Rajath was good at sports and won many trophies. But some of his classmates frequently mocked and mimicked him for consistently failing exams. Then his academic performance began to suffer. He was slowly turning introverted and timid in nature. Unfortunately, his performance in sports was diminishing too. Don’t you think Rajath is a victim of bullying in school?
School bullying has become a menace worldwide including in India. More than 20% of students reported being bullied in 2016, according to the National Centre for Education.
What is school bullying?
The behavior of a student or students of certain groups towards another student or certain groups in school, with an imbalance of power, which is intentional, hurtful – physically or mentally, and repetitive is called School bullying.
Types of school bullying:
1. Verbal Bullying
It involves hurting others or belittling them by using abusive words, teasing or calling names that lower their self-esteem leading to emotional pain.
2. Physical Bullying
It is a type of bullying, where a person uses an object or a body to cause harm to others on a physical level. It includes activities like hitting, kicking, punching, or even stealing the other person’s belongings.
3. Emotional Bullying
It is a form of mental bullying where some actions, such as hurtful gestures or exclusion from the group result in emotional distress causing feelings of grief and isolation.
4.Sexual Bullying
It is using of inappropriate behavior that is sexual, such as passing vulgar gestures, comments, unwanted touching, and making sexual jokes that cause discomfort and emotional trauma.
5. Cyber Bullying
It occurs through technology in the form of computers, phones or tablets to send negative messages or spread false information to someone through SMS, email or any social media platforms. The targeted individual feels psychologically depressed and isolated from the episode.
How does one become a bully?
Children have developing and fragile mindsets. Understanding the origins and development of bullying behaviour is crucial for addressing and preventing it effectively. The most common reason someone turns into a bully is that they themselves were bullied at some point in their lives. Other contributing factors include violence at home, media, lack of social values, bad role models, etc. Bullies and bullied children both develop negative behaviour patterns. Here’s an in-depth look at how someone might become a bully:
Individual Factors
- Personality Traits: Certain personality traits may predispose individuals to engage in bullying. Traits such as aggression, dominance, and a need for control can contribute to bullying behaviour. Individuals who struggle with empathy or have difficulty managing emotions might also be more likely to exhibit bullying behaviours.
- Past Experiences: Experiences of being bullied or subjected to harsh treatment in the past can contribute to the development of bullying behaviour. Those who have been victimized may adopt bullying as a way to regain a sense of power or control. Additionally, exposure to violence or abuse at home can normalize aggressive behaviour.
Family Factors
- Parenting Styles: Authoritarian parenting, characterized by high demands and low responsiveness, can contribute to the development of bullying behaviour. Children raised in such environments may learn to use aggression to assert dominance or achieve their goals. Conversely, inconsistent or neglectful parenting can lead to a lack of guidance and moral development, which can also contribute to bullying.
- Family Dynamics: Family environments that lack emotional support or where conflict is prevalent can influence the development of bullying behaviour. Children who grow up in households with frequent arguments or aggressive interactions may mimic these behaviours in their interactions with peers.
Social and Peer Influences
- Peer Pressure: Peer influence plays a significant role in the development of bullying behaviour. Individuals may engage in bullying to fit in with a group, gain social status, or avoid becoming targets themselves. The desire for acceptance and validation can drive individuals to adopt aggressive behaviours they might not otherwise exhibit.
- Social Norms and Environment: The social environment and cultural norms surrounding aggression and competition can also influence bullying behaviour. In environments where aggression is normalized or rewarded, individuals may be more likely to engage in bullying. Schools or communities that tolerate or overlook bullying contribute to the perpetuation of such behaviour.
School and Community Factors
- School Climate: A school environment that lacks clear anti-bullying policies or fails to address incidents of bullying can create a permissive atmosphere for aggressive behaviour. In schools where bullying is common or not effectively managed, individuals may feel emboldened to engage in bullying themselves.
- Community Influence: Communities with high levels of violence, crime, or social inequality can contribute to the development of bullying behaviour. Exposure to negative role models or environments that prioritize competition and aggression over cooperation and respect can influence individuals to adopt bullying behaviours.
Psychological and Emotional Factors
- Low Self-Esteem: Individuals with low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy may engage in bullying as a way to compensate for their perceived shortcomings. By putting others down, they may temporarily boost their own self-worth or gain a sense of power.
- Need for Control: A strong desire for control or dominance can drive individuals to bully others. Those who feel a lack of control in their own lives might seek to assert power over others to regain a sense of agency and influence.
Also Read: How students can provide constructive feedback and help each other?
How does bullying affect children?
