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Making Classrooms Bully-Free Zones: Practical Suggestions for Educators
Kappa Delta Pi Record, Summer 2007 by Rowan, Leona Onderdonk
* Teach responsibility and teamwork. Students experience social and moral growth when they are given opportunities to practice responsibility and teamwork. To accomplish this, many teachers assign students class jobs, such as "buddies" or "helpers" in which students demonstrate responsibility for classmates in some way. Annual themes, such as "Learning and Crowing Together," also promote unity and an attitude of "we're all in this together."
By planning assignments for cooperative learning groups, teachers provide students additional opportunities to practice responsibility and demonstrate teamwork. Each member of the group is given the responsibility for a specific aspect of the group's success. To reinforce appropriate behavior, teachers use praise and other forms of recognition when students act responsibly toward group members.
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- Build a bully-free classroom: stay-cool strategies to teach your students
- Having Our Say about MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
- Educating Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam: Policies and Perspectives
- Bullying in elementary school, high school, and college
* Use literature. Presenting literature that promotes prosocial behavior can be useful for building positive character traits. Libraries are filled with books that foster traits such as friendship, tolerance, and service to others. Examples of children's books that teach acceptance and respect are The Brand New Kid (Couric 2000) and Hooway for Wodney Wat (Lester 1 999). The main characters of these and other stories are ones to which students easily relate, thus providing models of appropriate behavior.
* Collaborate. Teachers should collaborate with other educators. Administrators, counselors, and fellow teachers are willing to share their expertise by suggesting strategies for stopping the bully. They may recommend teachers' manuals and kits on anti-bullying that are available in the school's curriculum resource center. Many of these materials are excellent tools for promoting the strong moral and social development in students that lead to positive learning environments.
Closing Thoughts
Bullying is a serious problem that exists in all types of schools and among all types of students. It should not be tolerated, because the negative effects are destructive and far-reaching. This study suggests the need for teacher preparation programs, new teacher induction, and professional development initiatives to place greater emphasis on acquiring and practicing effective classroom management strategies. Becoming more proficient in classroom management will help teachers create positive and productive learning environments in which students feel safe and flourish both academically and socially.
References
Banks, R. 1 997. Bullying in schools. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. ERIC ED 407 154.
Charles, C. M., and C. W. Senter. 2005. Elementary classroom management, 4th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Cohn, A., and A. Canter. 2003. Bullying: Facts for schools and parents. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Couric, K. 2000. The brand new kid. New York: Doubleday.
Dillon, J. C, and R. M. Lash. 2005. Redefining and dealing with bullying. Momentum 36(2): 34-37.
Harris, S., and C. Petrie. 2002. A study of bullying in the middle school. NASSP Bulletin 86(633): 42-53.
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