are bullied more often than girls (Espelage, Bosworth, & Simon, 2000). For example, Olweus (1993) reports that one of his studies, conducted with students in grades five to seven, found that 60% of girls who were bullied were bullied only by boys, while another 15-20% were bullied by both boys and girls. The great majority of boys who were bullied (80%) were bullied only by boys. Boys are three to four times more likely than girls to use physical aggression when bullying others (Olwues, 1993). Boys are generally more likely to be involved in bullying as both bullies and targets, and are more likely to both engage in and be subjected to physical violence (Nansel at al., 2001; Olweus, 1993). On the other hand, girls are more likely to use indirect or relational bullying which can involve social isolation of the target and spreading rumors about the target. According to the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (2005), 5% boys and 4% of girls were victims of both direct and indirect bullies. This shows that it is boys who are more likely to be the perpetrators of "direct" bullying, that is, bullying which involves direct physical or verbal attacks. He has concluded that girls are more likely to use indirect, subtle, social means to harass other girls. He refers to these behaviors to include social exclusion, manipulation of friendship relationships, spreading rumors, etc. Grade Level. Smith (2000) reported that for individuals who are bullied, most of the bullying is done by same aged peers with few being bullied by younger students. Additionally, as the grade levels of students increased, from 6th through 12th grades, the total percentage of students reporting that they were bullied decreased (DeVoe and Kaffenberger, 2005). For instance, 24 % of 6th-graders reported being bullied at school, compared to 7% of 12thth graders. 6 grade students (9%) were more likely to report more both direct and indirect forms of bullying than th 12 grade students (1%). These findings support the Olweus findings (1993) that the percentage of students who reported being bullied at school decreased with increasing age and grade level. These findings indicate that bullying seems to decline between the ages of 8-16 years with a shift with age from physically bullying, toward indirect and relational bullying (Smith, 2000). If this is the case, then prevention and intervention efforts should be target in the transition period from elementary to middle school. Race/Ethnicity. Racist harassment or bullying is also troublesome for schools. Students of nonwhite ethnic origin experience more racist name-calling than white children of the same age and gender (Smith, 2000). In contrast, DeVoe and Kaffenberge (2005) found White students (15%) were more likely than Black and other nonwhite students (11%) to report being bullied. Moreover, when examining indirect bullying, White and Black students (7% for each race) reported being bullied more than Hispanic (4%) students. Finding by Nansel et al. (2001) indicate that Black youth were less likely than their White and Hispanic peers to report being bullied. Latino students are more likely than White and Black students to experience racially-based harassment ( Harris Interactive & GLSEN, 2005). As you can see, results from these studies vary. This is because research on race/ethnicity and bullying is scant. Consequently, the aforementioned studies demonstrate more research is this area is warranted in order for educators, parents, and students to understand its dynamics. Sexual Orientation. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are at risk for bullying. Harris Interactive and Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ( GLSEN) (2005) surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3450 students ages 13 through 18 and 1011 secondary school teachers using an online survey. This survey explored teens and secondary school teachers experiences with and attitudes towards school harassment. They found LGBT students experience harassment more frequently. Ninety percent of LGBT students ( vs. 62% of non-LGBT teens) have been verbally or physically harassed in the past year because of their physical appearance, race/ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender expression. Further findings indicate 52% of students reported frequently hear homophobic remarks such as "that's so gay" or "you're so gay." 33% of students reported being harassed because they were or were perceived to be LGBT. 66% of LGBT students have been verbally harassed 16% of LBGT students being physically harassed 8% of LBGT were physically assaulted. 25% of students reported being harassed because of their appearance (too feminine or too masculine) 54% of senior high school teachers knew a student at their school who is LGBT About 20% of LGBT students felt unsafe in school Disability. A growing concern in special education is that hostile school environments may harbor a small, but troublesome number of students likely to prey on children with disabilities (New Insights on Special Education Practice, 2002). Disability harassment is the form of bullying and teasing specifically based on or because of a disability. This treatment creates a hostile environment by denying access to, participation in, or receipt of benefits, services, or opportunities at school (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). For example, students with learning disabilities, emotional disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and physical disabilities often demonstrate a lack of social awareness which may make them more vulnerable to victimization (Unnever & Cornell, 2003). Llewellyn (2000) examined the experiences of six students with physical disabilities between the ages of 13 and 18 years who had been mainstreamed in a rural school in the United Kingdom. Their medical diagnoses included

muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, and Friedrich's ataxia. The qualitative study revealed the students in this inclusive setting often felt ostracized. In addition, there was one report of physical bullying and four of the six students reported severe verbal bullying. In studying students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Unnever and Cornell (2003) investigated the influence of bullying and victimization in the public middle schools in Roanoke, VA. In surveying 1,315 students, they found 34% of students who reported taking ADHD medication were victimized by bullies at least two or three times a month compared to 22% of other middle school students. Furthermore, approximately 13% of the ADHD students reported being bullies at least two or three times a month while 8% of the other middle school students reported bullying others at the same rate. This finding suggests children diagnosed with specific learning disabilities may be victims, bullies, or both.

Last modified: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 02:15 PM

Bullying Behavior Chart

Physical Bullying Harm to someones body or property Verbal

Expressing physical superiority Blaming the victim for starting the conflict

Non-verbal
Making threatening gestures Defacing property Pushing/shoving Taking small items from others

Emotional Bullying Harm to someones selfesteem or feeling of safety Verbal Non-verbal LEVEL ONE
Insulting remarks Calling names Teasing about possessions, clothes, physical appearance Giving dirty looks Holding nose or other insulting gestures

Social Bullying Harm to someones group acceptance Verbal

Gossiping Starting or spreading rumors Teasing publicly about clothes, looks, relationships with boys/girls, etc. Ostracizing using notes, Instant Messaging, email, etc. Posting slander in public places (such as writing derogatory comments about someone in the school bathroom)

Non-verbal
Ignoring someone and excluding them from a group

LEVEL TWO (some of these behaviors are against the law)

Threatening physical harm to threaten and intimidate Damaging property Stealing Starting fights Scratching or biting Pushing, tripping, or causing a fall Assaulting Insulting family Harassing with phone calls Insulting your size, intelligence, athletic ability, race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation Defacing school work or other personal property, such as clothing, locker, or books Saying someone is related to a person considered an enemy of this country (e.g., Osama bin Playing mean tricks to embarrass someone

Laden)

LEVEL THREE (most of these behaviors are against the law)

Making repeated and/or graphic threats (harassing) Practicing extortion (such as taking lunch money) Threatening to keep someone silent: If you tell, it will be a lot worse! Destroying property Setting fires Physical cruelty Repeatedly acting in a violent, threatening manner Assaulting with a weapon Harassing you because of bias against your race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation Destroying personal property, such as clothing, books, jewelry Writing graffiti with bias against your race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation Enforcing total group exclusion against someone by threatening others if they dont comply Arranging public humiliation

The Arrow, Target, and Shield: The Players Involved in Bullying

Target When I give presentations on bullying, I usually ask the audience to visualize a bow and arrow continually hitting its target. The archer, with his/her accurate aim, typically fails to miss the target. Whether the hit is a bulls-eye or a hit on the surrounding areas, the archer pierces the target. This is what bullies do to their victims. Their words, gestures, or fists penetrate their victims' psychosocial well-being. Just as the arrow punctures the internal structure of the target, the bullies' poisonous verbal and nonverbal communications do the same thing to their targets. How can we stop the arrow? Just as the wind and rain can shield an arrow from hitting the target, targets of bullying require a shield to protect them from a bully's retribution. The shield is the peer who is a bystander. The bystander can deflect the arrow from penetrating the target. Therefore, all the equipment is available for us to work with the archer (bully), target (victim), and shield (bystander). In trying to remember the parties involved, remember the three B's of bullying - bullies, bullied, and bystanders. Understanding the role each of these players play in a bullying situation will help educators, parents, students, and community to intervene and prevent bullying from occurring. Arrows Contrary to many people's beliefs, bullies do not have a low self-esteem or are unpopular with their peers (Cairns, Cairns, Neckerman, Gest, & Gariepy, 1988; Olweus, Limber, & Mihalic, 1999). However, they are more likely to have positive attitude toward violence, poor relationships with parents, and use drugs or alcohol (Limber, 2000; Olweus et al.). They also tend to be grandiose and psychologically defensive (Salmivalli, Kaukiainen, Kaistaniemi, & Lagerspetz, 1999). In general, male bullies are impulsive, often display a strong need to dominate others, seem to express or be capable of little empathy for others, and often display aggressive reactive patterns (Olweus, 1996; Walker, Colvin, & Ramsey, 1995). Female bullies tend to use covert, nonphysical methods of harassment to abuse their victims. Female bullies

