"We create the world in which we live; if that world becomes unfit for human life; it is because we tire of our responsibility."
– Cyril Connolly
When bullying occurs, consistent, effective adult intervention is essential in order to help the individual students, to reduce the chance of further bullying and to maintain a safe and caring school culture. Teachers and other adults involved need to establish a common definition of bullying that takes into account the various types and degrees of bullying behaviour. They also need to determine guidelines for responding to bullying incidents that support the students involved and make it clear that all forms of bullying are unacceptable.
Supporting students who have been bullied
Even brief and relatively minor incidents of bullying can leave students upset, embarrassed, angry or afraid. Supporting students who are bullied may involve providing comfort and reassurance, creating a plan to ensure safety and/or helping students build skills and attitudes to counteract chronic bullying.
As jurisdictions and schools develop their own guidelines or steps for responding to a student who has been bullied, they may wish to consider the following components:
- acknowledging the incident and the student’s feelings
- gathering information about what happened and who was involved
- assuring the student that there will be consequences for the student(s) who bullied
- helping the student create a plan for preventing future bullying
- contacting the student’s parents regarding the incident and the school’s plan for responding
- following up with the student to determine the success of the plan, the student’s feelings and the risk of further bullying
- tracking the incident using a form or other method.
In cases of serious or chronic bullying, additional steps and strategies such as the following may be required:
- further intervention with the student who has bullied
- meeting with the parents
- meeting with the school counsellor or other support personnel to help the student deal with the situation, build self-confidence and practise skills such as assertiveness.
Debriefing with students who have observed bullying
In cases where bullying was observed by other students, especially when those students watched passively or encouraged the behaviour, it is important to discuss the incident. Consider questions such as the following.
- How would you describe what happened?
- What made this a bullying incident?
- At what point did you make the choice to stay and watch the bullying happen?
- How might your presence have influenced the behaviour of the student who was bullying?
- What were your feelings as you watched the bullying incident?
- How do you feel about it now?
- How do you think the student who was being bullied felt?
- What could you have done differently, either to intervene or to prevent the incident?
- What action could you take now to make the student who was bullied feel happier and safer at school?
Intervening with students who have bullied
Intervening with students who have bullied is an obvious step in creating safety and security for the student who was bullied, and in preventing further bullying incidents. As schools develop their own guidelines or steps for responding to a student who has bullied, they may wish to consider the following components:
- ensuring the safety of other students
- helping the student who bullied to change his or her behaviours and attitudes
- taking immediate action to stop the behaviour (e.g., sending the student to the office or another predetermined location)
- identifying and applying the appropriate level of intervention depending on the nature, degree and duration of bullying behaviours, for example:
- pointing out the impact on the student who was bullied and any observers
- reminding the student of the school’s rules or behavioural expectations
- imposing consequences (e.g., loss of privilege)
- reporting or referring to police, counsellor or other professionals
- creating an individual safety and support plan
- contacting the student’s parents regarding the incident and the school’s response
- tracking the incident using a form or other method.
Student Self-reflection on Bullying Behaviour
Reporting bullying
Depending on the circumstances, a report or referral to any of the following might be necessary:
- school counsellor
- school jurisdiction support services including additional staff members such as family liaison workers, psychologists or behavioural consultants
- Alberta Children’s Services
- police.
In considering whether or not to inform and involve the police, it is important to think about the role the police may be able to play in supporting the jurisdiction or school’s overall response to bullying. Many schools work closely with their School Liaison Officer or Community Policing Officers. Where this is the case, consult with the officer to determine what role the officer may be able to play in responding to serious incidents of bullying. Perhaps she or he would be available to come to the school to meet with students who have been bullied or students who have been bullying. The officer could talk with the students who have been bullied about strategies for dealing with such situations.
Individual support plans
In cases where bullying behaviour is persistent and serious, the school may consider developing an individual safety and support plan for the student who is bullying. A safety and support plan is a set of external controls and limits designed to help a student gain control over his or her behaviour and to protect other students. An effective plan also supports the student’s participation in age-appropriate activities with peers.
A safety and support plan is developed collaboratively with school, jurisdiction and community professionals. A team is formed to create, implement and monitor the plan. The plan may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- supervision of the student upon arrival at school, during recess, lunch, after school and any other less structured times
- identification of designated play areas
- specific behaviour-management strategies including a plan for reinforcing appropriate behaviour
- a plan for involving the student in positive activities with peers
- scheduled review and update of the plan.