Ambrish Saxena, educator, and director, of Vivekananda institute of professional students, Delhi argues, “Bullying is undoubtedly a menace in Indian schools. I have noticed that affected students remain under the pressure of being manhandled. They are scared of making independent decisions. It results in their weak personality and lack of initiative”.
The outcome of bullying is thus not temporary, but has a long-lasting effect on children, impacting their mental, emotional, and academic well-being. Here are some key data points and insights to elaborate on this issue:
Mental Health:
- Depression and Anxiety: Children who are bullied are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, with effects that can persist into adulthood. Research indicates that bullied children are twice as likely to use mental health services as adults.
- Suicidal Tendencies: Bullying significantly increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Studies show that bullied children are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide.
Self-Esteem and Social Skills:
- Low Self-Esteem: Victims of bullying often suffer from low self-esteem and self-worth, which can hinder their ability to form healthy relationships and pursue opportunities.
- Loneliness and Isolation: Bullying can lead to social withdrawal and loneliness. Children who are bullied may struggle to make friends and feel isolated from their peers.
Academic Performance:
- Declining Academic Outcomes: Bullying negatively impacts academic performance. Bullied students often have lower grades and are less likely to participate in class.
- School Avoidance: Fear of bullying can lead to increased absenteeism. Bullied students are more likely to skip school to avoid their bullies.
Long-Term Effects:
- Chronic Stress: The stress from bullying can have long-term health consequences, including chronic stress-related conditions like cardiovascular issues and immune system problems.
- Weak Personality and Lack of Initiative: As Ambrish Saxena pointed out, bullying can stifle a child’s ability to make independent decisions and take initiative, leading to a weaker personality and reduced life opportunities.
Key Effects of Bullying:
- Mental Health: 27% of bullied students report negative effects on their self-esteem and mental well-being.
- Relationships: 19% experience strained relationships with friends and family.
- Academic Performance: 19% find their school work negatively affected.
- Physical Health: 14% report physical health issues.
Can educators control bullying in schools?
Educators play a vital role in controlling and mitigating bullying in schools, though they cannot eliminate it entirely on their own. Their influence and actions can significantly impact the prevalence and management of bullying through several key strategies:
- Implementing Effective Policies: Educators can help create and enforce clear anti-bullying policies that define bullying, establish reporting procedures, and outline consequences. These policies provide a structured approach for addressing incidents and setting behavioural expectations.
- Fostering a Positive School Culture: By promoting respect, empathy, and inclusivity within the classroom and school environment, educators can reduce the likelihood of bullying. Building a supportive atmosphere where students feel valued and safe is crucial for preventing negative behaviours.
- ducating Students: Providing education on bullying, its effects, and strategies for dealing with it can empower students to recognize, report, and stand against bullying. Teaching social-emotional skills and conflict resolution also helps students navigate interactions more positively.
- Encouraging Open Communication: Creating channels for students to report bullying anonymously or speak up about their concerns fosters a culture of openness and support. Educators who actively listen and respond to students’ needs can address issues early and effectively.
- Training and Supporting Staff: Ongoing professional development for teachers and school staff on recognizing, preventing, and addressing bullying ensures that they are equipped to handle situations appropriately. Collaboration among staff members enhances the overall effectiveness of anti-bullying efforts.
Ignoring this issue should never be an option. Educators and parents should jointly tackle this menace. Educators have a greater role to play here as students spend the majority of their day at school. The need of the hour is thus to provide equal opportunity for all students, extra care to weaker (academic, physical, emotional, social) students, and constant mentoring and vigilance by educators can address the bullying problem.
6 ways teachers can prioritize bullying prevention
1. Boost social-emotional strength:
Socially and emotionally stronger students are more likely to be outside the bullying zone.
- When students learn kindness and empathy, they understand the negatives of bullying and learn to avoid it
- Educators can have kids get together and talk about their differences. By learning conflict resolution skills, students can work through problems, and build their understanding of those around them.
- The arts can be a powerful tool to see situations from different perspectives. Educators can convey the negative impacts of bullying on students by using art forms like drama, literature, etc.
- A student with more confidence and self-esteem is less likely to be influenced by bullying. By getting students involved in their choice of healthy and positive activities and sports, educators can boost students’ confidence.
2. Create opportunities for connection:
Keep communication lines open. When students feel connected to peers, educators, school, and community they feel better. Educators should create a safe classroom environment in which students can express their feelings openly and feel heard.
Educators should get involved with students. They should get reassured that someone is there for them. Open-ended questions like what good happened at school or did anyone say anything etc. encourage them to communicate openly and honestly. This helps in understanding what is going on. Accordingly, help can be extended if issues arise.
