Chana Haller
EDPC 603
Bullying
I chose Zach’s story because it illustrates how prevention
and intervention, when used, can save a life.
Zach’s story is about how he got bullied throughout Junior
High because he had juvenile arthritis and walked differently than his
contemporaries. No one was concerned about it, as he was able to create a great
façade. He never reacted to the taunts he received and even after crying
through his public address at an arthritis fundraiser, the severity of his
struggles was not recognized or addressed.
Only after he threatened to take his own life, did his
parents find the need to take action. They used several different resources to
help their son. They sought counseling for him and found him a new circle of friends
to build up his self-confidence and desire to live.
Zach was lucky to get help before it was too late. Bullying
is a problem throughout the entire world.
Are we able to stop
it?
The first question we need to answer is: “ what is bullying?”
Bullying is being intentionally mean. There are many ways to be bullied, for
example: social exclusion, physical aggression, taking possessions away, verbal
abuse, and in today’s generation we also have cyber bullying – bullying through
the social media devices. (American Psycholgical
Association, 2015)
In all social circles people will create a hierarchy amongst
themselves. Children will too. The born leaders will take charge and the others
will follow. This works in all social settings and can be successful when we
treat everyone with respect.
Youthoria.org explores why children bully:
Children may bully because they are being bullied, feel bad
about themselves and want others to feel that way too. They could be having
family problems, may not have any friends, or need to have some power and will
feel power through bullying. They often do not realize how hurtful they are, and
have the need to take their anger out on someone else.
In a school system there are many ways that bullying can be lessened.
The children will reflect on the atmosphere of the school environment, school policies
and teacher involvement.
When children feel that the school body cares for each one
of them then there will be less signs of bullying. If the students know that
they are supervised at all times and will be caught, that will also cause them
to think twice before hurting another person. Sandra Graham from UCLA tells
teachers that whenever you are a witness to a student getting bullied, you must
intervene. Most often bullying takes place where there is not much supervision.
Be wary of these places and ensure that there are always ‘watchful eyes’. If
you see bullying use it as a teachable moment for all to learn. If the problem
is not stopping or is bigger than you can handle on your own, seek outside
help. Make sure you are an example to
your students in the way you act. She reminds teachers never to ignore bullying
or rely on the “No bullying policy” in the school to take care of it. A teacher
also needs to be clued in to why the bully is acting the way he is and address the
situation correctly.
The Bullying Prevention Institute gives ideas on how to
create a school policy and a safe environment:
Develop bullying rules and post them, and treat everyone with
respect and kindness. Show an interest in your students, teachers are responsible
for keeping a safe environment. Students that show inclusive behavior should be
rewarded, action must be taken when bullying is noticed. Parents must be
listened to when they report bullying, and information on bullying should be readily
available. A student who is bullied needs to have a safety plan.
Parents and teacher should be aware of bullying signs. The
organization Violence Prevention Works publicizes the warning signs. Some of
them are: complaints of physical ailments, walking in a roundabout way to
school, clothing or possessions which
are ruined or missing. Does your child seem anxious or have low self-esteem,
have trouble sleeping? Has your child had a decline in grades or finds school
work boring? Does he/she avoid social activities? Is anything different for no
explained reason?
Bullying can lead to dangerous consequences. The culprit and
the victim need professional help.
The culprit is usually suffering, and if he/she is not
helped it can lead to alcohol and or drug abuse, he/ she can become abusive to his/her
partners, spouses and children. They may engage in sexual activity at a young
age or become a criminal.
Children who bullied may continue to be depressed well into
adulthood, they may do poorly in school or not complete school at all. As a
result, it may be hard for them to find a good job. In the 1990s, in 12 out of
15 cases of school shootings, the gunners were being bullied. (Stop Bullying, n.d.)
Children are being bullied every 7 seconds! Let us make a
difference in our schools to stop it now!
Resources:
American Psychological Association
Retrieved from www.apa.org
Bullying Prevention Institute
Retrieved from: www.bullyingpreventioninstitute.org
Youthoria retrieved from:
Graham S. UCLA
retrieved from:
Stopbullying.gov retrieved from:
http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/
Violation Protection Works
Abby’s story retrieved from:
No comments:
Post a Comment