What is Bullying?

The New York State Dignity Act and Bullying Prevention Part IIPresented by:Dr. Susan Lipkins Dr. Karen Siris April 16, May 14 bullyinterventionexperts@gmail.com1Bullying is a type of harassmentan intentional act of aggression, based on an imbalance of power, that is meant to harm a victim either physically or psychologically.

usually occurs repeatedly and over time, however sometimes can be identified in a single event.

Spotting the bullyBully may possess a superior traitAttractiveAthletic Sociable

Bully leads by intimidation Others follow to avoid becoming the next

Bully gains power by the amount of followers MORE FOLLOWERS = MORE POWER

The Bully/Victim CycleIdentification with the Aggressor

Victims who have been repeatedly bullied often have an increase in aggression

When they are put in a position of control or power they identify with the bully and do onto others what has been done to them

Thus the victim becomes the bully

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TYPES OF BULLYING BEHAVIORS PHYSICALHitting, punching, trippingKicking, pushing, scratchingDamaging/stealing property

VERBALName calling, teasing, tauntingMaking offensive remarkMaking discriminatory remarksVerbally threatening, intimidatingSOCIAL/EMOTIONAL/ RELATIONALExcluding or threatening to excludeSpreading rumors, gossipingOstracizing, alienatingUsing threatening looks or gesturesExtortion

CYBERBULLYINGUse of the internet or cell phone to harass and intimidate

Cyberbullying vs. Face to face bullyingAnonymity

Accessibility

Bystander

Punitive Fears

Victims of cyberbullying often do not report in fear that their computer or phone privileges will be taken away.

Gender Differences Males tend to use physical aggression such as hitting, pushing, slapping, and elbowing another child Females tend to use the tactics of social alienation and intimidation, such as exclusion from play, manipulation of friendships, gossiping maliciously, or writing malicious notesMales and females both use extortion

8 Familial Aspects Mirroring - how we learnChild is observing mom, dad or sibs as the bully and identifying with themChild is victim of bullying at home and perpetrator of bullying in schoolChild is being bullied at home by siblings or parents and is a victim

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Psychological Aspects Human nature?ConditioningGeneticsAlleles - The short allele of the MAOA gene induces fear of social rejection, ... those with this allele show greatest conformity to group norms to avoid rejection.

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2853930/)

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School AspectsBullying incidents are too often unnoticed or ignored No clear rules and consequences Culture of tattling rather than telling or ratting rather than reporting Little principal involvement with studentsPoor cohesiveness and communication among staff members and between the staff and the principalLack of respect among all constituents

School Risk FactorsLack Of Clear Expectations, Both Academic And BehavioralLack Of Commitment Or Sense Of Belonging At SchoolAcademic FailureParents And Community Members Not Actively Involved12School Protective FactorsCommunicates High Academic And Behavioral Expectations Encourages Goal-Setting, Academic Achievement And Positive Social DevelopmentPositive Attitudes Toward SchoolFosters Active Involvement Of Students, Parents And Community Members13WHAT SCHOOLS CAN DO Schools need to implement bullying prevention and intervention strategies that fit their school culture

Establish a district policy to prevents and intervenes in all forms of bullying, cyberbullying and harassment

Social and Emotional LearningChildren need safe, supportive, and empowering learning environments so they can thrive in school, at home, and in their friendships. Emerging scientific evidence indicates that helping children to become emotionally literate developing the skills of recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotion is possible and beneficial. It requires support from all the adults involved in the education of children (teachers, school leaders, and parents), evidence-based practices, and continuous skill-building opportunities from preschool through high school. Dr. Marc Brackett, Yale University, 2011

Positive Culture (what we do in schools) = Positive School Climate (how we feel in schools)All adults in school:Display warmth, positive tone, interest and involvement talk to each other and students with respect and understandingalert other staff members if they are displaying unacceptable behavior toward a studentstructure activities to minimize opportunities for exclusion

Establish a system of rewards that positively reinforces Pro-Social BehaviorsRewards should be given to those adults and students who truly and meaningfully achieve anti-bullying goalsReward bystanders for intervening or reporting bullying.Reward teachers for establishing bully-free classrooms.Reward support staff for reporting appropriate information; i.e. as is done with tip lines.

17 HOW?Commit to training all constituents of the school community in prevention and intervention strategies

Establish a bully intervention team (BIT) at the school building level to insure adherence to the district policy.

