Bullying

1
Bullying

• Jackie Brame
• Laura French

2
Effects of Bullying Statistics

• Bullying is the most common form of violence in
  our society.
  
• Between 15-30 of students are bullies or
  victims.
  
• 160,000 kids skip school everyday because they
  fear being bullied.
  
• 8 of students miss 1 day of school per month in
  fear of bullies.
  
• Bullycide is becoming a tragic result of
  repeated and relentless bullying
  
• 75 of the students who carried out school
  shootings from 1974-2000 were victims of
  bullying.
  
• No current facts were found regarding the gifted
  population.
  

3
Types of Bullying

• Teasing (70 of all bullying)
• Ostracizing victims
• Rumors or gossip
• Physical (hitting, pushing, tripping)
• Verbal threats
• Stealing items from victim
• Sexual harassment
• Slam books

4
Bullying Are there gender differences?

• Boys often use direct and aggressive bullying
  tactics
  
• physical
• verbal threats
• name calling and verbal teasing
• Girls tend to use more subtle bullying tactics
  ostracize or use relational aggression
  
• teasing verbally or through note writing
• persuading other peers to ignore victim

5
Warning Signs in Passive Victim

• Psychosomatic symptoms may develop to avoid
  school
  
• Anxious
• Sensitive and shy
• Student stays close to teacher instead of peers
• Insecure
• Violence or victimization shows up in writing
• Excluded by peers from activities
• These above behaviors may be a result of the
  gifted student being bullied if the student
  starts to exhibit these signs that were not
  evident before.

6
Warning Signs of a Provocative Victim

• Problems in reading/writing may be evident
• Restless behaviors
• Ostracized from groups due to lack of social
  skills
  
• Victim who turns to bullying others
• Overanxious
• Clumsy
• Actively disliked by peers and maybe even
  teachers
  
• Temper flares easily
• Immaturity may affect the success of making
  friends
  
• Verbally or physically responds to bullying
• Exhibits low self-esteem or a negative self
  perception
  

7
Social Considerations with Gifted Students
regarding Acceleration

• Students who are accelerated may not have the
  same social interests of their older grade level
  peers.
  
• Adjustment is much better if they have one-two
  good friends.
  
• Adjustment might be difficult if they had trouble
  developing friends before they were accelerated.

8
Addressing Bullying in Schools

• Studies show that when there is a school wide
  commitment to ending bullying, it can reduce
  bullying up to 50.
  
• How does a school get involved?
• adopt a bully proofing program
• train all school personal (even buss drivers) in
  this program
  
• increase adult supervision where bullying often
  occurs.
  
• Teach all students strategies to deal with
  bullies (HA HA SO)
  
• Make a bully proofing contract for all students
  and faculty to sign
  
• Administration can create bully referrals to
  document and issue consequences to bullies
  
• Students can have Caring Community Statement
  forms to inform counselors/administrators about
  bullying instances.
  
• Counselors can form victim support groups

9
What can teachers do to combat bullying?

• Create an environment where kids can openly
  discuss bullying situations
  
• Teach strategies to cope with bullying
• H- help
• A-Assert yourself
• H-Humor
• A-Avoid
• S-Self Talk
• O-Own it
• These strategies can be taught through
  discussions and role play.
  

10
Warning Sign of a Bully

• Myth Buster
• False Most Bullies have low self esteem.
• True Studies show most bullies are popular and
  are leaders in a
  
• group
• Behaves aggressively
• Undermines authority
• Lashes out with put downs
• Lacks sympathy and empathy
• Impulsive
• Engages in other anti-social behaviors
• Substance abuse may be a bad influence

11
Activities to integrate bully-proofing in your
classroom

• Create empathy and sympathy by reading books
  dealing with bullying
  
• Analyze music dealing with bullying
• You are Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
• Dont laugh at me by Mark Willis
• Standing Out in a Crowd
• Watch Dr. Phil show about Bullying (2/27/03)
• Students develop Anti-bullying Constitution
  (preamble and Bill of Rights
  
• Make songs/poems about bullying
• Students create Proverbs on dealing with bullying
  situations and post them all over hallways
  
• Post No Bullying signs all over school
• Have the counselor come in to talk about
  bullying
  
• IALAC (I am lovable and capable) activity

12
Bibliography

• Bonds, Marla and Stoker, Sally (2003). Bully
  Proofing our School. Longmont, CO Sopris West
  Inc.
  
• Frankel, Fred (2003). Tips for Parents
  Teaching, bullying and the role of friendships.
  Retrieved from Davidson Institute for Talent
  Development www.davidsoninstitute.org
• Guilbault, Keri (2005). Bullies on the Brain
  gifted Students and Bullying. Flag Conference.
  
• Peters, Ruth. How to help keep your kid from
  being bullied. Retrieved from Davidson Institute
  for Talent Development www.davidsoninstitute.org