Bullying Prevention Lesson Plans: Strategies to Empower and Intervene

1. Supplemental Bullying Prevention Lesson Plans

2. Introduction • Participants will: • gain an awareness of personal attitudes about children who bully and bully/victim (target) violence; • be able to define bully/victim (target) violence and learn to recognize bullying tendencies; • explore intervention methods for bullying behaviors;

3. Introduction, cont. • learn strategies to empower students to avoid becoming victims (targets) of bullying behavior; • learn strategies to help empower the victims (targets) of bullying behavior to remove themselves as targets; • develop strategies to redirect and change the bullying behavior

4. Overview • Children who bully others can turn into antisocial adults and are far more likely than others to commit crimes, batter their spouses, abuse their children __ and produce another generation of children that bully.

5. What? When? Who? Bullying Why? Where? How?

6. What is bullying? Bullying is any ongoing physical orverbal mistreatment where there is: • an imbalance of power and • the victim (target) is exposed repeatedly to negative actions on the part of one or more other students. (Olweus 1986, 1991 and 1993)

8. Direct bullying • Direct bullying is bullying that results in relatively open attacks on a victim (target).

9. Direct bullying z Physical Ø Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting… z Verbal Ø Taunting, teasing, racial slurs, verbal sexual harassment z Non-verbal Ø Threatening, obscene gestures

10. Indirect bullying • Indirect bullying takes the form of social isolation and intentional exclusion from a group. This form of bullying is used more often by girls.

11. Indirect bullying z Physical Ø Getting another person to assault someone z Verbal Ø Spreading rumors z Non-verbalØ Deliberate exclusion from a group or activity

12. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, about one in seven school children — about five million kids — have either been a bully or a victim (target). 14% are bullies or victims (targets) now and then 9% are regularly victimized 7% bully others regularly 1.6% are both bullies and victims (targets) 65-70% are not affected One student out of seven

13. Bullying on the way to and from school The school is without a doubt the place where most bullying occurs: • Elementary students were two times more likely to be bullied at school than on the way to and from school. • Middle school students were three times more likely to be bullied at school than on the way to and from school.

14. Bullying during recess and lunch time • The greater the number of teachers supervising during break periods, the lower the level of bully/victim (target) problems in the school.

15. Profile of a typical victim (target) • May be physically weaker than their peers (applies particularly to boys) • May have body anxiety — afraid of getting hurt.

16. The passive victim (target) • The passive victim (target) seems to signal to others that they are insecure and worthless individuals who will not retaliate if they are attacked or insulted.

17. A passive victim can be one of the most dangerous children you have to deal with!

18. The provocative victim (target) • Provocative victims (targets) may be physically weaker than their peers (if they are boys) and have “body anxiety.” • May be hot-tempered and attempt to fight back when attacked or insulted. • May be hyperactive, restless, and possibly offensive because of irritating habits. • May be actively disliked by adults including the teacher. • May themselves try to bully weaker students.

19. Profile of children who bully • Children who bully tend to be very aggressive toward their peers • They are often aggressive toward adults, including teachers and parents • They are characterized by impulsivity and a strong need to dominate others • They usually have little anxiety and relatively good self esteem.

20. Profile of children who bully, cont. • Children who bully are of average popularity and often surrounded by two to three friends who support them • Popularity of bullying children decreases in upper grades • Children who bully have a strong need for power or dominance; they seem to enjoy being “in control” and need to subdue others

21. Children who bully and anger management • Children who bully usually are not anger driven. They bully because… • they derive pleasure and a sense of power from what they are doing; and • bully/victim situations are not amenable to nor can they be resolved through peer mediation.

22. Controlling bullying behavior through environmental control • Eliminate the attitudes of entitlement and tolerance from responsible adults. • This is only accomplished when all the adults in a school collectively agree to prevent or intervene with any student who is threatening to use or is using violence.

23. Controlling bullying behavior through environmental control • Eliminate the attitudesofentitlementandtolerance from responsible adults. • This is only accomplished when all the adults in a school collectively agree to prevent or intervene with any student who is threatening to use or is using violence.