may display a strong need to socially dominate others and be the center of attention of a core group of peers, have or express little empathy toward others, and exhibit aggressive social reactive patterns (Olweus, 1996; Walker et al., 1995). There are two main types of bullies (Olweus, 1993).
An aggressive bully is seen as an individual who is belligerent, fearless, coercive, confident, tough, and impulsive. These bullies tend to be physically stronger than their average peers and are usually surrounded by a core of people. Aggressive bullies typically have a low tolerance for frustration, as well as have a tendency to resolve conflicts violently. Passive bullies, or anxious bullies, rarely provoke others or take the initiative in a bullying incident. This type of bullying tends to be insecure. Passive bullies are often associated with aggressive bullies; thus, they tend to take on the more passive role. For instance, an aggressive bully initiates a bully situation and the passive bully supports the aggressive bully behavior or begins to participate in the interaction. Passive bullies lend support to the aggressive bully. Further characteristics of passive bullies include the following: o Generally have average intelligence o May have solid and positive self-esteem, especially if bullying is valued in the social system. o Have a small network of friends-wannabes o Thrive on feelings of dominance-encouraged by targets fighting back o Lack empathy / compassion and respond with a flat affect o View targets as objects o Concerned with own wants and pleasures, not the needs and rights of others o Tend to hurt other kids when adults are not around o View weaker siblings or peers as prey o Use blame, criticism, and false allegations o Refuse to accept responsibility for their actions o Lack foresight-don't see consequences of behavior o Crave attention

Impact of Bullying on Bullies. When bullies are allowed to engage in aggressive behavior at a young age, without effective intervention from parents and/or the school system, they are at significantly greater risk for negative outcomes later in life. In addition, the bullying behavior is often accompanied by other conduct disordered behaviors. In fact, Olweus (1993) has found that bullies were more likely than non-bullies to engage in vandalism, shoplifting, truancy, and substance abuse. This behavior pattern during childhood and adolescence greatly increases the likelihood that these individuals will engage in antisocial behavior as adults. This assertion is supported by one of the most consistent findings of longitudinal research: aggressive and antisocial behaviors are among the most stable behaviors across the lifespan (Eron, 1994; Eron, 1997; Huesmann, Eron, Lefkowitz, & Walder, 1984; Olweus, 1979). Furthermore, Olweus (1993) has found that individuals who bullied during grades six through nine, were significantly more likely to have criminal convictions at age 23, when compared to individuals who had no involvement in bullying. Last modified: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 05:12 PM

The Arrow, Target, and Shield: The Players Involved in Bullying

Target When I give presentations on bullying, I usually ask the audience to visualize a bow and arrow continually hitting its target. The archer, with his/her accurate aim, typically fails to miss the target. Whether the hit is a bulls-eye or a hit on the surrounding areas, the archer pierces the

victims' psychosocial well-being. Just as the arrow punctures the internal structure of the target, the bullies' poisonous verbal and nonverbal communications do the same thing to their targets. How can we stop the arrow? Just as the wind and rain can shield an arrow from hitting the target, targets of bullying require a shield to protect them from a bully's retribution. The shield is the peer who is a bystander. The bystander can deflect the arrow from penetrating the target. Therefore, all the equipment is available for us to work with the archer (bully), target (victim), and shield (bystander). In trying to remember the parties involved, remember the three B's of bullying - bullies, bullied, and bystanders. Understanding the role each of these players play in a bullying situation will help educators, parents, students, and community to intervene and prevent bullying from occurring. Arrows Contrary to many people's beliefs, bullies do not have a low self-esteem or are unpopular with their peers (Cairns, Cairns, Neckerman, Gest, & Gariepy, 1988; Olweus, Limber, & Mihalic, 1999). However, they are more likely to have positive attitude toward violence, poor relationships with parents, and use drugs or alcohol (Limber, 2000; Olweus et al.). They also tend to be grandiose and psychologically defensive (Salmivalli, Kaukiainen, Kaistaniemi, & Lagerspetz, 1999). In general, male bullies are impulsive, often display a strong need to dominate others, seem to express or be capable of little empathy for others, and often display aggressive reactive patterns (Olweus, 1996; Walker, Colvin, & Ramsey, 1995). Female bullies tend to use covert, nonphysical methods of harassment to abuse their victims. Female bullies may display a strong need to socially dominate others and be the center of attention of a core group of peers, have or express little empathy toward others, and exhibit aggressive social reactive patterns (Olweus, 1996; Walker et al., 1995). There are two main types of bullies (Olweus, 1993).
An aggressive bully is seen as an individual who is belligerent, fearless, coercive, confident, tough, and impulsive. These bullies tend to be physically stronger than their average peers and are usually surrounded by a core of people. Aggressive bullies typically have a low tolerance for frustration, as well as have a tendency to resolve conflicts violently. Passive bullies, or anxious bullies, rarely provoke others or take the initiative in a bullying incident. This type of bullying tends to be insecure. Passive bullies are often associated with aggressive bullies; thus, they tend to take on the more passive role. For instance, an aggressive bully initiates a bully situation and the passive bully supports the aggressive bully behavior or begins to participate in the interaction. Passive bullies lend support to the aggressive bully. Further characteristics of passive bullies include the following: o Generally have average intelligence o May have solid and positive self-esteem, especially if bullying is valued in the social system. o Have a small network of friends-wannabes o Thrive on feelings of dominance-encouraged by targets fighting back o Lack empathy / compassion and respond with a flat affect o View targets as objects o Concerned with own wants and pleasures, not the needs and rights of others o Tend to hurt other kids when adults are not around o View weaker siblings or peers as prey o Use blame, criticism, and false allegations o Refuse to accept responsibility for their actions o Lack foresight-don't see consequences of behavior o Crave attention

Impact of Bullying on Bullies. When bullies are allowed to engage in aggressive behavior at a young age, without effective intervention from parents and/or the school system, they are at significantly greater risk for negative outcomes later in life. In addition, the bullying behavior is often accompanied by other conduct disordered behaviors. In fact, Olweus (1993) has found that bullies were more likely than non-bullies to engage in vandalism, shoplifting, truancy, and substance abuse. This behavior pattern during childhood and adolescence greatly increases the likelihood that these individuals will engage in antisocial behavior as adults. This assertion is supported by one of the most consistent findings of longitudinal research: aggressive and antisocial behaviors are among the most stable behaviors across the lifespan (Eron, 1994; Eron, 1997; Huesmann, Eron, Lefkowitz, & Walder, 1984; Olweus, 1979). Furthermore, Olweus (1993) has found that individuals who bullied during grades six through nine, were significantly more likely to have criminal convictions at age 23, when compared to individuals who had no involvement in bullying. Last modified: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 05:12 PM

Targets
A target is a person (or group) who is exposed repeatedly and over time to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons. Target behavior ranges from passive or submissive to provocative (Olweus, 1993; 1996). Passive or submissive targets are generally characterized as anxious, insecure, and unassertive (Olweus, 1993). There is, of course, a reciprocal relationship between these characteristics and being bullied. That is, for example, these individuals may be insecure and anxious before being targeted, and these characteristics are likely to increase as a result of the bullying. While there is evidence that some of the characteristics of passive targets precede and contribute to their victimization experiences, it is also clear that many of their personal attributes also result from being bullied.
Quiet, sensitive, and cautiously interacts with peers. Appear more physically and emotionally weak. Difficulty making/keeping friends. Lonely and seek solace with pets, books, toys, TV, or computers. More comfortable with adults than peers. When faced with conflict, may withdraw, run away, break down or cry. Lack skills of assertiveness. Diminished self-confidence. More prone to depression (suicide) and other psycho-social/health problems.

Provocative Targets typically possess behaviors that are often seen as inviting peer bullying and harassment. Provocative students may be targeted for victimization by engaging in obnoxious, irritating, or other annoying behavior (Olweus, 1996). Furthermore, they are characterized by both anxious and aggressive reaction behaviors (Olweus, 1996). These students are often tense and irritating to others, are often labeled hyperactive, and have problems with concentration (Olweus, 1996). Frequently, they are bullied by and disliked by an entire classroom of their peers. Provocative targets also often in turn bully other children. Thus, they can be both targets and bullies. Further characteristics are as follows:
May be labeled as "bully", but actually is a target trying to salvage pride and avenge self. Personal qualities seem to invite others picking on them. Instead of shrinking back from conflict, manifest feelings through restlessness.

