BULLYING IN

SCHOOLS
Emily
 Learning Objectives
● Understand the different types of bullying
and its scope within secondary schools.

● Understand the detrimental effects of

bullying on those involved.

● Consider risk and protective factors for

bullying in your future teaching.

● Identify strategies that can be implemented

by teachers to prevent and respond to
bullying.
WHAT IS BULLYING?

Is the ongoing misuse of power in relationships through

repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes
physical and/or psychological harm.

(Boske & Osanloo, 2016)

Approximately 1 in 4 students
reported being bullied every few
weeks or more

(Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study, 2009)

TYPES OF BULLYING
● PHYSICAL
○ Includes hitting, kicking, pushing and fighting
● VERBAL
○ Includes name calling, discriminatory comments, public humiliation, harsh
teasing
● SOCIAL
○ Involves excluding individuals from peer groups through threats, rumours,
isolation, and other forms of intimidation
TYPES OF BULLYING
● RE-ACTIVE
○ Refers to individuals who were bullied and responded to their victimization
by bullying others
● CYBER-BULLYING
○ Aggressive behaviour (name calling, rumours, gossip) made over
electronic media (Facebook, Twitter, email, text, social media)
 Bullying 63%

Statistics
24%
Of students who had
experienced covert bullying... 13%

Cyber- Physically Teased

bullied Hurt
Busselton SHS Fight
- How does this footage make you feel?

- As a principal of Busselton SHS would you allow the student to return to

school?

- Should the student who filmed the fight be charged?

- Did the teacher respond appropriately?

(ABC News, 2018)

ISSUE/ EFFECTS
● Victims of Bullying
○ Low self-esteem, loneliness, depression and anxiety
○ Social isolation and withdrawal from peers
○ Lack of friendships and suspicious towards others
○ School avoidance; lower attendance and completion rates
○ Decreased school performance (Berger, 2007)
● Bullies
○ Greater risk of mental health problems and substance use
○ More likely to display other undesirable behaviour; fights, truancy and vandalism
● Bystanders
○ Feelings of guilt and potential reluctance to attend school
○ Greater risk of mental health problems and substance use
● Parents, teachers and the school itself also suffer from bullying.
RISK FACTORS
● Poor family functioning
○ Children suffering from poor parenting (unsupportive parents) are more likely to have behaviour
problems at school, further leading to bullying or being bullied
● Poor social-support
○ Children lacking in social support and friendships often experience isolation therefore are at
greater risk of bullying or being bullied
● Poor mental health
○ Individuals with low self-esteem, anxiety or depression have increased risk of being victim to
bullying
● Poor prosocial behaviour
○ Lack in ability to act in a way that benefits others, by helping, sharing, co-operating and
volunteering
○ Findings suggest they are more inclined to be bullied, and to bully others (Slee, 2017).
PROTECTIVE FACTORS

● Against becoming a bully or victim

○ Parental involvement and support in learning

○ Fair, effective and non-violent parental discipline
○ High self-esteem
○ Positive relationships with peers
○ Moderate to high socioeconomic status
○ Feeling safe within the community
○ Effective school policies and teachers
ACTIVITY

In four equal groups brainstorm

some positive responses for your
bullying scenario or question.
IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOLS
● A holistic whole school approach (Vreeman & Carroll, 2007)
○ Comprehensive school anti-bullying policy that is both preventative and responsive (Ttofi &
Farrington, 2011)
○ Inclusion of age appropriate anti-bullying content in the classroom
○ Support and encourage staff professional development
○ Adequate teacher supervision in the playground

● What can we do as teachers?

○ Intervene early on bullying to establish classroom norms
○ Develop positive, trusting relationships with our students
○ Nurture a supportive learning environment built on mutual respect
○ Engage in professional development
CLASSROOM EXAMPLES
● Poor social support
○ Provide peer mentoring programs and peer support programs within schools to assist those
students whom may be lonely or isolated

● Poor prosocial behaviour

○ Increase students empathy levels by using Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs)
○ RAKs could involve volunteering, community service, saying something kind

● Reduce bystander effect

○ Use class time to empower students and to develop student leaders
○ Re-emphasis the positives in standing up for others
CONCLUSION
Bullying prevents our students from learning to their full potential

We have a vital impact on bullying behaviours and are responsible for providing a safe and supportive
learning environment.

Bullying can be drastically reduced through interventions focusing on collaboration between schools,
teachers, students, parents and the community.