24. Controlling bullying behavior through environmental control • Eliminate the attitudesofentitlement andtolerance from responsible adults. • This is only accomplished when all the adults in a school collectively agree to prevent or intervene with any student who is threatening to use or is using violence.

25. Meetings with Victims of bullying • Try to put the child at ease • Collect information about the incident • Encourage the child to express his or her emotions • Provide support and encouragement

26. Meetings with Victims of bullying (cont.) • Discuss a safety plan • Inform the child of your intended actions with the children who bully in coordination with the teacher or counselor • Have the child agree to report future bullying—establish a “Code Word” • Gauge the child’s distress and refer to a teacher or counselor • Plan a follow-up meeting, if appropriate

27. Meetings with children who Bully • Ask another adult to be present • Talk with the children who bully separately, in rapid sequence • Begin with the “followers” if more than one child is bullying • Plan a follow-up meeting, if needed

28. Points to communicate to children who Bully • Make the message absolutely clear • “We don’t accept bullying behavior in our school or class.” • No further bullying will be allowed • Your behavior will be closely monitored by school personnel • Provide the bullying student a quiet place to cool down • Contact school personnel

29. When there are suspicions of bullying... • Intensify your observations of the possible victim • Confer with colleagues • Collect information from students

30. Strategies for empowering the victim (target), cont. • Encourage peer group development • Understand that “I” statements have limited value with bullying situations. • I feel (an emotion) • When (say what behavior bothers you) • Because (say why the behavior upsets you) • I would like (say what solution you would like to try)

31. Children who are best at diffusing a bullying situation are... children who feel valued and have some confidence that they can defend themselves

32. Help for the victim (target) of bullying behavior • Stress the six steps to disengage from a child who bullies... • Ignore them (when possible) • Tell them you don’t like it • Move away from them toward witnesses • Ask them to stop (locate more witnesses) • Tell them firmly to stop (locate more witnesses) • Tell an adult

33. Poorsolutions for addressing bullying • Encouraging victims to handle it on their own • Telling victims to fight back • Establishing zero tolerance policies for bullying • Focusing on building the self-esteem of children who bully

34. Self evaluation Take a hard look at yourself • Do you bully in the classroom? • Do you frequently criticize your students? • Is your tone of voice unnecessarily harsh? • Do you teach and model the art of negotiation?

35. The “Teachable Moment” • Is it safe to intervene? • Stop the bullying • Support the victim • Name the behavior as “bullying” • Refer to the school rules • Impose immediate consequences (if appropriate) • Empower the bystander

36. Follow-Up... • Follow school bullying procedures • Report the incident to colleagues—teacher, counselor, etc. • Begin by talking with the victim, then with the children who bully • Follow-up with the parties later, if appropriate

37. Summary • Bullying can best be tackled with a school-wide program. • To recognize there is a problem is the first step __ to do something about it requires commitment. • “Easy to say __ hard to do.”

38. Supplemental Lesson One

39. Lesson One Read and respond to the following questions: • What are the objectives of this lesson and how does each activity develop these concepts? • What do you want students to know and be able to do at the end of the lesson? • List specific examples of how you will use facilitation skills in this lesson. R

40. Bullying • Think, Pair, Share Activity: • Group Wrap-Up Facilitation • Key Concepts and Activities

42. Why are kids asked to work with a partner on this activity?

43. Why do we have the students “Find” all the words in the Word Search BEFORE we process this activity? Why are these words important?

44. Why do students need to be able to recognize the two basic types of bullying?

45. What is the purpose of this story challenge? What key concept do you want to make sure students know?

46. Why do we ask the students to list “Safe Ways” to report bullying in the planner activity?

47. Why was this optional activity placed in the lesson if it is to be used by the classroom teacher?

48. Supplemental Lesson Two

49. Lesson Two Read Lesson Two Think, Pair, Share Group Process

50. Why do we first have students rate themselves and then work in groups? What challenges might you encounter in this activity?