Pesky behavior and repeatedly irritate/provoke others. May use verbal taunts rather than physical force to "egg on" the situation. The significant difference between a provocative target and a bully is that the provocative target loses in the end Rather than "back down," they are prone to lose the fight Identified by educators as needy, annoying, over dependent, and/or socially maladjusted.

Impact of Bullying on Targets. Targets of bullying often experience internalizing (e.g., sadness, distress, anxiety) and somatic (e.g., stomach aches, headaches) symptoms, as well as physical injuries. Targets may also experience confusion, anger, lowered self-esteem, and feelings of insecurity (Olweus, et al., 1999). These students may also suffer academically, as they may avoid attending school, or their psychological symptoms may negatively impact their ability to learn while at school (e.g., due to decreased ability to concentrate resulting from anxiety and/or depressive symptoms). At times, they blame themselves for the bullying. When attacked by other students, they react by crying and withdrawing (Olweus, 1996). Perpetual targets are prone to low self-esteem manifested in high failure rates, negative outlooks of themselves and their environment, and self-reports of feeling stupid, ashamed, and unattractive. In extreme cases, students may experience suicidal ideation, and may in fact attempt suicide, if they do not receive support and treatment (Olweus, 1993). Targets may also suffer long-term consequences of persistent bullying. Olweus (1993) followed up with boys targeted by bullies from grades six through nine and reassessed them at age 23. He found that as adults, these individuals were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and poorer self-esteem when compared to peers who had not been bullied. Last modified: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 05:19 PM

Bystanders
A bystander is a person who does not become actively involved in a situation where someone needs help (Olwues, 1993). The bystander is a passive observer who does not get help, or does not intervene. The most important contextual factor is that bullying invariably occurs in the presence of peers who are neither the primary bully nor the victim: peers termed - bystanders in the literature (Atlas & Pepler, 1998). Craig, Pepler, and Atlas (2001) found that peers (bystanders) are present in almost 85% of school bullying situations. Furthermore, bystander peers were present in 88% of childhood bullying episodes, but a bystander intervened in less than one-fifth of these cases (Hawkins, Pepler, & Craig, 2001) There is a variety of bystander roles (Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Bjorkqvist, Osterman & Kaukiainen, 1996), such as (a) supporting or cheering on, (b) joining in, (c) passively watching, and (d) occasionally intervening. In studying bystander behaviors, Lodge and Frydenberg (2004) surveyed 379 students aged 1013 and found there was a relationship between the likelihood of peers participation in verbal bullying and several characteristics associated with young people's friendships, adjustment, and coping. These characteristics are summarized below.
Characteristics Related to the Likelihood of Peer Participation in Verbal Bullying Factors Related to Factors Related to Factors Related to Factors Related to

Supporting the Bully

Joining in With the

Providing Support for

Passively Watching

(i.e., Laugh & Cheer)

Bullying

the Victim Defending)

(Not Get Involved)

Is a friend of the bully

Has low self-esteem

Is a friend of the victim

Is a neutral acquaintance

Has low self-esteem

Is low in emotional

Uses a productive style

Is high in self-restraint

support from friends

of coping

Is low in emotional

Has self-esteem

support from friends Expresses fewer altruistic

Is high in friendship stress/

Expresses more altruistic

social dissatisfaction

actions and feelings

actions and feelings

Is low in self-restraint

Is low in self-restraint

Is high in emotional

support from friends

Use fewer productive

coping strategies

In other words, characteristics related to providing support for the victim included friendship, use of a productive style of coping, self-esteem, altruistic actions and feelings, the ability to avoid retaliation when angered, and high emotional support from friends. What this means is we need to increase the opportunities for children to acquire these characteristics in order to empower bystanders to become involved. The researchers also found that peers do not intervene for the following reasons:
Girls were more likely to feel sad, upset, angry, and disgusted Boys were more likely to feel indifferent to witnessing verbal bullying Conflicting feelings such as guilt, anger, or confusion of what to do Lack of knowledge regarding what to do

Lack the skills needed to help or intervene Fear of becoming the next target Feel empathy for the target Afraid of doing something that will make the situation worse Lack of confidence to intervene without the support of others

However, data from this study revealed peers who used a productive style of coping at school were more inclined to support the target and less inclined to support the bully. This suggests that teaching peers to effectively cope when a bullying situation occurs may help combat bullying on the peer level. Dynamics of Bullying The Olweus Program ( The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004) provides a good representation of the philosophical framework of the Olweus Model. Here you have the variety of roles and behaviors students adopt. One goal of the Olweus program is to shift attitudes along this continuum, away from acceptance toward bullying behavior and toward support for targets and defenders of targets. The school climate is positively impacted when students stop seeing bullying as funny, entertaining, and a way of life at school. The Circle can represent a shift in climate, giving the bully and henchman students much less power, giving the target and defender students more safety and support, and inspiring involvement from those who are disengaged. Understanding the Players In this session, click on the document labeled, "The Bullying Circle" to examine the players involved in a bullying situation. Bullying Cycle Smith and Shu (2000) found that a majority of students witnessed bullying at school, with almost 70% of the incidences taking place in the presence of two or more people. When students were asked what they did when someone was being bullied, the following was reported.
47% tried not to become involved About 34% told the bully to stop 18% asked an adult to stop 11% enjoyed watching 30% did nothing

Research indicates that all the players involved in bullying must be included in intervention and prevention measures. While most attempts to reduce youth violence have focused on the perpetrator or the relationship between perpetrators and targets, it is increasingly recognized that such interventions do not go far enough in creating safe schools and communities. It is also critical to consider the role of bystanders, whose influence in perpetuating or escalating violence, has often been overlooked. Bystanders are one of the players in which we need to empower to become actively involved in a bullying incident.
Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 12:45 PM

The Bullying Cycle

A. Bully B. Follower or henchman may even carry out the acts C. Supporter, takes part in the bullying

Victim

A B
Social Culture

G. Defender Dislikes the bullying and tries to help the victim

C D E F

D. Passive Supporter seems to like the bullying but does not take an active part

F. Passive Defender dislikes the bullying but does not show open defense

E. Disengaged Onlooker

Victimization

Signs of Possible

In addition to looking for the general characteristics that are typical of bullying victims, adults should also tune in to the following more specific signs that a student is being harassed: Primary

Leaves school with torn or disordered clothing and/or damaged books Has bruises, injuries, cuts, and scratches that are not easily explained Does not bring classmates or other peers home after school and seldom spends time in the homes or playgrounds of classmates May not have a single good friend to share free time with (play, shopping, sports and musical events, chatting on the phone, etc.) Is seldom or never invited to parties and may not be interested in arranging parties (because they expect nobody wants to come) Appears afraid or reluctant to go to school in the morning, has poor appetite, repeated headaches, or stomach pains (particularly in the morning) Does not participate in extracurricular activities such as school clubs Chooses an "illogical" route for going to and from school Has restless sleep (e.g., bad dreams, crying) Loses interest in school work and gets lower grades Appears unhappy, sad, depressed, or shows unexpected mood shifts with irritability and sudden outbursts of temper Requests or steals extra money from family (to accommodate the demands of bullies)

Secondary

Adapted from: Olweus, D. (1994). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Williston, VT: Blackwell Publishers. Available on-line at:www.powerofonefoundation.org/Guide%20for%20the%20Identification%20of.htm. Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 12:49 PM

Help! Help! Somebody Help Me!

Often, I have worked with students who just wanted someone to intervene and stop the harassment or humiliation they were enduring in school to end. They were so tired of hearing "ignore them and they will go away," or "stand-up to them." Often times, these suggestions only made matters worse. Consequently, as we have reviewed in previous sections, many targets do not tell trusted adults they are being bullied because they believe nothing will be done about it. Furthermore, when they did disclose the information to teachers, many of them did not feel confident in intervening. As a result, all adults and children must be empowered to intervene when a bullying incidence occurs and learn the skills needed to effectively handle bullying incidents as it arises. Immediacy is key to imposing consequences and holding the bullying accountable for his or her actions. Since bullying takes place within a social system (one in which students are mandated to attend), interventions need to focus not just on individuals, but also on the system (Olweus, Limber, & Mihalic, 1999). That is, because students often lack freedom to control their environment (e.g., whom to associate with and when), systemic interventions are needed to provide a safe environment for all children. In other words, interventions should be implemented not only with the bully and victim, but also within the school, within the peer group (classroom and playground), and with parents. The following principles of the systemic approach are important to remember when addressing bullying and victimization.

