The Proven Effect of School Culture on Bullying

Doctoral Research on Bullying, Pt. 2

By DJ Skogsberg, Ed.D.

School Culture - Visions, Missions, and Touchstones

Practitioners and researchers have consistently opined that a shared vision of an organization at its inception is what allows an organization to grow and thrive. Fullan, et.al. (1990) noted, specifically, that this is the foundation of school improvement. Synonymously, the State University of New York at Albany noted that the “district-level vision is clearly articulated in terms of what it looks like in classrooms and how it will affect student achievement” (Wilcox and Angelis, 2007, p. 19), thus guiding school improvement in terms of both culture and academic performance. Elbot and Fulton (2008) specifically identified the differences between a vision, mission, and touchstone. The vision of an organization “states its goals” where as the mission of an organization “states the purpose of the organization.” A touchstone, however, “expresses the ‘how’ of the organization” (2008, p. 18).

Schein, as cited in Kariuki (2008, p. 25), defined culture as the “deeper level of basic assumptions, values, and beliefs that become shared and taken granted for as the organization continues to be successful.” Logically, then, the vision, mission, and touchstone are interwoven threads that shape and form the tapestry of the school and is known as the school’s culture. School culture is something that is felt. More specifically, school culture is something that can be observed. Think of each component as another lens of focus with which to look through. Observing goals through a global perspective emphasizes the codependency. Goals are driven by the mission, and the goals drive the mission. The touchstone, however, is not long term in its focus like its counterparts-the vision and mission. Elbot and Fulton posited that the touchstone is, “both academic and ethical-that a school community seeks to develop in its members, and it serves as a guide for daily thinking and action” (2008, p. 2). In keeping with the analogy of a tapestry, the touchstone is the common thread that holds the culture together and takes its community members to task.

Some recent action research supported this premise. One of the premier districts in implementing touchstones, Summit School District in Frisco, Colorado, took the lead to “incorporate a shared set of universal values and aspirations for all members of the school community” to hold the district together and “keep them focused, even during turbulent times” (2009, p. 1). The distillation of each school’s touchstone included the collaboration of all stakeholders, especially the active participation of students. Appelsies and Fairbanks made specific note of student ownership within the culture of a building, quoting students in their observations, “[t]his is where we work together” “[t]his is where we help each other,” and “[t]his is where we conversate” (1997, p. 70).

The action research by Appelsies and Fairbanks (1997) noted that part of what we called “school culture” and “student ownership” in the building was reflective of a fostered, democratic environment, a premise that was of vital importance for adolescents to experience as they lived through this stage of intellectual maturation. The fostered, democratic environment linked the aforementioned needs of developing adolescents. The question remained then, how did each stakeholder play a role in school culture?

Change of School Culture & Change in Theory:

With any change process, there is an inherent feeling that something is “wrong.” Simpson echoed the connotation “that culture and change are antithetical, that change threatens stability, predictability, and comfort of the culture” (1990, p. 35). Fullan (1993) emphasized that if the change process was addressed as a political process, what stakeholders faced was stagnation, frustration, discontent, disconnectedness, defensiveness, and superficial changes that resulted in a return to the status quo.

Change, while constant, is not nearly as difficult for adolescents as we educators claim it to be. Children, even those wrought with significant physiological, psychological, and sociological shifts (i.e. adolescents) are still malleable and able to be guided through these changes.

Ownership, Empowerment, and Stakeholders:

If we recognize that the change process as a whole, let alone the change of a school culture, is an ongoing process-a living entity analogous to the concept of the Constitution of the United States-then we have to accept that culture and the process of change must be nurtured. Research repeatedly noted buy-in from all stakeholders and lists those in the school community as administrators, teachers, non-certified staff, parents/guardians, and community members. Unfortunately, and of particular concern for the children impacted by this perceived bias, the students were consistently ignored, yet they were impugned for changes while being excluded from the change process itself. This seemed to be in direct contradiction to published research by Fullan (1999) which focused on collaborative cultures that fostered diversity while building trust, provoked anxiety and contained it, engaged in knowledge creation, combined connectedness with open-endedness, and fused the spiritual, political, and intellectual (p. 37). How can we possibly foster collaborative cultures when students are not given ownership in their school, in part or in whole, with any initiative?

Dorman, et.al (1985) raised this point regarding adolescents and their role in schools and developmental needs, which specifically called for “diversity, self-exploration and self-definition, meaningful participation in their schools and communities, positive social interaction with peers and adults, physical activity, competence and achievement, and structure and clear limits” (p. 46). Research conducted by Way, Reddy & Rhodes (2007) emphasized the tenet that students’ beliefs during middle school years formed the base from which they would grow into adulthood and be positive or negative. This was specifically true as it related to students perceiving a sense of autonomy and having the opportunity for autonomy. The researchers found “the intercept of opportunities for student autonomy was significantly associated with the intercept of depressive symptoms and self-esteem and the intercept and slope of behavior problems” (Way, Reddy & Rhodes, 2007, p. 206). This direct correlation between student autonomy and behavior problems indicated that there was a significant impact on school culture whether or not students perceived that they had autonomy. The key was that the students had the opportunity to be autonomous. Way, et.al. emphasized that “students’ beliefs of the school climate appeared to be important not just during the transition from elementary to middle school, but also during middle school itself” (2007, p. 209).

