What Is Bullying?
Dan Olweus, creator of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, provides us with this commonly accepted definition for bullying in his book, Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do: "A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself." This definition includes three important components: 1. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions. 2. Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time. 3. Bullying involves an in-balance of power or strength. Types of Bullying 1. Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names 2. Bullying through social exclusion or isolation 3. Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting 4. Bullying through lies and false rumors 5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully 6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully 7. Racial bullying 8. Sexual bullying 9. Cyber bullying (online, email, social networking sites) Student Bill of Rights All Kids: Have the right to feel safe at school Have the right to feel good about themselves Have the right to keep their property Have the right to be treated fairly Our school has made a promise: THE PROMISE I WILL speak up instead of acting as a bystander. I CHOOSE to participate in activities that don’t involve teasing. I FORGIVE others if they make poor choices. I MODEL good behavior. I ACCEPT others for their differences. I INCLUDE others in group situations. I WILL talk to an adult when there is a problem I cannot manage on my own. I AM powerful in making a difference in my school. By making “The Promise” to stand up against bad behavior, we can put an end to bullying. STAND UP! |
Our Tips to Deal With Bullying
Get help if you see someone being bullied Be proud of yourself Don't show bullies that their bullying makes you feel sad Speak up to bullying Look out Be a friend Walk away Keep friends close by Don't bully This is a bully free zone Stay strong and proud Don't be hot and blow up Don't be cold and give up Be cool and in control Tell an adult Keep your chin up and smile Take a deep breath Tell the bully to stop it and it’s not funny Lighten the atmosphere with a joke Look out for each other Stand tall Pretend you can’t hear them Answer back: clearly, calmly and with confidence Write a script |