School Climate Strategies for Reducing Harassment & Bullying

1. School Climate Strategies for Reducing Harassment & Bullying David Osher AMERICAN INSTITUTES For RESEARCH dosher@air.org

2. Challenges • Bullying and harassment are often a Piece of a larger Iceberg • Bullying and harassment are Not the Only Problem that Schools Face • Schools Have Limited Resources and Time • School Staff often Lack the Capacity to Efficiently Prevent Bullying & Harassment • Prevention and Social Support are often Marginalized

3. Opportunities • We Have Good Models to Build Upon • There are Common Risk and Protective Factors for Bullying and other problems • There are Coomon factors that contribute to arasment • We can address Multiple Problems through a Comprehensive Approach • The are Academic and Social Returns on Comprehensive Investments • We Know How to Build Capacity

4. Bottom Line • A comprehensive whole-school approach can enhance the impact of bullying and harassment prevention, while realizing other outcomes that matter

5. Bottom Line : The Approach Should • Create Strong Conditions for Learning and Development • Build Student and Staff Social and Emotional Competencies • Build a School Capacity • Be Intentional, Monitored, and Continuously Improved • Align All School Activities • Be end-user driven • Include Universal, Selective, and Intensive Interventions

6. You Need it AllThe Four Elements of a Comprehensive Plan forSafe, Supportive and Successful Schools

7. Background

8. Impact of Violence & Bullying • Affect the extent to which people are: • angry, • anxious, • depressed, • fearful, • frustrated, • upset, • traumatized, • worried, • sad, and otherwise distressed (e.g., Nansel et al., 2001; Flannery, 2006)

9. Bullying Remains Pervasive in the U.S. Data Source: Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2009. Table 11.2

10. Rivers, I., Poteat, V.P., Noret, N., Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing Bullying at School: The Mental Health Implication of Witness Status. School Psychology Quarterly. 24:4, 211-223.

11. School Bullying 2007: National Crime and Victimization Survey

12. Some Success, But Nothing to Write Home About Campbell Collaboration Meta-analysis of 44 program evaluations (Farrington & Ttofi, 2010) • Overall programs are effective • Bullying decreased by 20-23% • Victimization decreased by 17-20% • Programs worked better: • In Norway • With older children

13. Harassment • Role of Prejudice • Racism • Gender Bias • Gay Hating • Sexism and Heterosexism • Religious Bias • Ethnocentrism • Disability Related Bias • Stigma • The “R Word” • Mental Health

14. Harassment • Implicit Bias • Effects of Harassment • Disentangling Bullying & Harassment

15. We Are Dealing With Learned & Socially Reinforced Behavior

16. There are School Effects: What are the odds that the top 18% of students with behavioral problems in 1st grade will be in the top 18% in 7th Grade? Kellam et al., 1998

17. PATHS Universal InterventionEnd of First Grade (1 Year of Intervention) Children who receive PATHS rate their classmates as significantly less aggressive than do children in randomized comparison classes Greenberg, et al., 1999

18. What Else Can Be Done In First Grade to Change These Trajectories • Teacher-Student Relationship in First Grade • CLASS • Classroom Management and Social Learning • The Good Behavior Game • Classroom Communities • Responsive Classroom • Social Emotional Learning as Part of Violence Prevention • PATHS • Focus on Recess • E.g. Playworks

19. Schools as Protective Factors and as Context that Build Resilience • Connection • Academic Success • Learning Social and Emotional Competencies • Positive Relationships with Adults and Peers • Caring Interactions • Inclusive Environments and/or Reinforcement of Pro-social attitudes and habits • Stability • Effective Services • Positive approaches to disciplinary infractions &

20. An Example of What Can Be Done: North Lawndale College Preparatory School, Chicago • “This is not about graduating from high school; it is about graduating from college” • Money for counselors, not metal detectors and security staff • One counselor stays with same students grades 9-13; another one follows up 14-16

21. An Example of What Can Be Done: North Lawndale College Preparatory School, Chicago • Strong academic press; strong social support • Supports academic risk taking: “teachers are like another set of parents” • Development of moral community • Fellow students “like brothers, sisters, cousins”

22. Climate & Conditions for Learning

23. Page  23 • Safe and Supportive Schools Model of • School Climate Citation 51

24. Social Emotional Conditions for Learning Students are supported & connected Meaningful connection to adults Strong bonds to school Positive peer relationships Effective and available support Students are socially capable Emotionally intelligent and culturally competent Responsible and persistent Cooperative team players Contribute to school and community Students are safe Physically safe Emotionally and socially safe Treated fairly and equitably School is safe and orderly Students are engaged & challenged High expectations Strong personal motivation School is connected to life goals Rigorous academic opportunities