Taking the First Step:

There is clearly no simple answer to addressing bullying. We continuously see adults modeling bullying behavior for children. And so, if we must begin with a first step, let it begin with us. Be the model held to the higher standard, performing well above the expectations you have for your students (or children). Empower students to take an active role in their school by granting them ownership in their actions, the actions of their peers, and the consequences (good, bad, or indifferent) that naturally follow. Stop marginalizing children. If we want students to step up, sometimes it requires of us to give them a boost. And so, if the first step in stomping out bullying rests on the shoulders of the adult stakeholders, the real question is, do you have the courage to “take a step off the porch” (Poole, 2003)?

Download the research and works cited here: http://www.schoolimprovement.com/docs/120526-Bullying-Beyond-the-Playground-for-School-Improvement-Network.pdf

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For more information on bullying prevention and available resources to support your efforts, sign up today for the FREE professional development webinar for educators presented by the School Improvement Network, Bullying: Understanding the Problem, Defining Solutions on May 30th 2012, 3:00pm with Robin Young of the National Crime Prevention Council.

Click here to register for the FREE webinar:http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D783884f

Overcoming the Challenges Faced in Implementing Bullying Prevention Programs in Schools

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Robin Young, National Crime Prevention Council 

For more information on bullying prevention and available resources to support your efforts, sign up today for the FREE professional development webinar for educators presented by the School Improvement Network, Bullying: Understanding the Problem, Defining Solutions on May 30th 2012, 3:00pm with Robin Young of the National Crime Prevention Council.

Click here to register for the FREE webinar: http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D783884f

Bullying has become a critical issue among schools everywhere. As educators attempt to get a handle on the growing concern, many attempt to implement bullying prevention programs on school grounds. However, the implementation of such programs is often met with a number of obstacles, including student participation, funding, and deciding what’s the right program for your school and students. Yet, as we move toward developing comprehensive bullying prevention practices, there are a few key strategies that we should all keep in mind.

Finding the right program

Creating a program that addresses your school’s unique concerns is of vital importance. The first step in doing so is to conduct a two-tiered assessment process that will guide the development of bullying prevention strategies. The first tier should involve surveys that reveal information about the school’s social climate, while the second should identify flaws in security equipment and procedures. Development of any action plan designed to address bullying should always begin with an assessment. We can’t solve the problem, until we define it.

Student participation

Student participation is critical to the successful implementation of any bullying prevention program. It is important that students feel empowered and engaged in the action planning process and that they share the responsibility for creating environments in which they can learn and thrive. Getting students involved and excited about taking part in a bullying prevention program will ensure that the program works to its full potential and that they can identify and address concerns that are most important to them.

Keeping it a priority

Maintaining a program’s importance after the excitement has settled is a major challenge that schools may face. Periodically updating a program with new ideas and incentives can help keep up the momentum and excitement for both students and educators. Whether a program is structured or unstructured, school leaders can find different ways to keep the program relevant. From creating a poster contest to structuring an assembly focused on bullying, be creative in your efforts to keep students motivated toward bullying prevention.

Creating an open environment

Overcoming the unspoken rule among students of “no snitching” may stop even the most successful bullying prevention program in its tracks. Bullying is a tough issue to face, so it is important to create an open environment where students can express their feelings and concerns in a confidential and comfortable environment. All teachers and administrators should be well educated on the topic of bullying and be prepared to assist students in successfully putting a stop to bullying. Giving students realistic tips and advice is an important step toward bullying prevention. When students feel that a strategy actually works, they are more likely to use that strategy again and again.

Teach Your Children to Dream

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Alicia C. Shaw, Ed.D,  principal, Gideon #37 Elementary

The prevention of bullying is not about control, discipline, adding rules, policies, consequences, etc. (which we all know are designed to make the lives of adults easier). Preventing bullying is about empowering all students with knowledge, encouragement, understanding, compassion and tolerance. Most bullies are simply children who have been bullied themselves and often by an adult. They feel a loss of control in their own lives, so they attempt to find control by whatever means possible. By helping children understand the only person they can control is themselves, we can help them discover positive attributes they all possess.

Everyone wants to say that children are our most valuable asset. This is not true, assets are material objects. Children are our lifeline. We as educators must strive every day to build the hopes and dreams of our children. We tend to focus on negative things and look for new ways to dish out punishment and control behavior. It is the same concept of control for us. Teachers can’t control behavior any more than kids can control other kids. We have to spend more time understanding behavior instead of trying to control it.

Asking all children to fit a “mold” of rules and policies is like asking a river to control the flow of water. It is not possible. We have to see children as individuals with hopes, dreams, difficulties and frustrations. The choices we make and the words we speak may mean the difference for a child having a life of fulfillment or a life of difficulties.