Bullying and victimization do not occur in isolation. Therefore, interventions with the bully and/or victim are necessary but not sufficient. We need to extend our focus beyond the bully and the victim to include: peers, school, parents, community, and society. To address the problem effectively, change is required at all of these levels of the system.

Four questions are helpful in determining whether or not bulling behaviors are age-appropriate teasing or inappropriate bullying behavior (Roberts, 2000):

1. What is the nature of the behavior in question? Is it age-appropriate? To whom is it directed? Is it specific to one gender or to both? Is it directed toward vicinity-aged peers or those younger or older in age? What is the content of the behavior? 2. What is the level of intensity of the behavior? What are the specifics of the behavior? Is the behavior verbal, physical, or psychological? Is the behavior seemingly done in a humorous fashion or with anger, harshness, or malicious intent by the agent? 3. At what rate does the behavior occur? Is this a frequent occurrence or an isolated incident? Are there times when the behavior occurs more often than others? 4. How does the target of the agent's behavior respond? Is the target upset or offended by the behavior? Does the target understand the behavior? Does the target reciprocate in-kind to the agent? How does the agent respond to the target's attempts at self-defense against the behavior?
Before we can intervene in a bullying situation, we must understand the players involved (Olweus, 1999). The following diagram depicts a bullying situation ( The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004). The Players

1. 2. 3. 4.

Follower/Henchmen : Joins in but does not start the bullying Passive Bully : supports the bullying and often urges on others but does not take active part Passive Supporter : likes to see bullying, finds it entertaining, but does not display active support Disengaged Onlooker: sees the bullying but does not consider it relevant to him/her Possible Defender: dislikes bullying, thinks they should step in, but doesn't Defender : comes to the aid of the target On-the-spot interventions Follow-up discussions with children who are bullied Follow-up discussions with children who bully Staff information sharing

What adults should do?

On-the-Spot Interventions - The "Teachable Moment"

All adults in the school environment should be able to intervene to stop bullying that they witness. Just as we encourage students to role play (or practice) effective interventions, adults need to practice our interventions. The following steps should be taken when intervening in a bullying situation.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Stop the bullying Support the victim Name the bullying behavior Refer to school rules Impose immediate consequences (where appropriate) Thank defenders Encourage bystanders

Often time, we do not have a lot of time to assess the bullying situation as it occurs. In assessing student's issue, the acronym ARMS can be used to access the level and intensity of the situation (Diana Browning Wright, of the California Department of Education's Diagnostic Center in Los Angeles). A ssess the threat to determine whether it is a transient or substantive threat. If substantive, determine if it is serious or very serious. R efer the student as the situation requires. M onitor the student with increased supervision if warranted. S upport the student by lessening the stressors on him/her. Address bullying, peer relationships, and home factors that may be the cause of stress. In nearly every incident of bullying, it will be important to follow up after the on-the-spot intervention. The following steps should be taken when following-up on the bullying incident.

Follow-Up Interventions
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Report the incident, increase adult vigilance and communication, and prevent retaliation. Identify staff person to talk with parties Conduct separate talks with the child bullied and the child bullying Implement supports for the child who is bullied. Impose consequences for the children who bully. Talk with parents. Follow-up with the involved individuals later.

It is helpful to remember the 3 D's of intervening.

Discover the story for all involved parties Discern what to do or how to intervene Develop a plan of action for all parties involved
Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 12:44 PM

How to Work with the Players

One of the goals of any intervention is to counsel the aggressive youth (bully), support the target (victim), and activate bystanders (Olweus, 1999). Counseling the aggressive youth/Individual-level treatments for bullies. Students should be held responsible for their bullying behavior. It is important to remember, however, not to bully the bully as this generates feelings of hostility and alienation. The following is a range of consequences that not only provide a clear message that bullying is unacceptable, but also build awareness and skills to promote the students' responsibility. Pepler and Craig (2001) label these consequences as " formative consequences," as they provide support for students to learn the skills and acquire the insights that they are lacking.
Withdraw privileges (e.g., recess, basketball practice) and replace with an instructive activity. Make amends that are formative (i.e., work in cafeteria in school and give money to the victim).

Activities that promote perspective taking skills and empathy towards others (e.g., novel study, story writing, drawing a picture of what it feels like to be a victim). Bully reflects on his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Role-play the victim of the same behaviors with the teacher. Observe acts of kindness around the school and in the community. Encourage the bully to identify the link between power (or strength) and kindness. It is important for them to view prosocial behavior as worthwhile, valid, and consistent with positive leadership. Lead a class discussion on the harmful effects of bullying.

A variety of skills are recommended for bullies to help them learn new ways of interacting with others. Teaching empathy to bullies has been recommended as an important component of any anti-bullying effort (Hazler, 1996; Kaiser & Rasminsky, 2003; Macklem, 2003; Sullivan, 2000). Empathy training should include interventions designed to generate awareness of perspective taking. Skills in self-regulation, anger management, and conflict resolution (Macklem, 2003; Rigby, 2001, 2002; Sullivan, 2000) have been identified as important in helping bullies learn both to think before they act and to change their behaviors. Pepler and Craig (2000) recommend further strategies that staff can implement when working with the bully. They are as follows:
1. Assess the complexity of the bully's problem. 2. Advocate for inevitable, consistent nonhostile, and escalating consequences that assist the bully to consider alternatives for his or her behavior. 3. Hold the bully accountable for his or her actions by confronting excuses that minimizes the behavior or externalize the cause of the behavior. Emphasize that the bully had other options, no matter what the provocation. 4. Implement activities that promote perspective taking skills and empathy. 5. Work with the parents in holding their child accountable for his or her actions and not allowing for rationalizations. 6. Build genuine empathy, to help the bully understand and experience the impact of his or her behavior. 7. Build conscience. The first steps in conscience development may involve young people learning that their own actions can cause them to get in trouble. After reaching that realization, they can begin to appreciate the impact of their actions on others. 8. Determine ways in which this student can develop positive forms of leadership and experience power in a prosocial way.

Individual-level treatments for bullies should include working with the bully, but also with his/her parents. Schools occasionally find dealing with parents of bullies a challenge. It is essential, however, to build the links between the family and school in order to support the children who are aggressive. Work with parents should begin initially with education about the importance of changing the bully's behavior in order to prevent development of a long-term pattern of antisocial behavior. Parent skills training and increased parental monitoring are important elements. It is necessary to get support from parents and the school system since bullies get rewards (at times including material rewards, e.g., by taking lunch money from targets) from their negative behavior. However, since some bullies have abuse histories, competent parental support may not be available. The following are strategies that Pepler and Craig (2000) suggest in connecting with parents:
Always contact and inform of problem Convey school's concern Work together to gain understanding Be supportive

Recognize differences in family values Use a problem solving approach Provide the school's perspective and school plans for monitoring the problem Invite future communication and collaboration in supporting the children at risk.

Challenges of Interviewing Parents of Bullies

Encountering myths Denial Not my child Children need to stand up for themselves Not a real problem Unsupportive to school's concerns Aggressive and challenging Lack the personal resources to deal with problem Helpless Dismissive

Responses to Challenging Parents of Bully

Listen and do not argue with parent State school's position and goal of creating safe and caring environment Educate concerning why this may be a problem Problem solve how they can work together for solutions Inform of school's response and monitoring Be prepared not to change their perspective Set clear expectations and consequences of bullying

Treatments that do not work for bullies. Given recent findings regarding the potential for peer contagion, it would seem that group treatment for bullies is not advisable (Dishion, 2004). That is, group treatment for antisocial behavior often results in participants learning to more effectively engage in negative behaviors, since interactions between participants allow for new negative learning experiences. Zero tolerance policies for aggressive, violent, or potentially violent behavior have become increasingly common in schools and districts across the country. While they vary with respect to the specific behaviors that will trigger the policy, as well as the consequences of those behaviors, all zero tolerance policies have the potential to hinder bullying prevention efforts. Furthermore, zero tolerance policies run counter to the goal of bullying prevention programs to encourage students to report known or suspected bullying. Severe punishments for bullying, such as suspension or exclusion from school, may discourage students and staff from coming forward with their concerns about bullying. Finally, students who bully are in need of positive, prosocial models; removing such children from the potentially positive influence of their peers and school staff may be detrimental -- and it will not stop them from bullying in the future. Similarly, treating low self-esteem for bullies is not recommended, especially since bullies do not generally suffer from low self-esteem. Such treatment may only lead to more confident bullies (Limber, 2002; Olweus, 1993). Finally, mediation between targets and bullies is also not recommended since it implies equality in power between parties, which by definition does not exist in bullying (Limber). Employing mediation also suggests that the target shares blame for

being bullied, since it frames the issue as a conflict to be resolved. This sends the wrong message to both targets and bullies in that it appears to lessen the responsibility of bullies for their aggressive behavior. Individual-level treatments for targets. For treatment purposes, it is necessary to distinguish between passive versus provocative subtypes, though there are some treatments from which both will benefit. Both will likely benefit from assertiveness training. In particular, provocative targets should be taught to generate appropriately assertive (as opposed to aggressive) responses to frustrations and perceived provocations. Both may also benefit from social skills training. Again, provocative targets may be particularly in need of such training as they often provoke hostile reactions from entire classrooms of children. Additionally, both groups may require treatment focusing on depressive and anxious symptoms. It is also important to teach victims to know when and how to gain assistance from an adult. Pepler and Craig (2000) recommended further strategies that staff can implement when supporting the victim. They are as follows:
1. Assess their level of support and create opportunities for them to gain peer support. 2. Provide class wide lessons in assertiveness strategies for standing up to bullies and cyberbullies. 3. Identify two or three prosocial peers in class and provide them with activities to work on with the victim. 4. Work collaboratively with the victim's family to support and protect the student. 5. Encourage the student to experience accomplishments in a favored domain.

