BULLYING IN 2012-2013Why? Because knowledge is power!

PARENTS PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN PREVENTING BULLYINGWe believe:

1. Parents use real situations to resolve problems without violence.

2. Parents provide clear strategies to address conflict respectfully and with strong language.

3. Parents ask open ended questions to have an understanding of their students day at school.

4. Parents take bullying seriously and an opportunity for a teachable moment for both the target and the victim.

5. Parents do NOT bully their children. Children that experience ridiculing, hitting or gossiping are more likely to do this to others.

6. Parents openly and regularly communicate about the child as a team.

What is bullying, officially?Aggressive, intentional behaviorRepeated behavior that makes someone else uncomfortableImbalance of power in relationship

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BULLYING?1. DIRECT2. INDIRECT

DIRECT bullying is INDIRECT bullying isPhysicalObviousPushing & shoving Name callingIn your faceaggressive

Excluding othersGossipRumorsBossingEye-rollingManipulationcontrolling

The three players…

The target

The bully

The bystander

The person who puts another down verbally, physically or by exclusion.

The person being put down or left out.

The person(s) who witness the mean behavior.

Of children in sixth through tenth grade, more than 3.2 million—nearly one in six—are victims of bullying each year, (Fox, et al, 2003)22 % report academic difficulties from the abuse•That would be about 4-5 students in each class•We have approximately 130 students in our core. •That affects around 28 students per day.•With 1000 students at the school, this affects approximately 200 students per day.

National Association of School Psychologists report:

SMARTART

Rehearsing for adulthood:What kind of adults do we want our children to become?

By age 30, 25% of those students identified as bullies have a criminal record as opposed to 5% who hadn’t been bullies. (Bullies & Victims by Su Ellen and Paula Fried, NY 1994)

25% of students report that teachers intervene in bullying situations

71% of teachers believe they always intervene (www.bullybeware.com)

Think teachers help?

Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.Norman Vincent Peale

What to do if your child is the target…1. You can encourage your child to try ignoring

but that does not always work.2. You can encourage your child to talk to a

friend and ask him/her to stick up for you. (There’s power in numbers)

3. You can encourage your child to tell a trusted classmate, teacher, staff member. Share your thoughts.

4.OR……

What to do if your child is the target… You can review the following strategies with your child and practice them using several responses:

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Use the one-word

technique

“Wow”“Whatever”“Right”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Say it like it is

“I don’t like it when...”

“That comment hurts when…”

“I can’t stand it when…”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Let them have their point of view

“That’s your opinion.”

“That’s what you think.”

“That’s how you see it.”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Question what he/she said

“What do you mean by that?”

“Why would you say that?”

“What was that for?”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Act surprised

“I can’t believe you just said that.”

“Did that comment just come out of your mouth?”

“Wow, that surprises me.”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Simply disagree

“I don’t think so.” “That’s not my

opinion.” “I don’t see it that

way.”

Words that workWAYS TO RESPOND

EXAMPLE RESPONSES

Use humor

“Really? Thanks. That was just what I was trying for.”

“Yea, that makes me laugh.”

Laugh at the comment.

Now that we’ve listed real strategies of how to respond to bullies, practice with your child.

Parent: You say the words in the conversation bubble on the following slideChild: You respond one of the ways we just reviewed.

What’s

with the

shirt?

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

There’s no room for you here at this lunch table.

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

Hey, nerd.

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

What’s wrong with you?

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

What are you

looking at?

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

I can’t

believe

you’re

friends

with her.

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

You are so _____. Just kidding!

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor

Get out of my way.

Practice these situations: Use the one-

word technique Say it like it is Let him/her have his/her point of view Question what she said Act surprised Simply disagree Use humor