3. Identify gateway behaviours:
The signal of beginning patterns of behaviour often missed or ignored by educators are Gateway behaviours. If these are recognized early on, bullying behaviour can be prevented from growing into something beyond control.
a) Signs Your Child Is a Victim of Bullying:
- Injuries that can’t be explained
- Destroyed or lost personal belongings
- Faking illness or regular stomach aches or headaches
- Eating habits change, maybe meals are skipped, or a child binge eats
- Nightmares or trouble sleeping
- Not wanting to attend school, dropping grades, or reduced enthusiasm for school work
- Avoiding social situations or a sudden lack of friends
- A decrease in self-esteem or feeling helpless
- Behaviours like self-harming, running away from home, or talking about suicide
b) Signs Your Child Might Be Bullying:
- Getting into verbal or physical fights
- Associating with children who are bullies
- Increased aggressive behaviour
- Frequent detention or visits to the principal
- Have new belongings or extra money, with no explanation of where they came from
- Blaming other children for their problems
- Worrying about how popular they are or how they appear to other people
- I am not taking responsibility for my actions
4. Educate about bullying:
Learning is something that children do since they are born. They follow their elders around and the environment they live in influences their behaviour greatly. So, develop a good, healthy, and positive school culture. Teach children to deal with bullies. This helps them shift the power balance. Some things children need to be informed about to ease bullying are:
- Walking away when a bully approaches or avoiding bullying situations
- Asking a bully to stop and leave you alone
- Responding with phrases or humor that can lighten a situation or disarm a bully
- Staying in groups rather than alone
- Reporting bullying and seeking appropriate help
5. Set technology boundaries:
Gadgets have become a necessity these days. All children use it. Cyberbullying has thus also increased. Educators need to speak to children about cyberbullying. Technology boundaries should be set. They should be told not to forward or respond to any threatening emails or messages. Parents and adults should be asked to apply proper age-appropriate filters in computers and other gadgets children use.
6. Join with others to stop bullying:
Bullying can happen in many other places outside schools too. So educators can join with the community like law enforcement officers, neighborhood associations, mental health specialists, local businesses, and church organizations to identify, educate, prevent and report any instances of bullying. Teenagers and older students are bystanders who can be encouraged to help younger children to employ anti-bullying behaviours. Also, local radio, TV, websites, and newspapers can be used to promote anti-bullying messages across children, youth, and the community.
5 ways educators can address bullying in the classroom
Bullying remains a significant concern in educational settings, affecting students’ well-being, academic performance, and overall school climate. Educators play a crucial role in addressing and preventing bullying within the classroom. Here are five effective strategies educators can use to tackle bullying:
- Recognize the Signs of Bullying
Educators should be vigilant in identifying both the subtle and overt signs of bullying. This includes changes in student behaviour such as withdrawal from social interactions, declining academic performance, and signs of distress.
- Consistent Response to Incidents
It’s important to respond to bullying incidents consistently and promptly. This shows students that bullying is not tolerated and that their well-being is a priority. Having a clear plan for addressing incidents can help maintain consistency.
- Build Safe Relationships
Creating a classroom environment where students feel safe and supported can reduce bullying. This involves fostering positive relationships, encouraging open communication, and promoting respect and kindness among students.
- Involve Students in Prevention Efforts
Engage students in discussions about bullying and involve them in creating anti-bullying policies. This can empower them to take a stand against bullying and support their peers.
- Understand the Connection Between Trauma and Bullying
Recognize that some students who bully others may be dealing with their own trauma. Addressing underlying issues and providing appropriate support can help reduce bullying behaviour.
What role do parents play in helping their children fight bullying at school?
As primary caregivers and advocates, parents provide essential support, guidance, and intervention that can significantly impact their child’s experience with bullying. Understanding and addressing the effects of bullying, while creating a safe and supportive home environment, empowers children to face challenges and stand up against bullying effectively. Here are a few pointers:
- Create an Open Communication System: Establish a trusting relationship with your child by encouraging them to share their experiences and feelings about school. This open dialogue helps you stay informed about any bullying incidents and provides emotional support.
- Take Bullying Seriously: If your child discloses that they are being bullied, validate their feelings and take their concerns seriously. Offer reassurance and support, showing them that you are there to help.
- Help Build Assertiveness and Confidence: Assist your child in developing assertiveness by setting boundaries and teaching them how to express their needs and feelings confidently. Encourage them to stand up for themselves in a respectful manner.
- Seek Prompt Assistance: If bullying is occurring, work with teachers or trusted staff members to address the issue promptly. Collaboration with school personnel can help resolve the situation and ensure a safer environment for your child.