Schools occasionally find dealing with parents of victims a challenge. Some of the challenges are noted below (Pepler & Craig, 2000):
Heightened emotion: Anger, Frustration, Anxiety Need for retribution Helplessness re the problem Wanting the school to do more Dismissive

Responses to Challenging Parents of Victim

Acknowledge parents concerns and worries Healthy to advocate for child Inform them of the consequences of bullying Educate concerning the importance of making amends and having formative consequences Indicate measures taken to support and protect their child Ask for their input Offer to update parents the following week Educate on effects and how parents can help

Principles and Strategies at the Peer Level

Principles
Peers play a central role in bullying interactions Watching bullying interactions inadvertently supports the bully Lack of action to support victim reinforces bully Changing who the peers support will decrease bullying

Why Peers Do Not Intervene

Peers are reticent to intervene due to:

Fear Lack of strategies and skills Group dynamics Lack of understanding their role Status management Develop a code of behavior and rules about bullying Consistently monitor bullying and provide consequences for it Conduct regular class meetings to discuss bullying Educate students about bullying Integrate issues of bullying into the curriculum through activities such as drama, books, films, story writing, and art Discuss power and how it can be used aggressively Highlight everyone's role in bullying Create a supportive and cooperative climate to ensure students are not marginalized. Create climate that permits and supports those who disclose victimization Develop attitudes and activities that promote empathy for victims Recognize and discuss dilemma for peers Differentiate tattling and reporting Develop language and scripts for intervening when you see someone being bullied Teach skills for intervening Conduct assessment to identify hot spots Increase supervision Create organized play and supervised play areas Be aware of groups of children coming together For structured play areas, develop a rotating schedule Recess buddies Clear rules and consequences Conflict Mediation

Strategies for Classroom Interventions with Peers

Strategies for Playground Interventions with Peers

System-Level Intervention. Keeping in mind that most incidents of bullying go unnoticed by adults, parents and educators may need to take an active role in identifying bullying behavior and working with students to address it. Although there is no substitute for a schoolwide program, there are some specific things that parents and educators can do to help students one-on-one as problems with bullying arise. Probably the most important thing adults can do is to listen (Pepler & Craig, 2000). Too often, children and young adults are told to "toughen up" or "ignore it" when they attempt to talk about bullying encounters at school. This kind of response makes students who are already socially isolated feel even more alone and helpless to prevent the harassment. It also sends the message that bullying is not taken seriously, and may even be their fault (U.S. Department of Education [USDOE], 1998). Railsback and Brewster (2001) recommend several strategies that adults can use when they are concerned about bullying behavior. Some tips are more appropriate to classroom teachers, while some may be more applicable to parents, counselors, or other school staff.

Initiate conversations with students about bullying. Don't wait for them to bring it up. Conversations about specific bullying incidents may be held with individual students in private, or the subject can be dealt with more generally in whole-class discussions. Be prepared to intervene. If you observe that a student is being bullied, step in immediately. It may be best to talk with the target first in order to determine the best way to intervene. Don't expect students to solve things themselves. Peer mediation does not work in bullying situations and should be avoided. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the "difference in power between bullies and victims may cause victims to feel further victimized by the process or believe that they are somehow at fault" (USDOE, 1998, p. 7). Encourage students to report incidents of bullying. We need to create an environment where students believe adults can help, and teach them there is a difference between tattling and coming forward to help another person (Rigby & Barnes, 2002). Express strong disapproval of bullying when it occurs or comes up in conversation. Be sure students know that you don't condone any kind of harassment or mistreatment of others, whether it be teasing, social exclusion, or physical violence. Work with students on developing assertiveness and conflict resolution skills - This is an important step in helping both students who are victimized and students who witness bullying learn ways to diffuse the situation. Adults should avoid teaching children to fight back, or to respond to violence in kind (USDOE, 1998). Fighting back only escalates the problem and reinforces the belief that weaker and noncombative students somehow deserve to be bullied. Focus on developing empathy and respect for others. Create opportunities for students to learn to work together, such as assignments that require sharing and collaboration. Avoid physical forms of discipline, such as spanking. Hitting children when they misbehave simply reinforces the belief that "might makes right" and that violence and intimidation are appropriate ways to get what you want. It is important to model nonviolence ways to handle conflict. Keep a log of bullying incidents. Record all incidents of bullying, including who was involved, where it occurred, how often, and what strategies you used to address it. Over time, the log will allow you to identify any patterns in bullying behavior, as well as what kinds of interventions worked best to stop it. Deal with bullying incidents consistently, in a manner appropriate to the situation. If your school does not already have a policy in place for dealing with bullying, write a policy specific to your classroom.

Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 12:33 PM

Securing the School with a Protective Covering

Just as we put a protective covering on meat and other foods so they won't become scorned with freezer burn, we need to give our schools a protective covering from the harmful effects of bullying. Several programs have been implemented in schools, such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, The Pikas Program, No Blame Approach, Promoting Issues in Common Program, and Effective Behavioral Support (EBS) Model.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

At the system-level, the most widely studied and empirically validated program is the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (Olweus, et al., 1999). This program, Bullying Prevention Program, represents a comprehensive, schoolwide program specifically designed to address bullying problems at school. It entails increased positive involvement (e.g., increasing awareness of the extent of bullying, increased monitoring and supervision of students) by adults (both teachers and parents) in the school system; limits to unacceptable behavior (e.g., clearly communicated rules against bullying); consistent negative consequences for rule violation; and positive adult role models. The Olweus program focuses on both prevention (for students not currently involved in bullying), as well as intervention to reduce or eliminate current bullying. The Olweus Program has been shown through quasi-experimental studies to reduce levels of bullying in school by 25 to 50 percent (Olweus & Limber, 1999). While there is no shortage of bullying prevention programs, only the Olweus program has been recognized as a national model and a Blueprint Violence Prevention Program by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado, and as an Exemplary Program by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). It has been found to significantly reduce bullying behavior in replication studies in Europe, and in the United States (Olweus, et al., 1999).

Recommended General Rules for Improving Overall School Climate Two general conditions must exist in order to prevent bullying: (1) adults at schools should be aware of the extent of bully/target problems in their own schools; and (2) these adults should involve themselves in changing the situation. The Olweus program recommends that schools adopt four school rules against bullying:

1. 2. 3. 4.

We will not bully others. We will help students who are bullied. We will include students who are left out. If we know that someone is being bullied, we will stand up and speak out by telling an adult.

Note that only one of the four rules addresses children who bully (or potential bullies). Three of the 4 rules focus on the behavior of bystanders. It is critical that all children understand the school's expectations regarding their behavior. The Core of the Olweus Program

Understanding and Involvement of Adults o Anonymous survey among students o Findings presented at a school assembly o Parents made aware of findings Questionnaire should include: o Definition of bullying o Specific time period o Response alternatives (several times per week) Better supervision (especially during unstructured times) Class rules against bullying o What does bullying look like o What is not acceptable behavior o Sanctions for such behavior Class meetings o Talk with targets and their parents Agreements between school and home Help teachers develop creative solutions

The Olweus program includes 4 different types of program elements (or interventions) which include school-wide elements, classroom elements, individual elements (working with individual students and their parents), and broader community elements ( The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004).