Teach your children to dream. Our dreams are not just the thoughts that roll around in our heads everyday, they are what gives us hope that tomorrow will be better. If we help all children, including the bullies, realize their dreams, then we give them hope. By giving them hope, we take away the hurt that causes them to bully others. Your bullying policies should reflect positive approaches to children. If you do this, you won’t have to worry about bullies. They will become the leaders of the future. Have faith in a child.

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For more information on bullying prevention and available resources to support your efforts, sign up today for the FREE professional development webinar for educators presented by the School Improvement Network, Bullying: Understanding the Problem, Defining Solutions on May 30th 2012, 3:00 p.m. with Robin Young of the National Crime Prevention Council.

Click here to register for the FREE webinar:http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D783884f

Effects of Bullying After 48 Years

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Martha McAdams, principal, Sebastian Charter Junior High

I was in the seventh grade and was sitting in Mr. Stamp’s social studies class. The teacher was outside in the hallway disciplining a student. A classmate, MM, told me he didn’t think I could make the same gesture he was making with my hand, I didn’t know what it meant and I showed him that indeed I could make that same gesture and a lot of his friends around us laughed. This type of baiting went on for several weeks. Finally, one of my classmates told me it was an obscene gesture and to never make it again. This was the beginning of MM’s harassment, but it was certainly not the end. All through junior high there were many days that MM would torment me.

It continued in high school but wasn’t as often when I became a senior and was elected an officer in several organizations. There were days that I didn’t want to go to school. There were days that I cried at school and many more days that I cried after I got home from school.

Some of the specifics have faded away with time, but the scene in Mr. Stamp’s classroom is still crystal clear in my mine. I can tell you where he sat and where I sat and where the clock was on the wall in social studies class.

You might think that this happened just a few years ago. No, this happened to me, 48 years ago. The hurt is less now. I am a successful person. I was lucky. I had friends and a family that loved me and supported me. I never told my parents or any teacher about the way I was treated. I didn’t know it was wrong for someone to get their jollies at my expense.

I became a teacher. I always looked out for the child that was a little different. I would not tolerate teasing or any form of bullying in my classroom. Now that I am a principal I do not tolerate any form of bullying at our school.

I have empathy for the students who have been picked on or make fun of at other places. This school is a no bullying zone. We teach students not only what to do if they are being bullied, but what to do if they see someone making fun of someone else. If you see it and don’t do anything about it, you are not being a responsible citizen. Everyone needs to be proactive, teachers, parents, administrators and students. Speak up so no one has to live with memories that last a lifetime that are anything but pleasant. I was lucky, mine were only minor emotional scars that eventually healed. I am lucky because I have a staff that is proactive about keeping bullying out of our school. Make every school a no bullying zone; teach all students what to do. Remember to treat everyone with respect so you can respect yourself.

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For more information on bullying prevention and available resources to support your efforts, sign up today for the FREE professional development webinar for educators presented by the School Improvement Network, Bullying: Understanding the Problem, Defining Solutions on May 30th 2012, 3:00pm with Robin Young of the National Crime Prevention Council.

Click here to register for the FREE webinar: http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D783884f

How to Make Your School Bully Proof

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Amy E Bainbridge, GT Coordinator
Campus Middle School

Bully proofing beyond the classroom…umm bullying is such a problem in our nation’s schools. We like to teach students the golden rule, “Treat people the way you want to be treated!” This is great when you are dealing with a student who isn’t a bully! I read somewhere about implementing the platinum rule, instead of the golden rule. The platinum rule is, “Treat others the way THEY want to be treated.” This helps change our bullies’ thinking. Think about it, how many times have you told a kid, “Treat this student the way you want to be treated.” And what do they say, “I wouldn’t care if someone did that to me.” “I would think it would be funny if someone did that to me.” The problem here is that the person getting bullied doesn’t think it is funny and does care that it happened to them. At this point we change our words and say, treat others the way THEY want to be treated. Alice doesn’t like it when you do this, so please RESPECT her wishes. You might not care but she does!

Another thing that has worked is incorporating three basic school rules. The three Be’s! Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. Anytime a student does anything, inside our classroom, out on the playground, in the hallways, we can ask them, “Are you being…safe…respectful…responsible? The kids can internalize their behaviors and own them. I use it all the time in the classroom. A student is tipping in their chair. I don’t have to tell them to stop tipping; I ask them if they are being safe. If not, please fix it. The students own the choice & have more power over their choices (or so we let them believe that they have the choice).

The platinum rule and the three Be’s are steps to help bully proof our schools.

Does the Bully Know You Care?

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Martin J. Hayes, House Principal
Central Bucks High School East

Care. C-A-R-E. Care. Our children need to know that we care. They need to know that we care to protect them, shelter them, feed them, listen to them, talk to them, hug them, help them, teach them, challenge them, inspire them, believe in them, cherish them and love them. Our job as adults, whether we are teachers, parents, counselors, administrators, or any adult in a child’s life, doubtlessly involves many things that we “have to do,” and in most cases many things that are very important and meaningful. We cannot, though, allow these things to stop us from responding to and fulfilling our children’s needs.

It is only when we put our children’s needs at the forefront of our priorities that we will build trust in them and be able to help them work on becoming the wonderful young men and women that they can be.

