CHAPTER
1: DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM
Problem
Bullying is a universal act that
brings pain, anxiety, and fear to students of all ages. One in four students
say they are victims of bullying and 160,000 students stay home each day
because of bullying, obtained from (National Education Association, 2002). Bullying
is an underrepresented issue and, as of recently, it has been more globally
recognized. This underrepresented issue is unbiased and affects students of all
ages, genders, ethnicities, etc. Rigby (1999) defines bullying as a “repeated
oppression, psychological or physical of a less powerful person by a more
powerful person or group of persons.” Bullying is categorized into two
main categories: direct and indirect bullying. Direct bullying refers to the physical violence such as: hitting,
kicking, pushing, punching, biting and, in some cases, the use of weapons (Drosopoulos,
Heald,
& McCue, 2008). Indirect
bullying refers explicitly to non-physical contact such as: name-calling,
rumors, exclusion, and, the most recent type of bullying, cyberbullying, which
refers to terrorizing someone via the internet (Drosopoulos, Heald,
McCue, 2008).
Although bullying
is becoming more globally recognized, schools are failing to acknowledge the
severity of this issue as well as remedying it. Utilizing effective
anti-bullying prevention/interventions programs are not the schools’ main
priority, “it continues to be a common problem that bullying prevention and
intervention is not viewed as a priority by schools” (Sherer & Nickerson,
2010). Students are lacking education on how to acknowledge and properly handle
bullying situations. Not enough is being done to prevent these callous and
heinous acts of violence from occurring.
The purpose of
this project is to educate students about the various forms of bullying, how to
acknowledge bullying, and ways to safely defuse a bullying situation. This
project will address and attempt to answer the guiding question, what elements
contribute to an effective anti-bullying program on lessening in-school
bullying?
Purpose of Project
The purpose of my project
is to create an anti-bullying pilot program that provides third grade students
with the knowledge of what bullying is and how to address and prevent this issue
from occurring and continuing. My project will expose students to a several pre-existing
anti-bullying elements which will allow them to focus on several methods that can
help them avoid and/or defuse a bullying situation. My literature review
examines and proves that various anti-bullying programs possess effective and
ineffective elements. These elements will be examined so students can be
provided with the knowledge and skills they need to defuse a situation. These
pre-existing anti-bullying elements will be utilized and modified in order to
create a pilot program.
Throughout this
program, students will learn about the different forms of bullying, how to
acknowledge bullying, and how to address/prevent bullying situations from occurring.
Students will demonstrate their comprehension of the material through art-based
research (e.g., drawings, role playing, etc.). The program will use art-based
research to measure the student’s ability to internalize the information. Art-based
research will reveal the students interpretation of the various forms of
bullying, what bullying is, and ways to defuse a situation. This project will
help increase students’ self-confidence by encouraging them to report a
bullying incident. “Bullying is widespread and perhaps the most underreported
safety problem on American school campuses” (Sampson, 2003, pg. 4). This
project is an advocate for enhancing self-confidence by educating students
about bullying as well as encouraging students to report bullying. Students
will also be instilled with effective conflict resolution skills that will them
safely help defuse a situation (e.g., humor, calming the situation, etc.).
Bullying maybe
detrimental to a child’s health, children can develop negative effects both
mentally and physically (Rigby, 1999). These negative effects may range from
short-term effects and may develop into long-term issues (as the child ages).
“Victimized children tend to display internalizing symptoms, including anxiety,
depression, diminished self-esteem, and social withdrawal” (Smith, Cousins,
& Stewart, 2005, p.740).
This program is
intended to be implemented into American K-6 schools to remedy the issue of
physical, psychological, and cyberbullying. Students will be educated on what
bullying is, what constitutes bullying, as well as providing them with the
conflict resolution skills they need to safely approach and/or defuse a
situation. Educating students about bullying and exposing students to several
elements of effective and ineffective anti-bullying programs will introduce
students to ways in which they can become more knowledgeable in preventing
bullying from continuing.
Preview of Literature
My research focuses on three core
areas: 1) understanding bullying at school, 2) anti-bullying practices in
American schools and 3) the evaluation of anti-bullying practices. My research explores
which anti-bullying methods are most-effective and least-effective. Identifying
the three core areas of bullying is essential in producing an effective
anti-bullying program. There is a considerable amount of literature on the
issue of bullying but there is minimal literature on anti-bullying practices in
American schools. “This issue has received international attention; despite its
importance, little is known regarding American schools’ current status
pertaining to bullying prevention/intervention efforts” (Sherer & Nickerson, 2010). This
literature will be viewed in greater detail which will provide readers with a
greater understanding of the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of anti-bullying practices
within American K-6 schools.
