STOP BULLYING IN SCHOOL
One serious problem in school that needs to be given urgent and immediate solution is bullying. It is a responsibility of everyone to keep pupils safe and secure in school. However, most bullying cases happen in school. School bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in any educational setting. For an act to be considered bullying it must meet certain criteria. This includes hostile intent, imbalance of power, repetition, distress and provocation. Bullying can have a wide spectrum of effects on a student including anger, depression, stress and even suicide. In addition, the bully can develop different social disorders or have a higher chance of engaging in criminal activity.
When a pupil is bullied, there are signs and symptoms to observe. It can be the fear of going to school, poor or deteriorating schoolwork, inability to concentrate, withdrawn behaviour, depression, loss of confidence, reluctance to go out, shortage of money, torn clothes, broken glasses, missing schoolbooks, and repeated signs of bruising and injuries. When these are manifested by the child, act right away so not to strengthened its impact to the child and solve the problem right away.
Bullying can be seen in different modes: physical, verbal or social hurt. Physical bullying involves contact with another person or their possessions and includes hitting, kicking or pinching another person, spitting, tripping or pushing them. Other forms of physical bullying are destroying possessions or making inappropriate or mean gestures. While verbal bullying is defined as any word used to cause pain or harm. Like, calling someone by a rude name, making inappropriate or sexual comments, teasing or taunting, or making a threat. Lastly, social bullying, which can also be known as relational bullying, revolves around endangering another person’s relation to their community. This type of bullying may take the form of ostracism, spreading rumors, causing public embarrassment, or telling falsities behind someone’s back.
Interventions and action steps must be done readily to stop bullying. Some things that can be done at school level are as follow: Most school programs address bullying use a multi-faceted approach to the problem. This usually involves counselling of some sort, either by peers, a school counsellor, teachers or principal. Hand out questionnaires to all students and teachers and discuss if bullying is occurring. The questionnaire is a wonderful tool that allows the school to see how widespread bullying is and what form it is taking. It is a good way to start to address the problem. Get the children’s parents involved in a bullying program. If parents of the bullies and the victims are not aware of what is going on at school, then the whole bullying program will not be effective. Stopping bullying in school takes teamwork and concentrated effort on everyone’s part. Bullying also should be discussed during parent-teacher conferences and PTA meetings. In the classroom setting, all teachers should work with the students on bullying. Schools also could ask local mental health professionals to speak to students about bullying behaviours and how it directly affects the victims. Schools need to make sure there is enough adult supervision at school to lessen and prevent bullying. Stop bullying in school now. Every one’s effort to make it happen is important.
--oOo-The author is Teacher III at Sta. Tereza 2nd Elementary School, Lubao West District