Bullying is not an issue of who is right, who is wrong, or who is to blame, but an issue of what can we do to prevent it. Our children who are bullied need our help, and so do our bullies.

I am a grown man. The only movie I ever cried for was Rocky I. I wept this past Monday. I wept as I viewed ABC’s list of Philadelphia’s thirty most wanted. I wept because each of these young men was once a student in your class, in my class, a student, a child of ours. These young men are our “bullies.” Where did they go wrong? Where did we go wrong? Now I am not saying we all need to be softies, but I am saying that we need to reach out, reach out until we can’t reach any more to let all of our children know that we care. Could we have saved these children? I don’t know, but I’ll never stop trying.

And our bullied children…they need to know that we care. We care about how they feel, how being bullied makes them feel, and beyond that, how we care about them for who they are and what they like, how they feel and who they like. We need to express interest toward their interests and let them know, consistently, that they are more important than all of the “things” that we need to do.

Care.

Giving Our Children the Safety They Deserve

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Cynthia Durham, Supervisor

Casey Co. Board of Education

As educators, bullying is one of the most serious challenges we face in our schools today. It is often a hidden problem despite the widespread and serious nature of bullying. The reason for this is many times teachers/principals don’t take the offense serious; they view it as a normal part of growing up and students must learn to stand up for themselves. This is just one of the many views we must change as we strive to rid our schools of this very serious problem that can lead to life-long consequences, even death.

Also there are so many forms of bullying from physical, to verbal, to the newest cyber bullying, that we can’t monitor all the ways children can harass other students. This is why it is so important for schools to provide a range of activities to reinforce the anti-bullying theme. Some examples of what schools might do, include holding assemblies to discuss the types of bullying, why it is important to report any incidences you may witness, and the schools anti-bullying policy; display posters throughout the school, a contest where students design anti- bullying slogans for buttons, shirts, or posters; and students take pledges to vow never to bully or do hurtful things to others.

We must also provide our staff with professional development so they are prepared to deal with bullying issues, how to counsel students who have been bullied, and training on a curriculum to use with students to help reinforce the use of cyber bullying and its effects on students. Safety is very important to our students as they strive to attain their education, and it takes an entire school community to work together to ensure our students are safe and secure in the school setting.

7 Steps to Eliminating Bullying

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Gisele James, Administrator
Par-Excellence Academy

There are 2 parts to our anti-bullying program.

Part A:
The first way our school stopped students from bullying was to empower the students. Two 4th grade girls who were in great conflict and had an entire class involved. I sat down with these girls in my office and we discussed many of the issues causing problems. They both agreed to stop bullying each other and I decided to talk to the class as we determined the other students liked and encouraged the drama. When I went to the classroom the girls courageously stepped up and talked to the class about how they felt about rumors, gossip, and friend flipping. So began the most powerful anti-bullying program I have heard about. Stop Student Bullying (SSB). The whole class agreed to be an SSB member. Well that led to the whole school wanting to do it. The SSB had a schoolwide contract signed that the two original girls put together and a daily cheer we do to support our efforts. I have found that students have the answers and need to be a part of the solutions.

Part B:
The second way our school stopped bullying was by creating more structured recess—as many bullying activities happened during recess. We created activities that were organized and teachers led to help blend students who may have not interacted with each other if not guided to do so, providing a more monitored environment for students to interact with each other.

What we learned (the 7 steps):
1. Ask students when, where and how bullying occurs. (Have an adult facilitate.)
2. Have students develop a contract on anti-bullying.
3. Do support activities that are student led: cheers, posters, stickers, etc.
4. Encourage all grades/all students to be a part of the program.
5. Have staff show their support to students.
6. At recess divide students randomly in groups and assign a teacher to a group with an organized activity.
7. Make sure students are given appropriate games to help them interact.

Both programs together have made a huge difference. Students now are discussing issues and trying to work out their problems instead of suffering in silence. The students feel empowered to create a environment free of fear.

During lunch and recess many students have created clubs like dance club, origami club, and clean earth club to share their interests and be included in a group. Almost every day I get comments from students who feel better about school.

Creating a Schoolwide Anti-Bullying Initiative

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Jaime Stacy, Ed.D.

Assistant Principal, Salem Middle

As an administrator in a large school system (around 55,000 students), I was invited to be part of a taskforce to examine the bullying issue and lay the framework for a system-wide bullying initiative. While I wasn’t surprised to find that the schools within our division were doing different things to address bullying, the diversity and depths of the programs, methods, and interventions were surprising to me.

We decided as a team to start from the ground floor and construct a framework schools could then use to address bullying within their own building. Research on the subject showed that many of the best practices to combat bullying were closely related to the same techniques being used in schools implementing the Effective Schoolwide Discipline (ESD) model.

The ESD liaison for our school division was invited to become part of the taskforce and has helped to guide our thought process to exploring the following artifacts as we construct the framework:

• Surveys – Staff, parent, and student surveys related to bullying, school safety, and school climate

• Student discipline data – Focus on location, time of day, type(s) of bullying occurring

• Documents and materials pertaining to programs/initiatives already in place

While establishing this framework will aid in our endeavor to combat bullying in our schools, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Strong building-level leadership and stakeholder buy-in are key components to the effectiveness of any program, especially one that has the potential to create a drastic change in the culture of a school.

