Bullying/Victimization Prevention Overview: Urbana School District #116

Ramin Karimpour, MSChild Development DivisionDepartment of Educational PsychologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Urbana School District #116205 North RaceUrbana, IL 61801

Goals for this presentation

Developing expertise in the area of bullying and victimization in schools by:

Understanding the definitions of bullying; both legal and academic.Understand the phenomenon of bullying/victimization in order to intervene effectivelyUnderstand the interventions that are in place at USD 116

USD 116 Legal Definition

Any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

1. Placing students in reasonable fear of harm to their persons or property,

2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on their physical or mental health,

3. Substantially interfering with their academic performance, or 4. Substantially interfering with students’ ability to participate in

or benefit from services. Activities or privileges provided by a school.

Section 27-23.7 of ILSC amended June 2010 by Prevent School Violence Act (PSVA)

US Department of Education Definition

Unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and the behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time.

Dan Olweus Definition

“Bullying victims are exposed, repeatedly, and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students. Victims typically have difficulty defending themselves for a variety of reasons”. (Olweus, 2011).

3 Types of Bullying Behavior

Physical: Hitting, kicking, pushing, shoving. Verbal: Mean names, make fun of, hurtful teasing.Social: damaging peer relations by ignoring, excluding, spreading rumors.

____________________________________________Bullying is a group process with multiple roles.

Everyone assumes at least one of these roles Bully Victim Bully/Victim Assistant Reinforce Defender Bystander

Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Bjorkqvist, Osterman, & Kaukiainen, 1996

Points to Remember: Climate Matters

Programs that only target student behaviors are NOT effective.

Schools will not eliminate aggression problems through disciplinary actions (consequences do not change behaviors)

Nobody should have the expectation that bullying can be totally eliminated

Interventions only work with maximum buy in from administrators, teachers, support staff.

All staff must be dedicated to the school mission statement.Utilize clear pro-social expectations/norms that ALL members of

the school follow Adults must model the school and classroom expectations, not just in

their interactions with their students, but also in their interactions with colleagues and parents

Busting the Bully Busters

Classroom Climate

Classroom Climate:• Does the class have and understand its

mission statement?• Does the teacher clarify and enforce class

behavioral expectations?• Does the teacher praise prosocial behavior?• Does the teacher seem to know the students

and the classroom community?• Does the teacher use cooperative learning

strategies?• Is there consistently high supervision?

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions• Individual Students• Assessment-based

• High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions• Individual Students• Assessment-based

• Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions• Some students (at-risk)

• High efficiency• Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions• Some students (at-risk)

• High efficiency• Rapid response

Universal Interventions• All students

• Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions• All settings, all students• Preventive, proactive

Three Tier Model for Bullying/Victimization Intervention

Universal level interventions

PBIS + SEL = Positive School Climate Strong PBIS Universal is very important

Clear and explicit instruction of expectations SEL implementation must be done consistently across the building

Morning Meetings, Second Step, etc. School climate influences student aggression School climate influences student engagement in pro-social relations All members of the school influence the social climate of a school:

Students, support staff, faculty, administration Individual children’s beliefs and attitudes become more approving of

aggression over time, and do do group norms!Stop/Walk/Talk

Teaching students explicit strategies to help them feel safe is important

Secondary Level Interventions

Check in Check OutCheck n’ ConnectMentoring support Universal Social and academic, instructional groups

(SAIG) (not specific to bullying or victimization)Investigate bullying reportsBrief Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA)

Tertiary Interventions

Intensive SAIGWRAP Around Process to involve parents and

community supportsIndividual Counseling and Mental Health ReferralsComplex FBA

Investigating Reports of Bullying/Harassment

• Teachers, Support Staff, and Principals should treat all accounts seriously• There should be constant vigilance and

communication between teachers, administration, students, and parents• If “bullying” or harassment is reported to you by a

student or a parent, notify your building administrator! She/He will investigate.

Remember:• It is important to implement tiered supports for

both the student exhibiting bullying behavior, and the student who is the “victim”

• Suspension is not always the answer for “bullying”

Recognizing “Bullying” Behavior

Three basic ways to know if a child is truly being victimized:

1. A student or students picks on a child day after day. It never seems to let up.

2. The student who is the aggressor “wins” because the child who is victimized is different, smaller, younger, or less socially able to cope.

3. The victim is afraid and very upset. The aggressor sees it all as “no big deal” or as “deserved.” Some children actually enjoy making other children upset.

Remember:“bullying” or harassing behavior is often very subtle or

covertGarrity et al. 2000

Resources

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/index.html

http://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html

http://www.pbisillinois.org/curriculum/bullying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ4v7R3MbrU&feature=player_embedded