One of the most difficult issues in schools today is bullying in the Classroom.
Bullying is a problem in schools and universities that includes violent confrontations, rumors, false accusations, gossips etc
Bullying can have a detrimental, long-lasting effect on the pupils and the general learning environment, regardless of the tactics used. Because of this, it’s crucial to deal with bullies appropriately in the classroom.
In this article, I explained in detail what bullying is, how to deal with bullies, signs a child is being bullied, what to do etc. Let’s get right into it.
What Bullying is All About?
Bullying is when a student continuously tries to control another student by rejection, teasing, or violent gestures. Bullying typically involves an intentional action with the purpose to hurt or cause harm to the victim.
Bullying is not a normal quarrel between friends in the playground, but rather a power misuse that causes the other student to suffer over an extended period of time. Bullying frequently happens in front of witnesses. Additionally, the bully feels he has greater authority when there are more witnesses there.
Common Kinds of Bullying That Exists
The following are kinds of bullying in the classroom:
– Physical or material: This kind of bullying includes beating, kicking, pushing, yanking hair, stealing, or smashing someone else’s personal items, as well as unwanted touching. This type of bullying is the simplest to see.
– Verbal: This kind of bullying includes making derogatory remarks, threats, or demeaning jokes;
– Social: This kind of bullying includes spreading untrue stories about someone, maligning their reputation, or excluding them from a group. This frequently shows up in primary school as, for instance, a student requesting that others stop playing with the victim.
Note: Even if it just happens once, it’s still necessary to encourage your students to report any circumstance that makes him feel frightened or wounded.
The Results of Bullying on Students
Regardless of the kind of bullying, all kinds of bullying hurts the students emotions everytime.
– The student can feel humiliated, insecure, distressed, and have his privacy invaded.
– Bullying lowers his self-esteem temporarily.
– Continuous bullying makes the student feel fearful, unmotivated, and unwilling to attend school.
– Long-term effects of bullying include anxiety, poor academic performance, absences from school, memory issues, sadness, etc.
Therefore as a teacher, it’s important to avoid taking such a scenario lightly, to recognize the early warning signs of bullying, and to take the proper action.
How do you Know When a Child is Being Bullied?
A bullied child may not always have the courage to run to his teacher, parents or another adult for help. He might also be reluctant to discuss it.
To identify the symptoms that a child in the classroom is being bullied, it is crucial to pay close attention and listen to him. The attitudes and actions listed below may be signs that a child is being bullied. One or more of the following symptoms could appear:
– His motivation and interest in school will drastically decline.
– He/she no longer desires to attend school.
– He/she isolates himself, becomes more private, and withdraws into himself.
– He/she appears miserable, depressed, and easily irritated.
– He/she frequently claims to be ill and that he does not feel well.
– His/her academic performance begins to decline without any apparent cause.
– He/she has poor sleep.
– He/she returns home with soiled clothing or injuries.
– He/she stays away from playing with other kids.
– He/she lacks enthusiasm for participating in class or group activities.
– He/she feels unease, apprehension, and mistrust.
– He/she is unwilling to discuss his peers or his activities at school with you.
– He/she craves out adult company.
– In order to avoid meeting the students in the school or environment, he/she takes alternate routes and plans to be at school very early or very late.
– He makes fun of himself, saying things like, “I’m not excellent at school, the others are better than me,” “I lost or had my personal belongings taken, such as my lunch, my snacks, my toque, my game cards, etc.”
If you see signs like this in a child, look into whether the child is a victim of bullying.
How to Help a Child Who is Being Bullied?
- Do not hesitate to take action if a student reports an issue that appears to be bullying or if you suspect that he is a victim of it.
- Try to ask him questions to learn more.
- Remain calm and attentive. Assist the student in finding comfort by being calm and attentive.
- Without interjecting, let him speak at his own pace.
- Do not condemn him. Don’t criticize him or tell him what he ought to have done. Just ask him to give you a thorough explanation of the circumstances.
- Declare your support for him. Inform him that he has a right to feel secure and that you will act to support him in finding a solution.
- Together, evaluate the situation. Can he, for instance, alter the circumstance by stating his boundaries clearly? Has he got any allies? How much intimidation is used? Avoid inciting him to violence at all costs.
- Get him to describe his feelings. Build on his strengths and assist him in determining how much weight he gives the bully.
- Encourage the student to spend time with reliable pals. When your child is with other kids, he is less likely to be bullied, and if he is, he will be better able to defend himself if necessary.
- Remain tuned. To ensure that the issue has been rectified, request a follow-up with the school staff.
What Can Be Done to Reduce Bullying in The Classroom?
Bullying cannot be completely avoided since you never know when a bully will appear. Making your students aware of the issue can help him develop a positive attitude about bullying. Here are some proven actions you can take to stop or reduce students bullying;
– Give him an explanation of what bullying is, and use specific examples to teach him how to spot bullying gestures. Children’s books on the topic are a good resource.
– Encourage your child to identify and communicate his feelings, including any discomfort. Encourage him to resolve his minor disputes by telling the other person what is upsetting or hurting him.
– Encourage him to get assistance from a someone you can trust if his discomfort continues.
– Don’t be afraid to act out scenarios with your kid so that he learns how to assert himself, express his opinions, and set boundaries.
– Remind him that you are always available for conversation if he feels intimidated and that you are here to support him.
– Teach him the fundamental guidelines for responding to bullying: leaving the location of the attack, not retaliating, telling a responsible adult, and locating a friend who will stay with him until he is safe.
What Should You Do as a Teacher if a Student Bullies Another Student?
- The first step is to gently discuss it with him in order to try to comprehend why he is responding in this way.
- Allow the student to voice his opinions while paying them sympathetic attention.
- Express your seriousness about the problem and your disapproval of this type of conduct.
- Inform him of the effects his actions will have on him and other people. Giving him a punishment for his bullying behavior, such as making remorse to the victim or replacing a broken item, is highly advisable.
- Discuss with the school administration to come up with a solution together.
- Spend more time with the student and pay attention to how he acts so that you can more clearly point out his conduct and, if required, correct it.
- Insist that he accepts those who are different from him and respects others.
- Together, figure up ways for him to communicate his rage and dissatisfaction.
- Work with him to improve his self-assurance and social skills.
- Consult a psychologist or psychoeducator if necessary to help the student better control his emotions and to prepare you to handle this circumstance as well.
Conclusion
Dealing with bullying in the classroom is quite an herculean task but not impossible. If you believe a student is bullying others you should calmly discuss this with him, let him know that the situation is unacceptable, and promise to support him and take action to make things better.
It is crucial to alert the school at large about bullying so that everyone can work together to find a solution.