BEYOND BULLYING:

CREATING SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTS FOR SOCIAL SUCCESS AND RESPONSIBILITY

Rona Milch Novick, PhD

Dean, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration

What Do You Want to Accomplish?

Consider the challenges, problems, areas of concern, or what you would like to see happen more or more frequently (particular to social issues) . . . If you could wave a magic wand . . . What one thing would you change?

Goals/Agenda for Today Consider ecosystems – understanding

bullying a systemic issue Experience the impact of forms of bullying –

engage in activities we can bring back to our schools

Increased knowledge about bullying Strategies that impact our systems in positive

ways, before, during and after bullying occurs

How do Ecosystems Impact Students’ Social Growth

Individual????

MicrosystemFamily, School, Camp, Classroom

ExosystemCommunity, friends, extended family

MacrosystemCustoms, values, laws

Numbers on Back Exercise The sticky note on your back has a number.

You may not see your number, or ask anyone what it is.

When instructed, move around the room looking for 2 others to join you. You want to form a group of 3 that has the highest point value when the numbers on your backs are added.

Once you ask someone to join you, you cannot change your mind.

Once you agree to join a group, you cannot leave that group.

When you have a group of three, sit down.

What did we experience?

What did we learn?

How do the systems our students “live” in mimic this experience?

What We Need

Knowledge – what is bullying, why does it happen

System- Based/Informed SolutionsBeforeDuringAfter

Building Our Knowledge

Bullying

Bullying is the abuse of power to deliberately cause harm to another

Physical – causing physical harmEmotional – hurting another’s self-

esteemSocial – limiting another’s ability to join

social groups or participate in social activities

What Do Children Say? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Xre8zZ_B8Mk

Teen version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF6cmddWOgU

Re: Amanda Todd

Consider Participant Roles

Students

Bullies

Victims

Bystanders

Families

Bullies

Victims

Bystanders

School/Community

Adults

Bullies

Victims

Bystanders

Bullies: Understanding and Addressing

Clear deficits in empathy

Like generally aggressive children, may have limited problem solving

May have “learned” that bullying pays

Do not require and not responsive to programs to increase self-esteem

Do require extensive intervention to build empathy

Do require clear, consistent consequences for bullying behavior, whether or not empathy is present

Understanding Victims Reactivity is their primary issue Largely pre-wired, difficult to change Have been told to ignore, not react Escalation likely following inaction

Chronic Victim - Characteristics

Passive Passive Shy Few friends Submissive Reacts to bullying with clear distress

Provocative React to bullying with combo of

aggression and anxiety Impulsive Irritating to others

Bystander Issues

85% of all bullying is witnessed by peers Bystanders do not get involved because of

fear of becoming victimdiscomfort with confronting bullyLimited awareness of behavioral options, none of

which are comfortable

How Systems Impact Whether Bystanders Act

Multiple, well-documented social factors influence group and peer dynamics

Dilution of responsibility/Inaction phenomenaPower to conformDehumanization of victims

Bystander Inaction

Can be escalated in groups

Escalated when there is perceived difference

Peer Responses to Bullying

Typical Ignore Laugh Join in Spread rumors Act as lookout

Pro-social Stand up to bully Help victim Lead – do not

follow Tell someone who

can help Distract

bully/victim

Power to Conform

Asch experiment

Where do conformity pressures occur? For students?For adults?

Dehumanization

Where are your system’s blind spots?

Who are the invisible?

How do you inculcate the value of each individual?

Adult Attitudes That Interfere

Isn’t this just part of

childhood

He/she should just clobber the bully – that will

end this

My child is all that matters

I’ve told my child to mind

their own business

What Can We Do?Effective Bully Prevention:A Systems Change Intervention

Assumptions Every child has right to feel safe and valued

Adults must contribute to creation and maintenance of environments that promote the safety and valuing of every child

Bully prevention is an effective vehicle for teaching empathy, compassion, and responsible citizenship

Elements of Successful Bully Prevention

Increased knowledge and awareness of bullying throughout the school community

Shared responsibility for responding to bullying - particularly empowering “bystanders”

Direct teaching of a variety of bully-response strategies

Clear rules/policies/procedures to address bullying

Shared Responsibility/ Policies

How do we create environments where everyone sees their role in setting the tone?What learning

activities?Any physical plant

changes?

How do we create policies to support socially healthy environments?Policy contentPolicy process

Sample Developmental Activities

Early childhood/early elementary – In His/Her Shoes

Middle School – Trial

High School – Discussion Prompts with Assigned Roles

Reactions When Bullying Occurs:What You Do Communicates What Matters in Your System

Three Rules

Do something Do no harm – Protect Initiate (systemic) change

in desired direction

Cases and Solutions

Review the case Review the provided solutions

considering whether they meet the three rules and are protective AND effective

Consider solutions that would have the maximum systemic impact

Conclusions & Questions