Teachers swap ideas on how to stop bullying
- Article by: KIM McGUIRE
- Star Tribune
- March 5, 2012 - 8:24 PM
Students at Taylors Falls Elementary in Chisago Lakes get daily recognition for good deeds such as holding the door open for others and picking up dropped food in the cafeteria.
And as a result, Principal Joe Thimm told other school officials at the second Minnesota Summit on Bullying, students want to help their classmates -- not hurt them.
"This turns around the atmosphere in school," he said.
About 275 teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and school nurses attended the summit at the University of Minnesota on Monday to exchange ideas about how to thwart school bullying. Those efforts are particularly relevant in Minnesota, where several high-profile suicides linked to bullying have drawn national media attention.
Much of Monday's discussion centered on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, an international program the local Hazelden Foundation and Clemson University help schools around the country to implement. It takes a school-wide approach, in which prevention is taught to everyone connected to the school. Marlene Snyder, a national bullying expert and Olweus' development director, said bullying tends to be a pervasive problem even though schools are making tremendous strides to quell it. Verbal attacks are among the most common ways kids bully each other, while cyber bullying is the least common but often has the most devastating results, she said.
"Many of the kids who committed suicide were cyber-bullied," Snyder said. "It can be one of the last things that happens in a child's life."
Snyder said one reason that bullying continues to infiltrate schools is that some students, parents, teachers and administrators still choose to do nothing or show little empathy for victims.
Olweus has conducted over a million student surveys about bullying. Among the more troubling statistics is the drop-off in the number of students who try to help bullying victims. In third grade, almost half the students surveyed said they would try to help a classmate being bullied. By sixth grade, that percentage starts to drop and by ninth-grade, only 25 percent of students say they would come to the aid of another being bullied.
But many Minnesota students want to do their part to prevent bullying, teachers and administrators said.
Minnetonka High School Principal David Adney described how staffers have helped create a school-wide culture in which students take pride in good behavior and are ashamed of bad behavior. Also key are informed parents who take action when bullying problems arise, he said.
"The comment we get that just shatters us is when a parent comes in to the office and says, 'You know this has been going on for months.'"
Also instrumental in combatting bullying, summit attendees agreed, is having strong laws in place.
Minnesota's current bullying law has been widely criticized. At just 37 words, it prohibits bullying without ever actually defining the term.
In late January, however, a bipartisan group of House members proposed legislation that would set statewide standards for reporting and disciplining bullying. The original legislation was proposed in November by Attorney General Lori Swanson. The bill defines bullying as in-person or online conduct on school property, on school buses or at any school-sanctioned activity that is "so severe, pervasive or objectively offensive that it substantially interferes with the student's educational opportunities," or places him or her in harm's way or in fear of harm, or substantially disrupts school operations. The measure would also require educators to report a bullying incident within 24 hours of learning about it, and to develop procedures to document, investigate and discipline the students involved.
And as a result, Principal Joe Thimm told other school officials at the second Minnesota Summit on Bullying, students want to help their classmates -- not hurt them.
"This turns around the atmosphere in school," he said.
About 275 teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and school nurses attended the summit at the University of Minnesota on Monday to exchange ideas about how to thwart school bullying. Those efforts are particularly relevant in Minnesota, where several high-profile suicides linked to bullying have drawn national media attention.
Much of Monday's discussion centered on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, an international program the local Hazelden Foundation and Clemson University help schools around the country to implement. It takes a school-wide approach, in which prevention is taught to everyone connected to the school. Marlene Snyder, a national bullying expert and Olweus' development director, said bullying tends to be a pervasive problem even though schools are making tremendous strides to quell it. Verbal attacks are among the most common ways kids bully each other, while cyber bullying is the least common but often has the most devastating results, she said.
"Many of the kids who committed suicide were cyber-bullied," Snyder said. "It can be one of the last things that happens in a child's life."
Snyder said one reason that bullying continues to infiltrate schools is that some students, parents, teachers and administrators still choose to do nothing or show little empathy for victims.
Olweus has conducted over a million student surveys about bullying. Among the more troubling statistics is the drop-off in the number of students who try to help bullying victims. In third grade, almost half the students surveyed said they would try to help a classmate being bullied. By sixth grade, that percentage starts to drop and by ninth-grade, only 25 percent of students say they would come to the aid of another being bullied.
But many Minnesota students want to do their part to prevent bullying, teachers and administrators said.
Minnetonka High School Principal David Adney described how staffers have helped create a school-wide culture in which students take pride in good behavior and are ashamed of bad behavior. Also key are informed parents who take action when bullying problems arise, he said.
