Bullying Prevention

What We know and

What We Can Do….

Karina KiddIntegrated Student Support Department

Portland Public School District

Goal for Today

To familiarize participants with the components of comprehensive

bullying prevention

Bullying Prevention

Bullying Prevention

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response•Individual or Group

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

Bullying Prevention

Where to Start?!!!

Bullying Definition

Bullying is unfair and one-sided. It happens when someone keeps hurting, frightening, threatening or leaving someone out on purpose.

Key Elements of Bullying

Imbalance of power

Intent to cause harm; deliberate, non-accidental

Acts are repeated – show a pattern

Vulnerability of victim

Direct Bullying

Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting…

Taunting, teasing, racial slurs, verbal harassment

Threatening, obscene gestures

Indirect Bullying

Getting another person to bully someone for you

Spreading rumors, gossipDeliberately excluding someone from a

group or activityMany forms of Cyberbullying

Challenges for Schools

Although common and frequent, most

bullying and harassment behaviors are

exhibited outside of adult supervision.

Scope of the Problem

Bullying happens once every 7 minutes.The average bullying episode lasts 37

seconds.Teachers noticed and intervened in only 1

out of 25 episodes (4% of the time)Bullying commonly increases between the

third and seventh grades. (Committee for Children, 2005)

“I Feel Safe at School”

6th grade- 15% said “NO”

8th grade- 15% said “NO”

11th grade- 19% said “NO”

Oregon Wellness Survey (2010)

Harassed on the way to, at or from school-– 35% of 8th graders– 23% of 11th grader

I Can talk freely and openly with my teachers about my concerns-– 30% of 6th graders say, “NO”– 44% of 8th graders say, “NO”– 47% of 11th graders say, “NO”

Where Does Bullying Occur?

The most common places where bullying takes place:– School yard or playground (74% of victims)– Hallways (53% of victims)– Cafeteria (45% of victims)– At home or on computer (cyberbullying)

But it could be different for your school….

What does your data say?!!

Why Some Children Bully Others

1. If a behavior works, it is repeated2. Students don’t know how else to influence peers3. They don’t realize that their behavior is inappropriate-

poor modeling (Jack in the Box)4. Errors in thinking5. Bullying meets a need. Rewards for bullying behaviors:

Social attention Social recognition Social status

PPS Harassment and Bullying Policy: 4.30.060-P

Harassment and bullying is prohibited.

Definition includes physical, emotional and social harm.

Disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, for harassment/bullying, false accusations and retaliation.

Witnesses and bystanders (including students, staff or volunteers) to a bullying incident are encouraged to immediately inform school staff.

PPS Administrative Directive4.30.061-AD

• Notice in buildings • School-Wide Staff Training• School-Wide Student Notification• Respect for Cultural Differences• Electronic Forms of Harassment• Incidents should be promptly investigated.

Misdirections…..

Zero tolerance policiesConflict resolution and peer mediationGroup treatment for children who bullySimple, short-term solutions

(piece meal)

School Wide Bullying Prevention

Create a school climate based on mutual respect

• Make bullying prevention part on the work of the climate team

• Establish clear rules/procedures/ policies about bullying.

““Be Respectful” applies to students Be Respectful” applies to students and adults in the buildingand adults in the building!”

Comprehensive Bullying Prevention

Physical considerations- e.g playground?Increase effective supervisionTeach specific skills to all studentsTrain adults to respond sensitively & consistently

to bullying.Enforcing consistent consequences for bullyingImprove parental awareness & involvement in

working on the problem.

Directly Teaching Skills

Steps to Respect (Committee for Children)

Middle School Second Step (Committee for Children)

Bully Blockers (Tough Kid Series, Pacific Northwest Publishing)

PBIS Bullying Prevention

www.pbis.org

Dynamics of BullyingBystander

s

Students with bullying behaviors

Students who are targeted

The Three R’s of Bullying

Recognize

Report

Refuse

then

If you don’t feel safe

If you dofeel safe

Tattling Vs. Reporting

Tattling: When you try to get someone in trouble

Reporting: When you tell an adult in order to keep people safe

Children Learn to Report Immediately When…

They or someone else are in danger

Someone is touching or showing private body parts

Refusing doesn’t work

Bystanders

Need effective strategies to interveneMust be included in intervention Social pressure of the peer-group is an

important key to reduce bullying -Social Norms

Must feel confident that they will have the support of teachers

Handling Bullying Reports

Four -A Response:

AffirmAskAssessAct

Video: Four-A Response Process

Watch him Affirm, Ask, Assess and Act

QuickTime™ and aYUV420 codec decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Teaching Social Responsibility Teach school-wide expectations first

– Be respectful– Be responsible– Be safe

Focus on “non-structured” settingsCafeteria, Gym, Playground, Hallway, Bus Area

Use same teaching format for all situationsIf someone directs problem behavior toward you.If you see others receive problem behaviorIf someone tells you to “stop”

Strategies For Young Students

Stop

Walk

“Talk” (or “Squawk”)

Teach the “Stop Signal”

If someone is directing problem behavior to you, or someone else, tell them to “stop.”

How do you deliver the “stop signal” if you are feeling intimidated, harassed, bullied?

How do you deliver the “stop signal” if you see someone else being harassed, teased, bullied?

Teach “walk away”

How do we walk away so that the person who is bothering us gets the idea?

Remind students that most socially initiated problem behavior is maintained by peer attention.– Victim behavior inadvertently maintains taunt, tease,

intimidate, harassment behavior.

When You Are Told “Stop”

Eventually, every student will be told to stop. When this happens, they should do the following things– Stop what they are doing – Take a deep breath– Go about their day (no big deal)

These steps should be followed even when they don’t agree with the “stop”

Teach “getting help”

Report problems to adults– Where is the line between tattling, and

reporting?Did you request, “stop”Did you walk away?

How Adults Respond

Adults initiate the following interaction with the person who did the bullyingDid ______ tell you to stop?"

If yes: "How did you respond?" Follow with step 2If no: Practice the 3 step response.

Did ______ walk away?"If yes: "How did you respond?" Follow with step 3If no: Practice the 3 step response.

Practice the 3 step response. The amount of practice depends on the severity and frequency of problem behavior

Clear Expectations and Consequences for Bullying

Should be preplanned Clearly explained to studentsIntervene promptlyCoaching or Specific Skills instructionHierarchy of consequences

– Reprimands or warnings– Loss of privileges– Think Time– Call to parent

Important Considerations

• Confidential Reporting• Power of the students

(Safe School Ambassadors)

http://www.community-matters.org/safe-school-ambassadors/

• Replicating playground programs• Are we differentiating unkind behavior from bullying

behavior?• ???

Wrapping It Up

Bullying is a serious problem that can be addressed at school.

Students can be directly taught bullying prevention skills

Friendship skills and a caring climate play an important role in preventing bullying.

Establishing school-wide expectations and consistent response and follow-up is important

Bullying prevention is part of a comprehensive, ongoing school-wide and community effort to create a positive and safe school climate.

Take Away!Take Away!

Additional Resources

http://www.stopbullyingnow.org

http://www.community-matters.org/safe-school-ambassadors/

Thank you!

Portland Public Schools Student Services Department

Karina Kiddkkidd@pps.k12.or.us

Integrated Student Supports DepartmentBESC

501 N DixonPortland Oregon 97227(503) 916-2000 x71014