Anti-Bullying Pledge for Students

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By  Kirk Dunckel, principal

Chief Kanim Middle School, Washington

At our school each Fall we have every student sign an Anti-Bullying Pledge Sheet. We take the time to meet with each class and review Respect and Responsibility expectations. We cover the different types of bullying and how deal with it as a victim and bystander. The Pledge Sheets work great when bullying occurs we pull the students Pledge Sheet and have a dialog with the student(s) about what they can do better to live up to their pledge. Our Bullying has dropped significantly. Another thing we have done is to create Anti-Bullying posters for our school with our students on the posters. Having our students faces on the posters has added a real sense of ownership to creating a Bully Free environment.

We believe that every student should enjoy school equally, and feel safe, secure and accepted regardless of color, race, gender, popularity, athletic ability, intelligence, religion, nationality, or any other qualities.

The situations will vary from student to student. We did have an issue with a group of boys teasing another boy at their lunch table. The student did everything right by trying to ignore the teasing and then reported to me. He shared names of the boys and I pulled their pledge sheets and we had a talk about what it means when you pledge something and then sign your name to it. They agreed they could do a better job and would do a better job living up to the pledge they signed. I had them re-date it and re-sign the pledge form. We have not had any issues with this group and the teasing of the boy since.

Chief Kanim Hawk Pledge

We, the students of Chief Kanim Middle School, agree to join together to stamp out bullying at our school.

We believe that everybody should enjoy our school equally, and feel safe, secure and accepted regardless of color, race, gender, popularity, athletic ability, intelligence, religion, nationality, or any other qualities.

Bullying can be pushing, shoving, hitting, as well as name calling, picking on, making fun of, intimidating, laughing at, or excluding someone. Bullying causes pain and stress to victims and is never justified or excusable as "kids being kids," "just teasing" or any other rationalization. The victim is never responsible for being a target of bullying.

By signing this pledge, I agree to:

1. Value student differences and treat others with respect.

2. Not become involved in bullying incidents or be a bully.

3. Be alert in places around the school where there is less adult supervision such as bathrooms and hallways.

4. Report honestly and immediately all incidents of bullying to a staff member.

5. Talk to school staff and parents about concerns and issues regarding bullying.

6. Work with other students and staff to help the school deal with bullying effectively.

7. Be a good role model for other students and support them if bullying occurs.

I understand that if I am demonstrating bullying behaviors and do not stop them immediately, I will be held accountable for my actions by the staff and students of Chief Kanim Middle School.

I also understand that if I witness bullying behaviors and do nothing to eliminate the problems, I am encouraging a bullying environment to continue at our school.

Signed by: __________________________ Date: __________

Print name: __________________________

Click here to download the Anti-Bullying Pledge.

Bullying or Growing?: Bullying Is Not Always What It Seems

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

By Scott Thomason, principal

As countless real-life stories can attest, bullying is an increasingly pervasive and destructive effect of our ever-expanding reality. Unfortunately, as with any mainstream issue, it is neither new nor as pervasive as most parents would have the media believe.

I do not doubt for one moment that it is not occurring regularly, not only my campus, but on campuses across America. After having fielded hundreds of calls from outraged parents over the past five years, however, I can attest that what a parent calls "bullying" is nothing more than the results of the natural development of kids.

I watch students at lunch every day, chasing each other, grabbing back packs, smack talking, and even, at times, tackling, hitting, kicking, and even throwing things at another student, but, is this truly bullying? In the vast majority of cases, the answer is NO! We have a litmus test here at my school that we use with parents and students to determine when an issue is or is not bullying: Is it unwanted? Is it ongoing? And most importantly, is it one-sided?

An issue we deal with regularly is when the parent of a “bullying victim” comes to us demanding justice because their child is being harassed, bullied, picked on, etc. And we have to tell them, “This is the first we’ve heard about it.” So, we also regularly educate our students on the importance of notifying someone when they perceive they are being singled out. But, due to the anti-snitch mentality, we almost always get blind-sided by out-of-the-blue allegations that, upon further investigation, fail one or more facets of the litmus test.

We are almost always confronted with the reality that little Johnny was playing around with a friend who either got mad or got carried away and did something harmful to hurt him. Of course, that doesn’t keep the parents from believing that we are doing nothing and that her child’s school is unsafe. I always have to tell the parent that unfortunately, you weren’t there, I wasn’t there, and the only ones who know the truth are telling different stories.

So, does bullying exist? Yes. Is it a problem? Yes. Does that mean that every parent’s fears are coming to pass and that the world is out to get their little baby? No. 99% of the time, it is about the choices a child makes, whether to talk or not talk, tell or not tell, play or not play, be a victim or stand up for themselves. Until the time comes when we stop falling victim to our own actions, we will ever be faced with bullies.

