1. Recognizing, Preventing, and Intervening with Bullying for K-12 School StaffAmanda Nickerson, Ph.D.Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention | University at Buffaloalberticenter@buffalo.edugse.buffalo.edu/alberticenterSUNY Geneseo Wipe Out Bullying February 4, 2013

2. Overview Bullying Definition & Complexity Warning Signs Best Practices in School Bullying Prevention and Intervention Dignity for All Students Act School Climate Comprehensive Efforts in Schools 3. Bullying Acts of aggression intended to cause harm By a peer (or group of peers) operating from a position of strength or power Usually repeated Olweus (1978); Stopbullyingnow.gov 4. Types of Bullying Physical bullying punching, shoving, acts that hurt people (declines with age) Verbal bullying name calling, making offensive remarks Indirect bullying spreading rumors, excluding, ganging up Cyber bullying willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use ofcomputers, cell phones, and other electronic devices Hinduja & Patchin (2009) 5. Quick Bullying Facts Estimates vary WIDELY, but about 1 in 3 children andadolescents are involved in as bully, target, or both Bullying peaks in grades 4-7 Bullying is more likely to occur in less closely supervisedareas(bathrooms, hallways, playground, lunch, bus, online) Both boys and girls bully, but there are some within-sexdifferences Boys more likely to be direct/physical with younger, vulnerabletarget Girls may engage in more subtle, indirect forms with same-agegirls Cowie (2000); Nansel et al. (2001); Perry, Kusel, & Perry (1988); Skiba & Fontanini (2000) 6. Bullying vs. Conflict vs. PlayingConflict: A struggle, dispute, ormisunderstanding between twoequal forcesPlaying: Mutually desirable interaction(positive affect, give-and-take) rough and tumble and playing thedozens often mistaken for bullying 7. Bullying is ComplexFamily School (Staff & Peers) Bullys family may have School staff may be unclear rules, poor unaware or not take supervision, violence seriously Targets family may be Peers are more likely to overly close, protectivejoin in than stand up (mother-son) or not School climate and encourage assertion normsBully & TargetCommunity & Bully:Culturepower/control, aggress Exposure to violent TVive attitude, lack ofand video gamesempathy Violence in community Target: lack of Norms ofassertiveness, position Bullying competition, superioritof weaknessy, intolerance 8. Warning Signs that Child May be Bullying Others Refer to others negatively (wimp, loser) Lack empathy Strong need to get his or her own way Hostile/defiant attitude Anger easily Deny involvement or blame others whenbehavior addressed 9. Warning Signs that Child May be Bullied Unexplained illnesses, cuts/bruises Not want to go to school or be in social situations Change in behavior Lack of interest Withdrawn 10. Short- and Long-Term Consequences Students who Bully More likely to experience legal or criminal troubles asadults Poor ability to maintain positive relationships in later life Students who are Bullied Loneliness, peer rejection Desire to avoid school Increased anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation; low self-esteem In some cases, may respond with extreme violence (two-thirds of school shooters were victims of bullying)Andershed, Kerr, & Stattin (2001); Boivin, Hymel, & Bukowski (1995); Farrington (2009); Farrington, & Ttofi(2009, 2011);Nickeson & Slater (2009); Oliver, Hoover, & Hazler (1994); Olweus (1993); Ttofi & Farrington 11. Alberti Center Slideshow Summary of Issues Moving Toward Solutions 12. Best Practices in School Bullying Prevention and Intervention 13. Dignity Act for All Students (NY state legislation effective July 1, 2012) The intent of the Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity Act) is toprovide all public school students with an environment freefrom discrimination and harassment, as well as to foster civilityin public schools NYSED Policy (& Code of Conduct in age-appropriate language) Designated Dignity Act Coordinator in each school Instruction for students (K-12; excludes charter) on civility andprohibition of harassment or bullying of protected classes School employee training Annual reporting 14. Guiding Principles for Positive School Climate Reflect on your use of power in relationships Treat students the way you want them to treat each other Help all students look valuable in their classmates eyes Take action when bullying is observed or reported to you Accept the person, but do not accept the bullying behavior People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou Dillon (2012); Morrison & Marachi (2011) 15. Teach Increase Social, Emotion Awareness & al, & Behavioral Supervision Skills Whole-School Respond Along Anti-Bullying ContinuumPolicyBullyingCollect and Use DataPrevention Include Parents in SchoolsHazler & Carney (2012); Rigby (2000); Ttofi & Farrington (2011); Swearer, Espelage, & Napolitan (2009) 16. Collect and Use Data Bullying happens in larger school context Examine issues, strengths, & needs in your setting Use data to inform and continually improve Resource: CDC Measures of Bullying Victimization, Perpetration and Bystander Experiences http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/measuring_bullying.html 17. Develop & Implement Anti-Bullying Policy Definition of bullying Statement about expected behaviors and prohibitions Reporting procedure (consider anonymous procedures) Investigation and disciplinary actions Continuum of logical consequences and interventions Training and prevention procedures Assistance and support for target Resource: Dignity Act website www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/ 18. Teach & Reinforce Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Skills Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports www.pbis.org Social-Emotional Learning CASEL Guide to Preschool & Elementary School Programs http://casel.org/guide/ Schoolwide Bullying Prevention Programs Alberti Center Guide to School-Wide Bullying Prevention Programs gse.buffalo.edu/alberticenter/publications/materials 19. Programs Included in the GuideAls Pals: Kids Making Healthy ChoicesBully BustersBullying Prevention in Positive BehavioralIntervention and SupportBullying-Proofing Your SchoolCreating a Safe SchoolGet Real About ViolenceOlweus Bullying Prevention ProgramSecond Step: A Violence PreventionCurriculumSteps to Respect: A Bullying PreventionProgram 20. Increase Awareness and Supervision Learn facts and strategies about bullying Resources:Education.comwww.education.com/topic/school-bullying-teasing/Stop Bullying.govwww.stopbullying.govAlberti Center for Bullying Abuse Preventionwww.gse.buffalo.edu/alberticenterCyberbullying Research Centerhttp://www.cyberbullying.us/ 21. Visit gse.buffalo.edu/alberticenterfor other resources 22. Sample multi-media to use with adolescents (with a LOL break) 23. Respond Along Continuum Name the specific behavior and why it is not acceptable Make teachable moment (include bystanders) Apply consequences then and there if clear violation (besensitive to humiliation and possible retaliation) Conduct investigation to gather facts (if necessary) and document Focus on positive and constructive change Progressive discipline (reparation, loss ofprivilege, increased supervision, parentcontact, counseling) Intervention plan based on function of behavior (SwearerTarget Bullying Intervention) for repeated instances Follow-up privately with target to provide support 24. Example of Individual Response to Bullying 25. Communicating with Parents Be timely with communication! Focus on the behavior (not the person) Avoid blaming or judging (expect denial) Emphasize how this type of behavior can be a problem for their child, the other person, and the school environment Inform parent about school response Work together to help child behave in other ways 26. Teach Students to be Upstanders Most bullying happens when peers are present (and adults arenot) create a culture that is not consistent with bullying Specific strategies Dont join in speak up if it is safe to do so Band together as a group against bullies Tell an adult about the bullying Tattling/ratting = telling an adult to get someone in trouble Telling/reporting = telling an adult because someones behavioris unsafe or hurtful to another Reach out to isolated peers, offer support 27. Visit us at gse.buffalo.edu/alberticenter Thank you for your interest and attention!