Teachers: What You Need To Know
The Breaking Chains Program
Many people define bullying as a classmate making fun, or pushing around, a classmate smaller than them. Other people think bullying is just a right of passage as a kid. Not true. It’s important that teachers and school staff know what is bullying, cyberbullying, and what to do to help prevent it.
One in five children has been bullied physically, emotionally, verbally, or cyber bullied. I think we'd all agree that's a lot. So, what can teachers do?
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Teach kindness and respect. When kids learn how to be kind, and to notice when kindness is shown to them, they are way less likely to disrespect others. I created the Be Kind Campaign for kids to learn how to do acts of kindness and write down what others have done for them. To have access to this campaign, send an email here:
Training school staff on bullying can prevent it from happening, or stop it immediately when it does.
Intervene as soon as possible. If you see someone bullying another child, step in immediately. The sooner it's addressed, the easier it is to prevent it from going further in the future.
Know the gateway signs. Intentionally ignoring, eye rolling, smirking, intentionally bumping into someone in the hallway, intentionally excluding someone. As soon as you see these, put a stop to it.
Have kids do a presentation on bullying. They can research it, put together a whole presentation on it. They can even put on a play.
Have a strict no bullying policy in your classroom. And stick to it!
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Effects of Bullying
Kids who are bullied are at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, sleep problems, declining grades, dropping out of school and suicidal ideation.
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Kids said that bullying have caused them to have negative feelings about themselves and thought about taking their own life.
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Those who were bullied are more likely to experience physical illness that those who weren't bullied.
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Since 2013, there were 421 reported gunfire incidents at schools. 60% reported being bullied in-person and online. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S089152452100290X)
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Low self-esteem, lack of confidence are also effects.
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Suicide is an effect of bullying that needs to be prevented immediately. If you suspect your child, or someone you know is showing signs of suicide, please call or text 988.
Statistics
One in five students are bullied.
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160,000 kids stay home on any given school day because they are afraid of going to school and being bullied.
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80% of verbal bullying will end up in a physical fight.
1/3 of students said they heard another student threaten to kill someone.
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Every 7 minutes a child is being bullied. Adult intervention is 4%, peer intervention is 11%, and absolutely no intervention at all is 85%. This is needs to change.
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97% of middle school kids are being cyberbullied online.
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58% have not told their parents or an adult about something that has been done to them.