Understanding bullying
Various authors
have conducted extensive research on the issue of bullying. Though this topic
seems to be straight-forward, it is crucial to understand bullying before an
effective program can begin. Before bullying can be dissected and express ways
in which students can prevent this issue from continuing, they must first understand
what bullying is, the different types of bullying, and what constitutes
bullying. There are two categories of bullying: direct and indirect. Direct bullying refers to punching,
kicking, biting, etc. whereas indirect
bullying refers to name calling, rumors, exclusion, and now cyberbullying
(bullying via the internet) (Drosopoulos, Heald, McCue, 2008).
Literature has shown that bullying is prevalent in elementary schools and it
typically occurs in unsecure places (e.g., playground, cafeteria, bus, etc.). These
unsecure locations are common spots for bullying because of the lack of adult
supervision. While these acts are occurring, they are often misconstrued or perceived
as “I was just kidding around!” (Scarpaci, 2006).
Bullying can be
described as, “many different types of behaviour ranging from teasing or
deliberately leaving an individual out of a social gathering or ignoring them,
to serious assaults and abuse” (Mellor, 1997). There are several misconceptions
about bullying, schools seem to be acknowledging these issues but are ignoring the
severity of it. Many students may view indirect bullying (name calling, teasing,
etc.) as teasing or “I was just kidding around!” or “boys will be boys” (Scarpaci,
2006) and because of that, these incidents are being recognized but ignored.
Anti-bullying Practices
Identifying
and understanding bullying is required for effective anti-bullying programs to
be developed and implemented into American schools. My literature reveals that
various anti-bullying programs are practiced amongst American schools. Anti-bullying
programs emphasis the importance of student safety by introducing ways to
reduce/prevent in-school bullying. Several authors have researched methods that
are frequently utilized in American schools as well as how effective each
program is. Research has shown some programs are more effective than others
because of ways in which schools handle bullying situations.
It is important to
note that schools do not integrate only one anti-bullying method into their
schools but tend to integrate multiple methods. Researchers Sherer and
Nickerson surveyed (N = 213) American school psychologists to obtain
information regarding which anti-bullying methods are most/least frequently
incorporated into American schools as well as which anti-bullying strategies are
most/least effective. The “survey respondents indicated that a variety of strategies
were used to address bullying, mostly at the individual bully and victim level
as opposed to a more system-wide intervention (Sherer & Nickerson, 2010).” It
is prevalent that strategies are being utilized in American schools but on an
individual-level rather than a system-wide level (e.g., surveys, anti-bullying
committee, formal reporting system, etc.).
Dr. Olweus, the
creator of the Olweus
Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), has been very influential in the creation
of anti-bullying programs. His model revolves around a whole-school level which
pertains to the increase of adult supervisor in unsecure locations and the development of anti-bullying policies. It is important
to consider the ramifications that are associated with these programs. Dr.
Olweus’s anti-bullying program and various other anti-bullying programs argue
that their anti-bullying program can have a drastic effect on victim’s life.
Evaluation of bullying practices
As the previous
components of my research have been identified, several authors have researched
and evaluated various anti-bullying programs and their
effectiveness/ineffectiveness. The P4 program, developed by Woodfine,
Lubimiv, and Langlois (1995), was extensively researched and evaluated.
This program uses sock puppets to educate students about bullying as well as teaching
them conflict resolution strategies. Beran & Shapiro evaluated and
emphasized the students’ ability to comprehend the concept of bullying as well
as anti-bullying strategies (conflict resolution). This study promoted student
awareness of bullying, “before participating in the P4 program,
most students (82% or more) in the intervention group identified aggressive
behaviors as forms of bullying (Beran & Shapiro, 2005).” Their study concluded
that students awareness did not increase, the P4 Program did not seem to
increase students’ reporting of being bullied (Beran & Shapiro, 2005).
Many authors have
evaluated multiple anti-bullying programs and their effectiveness. Several
authors have argued and explained that many of the anti-bullying programs are
based on an individual-level (e.g., staff/administrators discuss the incident
with bullying and victim). While the individual-level approach temporarily
delays the act of bullying, authors are advocates for the whole-school level
approach because not only is it the more popular approach within schools but it
tackles the issue from various angles (e.g., students, faculty, community,
parents, etc.) (Smith, Cousins, & Stewart, 2005 pg., 742). The whole-school
approach creates more of an impact on schools because it reaches out to various
sources. The effectiveness of these programs demonstrate that these methods are
beneficial in reducing bullying. “A school-wide positive behavior support plan,
modifying space and schedule for less structured activities, and immediate
responses to bullying incidents were most frequently identified by responding
school psychologists as effective strategies” (Sherer & Nickerson, 2010,
pg. 225).
Several methods show an influx in reduction
of bullying; however, students are continuing to lack self-confidence to report
bullying cases. Authors argue that more data needs to be collected to develop a
clear consensus of the effectiveness of various programs. “School
psychologists’ perceived effectiveness of an anti-bullying policy was mixed
(Sherer & Nickerson, 2010, pg.225).