Bully Intervention TeamWho: Principal, mental health professionals, guidance counselors, teachers, non-teaching staff (aides, bus drivers, custodians)

What: Create a bully intervention plan that includes methods for prevention and intervention.

Bully Intervention Team:Creates anti-bullying policyCreates a reporting system that uses a DECISION TREE with specific plans of action when incidents are reported Develops and publicizes hierarchal consequences for bullying behaviorsDevelops intervention strategies and trains stakeholdersReward pro-social behaviors that support the policy

Training to Report WHO?studentsadministration,security personnel,teacherscoaches,bus driversaidescustodial staffparents

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Develop Specific Systems to Report Develop a 24/7 district-wide anonymous, online system and a telephone hotline; publicize the system

Create suggestion boxes in each classroom and at other locations that give students the opportunity to communicate their concerns.

Primary goal is to create a culture where students feel comfortable reporting to a responsible adult

22Telling vs. TattlingTattling

When you tell on someone to get them in trouble.

Telling - Reporting

When you are telling an adult because you are trying to keep yourself safe, someone else safe or keep the school safe.

Should there be consequences for Failure to Report ???...for personnel who do not report information regarding bullying and other threatening behaviors (similar to child abuse mandates)for students who do not report information regarding bullying and other threats of violence.24 Rationale for threat assessmentFBI and the Secret Service conducted studies of school shootings and found that the perpetrators were often victims of bullying who had become angry and depressed, and were influenced by a variety of social, familial, and psychological factors (OToole, 2000; Vossekuil, 2002).Implications for the schoolIssue of homicide/suicide and bullycide.25 Decision TreeEvaluate the incident/threatIs threat transient or substantive? Get specifics by interviewing the victim, bully and bystanders, individually.Write down the exact content of the event and statements made by each.Consider the circumstances and intent.26INCIDENT/Threat REPORTED TO BULLY INTERVENTION TEAMStep 1. Evaluate Incident interview the instigator, the recipient and the bystanders record the statements review the circumstances and the intentions of all parties Incident is clearly transientIncident issubstantive orNot clear Step 2. Decide whether incident is clearly transient or substantiveConsider criteria for transient versus substantive incidentsConsider students age, credibility, and previous discipline history

Incident is clearly transient

Incident is very serious Step 3. Respond to transient Incident: reprimand,Parent notification, etc. Student can make Amends and attend mediationor counselingStep 4: Decide whether substantive incident isserious or very serious(threat to assault, use weapon, rape, inflict serious injury Step 5: Respond to serious Substantive threat Take immediate pre- cautions to protect victimNotify victims parentsNotify students parentConsider contacting Law EnforcementRefer student for counseling, mediation or appropriate mediationDiscipline student appropriate to severity of situation

Step 6. Respond to VERY Serious Substantive threat

Conduct safety evaluationTake immediate precautions to protect victims Notify victims parentsNotify students parentsConsult with law enforcementBegin a mental health evaluation of the student Discipline student as appropriateStep 7. IMPLEMENT A SAFETY PLAN

Complete a written plan

Maintain contact with the student

Revise plan as neededIncident InterviewWho does the interview?

How will the interview be conducted?

When will the interview take place?

Where will the interview occur?

What form will be used?Disciplinary Consequences

Hierarchal Verbal warning/reprimand to stop bullying behaviorsParent notification of behavior and expectationsCounseling/support for victim and bullyIn-school or out of school suspensionStudent can makeamends restorative justice type of activity

Disciplinary ConsequencesSEVERE INCIDENT If child poses a threat to psychological or physical well being of the school constituents disrupting learning environment by actionsAlternate school assigned if possibleHomebound instruction until placement assignedExpulsion is recommendedLaw Enforcement consultedLaw Enforcement contacts bully and others involved in case32 Disciplinary - LogisticAlter schedule of bully to increase supervisionAlter schedule of bully to minimize contact with recipientChange or lose transportationAdd adult presence to protect victimOther safety precaution33Therapeutic Discipline StrategiesStudent is evaluated for special educationMental health evaluation by school staffMental health evaluation by outside agencyServices: School based counselingOutside counselingOut of district therapeutic placement 3434Questions ???

