WHAT IS BULLYING?
The first step to defeating bullying is understanding what it is.
A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself.
This definition includes three important components:
- Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted negative actions.
- Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.
- Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength.
It is important to recognize the difference between bullying and more random or impulsive behavior. Bullying is not random teasing. Bullying is more than an argument over a call on the playground or a disagreement over who goes first. Not all verbal or physical aggression is bullying.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Our goal is to reduce bullying by teaching everyone at DK Schoolhouse how to recognize bullying, by providing positive steps for students to take when dealing with bullies, and ensuring that adults supervising students know what to do when bullying is reported or witnessed.
BULLY PREVENTION AT DK SCHOOLHOUSE
We have implemented a research-based bully prevention at DK Schoolhouse, and continue to examine and update it regularly. Students and adults at DK Schoolhouse are taught to recognize bullying and trained in strategies to empower victims and report bullying immediately.
- All faculty staff and teachers are taught to take bullying seriously and respond appropriately.
- As victims or bystanders, students are encouraged to tell the perpetrator to STOP.
- If the aggressive behavior continues, they are taught to WALK away.
- If they continue to be harassed, they are to TALK immediately to an adult.
- All students and the adults that supervise them will be retrained at the beginning of each year through explicit instruction with follow-up as outlined by our Bullying Prevention program.
ADVICE FOR PARENTS
Parents can play a central role to preventing bullying and stopping it when it happens. Here are a few things you can do.
- Teach children to solve problems without using violence and praise them when they do.
- Give children positive feedback when they behave well to help build self-esteem. Help give them the self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in.
- Ask your children about their day and listen to them talk about school, social events, their classmates, and any problems they have.
- If you see any bullying, stop it right away, even if your child is the one doing the bullying. If you see it happening at school, please notify a teacher or the principal.
- Encourage your child to help others who need it.
- Don’t bully your children or bully others in front of them. Many children who witness bullying at home, or in a social setting with their family, react by bullying other kids. If your children see you shout, ridicule, or gossip about someone else, they are also more likely to do so themselves.
COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY
Too often, bullying goes unreported until it has happened for a long time.
Students at DK Schoolhouse will be reminded every day during morning announcements to tell an adult if they are being bullied, or if they are worried about coming to school.
Please encourage your child to report to an adult at school if they feel they are being hurt in any way.