How to Make a Failing School Over-Achieve

In an inner-city school where bullying and gangs are typically a large concern--even in an elementary school--Plummer Elementary has been able to turn the entire direction of the school around.

The school was once performing at 405 on a California AYP scale where 800 was the target. And the scores were only getting worse each year. The vast majority--79%--of the students were English-language learners, making standardized test score benchmarks even harder to reach.

But it didn't matter. Watch how Plummer Elementary School came to consistently surpass California AYP guidelines when all the odds are stacked against them as they create the school where you would want to send your child.

Who Should Take Responsibility for Bullying?

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Call me crazy, but I don't believe the responsibility falls on the shoulders of teachers. So is it administration? Parents? Society? Media? No. In fact, it's perhaps the last place that we look.

A Dubai journalist recently covered the tragedy of an 11-year-old girl who was hospitalized by four boys who bullied and beat her. And at whom does the journalist point the finger?

The parents.

And my gut reaction is to agree. I grew up with parents who were not shy when it came time to discipline; therefore, I have always been inclined to look down on parents who, in my mind, were afraid to tell their child no. Now that I am a father of a child who truly is perfect (and at 3 months old, there's not much that he willfully do wrong besides spit up on my tie), I can understand now why parents can be, well, stupid about their kids.

But the journalist was ultimately wrong.

Because we've all either been the willful child or had the willful child (or both). Do parents contribute to and even encourage bullying, either directly or indirectly? Yes. There is actually very little in a child's life that we couldn't blame for bullying and misbehavior. Economics, neighborhood, movies, video games, peers, parents, and yes, even teachers. Each so-called "factor" has something valid to contribute to the mix. But all too often we forget that the first victim of bullying and the person responsible are often one and the same:

The child.

Who here is tired of hearing the words "they made me do it"? I understand that there are mitigating and contributing circumstances; but I am also one who says that if a child does not own up to his or her actions, then misbehavior will be a chronic episode in every aspect of that child's life. We can try to find all of the other symptoms in the world, but we must stop blaming everything else for a person's decision.

And therein lies the most important factor of bullying and perhaps even of life in general: we cannot make excuses for ourselves. After all the circumstances are listed--and there are many--and all the reasons examined--and they are certainly valid--do we finish by excusing every behavior and assigning responsibility to inanimate and unworthy factors like socioeconomics?

I submit that we would teach far more important things to our children by helping them take responsibility for their own actions than by using external factors as scapegoats (I am waiting for bullying to be classified as an illness). When children learn to take responsibility for their own actions, they will learn to be masters of themselves. And when teach children to take responsibility for their actions, we teach them that they can be anything they want to be--because they are choosing every day to be the person they are.

Perhaps there is no "cure" for bullying; but perhaps a strong antidote, if you will, is simply to believe (and then act on the belief) that children possess the potential to be far greater tomorrow than they are today. Isn't that why they are in school in the first place?

Officials Form Anti-Bullying Alliance

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, is making constant efforts to improve education. The latest efforts made by district officials (and even state legislation) are to form an anti-bullying alliance, according to this local article. I will herein outline the more salient points and discuss their efficacy. As always, we would all love to hear your opinion on this topic so essential to education.

School Officials--Not Parents--Band Together

I must applaud these educators for touching on an important topic. With the constant interconnectivity of our society (cell phones, smart phones, internet, social media), bullying is no longer confined to the school grounds.

However, my personal experience has shown that almost every "top-down" program always starts at the top and never seems to make it down. Students and parents already know that the administration stands against bullying; so what is going to change with this new "alliance"? I sense very good intentions put to mediocre use.

Like Jamie Stephenson-Theriot states in the article, parents need to be the target of bringing this initiative into the community.

Children Can Change Schools

If a child still does not know how to stop bullying, then parents can change schools. Yes, there is great potential for abuse of this policy, and it could cause some long-term damage to a school if there are not some measures put in place to curb school-hopping. Even so, I think this is a much better option than making a student stay in a place where he or she does not feel safe.

What the article does not detail is whether or not parents can move a child who they know is being a bully. If a parent feels that the child needs a change of venue in order to force a change in friends, do they have the latitude to make those kinds of decisions? And what if a student is neither the bully nor the victim--could the student change schools if he/she feels like a likely target due to religion, race, or economics?

Bullying Goes Beyond School

Legislation has restraining orders for bullying among adults, but a personal experience related in the article shows that adults and children share more in common than we'd like to think. We aren't just teaching children. We're building an entire generation.

What do you think about this new alliance? Is it effective, or is it simply a nice gesture? Why?

How to Stand Up to Bullies…And Get Expelled

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

image courtesy of cnn.com

We have talked about students’ need to have a secure learning environment, and we have discussed understanding bully mentality. Deia Sanders, a master teacher, even showed us how she turned bullies around in her school.

But what recourse do students have when they still don’t feel safe?

This 17-year-old student took matters into his own hands, as reported by CNN. And there exists a terrible connotation behind the words “took matters into his own hands”—we seem to think less of a billionaire philanthropist spending his nights as a masked vigilante, and we seem to think more of street gangs and violence. But when a student feels that he or she has two options—suffer physical harm, or stand your ground when the odds are four to one—who is really to blame?