"The comment we get that just shatters us is when a parent comes in to the office and says, 'You know this has been going on for months.'"
Also instrumental in combatting bullying, summit attendees agreed, is having strong laws in place.
Minnesota's current bullying law has been widely criticized. At just 37 words, it prohibits bullying without ever actually defining the term.
In late January, however, a bipartisan group of House members proposed legislation that would set statewide standards for reporting and disciplining bullying. The original legislation was proposed in November by Attorney General Lori Swanson. The bill defines bullying as in-person or online conduct on school property, on school buses or at any school-sanctioned activity that is "so severe, pervasive or objectively offensive that it substantially interferes with the student's educational opportunities," or places him or her in harm's way or in fear of harm, or substantially disrupts school operations. The measure would also require educators to report a bullying incident within 24 hours of learning about it, and to develop procedures to document, investigate and discipline the students involved.
Bullying is a pansy's way of dealing with his or her own lack of self confidence.
ReplyDeleteBullying in most ways is when you have a problem with youself and you take it out on someone else. In most cases its the bully has problems at home or in there life so they beat up on other people.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Bullying is just away for kids who are having troubles at home or just feel like they dont fit in to make themselves stand out and yet it doesnt help them in any way at all.
ReplyDeletebullying also happens i think when a kid is jealous of what another has so they have to take it out on them to boost their own self esteem
ReplyDeleteJust because the surveys say that kids would help doesn't mean that when the time comes that they would actually help. Not everyone takes the surveys seriously.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think some people just answer that to feel better about themselves. That being said, I also think it could go the other way and people would help in certain situations.
DeleteBullying can happen when one person wants to fit into a group or to be know by other people.
ReplyDeleteBut you gotta think it also happens if someone wants something they don't have but someone else does.
DeleteBullying is a part of human culture itll never go away but it can greatly get reduced with laws and a general attitude toward it. And educating kids at a young age about it.
ReplyDeleteit is most popular in children but can alos happen in adults. i agree that i happens when kids are unhappy with their life and/or are trying to fit in.
ReplyDeleteit is rediculous how bad kids try to fit in now days they whould do anything to be "popular and cool"
DeleteThe bill defines bullying as in-person or online conduct... on school property? I think a lot more cyberbullying goes on when kids are at home as opposed to when they're in school.
ReplyDeleteI agree for example if I were going to cyberbully I would not do it at school
Deletebullying is natural wether ya like it or not, it is going to happen.. no its not really a good thing.. and some times bullying is about jealousy but alot of times its just because a person wants to feel superior
ReplyDeleteI agree with a majority of the comments. But futureBennie makes a good point. More cyberbullying takes place when the kids are at home on their computers. It makes it seem like they only care about "preventing" bullying when it is on school grounds..well what about when they are sitting at home and they are recieving hurtful things via text/email/facebook? If people want to make bullying "disappear" then we need to take into account that it does not just happen on school grounds.
ReplyDeletei agree with you Blosson. but how can we prevent that? teachers/ staff cant go home with you and make you arent saying hurtful things over a text or online. They can definetaly help it at school. I think if a person is being bullied that they shouldnt be scared to tell anyone. If you dont tell its just going to keep happening, if you like being bullied then there is something wrong. I personally dont like getting made fun of and if im bullied i will def. tell them off. stick up for yourself
ReplyDeleteyour right buttercup i think that we should some how find a way to stop bullying inside and outside of school but the only to prevent bullying is if somebody speaks up and says whats going on
ReplyDeletei believe that bullying will never go away. people do it out of jealousy and hatred but it can be reduced if everyone trys.
ReplyDeletethe only way to stop bullying is to make everyone the same, create absolute world peace. remove individuality and have only one religion, one belief system. no competition. no one better or less than anyone else.
DeleteBullying is an issue that can never be fully resolved. You can create laws and rules about it at school, but people are still going to do it. I do think it's a good idea to get the message out there that bullying really hurts people, though.
ReplyDeleteNo matter where in the world people are, there will always be conflict. Everyone has a different opinion, and beliefs. We can always try to prevent it, but it will never 100% go away. It's just nature. But I think as long as everyone is aware of it, and are at least trying to minimize it, then it might be better.
ReplyDeleteBlossom sounds like a smart WAHMAN. :)I also agree that it's just nature, its how we as humans work. Anger is a normal human reaction. But having control over it and being respectful and decent is also something us humans can take control over.
Deletemost people bully others because they do it to make themselves feel better & they like to try and make themselves look cool.. Bullying will never go away no matter how wrong it is. The best you could do is think before you act. bullying is a serious problem that some people dont really think about..
ReplyDelete