Preview Methodology
My goal for this
project is to construct a pilot program that consists of various workshops and will
be administered over the course of 6 weekly sessions. Each
45 minute session will be held in the teacher’s classroom once a week for six
weeks. Each session, the presenter will use
technological resources (e.g., document cameras, computers, etc.) to present
their PowerPoint’s which will include images, statistics, and definitions of
various terms. These workshops are intended to promote student awareness of the
severity of bullying and teach students effective ways to acknowledge bullying
and intervene before bullying can begin and/or continue.
Each student session
will begin with students working, in groups of four, collaboratively to define
the terms bullying and anti-bullying. While working collaboratively, students
will be given artistic materials (e.g., color pencils, makers, pencils,
crayons, and a sheet of white construction paper) in which they, as a group,
can illustrate the meaning of these terms.
Each session is
designed to encourage students to work collaboratively in regards to
understanding bullying and to properly instruct students to recognize bullying
and ways to use effective methods to prevent the act from occurring and/or
continuing. It is vital for students to work collaboratively because working
together helps students build communication and social skills which is an
important attribute in defusing a bullying situation.
The primary goal for my
project is for students to be educated on what bullying is, how they can recognize
bullying, and what methods they can use to prevent bullying from occurring
and/or continuing. This pilot program will combine effective strategies as well
as brainstorming ways to improve ineffective strategies and integrate them into
the school’s curriculum.
Significance of Project
Since
there has been minimal research on anti-bullying strategies practiced in
American K-6 schools, I intend to create an anti-bullying pilot program for
third grade students. The program will help educate students about bullying. This
program will utilize yet modify pre-existing anti-bullying elements to create a
strong strategy that will help with the reduction of bullying cases. Students
will work collaboratively with peers to demonstrate their understanding of
bullying and strategies to prevent bullying from occurring/continuing. Bullying
awareness will be enhanced, along with students social and communication skills.
Student’s self-confidence will be enhanced because they will learn that it is
permissible to report a bullying case. In addition, this program is intended to
be introduced to several other elementary schools in which they can implement
this program into their curriculum.
Limitations
Since this issue
is often ignored, one concern is whether students will also ignore the severity
of this issue. Studies have demonstrated that students seldom report incidents
of bullying and often identify these issues as “kidding around” or “kids will
be kids” (Scarpaci, 2006). Through research and data analysis, evidence shows, students
refrain from seeing the severity of this issue and perceive it as “kidding
around.” It is important that students perceive bullying as an issue rather
than a “joke” or teasing.
Another concern is
if there are bullies and/or victims in the class, will they actively
participate in the activities and discussions. If the bully and the victim are
grouped together, they might be hesitant to work together. Victims maybe
fearful of working with the bully which may make them vulnerable to further
bullying. This is a great opportunity for these individuals, bullies, victims,
and witnesses, to be heard but the main concern is will they be heard. Will
they participate and engage in these activities and discussions for their voice
to be heard. This project utilizes group work and if students (bullies/victims)
are not willing to work together, it will be difficult for them to enhance
their communication/social and understand bullying. Teacher and student participation
and support are essential for this program to be successful.
Summary of Chapter
This project is
imperative in finding solutions to increase students’ knowledge about bullying
as well as utilizing effective anti-bullying strategies within American K-6
schools. Since this issue is being ignored, students are lacking proper
education on how to identify and prevent bullying from occurring. Students will
learn various ways to identify bullying by working collaboratively during six workshops
as well as being introduced to strategies that are effective and ineffective in
American K-6 schools. The elements within pre-existing strategies will be
modified for my pilot program, so we, as a class, can create a strong and
effective anti-bullying program.
This
chapter has expressed the significance of what my project entails. This chapter
provided a preview of the researched issue, the literature that was reviewed,
and the methodology that will be used during the research process. The ensuing
chapter will consist of a thorough analysis of literature that pertains to
effective and ineffective anti-bullying strategies within American schools.
Definitions
Anti-bullying- Prevent any repeated oppression brought upon by a
more powerful person against a less powerful person.
Bullying- “Bullying
is repeated oppression, psychological or physical of a less powerful person by
a more powerful person or group of persons (Rigby, 1999).”
Direct
Bullying- “Involves physical and verbal attacks on victims (Smith, Cousins, & Stewart, 2005).”
Effective-
creating a desired and positive outcome
Indirect
Bullying- “Typically involves covert activities intended to isolate and
marginalize victims (Smith, Cousins, & Stewart,
2005).”
Ineffective-
not creating a desired purpose or outcome
P4 program- was developed
in Ontario, Canada by Woodfine, Lubimiv, and Langlois (1995).
This program uses sock puppets to teach students about conflict resolution and
about the severity of bullying. (Beran & Shapiro, 2005)