Of course we cannot condone bringing weapons to school, so the administration is forced to expel the student. But by expelling the student, the administration plays right into the hands of the bullies. And if the bullies feel like they have the support—or control—of the administration, then who is to stop them from picking more targets?

I realize that this post poses more questions than it does answers. That is why I would love to hear your comments. This is a problem that is not going to go away. So what can we do about it?

Leaving comments is now easier than ever. Let’s hear your side.

How a New Perspective Stopped Bullying in My Class

How to Stop Bullying

Bullies are simply people with difficulty handling their problems. But if you give them a chance to help someone else out of their problems, they will stand together with their peers until the very end.

By Deia Sanders, Master Teacher and Instructional Coach

As a teenager I fractured my spine doing what I loved, gymnastics. I went through a couple of surgeries and several procedures over the next 10 years. There were many times when I would feel angry or upset that this happened to me. It always seemed that about the time I would be feeling my lowest it would be time to visit the spine center, where I was usually the only person who walked in to the office. It never failed that being surrounded by people who were unable to walk made my problems seem small, and changed my attitude to grateful. In life, I’ve learned that there are two things that change my perspective very fast, and that’s seeing others suffer and helping those less fortunate.

It was no surprise that with this experience growing up, my first response to dealing with students who whined about school and bullied others was to change their perspectives. I tried to do this with telling them about the wonderful children in Kenya we worked with who walked many miles to school, and how no one made fun of each other because they were all trying to survive. I brought my husband in to talk to the kids about his experience in Haiti after the earthquake to spur their hearts and motives to change, but there was little lasting effect.

It wasn’t until we got our hands dirty that I saw my student’s attitudes begin to change. Like in most junior high’s, kids often make fun of special needs students. So we began learning about how disabled babies were thrown out like trash in some countries. We read and looked at pictures of this injustice, and began to talk about the wonderful life some people would be missing by not having a “special” child in their life. My students were spurred to action and began raising money to send to orphanages that housed special needs students. Their attitudes began to change towards those in our own classes.

Another reason many kids were bullied and made fun of was because of their economic circumstances. I could share with them about growing up with a single mom and the hardships we had, but it wasn’t until we began to raise money for small business loans in third-word-countries that their attitudes began to change. They wanted to give to the less fortunate rather than put them down.

In a school with 93% living below the poverty line it was astounding to see them cleaning out couches and cars, doing laundry, and picking up coins in parking lots to raise money for these needs. But the most impressive outcome was their perspective change. Many time bullies come to school carrying so much baggage and dysfunction from home that they can’t help but spread it everywhere they go. In the same way my attitude was changed as a teenager regarding my situation, their attitudes were changed regarding theirs. Many times we don’t give an outlet for the weight our campus bullies are carrying around, so it naturally spills on to everyone they come in contact with. If we could find more programs for them to shift their disappointments and struggles to, we could leverage their negative energy towards a positive outcome and show them that it’s not so bad, and not too much to overcome after all.

Understanding Bully Mentality

How to Stop Bullying in Schools

It is essential this month as we discuss the complexities of bullying that we not create the Other out of children who bully. Bullies are often the children who need the most help.

As we examine where bully motivation comes from, this Education.com article provides salient points about why bullies do what they do, how bullies act among their peers, and how bullies choose victims.

The article addresses the following five points:

1. The motivation to bully relates to one’s social standing in a group
2. The peer group often reinforces bullying behavior
3. Classroom-level factors influence the occurrence of bullying
4. Reasons for targeting the group as a whole
5. Combat bullying by influencing bystanders

We learn from the article that there is a paradox—a child feels a lack of stability in his or her peer group and therefore creates instability for others. School Improvement Network’s Dr. Lisa Leith gave this Common Core webinar wherein she discusses the correlation between feelings of insecurity and a higher risk of academic failure. Curtis Linton, author and VP at School Improvement Network, also gave a webinar featuring Bonnie Davis wherein the two discuss a secure classroom environment and how it relates to equity in education (download the audio here).

So bullying is very closely—and perhaps ironically—related to safety. How then can we help all children, especially those who are prone to bullying and prone to be victims of bullying, feel safer in our schools? Or am I missing the mark? How do you feel safety relates to the cause of bullying?

Detention or Court? Legislators Weigh In on Bullying

How to Stop Bullying

As educators, we walk a fine line that almost any other profession does not have to consider.

Trouble at home? “Not our problem,” the corporation gets to say. Coworker disagreements? “Deal with it,” middle-management can respond.

But trouble between two students? An unsteady home environment—including missed meals? Both are contributing factors to bullying, and we can’t ignore it. We educators get to take it all on, and oh, by the way, make sure your students also pass their standardized tests.

As we examine how to stop bullies, the conversation necessarily calls into question our end goal. What are we reaching for, exactly? We write lesson plans, we prepare staff development sessions, and we perform a host of other tasks, but what are we hoping to achieve? We need to keep our focus on what we are doing for these children.

I, for one, consider our responsibility to be toward the whole student, not just a student’s intellect.