School-level Interventions: School-level interventions are designed to improve overall school climate. These interventions target the entire school population. The school should be a safe and positive learning environment for ALL students. In order to achieve this goal, schools should strive to: o Reduce, if not eliminate, existing bully/target problems among students in and outside of the school setting; o Prevent the development of new bully/target problems; and o Achieve better peer relations at school and create conditions that allow, in particular, targets and bullies to get along and function better in and outside of the school setting. o Activities include questionnaires, committees, in-service, supervision, school-wide rules, parent involvement. Classroom Interventions: Classroom-level interventions are designed to improve an individual classroom's social climate. These interventions target the entire classroom. o Activities include class rules against bullying, holding class meetings, providing lessons on bullying, creating positive and negative consequences of bullying, and meeting with parents. Individual Interventions: These interventions target specific students who are involved in bullying, either as bullies or targets. o Activities include immediate consequences, friendship groups, counseling, parent involvement

Community Interventions: Efforts are made to include all members of the community to educate them about the prevention program. o Activities include residential awareness, engagement of community members, in-service from Police Departments.

For more information visit the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) at the University of Colorado Web site at:http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/model/bully_materials.html Dan Olweus, Ph.D. University of Bergen. Research Center for Health Promotion (HEMIL). Christies gt. 13, N-5015, Bergen, Norway. 47-55-58-23-27 47-55-58-84-22 FAX E-mail olweus@psych.uib.no Susan Limber, Ph.D. Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life. Clemson University. 158 Poole Agricultural Center. Clemson, SC 29634. (864) 656-6320 (864) 656-6281 FAX E-mail slimber@clemson.edu

Effective Behavioral Support (EBS) Model A promising approach to school discipline and student safety. It is a system of training, technical assistance, and evaluation of school discipline and climate (Sprague, Sugai, & Walker, 1998; Sugai & Horner, 1994; Taylor-Greene et al., 1997).
Research-based model developed at the University of Oregon The objective is to "inoculate" students against developing antisocial behavior by teaching prosocial behaviors.

Effective approaches to positive school-wide discipline and management (Sprague, Sugai, & Walker, 1998; Sugai & Horner, 1994; Walker et al., 1996) include the following:
Systematic social skills instruction Academic and curricular restructuring Positive, behaviorally based interventions Early screening and identification of antisocial behavior patterns Preventive school-wide discipline

EBS has these essential features:

Problem behaviors are defined clearly for students and staff members; Appropriate, positive behaviors are defined for students and staff; Students are taught these alternative behaviors directly and given assistance to acquire the necessary skills to enable the desired behavior change; Effective incentives and motivational systems are developed and carried out to encourage students to behave differently; Staff commits to staying with the intervention over the long term and to monitoring, supporting, coaching, debriefing, and providing booster shots as necessary to maintain the achieved gains; Staff receives training and regular feedback about effective implementation of the interventions; and, Systems for measuring and monitoring the intervention's effectiveness are established and carried out.

Three-tiered approach to prevention:

Primary Prevention: Universal for All Students References o Creating schoolwide discipline plans o Providing instruction conflict resolution anger management strategies o Providing effective teaching and schooling procedures

Secondary Prevention: Individual Interventions Identifying at-risk clusters of students Providing direct instruction in moral reasoning Lessons in anger management and self-control; empathy skills Providing school-based mentoring Encouraging family support and parent management training Providing consultant-based one-to-one interventions o Tertiary Prevention Connecting students to community-based social service agencies Developing individually tailored, wraparound services Providing alternative education strategies Effective Behavior Support (EBS) Program. Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior. 1265 University of Oregon. Eugene, OR 97403-1265(541) 346-3592 Email: ivdb@darkwing.uoregon.edu Web site: http://www.uoregon.edu/~ivdb/

Peer Approaches to Prevent Bullying

Since peers are central to the problem and solution of bullying problems (pepler & Craig, 2000), three preventive strategies have been proposed to reduce bullying in school: "Method of Shared Concern" (Pikas, 2002), "No Blame Approach" (Maines & Robinson, 1992), and "Promoting Issues in Common" (Hazler, 1996). Unlike the whole school approach by the Olweus Program, these three strategies use individual and group sessions (groups of peers) who engage in bullying (Greene, 2003). These methods avoid punishing or shaming the bullies and bystanders and they attempt to avert subsequent stigmatization of the targets.

Method of Shared Concern

The Method of Shared Concern focuses exclusively on group bullying and the dynamics underlying this form of bullying (Pikas, 2002).

Developed by Anatole Pikas, a Swedish psychologist Tenants of this method is as follows: o Bullying is a collective phenomenon with rationalization (i.e., bullying is okay) and insensitivity to the target. o Goal of the intervention is to "reindividualize" members of the group and stimulate empathy. o Suggested for children 9 years old and older.

o o

It is important for the teacher or counselor to remain neutral, not accusing, and not punitive. Most effective when practiced through role-plays with colleagues before using it directly with students. The steps of the Method of Shared Concern are as follows: o Gather information Who are the players involved in the bullying incident? o Interview all parties involved Interview group member separately for 5 minutes each Interview the bully first, then the bystanders, then the target o Follow-up meeting Individual follow-up meetings are held a week later, with more focus on problem solving if necessary. o Group Meeting Implement the final meeting with the entire group to ensure long-term maintenance of the change in bullying behavior and to reintegrate the group. Formulate back-up plans (e.g., formative consequences).

No Blame Approach
This approach is most effective when practiced through role-plays with colleagues before using it directly with students involved in a bullying problem. When the bullying situation involves a target who is also a bully or who is provocative, the strategy may need to be turned around. you may need to work with the target to help identify role in the problem and solutions to avoid being provocative. There are seven steps to this approach. They are as follows:

1. Talk with the Target Interview the student who has been bullied to discuss her feelings and to establish who is involved. 2. Meet with group Meet with all the students involved (cheerleaders and onlookers included). 3. Explain the problem Discuss how the bullied student is feeling. The focus is on feelings, not details of the incident. 4. Share responsibility Focus on what can be done. Focus on resolving the problem rather than blaming. 5. Identify solutions Each student suggests a way they could help to make the bullied student feel better. Contract with them to implement their suggestions. 6. Give responsibility End the meeting by giving responsibility to the group to solve the problem. 7. Meet with group again One-week later meet with group members individually to determine whether the bullying has stopped and whether the bullied student feels better.

Promoting Issues in Common (PIC)

This approach works to explore the feelings of both the bully and the target, emphasizing therapeutic work with everyone involved in the problem situation. An emphasis is placed on ensuring the safety of the target or targets, communicating to the students that a supportive process is in place and establishing positive working relationships between the counselor and students. There are three steps to this approach. They are as follows:

Talk with the Bully o It has been found that the bully often misinterprets the emotions of the target, presenting a need for a program to educate both the bully and the target on the outcomes of their actions and responses to teasing events (Smorti & Ciucci, 2000).

When the bully is able to understand the emotions of the target, he/she is often better able to relate to the target and therefore sympathize with his/her feelings. Talk with the target (individually) o The individual (both with bully and target) work proceeds through four steps: Exploration of the student's concerns about the bullying Elaboration of each student's understanding of the situation Exploration of common feelings Encouragement to reflect about the other student's feelings Arrange a Meeting o Meetings between both the bully and target to address common concerns o Joint counseling sessions are convened to articulate common concerns, and based on these common concerns, establish a mutually satisfying resolution.

A word of caution: Make sure that both parties are willing to work on the issues between them. Because bullying represents a power differential, some bullies may not be willing to relinquish that power and control. The hope of implementing a prevention program in our schools is to break the cycle of bullying. Previously, we examined the bullying cycle where bystanders stood by and watched their peer being harassed or ignored the situation entirely. Basically, the bystanders did not feel confident in intervening in the bullying incidence. As a result of implementing any of the prevention programs mentioned above, bystanders will feel empowered to help their fellow classmates not become targets of bullying. The following cycle below depicts the shift of bystanders ( The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004). In this circle the bystanders support the target.

Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 11:49 AM

House Bill 276, passed January 2007, mandated to implement AntiBullying Policy by September 2007
House Bill 276 mandated a policy to be implemented in every Ohio school, but did not mandate a prevention task forces, education program or other initiatives to accompany the policy. The bill reads as below: Sec. 3313.666.