- Recognize Red Flags and Monitor Behaviour: Be aware of signs that your child may be affected by bullying, such as anxiety, frustration, or withdrawal from social activities. Monitor their behaviour and emotional state, and intervene if necessary to provide additional support.
- Foster a Supportive Home Environment: Create a positive and resilient environment at home where your child feels safe and valued. By providing encouragement and understanding, you empower them to confront bullying with confidence and resilience.
Are there any laws/norms by our govt. to regulate bullying at school?
In India, there is no specific law to address bullying in schools at a national level. However, several states have come forward by adopting their own norms and policies to address it at the root level. Additionally, there are present laws, Right to Education Act of 2009 and Protection of Children from Social Offences (POSCO) Act of 2012, are indirectly help to reduce bullying and harassment in school spaces.
Conclusion
Becoming a bully is often the result of a complex interplay of individual, familial, social, and environmental factors. Understanding these underlying causes is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. The impact of bullying extends beyond immediate harm, affecting students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. While educators can make a significant impact, addressing bullying also requires the involvement of parents, students, and the broader community. We can mitigate the effects of bullying and work towards creating safer, more supportive environments for all students through a collective effort.
FAQs
1. What are the best ways to prevent bullying in schools?
- Promote a Positive School Culture: Encourage an inclusive, respectful environment where diversity is celebrated, and all students feel valued.
- Implement Clear Anti-Bullying Policies: Establish and enforce strict policies that define bullying and outline consequences, ensuring a safe space for students.
- Encourage Open Communication: Create channels for students to report bullying anonymously and provide support through counseling and trusted adults.
- Educate Students on Empathy and Respect: Incorporate programs that teach emotional intelligence, empathy, and respectful communication to prevent bullying behaviours.
- Empower Bystanders: Encourage students to speak up against bullying and support their peers, making bystander intervention a key strategy in prevention.
- Provide Training for Staff: Ensure that teachers and staff are trained to recognize signs of bullying, intervene effectively, and support both victims and perpetrators in addressing the issue.
2. How to stop a bully from bullying you?
To stop a bully from bullying you:
- It’s essential to remain calm and assertive.
- Standing up to the bully confidently, without showing fear or anger, can sometimes deter them.
- Clearly communicate that their behaviour is unacceptable, and walk away if possible to avoid further confrontation.
- It’s important to seek support by talking to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, counselor, or parent, who can help intervene.
- Building a strong support network of friends can also provide protection and help defuse the situation.
- If the bullying persists, report it to school authorities to ensure it is properly addressed.
3. How can bullying be effectively addressed in school?
Bullying can be effectively addressed in school through a comprehensive approach that includes creating a strong anti-bullying policy, promoting a positive school culture, and providing training for staff and students. Implementing clear procedures for reporting and investigating incidents ensures that bullying is taken seriously and addressed promptly. Educating students about empathy, respect, and the impact of bullying helps prevent its occurrence. Involving parents and the community in creating a supportive environment reinforces the message that bullying is unacceptable.
4. How to teach kids about bullying?
Teaching kids about bullying involves starting with clear, age-appropriate discussions about what bullying is and why it is harmful. Use real-life examples, stories, and role-playing exercises to help them understand different forms of bullying, including physical, verbal, and social. Emphasize the importance of empathy by encouraging kids to consider how others might feel in bullying situations. Teach them practical strategies for dealing with bullying, such as speaking up, seeking help from trusted adults, and supporting peers. Reinforce the message that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness, and create a safe space where kids feel comfortable discussing their concerns and experiences.
5. What is bullying prevention?
Bullying prevention involves strategies and actions aimed at stopping bullying behaviour before it starts by fostering a positive environment and promoting respect and empathy among individuals.
6. Do schools do enough to prevent bullying?
Schools often implement various strategies to prevent bullying, such as anti-bullying policies, educational programs, and support systems for students. However, the effectiveness of these measures can vary significantly. While many schools strive to create a safe and inclusive environment, challenges such as inconsistent policy enforcement, lack of resources, and insufficient training can hinder their success.
7. What skills are needed to prevent bullying?
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others to foster kindness and prevent harmful behaviours.
- Communication: Clearly expressing oneself and listening to others to address issues early and effectively.
- Assertiveness: Standing up for oneself and others in a respectful manner to deter bullying.
- Conflict Resolution: Navigating disagreements constructively to prevent escalation into bullying.
- Active Listening: Paying attention to and validating others’ experiences and concerns to identify and address bullying.
- Problem-Solving: Finding practical solutions to issues related to bullying and creating a supportive environment.
- Leadership: Guiding peers and influencing positive behaviour changes within the school community.
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