States are now starting to take the whole child approach to education, even going so far as to legislate student rights. A recent article by New Jersey columnist Stephen Leff discusses a recent measure by the state of New Jersey to put an end to the very serious issue of bullying. Leff herein describes a type of bullying that does not use verbal or physical abuse at all; instead, “relational aggression” targets a person’s reputation. Says Leff,

So it’s a welcome development that New Jersey first passed, and recently reaffirmed, its Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. After the law was considered an unfunded mandate that was scheduled to expire, the Legislature and Gov. Chris Christie joined together to provide the funding needed to help school districts implement the law.

Anti-bullying efforts have taken the form of legislation in countries throughout the world. But not all lawmakers are convinced that making anti-bullying laws are going to amend the situation. The debate continues in Canada according to this article:

No amount of legislation from the federal government could prevent or end cyberbullying, a Senate committee was told Monday.

"Cyberbullying is a complex phenomenon and there is no evidence that the introduction of specific laws will prevent it," said Shaheen Shariff, an expert on cyberbullying from McGill University in Montreal. "Big stick sanctions . . . may not work."

She said existing laws under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, provincial human-rights codes and criminal laws can be reinterpreted to be placed into a digital context.

The growing problem with cyberbullying has much to do with the fact that young people don't know what they should and should not be posting online, she said. Shariff said young people often found guilty of cyberbullying say they only posted outrageous comments or content online to make others laugh and not to harm anyone.

What do you think students need? Should lawmakers create legislation surrounding this issue? How do you stop bullying in your schools and classrooms? How do you help bullies stop?

PS. It is now easier to leave comments on our blog! So try out the new functionality by responding to a few of these questions.

Administrators Win an iPad 3

How to Stop Bullies

As we discuss how to stop bullying on this blog, the video blog, and in a webinar by the National Crime Prevention Council (info coming soon!), educators on this blog have asked to hear more from administrators.

Your time is precious, and so are your students. So as a way to help make your time worth a few minutes to type out a blog post, we want to give one guest blogger administrator this month an iPad 3, totally free.

But let’s not lose our focus—this blog is dedicated to provide all educators with effective ways to create a learning atmosphere. The iPad 3 is nice (very, very nice); however, it’s not why we do what we do.

In the month of April we had more blog post submissions than we were able to publish, and the feedback that we received was phenomenal.  This month, May is dedicated to understanding the complexities of bullying, helping bullies stop, and helping victims protect themselves. In other words, it’s another essential part of creating a learning environment. Administrators deal with bullies several times a day—and we’d like to hear what strategies you use to create a safer school.

So, to all you administrators, superintendents, and principals (or to all your secretaries), we invite you to win the iPad 3 at the end of the month by sending us some of your most successful strategies (and yes, more posts will increase your chances).

29 days. 1 iPad 3. Unlimited potential.

I can’t wait to hear from you. Send your submissions to jared.heath@schoolimprovement.com.

5 Steps of Cyber-Bulling: How Proxy Bullying Works, Part 2

 How to Stop Bullies

The internet makes bullying by proxy far more available, manipulative, and hurtful. Cyber-bullying by proxy can take place anywhere at any time—even without the victim’s immediate knowledge.

Of course, cyber-bullying requires an online social network—it is how a student comes in contact with a bully in the first place. The network can be as simple as the school’s intranet, or it can be a student’s Facebook account.

Here are 5 steps that cyber-bullies follow to use others as their proxy.

Step 1. Flag a peer’s account online

Cyber-bullies will start flagging another student’s online account as inappropriate, though the student has done nothing wrong. When internet provider (IP) servers receive enough flags on a particular IP address (computer), then the account gets blocked or shut down.

However, service providers are aware of this kind of abuse, and they usually verify the flags as a counter-measure. In response to that measure, a bully will often provoke the target into retaliating or saying something mean or defensive so that the flag shows up as legitimate.

Step 2. Tag an inappropriate image

Whether on their own account, a dummy account, or even on their victim’s account, a bully may post an inappropriate, insulting, or defamatory picture and tag their victim. The victim’s peers see the image and it spreads, or the peers may think the victim posted the image, causing backlash from friends.

Step 3. Hijack a student’s account to send inappropriate messages

If a bully is able to access account information, he/she may send rude, hateful, and inappropriate messages to the victim’s list of friends. Not only can the account then be flagged for inappropriate activity and get shut down, but the social ramifications are far reaching.

Step 4. Create a defamatory web page or group

A web page can create traffic, discussion, and inappropriate content related to a student. This is akin to gossiping in that the victim is unaware of the activity, but it goes far beyond merely talking about another person when pictures and even videos can be posted.

Step 5. Advertise their victim in chat rooms

One of the most harmful forms of bullying is the use of a chat room. Bullies have been known to enter explicit chat rooms and there advertise their victim’s online profiles, email, and sometimes even home phone numbers.

The internet provides a forum wherein the worst forms of bullying can be encountered. Now our students are bullying each other outside of the halls of school. What are your methods for preventing cyber-bullying? What role do we educators play in stopping these activities?