Theme: Inclusion, Exclusion and Bullying
Every young person knows that inclusion in peer groups can be a big concern. Most people, young or old, prefer to spend time with people who share their interests and enthusiasms. And feeling included in a supportive peer group can be wonderful.
Most people also know the feeling of being excluded--given the message, directly or indirectly, that they are not welcome in a group.
Sometimes the message that a person is not welcome or valued escalates to bullying. This is what happens in the play, Schoolhouse. This play is set in the past, but most people know that bullying is still common.
Bullying can take many forms.
Image courtesy the University of Illinois.
What is bullying?
(Adapted from the Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System Website)
Bullying is repeated and regular harassment and attacks on others. Bullying can be done by individuals or groups. Bullying takes many forms, and can include may different behaviours, such as: physical violence and attacks, name-calling and put-downs, threats, stealing of money and possessions, excluding and shunning, or treating someone badly because of their appearance, race, religion or cultural background, how much money they have, their gender or sexual orientation, or other differences.
Who becomes a bully?
Studies in several countries show that at least 15 per cent of students in schools are involved in some kind of bullying. About 9 per cent are victims. About 7 per cent bully others repeatedly. This happens all over the world. More students in younger grades are victimized. Boys are more likely to be bullies than girls. This means one or two out of every ten kids in your class have probably bullied or been bullied.
The idea that that bullies are acting out of insecurity is not generally true. Actually, studies show bullies tend to be confident, aggressive, and not seem to feel any compassion for their victims. They tend to come from homes where there is poor supervision, and the parents or guardians are aggressive themselves, and tolerate in it in their children. The temperament of those that bully, how impulsive they are, and how physically strong they are, can all be factors as well.
Also, how well they are supervised in school, what the school's attitude is towards bullying, and what their peers say and do about bullying can all contribute to making someone a bully.
Who gets bullied?
Victims of bullying tend to be quiet, passive kids with few friends. They generally do not retaliate when they are picked on, so that they come to be seen as "safe" targets for bullying. Bullying is often done so that adults don’t know about it. While schools can insist on a zero tolerance policy for bullying, it is hard to enforce if bullies act on their threats in places where a teacher isn’t around: the playground, the hallway, the washroom, the cloakroom, by text or on-line, or just off school grounds. In these cases, especially when the victims are too embarrassed, sad or frightened (and unfortunately bullies seem to sense which kids are already shy, sad, or scared), teachers and principals can’t always help. Also. the kids being bullied are often ashamed, fears the bully will “get back” at them, and that adults cannot or will not protect them away from the classroom, and they don't tell an adult.
Even when bullying does not drive victims to the extremes of self harm, victims suffer real psychological damage --they are more likely to be depressed, and have lower self-esteem than kids who have not been bullied. Sometimes the effects of bullying are tragic.
The serious long-term outcomes for bullies are also important to recognize. Bullies tend to become aggressive adults who are more likely than average to have a criminal record as adults. And kids who see bullying happen to their peers are also affected by bullying. Studies show that school can become a negative experience for everyone, when bullying is tolerated.
For more information on bullying, check out the Public Safety Canada site:
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/bully-eng.aspx
(the site is intended for adults and has advanced vocabulary)
What can students do about bullying?
There are many sites on the internet that offer help and suggestions to kids and teens about bullying. For example, Kidshelpphone.ca has information on bullying and what to do about it, plus a number you can call if you want to talk to someone about what’s going on.
The most common advice is:
- If you are being bullied, or know someone who is being bullied, talk to someone you trust, like your parents, a friend, a teacher, a counsellor or coach.
- Work out a plan to put an end to it, together. Contact an authority, like a school principal or the police.
ACTIVITY:
Other kids are often very influenced by their peers. So there have been a number of anti-bullying campaigns, in schools and on the internet, initiated by students. Here’s what some Grade Eleven kids in the Maritimes did, to send the message that bullying hurts, and that no one who is being bullied should give up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4SMLADgjDMU
Create a collage, video, poster or write a skit that expresses what you want to say about bullying, and share it with friends or your class.
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