25. Safe and Respectful Climate • Emotional Safety • Climate Of Mutual Respect And Trust • Students Comfortable Taking Personal And Academic Risks

26. Support & Connectedness • Adults Listen To Students, Care About Them And Treat Them Fairly • Adults Provide A Welcoming Environment For Students

27. Student Support • Students Support Each Other • Teachers Establish A Connection With Students • Teachers Provide Extra Help When Students Are Having Trouble Understanding Material • Teachers Engage in Students In Learning

28. Students for Feel Connected are: • Less Likely To Use Alcohol Or Substances • Experience Less Emotional Distress • Attempt Suicide Less • Engage In Less Deviant And Violent Behavior • School Connectedness The Only School-related Variable That Was Protective For Every Single Outcome National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health)

29. Powerful Role of Connectedness in Moderating Effects of Victimization • victimization predicted low self-concept and optimism only when girls reported low peer and adult connectedness. • low connectedness with peers and with adults was significantly associated with lower self-concept and optimism, Noam, et al. 2012

30. Challenge & Engagement • School Courses And Lessons Are Engaging School • Staff Provide Academic Support To All Students

31. Academic Challenge • Students Are Expected To Work Hard To Learn • Students Are Interested In What They Are Learning • Students Are Not Bored By Their Classes

32. Peer Social and Emotional Competency • Work Well With Others • Cooperate As Team Players • Solve Problems With Persistence And Creativity • Set And Work Toward Goals • Make Responsible Decisions In Academic And Social Settings • Recognize And Manage Emotions

33. Social and Emotional Competency • Solve problems with persistence and creativity • Set and work toward goals • Make responsible decisions in academic and social settings • Recognize and manage emotions

34. Peer Social and Emotional Competency • Standard: Excellent • Students report that most students in the school have good social skills, want to do well in school, and work well in teams. These students resolve conflicts peacefully, solve problems creatively, and think cheating is wrong. They do their best, even when their school work is difficult.

35. Supporting Conditions for Learning • Connection • Attachment • Trust • Care • Respect Social Emotional Learning & Support Positive Behavioral Approaches & Supports • Learning Supports • Effective Pedagogy • Engagement • Motivation

36. Work at Three Levels Intervene Early & Provide Focused Youth Development Activities Implement strategies and provide supports that address risk factors and build protective factors for students at risk for severe academic or behavioral difficulties. Provide Individualized Intensive Supports Provide coordinated, intensive, sustained, culturally appropriate, child and family focused services and supports. Build a Schoolwide Foundation Universal prevention and youth development approaches, caring school climate, positive and proactive approach to discipline, personalized instruction, cultural competence, and strong family involvement.

37. Think Pyramid, Not Triangle

38. All The Logic of Universal Intervention • Cannot Identify All Who Are At Risk • Children Affect Each Other • No Stigma • No Self-fulfilling Prophecies • No Homogenous Grouping • Per Child Cost Is Less • Provides A Foundation Universal Interventions

39. Social and Emotional Learning

40. Core Competencies Self-awareness Social Emotional Learning Self-management Responsible decision-making Social awareness Relationship skills

41. Students Who are Self-aware • Accurately assess their feelings, interests, values, and strengths; and • Maintain a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.

42. Students Who Self-manage • Regulate their emotions to handle stress, control impulses, and persevere in overcoming obstacles; • Set and monitor progress toward personal and academic goals; and • Express emotions appropriately.

44. Students Who are Socially Aware • Take the perspective of other and empathize with others; • Recognize and appreciate individual and group similarities and differences; and • Recognize and use family, school, and community resources.

45. Students Who Have Good Relationships • Establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships based on cooperation; • Resist inappropriate social pressure; • Prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflict; • Seek help when needed.

46. Students Who Make Responsible Decisions • Make decisions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, appropriate social norms, respect for others, and likely consequences of various actions; • Apply decision-making skills to academic and social situations; and • Contribute to the well-being of one’s school and community

47. Example: Evidence of Success with SEL • 23% increase in social / emotional skills • 9% improvement in attitudes about self,others, and school • 9% improvement in prosocial behavior • 9% reduction in problem behaviors • 10% reduction in emotional distress • 11% increase in standardized achievement test scores (math and reading) Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Taylor, R.D., & Dymnicki, A.B. (In Press)Child Development The effects of school-based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review.

48. More Information • http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov • www.air.org • Human & Social Development Program