Bullying is an issue that schools around the country are paying attention to. It’s one that is leaving many seats in classrooms empty each day. In fact, it’s estimated that, around the country, roughly 160,000 students stay home each day because they fear bullying. Fortunately, there are plenty of things schools can do in order to help successfully prevent and address the issue on their campus.
“Bullying is a common problem, and schools don’t want it there anymore than the students do,” explains Peter J. Goodman, author of the book We’re All Different But We’re All Kitty Cats. “Both can come out ahead if schools place an emphasis on addressing the problem in a variety of ways.”
Goodman has bundled his popular book with an educational curriculum package that helps children identify and work through their emotions and feelings. The combined tools use cats as characters to help teach children about bullying and accepting others even if they have differences.
The curriculum, titled “Bully Free Students Make Bully Free Classrooms,” focuses on such lessons as what bullying is, as well as feelings and bullying, helping children to identify feelings and how to make the right decisions when they do. It is increasingly becoming a tool that schools use to help prevent and address bullying on campus.
Here are 10 additional things schools can do to help prevent and address bullying:
Focus on prevention. When you begin working on bullying as a school-wide issue, place the emphasis more on preventing it so that it is not as big of a problem to begin with.
Establish a committee. Create a task force at the school to focus on bullying. That committee should include members from staff, teachers, parents and students. Together, they can work together and have their input considered.
Create a plan. Within the committee, work together to create a bully-prevention plan for the school. Include what the consequences will be if people are found to be bullying others.
Start early. It is never too early to start working with children about treating others with kindness, respect and acceptance. Start at the earliest grade the school has, leaving no children out of the plan.
Keep it going. As children work their way through the school, advancing to the next grade, reinforce the bully-prevention message. They need to hear the message every year, as opposed to it being given to them only once.
Think multiple methods. Children learn in different manners. Some learn by listening, others learn by hands-on projects, and still others learn by watching. Try to incorporate multiple ways to get the bully-prevention message across to students. Include things like books, plays, games, movies and more.
Encourage peer advocacy. When students go from being bystanders to being “upstanders,” attempts to address bullying will be more successful. Students should be taught to stand up for other students.
Teach what to do. Even though the focus should mainly be on bullying prevention, students still need to know what to do if it happens to them. Teach them acceptable ways to handle bullying if they do encounter it.
Work with parents. Parents want a bully-free school as much as teachers, staff and students do. Nobody wants their child to come home in tears after a day of being bullied. Get the parents involved in the bully prevention effort in order to make it more successful.
Evaluate and adjust. Once or twice per year, give the students an anonymous survey to fill out, where they can answer questions about bullying on the school campus. This will provide a look at how the students feel about the school atmosphere, and will give staff the chance to see if the bully-free plans need to be re-evaluated.
“Schools want those children in their seats every day, rather than avoiding school out of fear,” explains Karen Goldberg, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with parents and families. “When schools make bullying a priority and take real steps to help prevent and address bullying, everyone is better off. It takes some dedication and focus, but a successful program can be created and implemented.”
The Kitty Cats book and curriculum has been written for children in pre-kindergarten through the third grade. The earlier children learn about the importance of preventing bullying, the better.
To learn more about the book series, the curriculum bundle, or to purchase the volume that addresses bullying, visit kittycatsbook.com.