Early InterventionIdentify, monitor and track the health and well being of victims or students at risk Identify students with leadership skills and re-direct them to become more positive leadersEstablish a mentor system in which adults mentor students who are likely to be victimizedEncourage the community to connect to school personnel with their concerns36

Mental Health Interventions/guidance counselors, social workers and psychologistsWork with individuals who have been identified as being pre-victims or pre-bullies to change their behaviorsProvide crisis intervention services to victims, bystanders and bullies at the time of an incidentBe the point person for victims and bullies and develop a special working relationshipWork individually and in groups to develop empathy

Victim-InterventionGive victims a VOICE

Teach victims to say NO!-verbally and with appropriate body language

Teach victims to travel with a buddy

Victim-InterventionProvide class experiences where victim is paired with other students to increase pool of relationships and desensitize others to victim

Encourage independent thinking for victim and class, in order to resist bully Give victims a point person to go to for support and to report incidences.

Victim- Counseling to change behaviors which increase the likelihood of being victimized to reduce sensitivity

Provide assertiveness training groupsInvolve parents appropriately.

Bully-Interventionchange the dynamics of power so that the bully is not overtly or covertly reinforced by the teacher, coach or other authority figuresidentify the bully as having anti-social behaviors which will lead to troublelisten to the bully and give him/her a point person to speak with whose role is to help the bully use their leadership skills in a positive manner, emphasizing cooperation, collaboration and equality.develop empathy in bully Bully-Counselinguse individual counseling sessions to develop empathy and identification with the victim try to develop insight and understanding of why the bully behaves in that mannerprovide alternative approaches to interactions and model cooperative behaviorsdiscuss short and long term consequences of being a bullyinvolve parents as needed

Bystander Intervention

The whole drama is supported by the bystander. The theater cant take place if theres no audience. (Labi, N. Let Bullies Beware. Time online, March 25, 2001.)

ENCOURAGE bystanders to:Speak up to bullies if it is safe to do soBand together as a group against bulliesAvoid joining inAsk adults for helpReach out as friends to isolated peers, be an ally, offer supportContinue to offer victim support at future time

Why dont more bystanders intervene? They fear getting hurt or fear retribution (becoming the next victim) They feel powerless to stop the bully. They dont like the victim or believe the victim deserves it.They think that telling adults wont help or it may make things worse.They dont know what to do.

Turning Bystanders into UpstandersHelp students understand the dynamics of bullying situations 80% of students stand by and watchTrain interested students in teaching the strategies of upstanding behaviors Help the students understand the power they have to make a difference that THEY are the solution

Turning Bystanders into UpstandersInsure that bystanders understand that adults will support their actionsTeach all children about the reporting system that is in place in your schoolReward upstanding behaviors and make them the norm. Teacher Intervention StrategiesBe aware of student friendship and create working partnerships and groups for students that promote positive interactions Hold class meetings that air students concerns and feelings (group guidance, advisory)Be on the alert for bullying behaviors and step in Refer to the class charterFollow established guidelines for hierarchal consequences that have been established for bullying behaviors (physical, social, emotional)

Support StaffIntervention StrategiesAdequate numbers of TRAINED support staff during unstructured time such as recess, lunch room, hallway passing, bus stops, etc. should be availableSUPPORT STAFF: should be trained in bullying prevention and intervention strategies should adhere to school rules and acceptable behavior policyshould have time to communicate with classroom teachers and supervisors should be trained in a reward and consequence system that reinforces positive behaviors and have authority to implement it should be on alert for bullying behaviors and quickly intervene and report

Parent Intervention StrategiesParents will be taught to recognize the signs of bully and victim behaviorsParents will be encouraged to model appropriate upstander behaviorParents will be taught when and how to interveneParents will learn how to report incidentsParents will learn how to support children who are being victimized by bullying and cyber bullyingParents need to confront excuses and not accept the answer just joking.

Caring Majority Program Invite 6th grade students to help create a CARING MAJORITYTrain 6th graders through workshop Create an upstander philosophy ambassadors form teams and create their own grade level presentationsambassadors take a mentoring role in the grade level they have chosenCaring Majority becomes a part of the school culture and enhances a positive school climate.

Caring Majority AmbassadorsSeek the help of students to spread the word about thedangers of bullying - can be done at various ways at all levelsCaring Majority Ambassadors - Elementary Caring Allies Middle School Natural Helpers High SchoolTraining given by principal with support of social worker/psychologistStudents train the classmates on the importance of inclusion, empathy and caring about each other On-going partnerships/mentoring established between older and younger students

CARING MAJORITY AMBASSADORSTodays presentation is available on-line at: bullyinterventionexperts.com