A. As used in this section, "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the behavior both: 1. Causes mental or physical harm to the other student; 2. Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student. B. The board of education of each city, local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district shall establish a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying. The policy shall be developed in consultation with parents, school employees, school volunteers, students, and community members. The policy shall include the following: 1. A statement prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying of any student on school property or at school-sponsored events; 2. A definition of harassment, intimidation, or bullying that shall include the definition in division (A) of this section; 3. A procedure for reporting prohibited incidents; 4. A requirement that school personnel report prohibited incidents of which they are aware to the school principal or other administrator designated by the principal; 5. A requirement that parents or guardians of any student involved in a prohibited incident be notified and, to the extent permitted by section 3319.321 of the Revised Code and the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 571, 20 U.S.C. 1232q, as amended, have access to any written reports pertaining to the prohibited incident; 6. A procedure for documenting any prohibited incident that is reported; 7. A procedure for responding to and investigating any reported incident;

C.

D.

E. F.

8. A strategy for protecting a victim from additional harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and from retaliation following a report; 9. A disciplinary procedure for any student guilty of harassment,intimidation, or bullying, which shall not infringe on any student's rights under the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States; 10. A requirement that the district administration semiannually provide the president of the district board a written summary of all reported incidents and post the summary on its web site, if the district has a web site, to the extent permitted by section 3319.321 of the Revised Code and the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 571, 20 U.S.C. 1232q, as amended. Each board's policy shall appear in any student handbooks, and in any of the publications that set forth the comprehensive rules, procedures,and standards of conduct for schools and students in the district. Information regarding the policy shall be incorporated into employee training materials. A school district employee, student, or volunteer shall be individually immune from liability in a civil action for damages arising from reporting an incident in accordance with a policy adopted pursuant to this section if that person reports an incident of harassment, intimidation, or bullying promptly in good faith and in compliance with the procedures as specified in the policy. Except as provided in division (D) of this section, nothing in this section prohibits a victim from seeking redress under any other provision of the Revised Code or common law that may apply. This section does not create a new cause of action or a substantive legal right for any person.

Sec. 3313.667.

A. Any school district may form bullying prevention task forces, programs, and other initiatives involving volunteers, parents, law enforcement, and community members. B. To the extent that state or federal funds are appropriated for these purposes, each school district shall: 1. Provide training, workshops, or courses on the district's harassment, intimidation, or bullying policy adopted pursuant to section 3313.666 of the Revised Code to school employees and volunteers who have direct contact with students. Time spent by school employees in the training, workshops, or courses shall apply towards any state- or district-mandated continuing education requirements. 2. Develop a process for educating students about the policy. C. This section does not create a new cause of action or a substantive legal right for any person.
Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 11:11 AM

Do You have the Tools to Build the Village

According to the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (2001), an educational research and development organization supported by the U.S. Education Department, Institute of Education Sciences, "A schoolwide bullying prevention program should build a climate in which children feel cared for and respected, with consistent rules and policies, and where adults model appropriate behavior." This definition means that all adults and students must be involved in prevention and intervention efforts. The roles that students and adults play in actively or passively reinforcing bullying behavior must be addressed through school-wide and family efforts to change the norms and climate with respect to bullying. This means that all key stakeholders need to be actively involved in the process: teachers, administrators, parents, students, community representatives, and auxiliary school staff (Clarke & Kiselica, 1997; Greene, 2000). Click here to retrieve the document, Assessing the Status of Your School's Comprehensive Bullying Prevention Plan, which will help you assess the status of your bullying prevention program. Railsback and Brewster (2001) recommend the follow seven steps to take when considering implementing a bullying prevention program or curricula in your school.

1. Assess your school's needs and goals. Survey students, teachers, and parents about the occurrence of bullying in the school to determine how pervasive the problem is in the school. 2. Develop an anti-bullying policy. Using the findings of the needs assessment to guide discussion, work with parents, students, administrators, teachers, and other school staff to develop a comprehensive, schoolwide policy on bullying. An example of an anti-bullying policy can be found at the end of the section. 3. Provide training for teachers, administrators, and other school staff. Make time to educate all staff regarding issues related to bullying, as well as how to intervene and prevent bullying incidents from occurring. Training should include definitions of bullying, indicators of bullying behavior, characteristics of bullies and victims, ways to integrate anti-bullying material into curriculum, and strategies for addressing bullying behavior. It is essential to include all staff in the school wide effort to decrease bullying in schools. 4. Involve parents. Get parents involved in the prevention efforts at the onset of the program. They should be encouraged to become involved in the assessment, implementation, and evaluation processes. It is important to keep them abreast of all aspects of program development. Encourage parents to contact teachers or administrators if they suspect that a child is bullying or being bullied.

5. Identify resources for bullies, victims, and families. At times, bullies and targets may require outside counseling and assistance to help him/her deal with the repercussions of bullying. Remember, bullies may benefit from anger management classes or individual counseling, while targets require support in dealing with anxiety and depression. Antibullying programs should clearly identify resources for students and families that are available both at school and in the community. 6. Provide increased supervision in areas where bullying tends to occur. Identify places on school grounds where bullying is more likely to occur, and work with the school staff to ensure there is adequate adult supervision in those areas. Playgrounds, bus stops, hallways, and school bathrooms often provide easy opportunities for bullies to isolate and intimidate their victims. 7. Integrate anti-bullying themes and activities into curriculum. Teachers play an essential role in the way that bullying policies and programs are presented and delivered to students. Curricula should emphasize what is bullying, discussions of how bullying affects everyone, ways students can help others, and assertiveness training. Most important, though, bullying curriculum should emphasize to students the difference between tattling and telling on someone, and encourage them to report to adults any situation in which a peer is being bullied or abused.

Implementing the Bullying Education Program

A six phase intensive schoolwide approach to bullying prevention is proposed once you determine your school needs to implement an anit0bullying prevention program (Railsback & Brewster, 2001). Phase One: Introduce the Program

Invite parents to attend the first awareness program. Conduct a needs assessment and set goals based on the results. Conduct a bullying survey to acquire baseline data. Make the community aware of the program. Secure funding, if necessary. Hold a one-day workshop to present survey results and staff development in bullying education and prevention. Introduce staff training curricula to all staff; orient coordinating committee; provide reflective meetings for staff. Include documenting of bullying incidents, link to discipline system through gradual consequences, and include parental notification and meetings. Select age-appropriate curricula. Integrate in all classrooms. Integrate and support bullying lessons with guidance program. Develop a "telling climate" in the school so bullying is reported to adults. Provide appropriate interventions for children engaged in bullying behavior and their victims. Re-administer the bullying survey to measure changes. Revise/update the program to meet changing needs. Throughout all phases of the program, working on improving school climate is key to the program's success. A bullying prevention program should be integrated with other climate improvement work such as violence prevention.

Phase Two: Train Staff

Phase Three: Develop Bullying Prevention Policies

Phase Four: Introduce Bullying Prevention Curriculum

Phase Five: Reinforce Bullying Prevention

Phase Six: Evaluate the Program

Class Schools are an integral component of society where parents entrust school administrators, teachers, and counselors to not only educate our youth but to help them become a productive citizen in the community. Unfortunately, many

students attend schools where they do not feel safe to learn - to learn academically but socially. Many of our schools today have a negative school climate. By implanting an anti-bullying program and policy, schools can get one step closer to creating a positive, safe school climate where students can learn to their fullest potential. In return, schools can reclaim a climate and culture that fosters children's educational and psychosocial growth. The suggestions below assist schools in achieving the goal of reclaiming a positive school culture. 4 A's of the Reclaiming School Culture

1. Attachment o Positive social bonds are prerequisites to prosocial behavior 2. Achievement o Setting high expectations means refusing to accept failure 3. Autonomy o True discipline lies in demanding responsibility rather than obedience 4. Altruism o Through helping others, young people find proof of their own self-worth
Legislative Room The links below will help you understand where Ohio stands in implementing anti-bullying legislation as well as an example of a district policy for constructing an anti-bullying prevention policy.

Click here for a draft sample Click here for State's AntiClick here for House Bill 276 as th district policy for an anti-bullying Bullying Legislation and Policies introduced in 126 general prevention program. assembly regular session 20052006 Bill passed in January 2007; therefore, school districts are mandated to implement anti-bullying policy in September 2007.
Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 10:58 AM

Resources
School Violence and Bullying Prevention Hotline 1-800-788-7254 Option #2 Bullying: A Resource Toolbox for School Administrators (free to all Ohio schools) www.ebasedprevention.org The Ohio Resource Network for Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities. Funded by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Below are just some of the bullying prevention resources that you can access via the World Wide Web. For information about resources in your area, you may want to consult with staff at your local or regional prevention center and departments of education and public health.

