Stopping Child Bullying: Educators' Diverse Approaches for School Improvement

Abstract

This original case-study research investigates educational professionals' answers to survey questions regarding how to eradicate child bullying. Twenty school professionals from two different schools-one school at the elementary level and the other school at the high school level-detailed their own particular bullying problems they see while serving in their own unique leadership capacity role and learning organization and what proactive initiatives they have modeled or participated in either individually or collectively to stop school bullying. Educational professionals were asked to detail any school-based policies already set in place or any procedural guidelines that will soon become implemented regarding stopping child bullying. Of the study results from participants, findings demonstrate that more critically intensive focus should be placed on school bullying by district wide antibully programs and being more frequently assessed. The survey is included at the end of this article (see Appendix). KEYWORDS Bullying, school improvement, classroom behavior, diversity, literacyWe all witnessed the Virginia Tech and Columbine shootings. Currently, in present day, we witness in the elementary schools blatant abuse, shootings, gang violence, and even children killing other children. These are crucial realities to us as educational professionals about how child bullying becomes deadly. Serving in our own unique leadership capacity roles in varying learning organizations, we have a vested interest and moral imperative to

School climate and bystander responses to bullying

“…Given the benefits of having supportive and responsive adults, it is imperative for school‐based intervention programs to help adult‐figures (e.g., teachers) to recognize their salient roles in encouraging positive bystander responses. As such, anti‐bullying programs should target all stakeholders within the school and the community, such as all school staff and parents (Haeseler, 2010).…”

Bullying Prevention: A Call for Collaborative Efforts Between School Nurses and School Psychologists

“…School policies can enhance the prevention of bullying, from the enforcement of rules and policies before any problems arise to actual expulsions and suspensions (Vessey et al, 2013). Conduct informative social-emotional assessments of student perpetrators of bullying behavior at school Counsel victims of bullying in all of its forms to ensure that they do not internalize the effects of harassment Serve on district and school safety and crisis teams to help implement and evaluate comprehensive safety initiatives Assess students with frequent unexplained somatic complaints for bullying and stress Facilitate access to health services for youth with nonspecific or somatic complaints Promote school activities that would foster home and community connectedness to reduce bullying (Haessler, 2010) Be knowledgeable about bullying and victimization, including its consequences Be aware of the importance of not labeling students as "bullies" or "victims" a National Association of School Psychologists, 2012. b National Association of School Nurses, 2014.…”