Bullying Prevention Web Sites

Bully B'Ware ( Canada ) www.bullybeware.com/ Bully Free Kids www.bullyfreekids.com/ Bully Police U.S.A. , Inc. www.bullypolice.org/ Bullyfreeworld ( United Kingdom ) www.bullyfreeworld.com/ Bullying.Org -- Where No One is Alone ( Canada ) www.bullying.org Bullying. No Way! ( Australia ) www.bullyingnoway.com.au/ Center for Mental Health in Schools smhp.psych.ucla.edu Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence www.colorado.edu/cspv/index.html Childline ( United Kingdom ) www.childline.org.uk/ Coalition for Children www.safechild.org/ Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning www.casel.org/ Colorado Anti-Bullying Project www.no-bully.com/index.html Don't Suffer in Silence ( United Kingdom ) www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying/index.shtml Kidscape ( United Kingdom ) www.kidscape.org.uk/ National Association of School Psychologists www.nasponline.org/index2.html National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention www.promoteprevent.org/ National Education Association's National Bullying Awareness Campaign www.nea.org/schoolsafety/bullying.html National Resource Center for Safe Schools www.safetyzone.org/ National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center www.safeyouth.org Parents' Point of View www.jaredstory.com/ www.powerofonefoundation.org Safe and Civil Schools Department www.ncesd.org/SDFS/home.htm Safe Culture Project: Effective Prevention of Bullying www.safeculture.com/ Safeguarding Your Children at School, National PTA www.pta.org/programs/sycsch.htm The Stop Bullying Project www.stopbullyingnow.com Diversity and Bias Awareness Web Sites Anti-Defamation League www.adl.org/adl.asp Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence www.cphv.usm.maine.edu/ Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence www.crede.ucsc.edu Civil Rights: A Social Justice Network www.civilrights.org/ Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network www.glsen.org/ Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org/ Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org/ Lamba Lega www.lambdalegal.org/ National Association for Multicultural Education www.nameorg.org/ National Center for Hate Crime Prevention www.edc.org/HHD/hatecrime/id1.htm National Conference for Community and Justice www.nccj.org/ Not in Our Town www.pbs.org/niot/ Partners Against Hate www.partnersagainsthate.org/ Southern Poverty Law Center www.splcenter.org/

Publications
Books and Guides Beane, A.L. (1999). The Bully Free Classroom. Minneapolis , MN : Free Spirit Publishing. Besag, V.E. (1989). Bullies and Victims in Schools. A Guide to Understanding and Management. Berkshire , England : Open University Press.

Coloroso, B. (2003). The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School, How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence. New York : HarperResource. Espelage, D. & Swearer, S. M. (Eds.) (2003). Bullying in American Schools: A Social-Ecological Perspective on Prevention and Intervention. Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Fine, E. S., Lacey, A., and Baer, J. (1995). Children as Peacemakers. Portsmouth , NH : Heinemann. Fitzgerald, D. (1999). Bullying in Our Schools: Understanding & Tackling Bullying - A Guide for Schools. Dublin , Ireland : Blackhall Publishing Ltd. Fried, S. & Fried, P. (1996). Bullies & Victims: Helping Your Child Through the Schoolyard Battlefield. New York : M. Evans and Company. Froschl, M., Sprung, B., & Mullin, N. (1998). Quit It!: A Teacher's Guide on Teasing & Bullying. New York : Educational Equity Concepts, Inc. Garrity, C., Jens, K., Porter, W., Sager, N., and Short-Camilli, C. (1996). Bully-Proofing Your School. Longmont , CO : Sopris West Publishers. Greenbaum, S., Turner, B., & Stephens, R.D. (1996). Set Straight on Bullies. Westlake Village , CA : National School Safety Center . Hoover , J. & Oliver, R. (1996). The Bullying Prevention Handbook: A Guide for Principals, Teachers, and Counselors. Bloomington , IN : National Education Service. Miller, S., Brodine, J., & Miller, T. (Eds.). (1996). Safe by Design: Planning for Peaceful School Communities. Seattle , WA : Committee for Children. Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Williston , VT : Blackwell Publishers. Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. (1999). Blueprints for Violence Prevention, Book Nine: Bullying Prevention Program. Boulder , CO : Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence. Rigby, K. (1997). Bullying in Schools: And What to Do About It. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Rigby, K. (2001). Stop the Bullying: A Handbook for Schools. Markham , Ontario , Canada : Pembroke Publishers. Ross, D. M. (2003). Childhood Bullying and Teasing: What School Personnel, Other Professionals, and Parents Can Do (2nd ed.). Alexandria , VA : American Counseling Association. Sharp, S. & Smith, P.K. (Eds.) (1994). Tackling Bullying in Your School. New York : Routledge. Silverman, C. (1994). Safe at School: Awareness and Action for Parents of Kids K-12. Minneapolis , MN : Saunders Free Spirit Publishing Inc. Smith, P. K., Pepler, D., & Rigby, K. (Eds.). (in press). Bullying in Schools: How Successful Can Interventions Be? Cambridge , England : Cambridge University Press. Stein, N., Sjostrom, L., & Gaberman, E. (1996). Bullyproof: A Teacher's Guide on Teasing and Bullying for Use With Fourth and Fifth Grade Students. Wellesley , MA : Centers for Women. Webster-Doyle, T. (1999). Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me? A Guide to Handling Bullies. New York : Weatherhill. Wetton, N. & Boddington, N. (1998). Schools Without Fear: A Realistic Guide to Tackling Bullying as a Whole School Issue. London : Forbes Publications Ltd. Zarzour, K. (1999). The Schoolyard Bully: How to Cope with Conflict and Raise an Assertive Child. Toronto , Ontario , Canada : Harper Collins. Reports and Fact Sheets Addressing the Problem of Juvenile Bullying www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200127.pdf Annual Report on School Safety www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ojjdp/193163.pdf Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/bestpractices.htm Bullying at School: Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003 nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/crime03/6.asp?nav=1 Combating Fear and Restoring Safety in Schools www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/jjbulletin/9804/contents.html Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/earlywrn.html The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United Stateswww.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_final_report.pdf A Guide to Effective Statewide Laws/Policies: Preventing Discrimination Against LGBT Students in K-12 Schools www.lambdalegal.org/binary-data/LAMBDA_PDF/pdf/61.pdf Preventing Bullying: A Manual for Schools and Communities www.edpubs.org/webstore/Content/search.asp Preventing Youth Hate Crime www.ed.gov/pubs/HateCrime/start.html Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/ActionGuide/ Schoolwide Prevention of Bullying www.nwrel.org/request/dec01/ Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_guide.pdf Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/

Videos and CD-ROMs

The Broken Toy [video] by Thomas Brown. Available from the Educational Media Corporation, Box 21311, 4256 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55421, (612) 781-0088. Bully Breath: How to Tame a Troublemaker [video]. Available from The National Center for Violence Prevention, PO Box 9, 102 Highway 81 North, Calhoun, KY 42327, 1 (800) 962-6662. Bullying [video], and the accompanying Teacher Guidebook (1996). Available from South Carolina Educational Television, Marketing Department, PO Box 1100, Columbia, SC 29211, 1 (800) 553-7752. List price: $69.95. Bullying at School: Strategies for Prevention [video] produced by the Toronto Board of Education. Available from King Squire Films Ltd.; 94 Borden Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S2N1. BullySmart [video]. Available from The National Center for Violence Prevention, PO Box 9, 102 Highway 81 North, Calhoun, KY 42327, 1 (800) 962-6662. Dealing With Difference: Opening Dialogue about Lesbian, Gay & Straight Issues [video and print package]. Available from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (www.glsen.org), 121 West 27 Street, Suite 804, New York, NY 10001; ATTN: Bookstore; (212) 727-0135 x108. List price: $139.95; Currently available for $99.95. Don't Pick On Me! [video]. Available from The National Center for Violence Prevention, PO Box 9, 102 Highway 81 North, Calhoun, KY 42327, 1 (800) 962-6662. How I Learned Not to Be Bullied [video]. Available from The National Center for Violence Prevention, PO Box 9, 102 Highway 81 North, Calhoun, KY 42327, 1 (800) 962-6662. Leadership Skills: Bystanders Can Make a Difference [CD-ROM]. Available from The Interactive Library Series (www.interactivelibraryseries.com/about.htm), 1 (727) 459-4314, e-mail: cdromproducer03@hotmail.com. Let's Get Real [film]. Available from "The Respect for All Project" of Women's Educational Media (www.womedia.org/letsgetreal.htm). No More Teasing! [video]. Available from The National Center for Violence Prevention, PO Box 9, 102 Highway 81 North, Calhoun, KY 42327, 1 (800) 962-6662. Last modified: Friday, July 30, 2010, 10:31 AM