National Bullying Prevention Week is Oct. 4-10
PACER Center Offers Activities to Increase Teen Bullying Awareness
Oct 3, 2009
Though most educators likely talk to kids about bullying prevention all year long, National Bullying Prevention Week provides a window of opportunity for educators to immerse kids in anti-bullying messages and educational activities. Through repetition and reinforcement, students will gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of bullying and what they can do to help.
What is Bullying?
At its core, bullying is when one person repeatedly and purposely engages in behavior that hurt or humiliates another person. It comprises a wide range of behavior that can include teasing, name-calling, pushing and shoving, exclusion, spreading rumors, intimidation, rude sounds or gestures, and many others. Boys are more likely to bully in obvious and overt ways, while girls are more likely to engage in more subtle, indirect bullying, also known as relational aggression.
How Many Kids are Bullied?
A National Center for Educations Statistics report indicates that in 2001, between 16% and 22% of middle school students reported being the victims of bullying within the preceding six months. (Student Reports of Bullying, NCES, 2005, p. 6.)
What are the Effects of Bullying?
Bullying has negative effects on both the bullied and the bullier. Students who are bullied may develop a fear of going to school. They may suffer from low self-esteem, avoid activities where they may be harassed, experience a decline in academic achievement, or choose to carry a weapon to school for protection. Bulliers are more likely to wind up with a criminal record.
How Can Bullying be Prevented?
The PACER Centers’ 4th annual National Bullying Prevention Week is the perfect opportunity for kids and adults to focus on thinking and talking about bullying. PACER provides a number of resources and activities that can help educators
Educators can help teach and support students in the following ways:
- Take all reports of bullying seriously. If kids feel that they aren’t being listened to and helped, they will stop reporting and take matters into their own hands, sometimes with devastating results.
- Show respect to all kids, so they learn how to respect each other. Adults who shame, humiliate, or belittle kids set the precedent that this behavior is tolerated.
- Talk often and openly about bullying, and make sure kids know that it isn’t tolerated. Teach kids alternate ways to solve their disagreements or manage their anger. Let them know that there are sure and swift consequences for bullying other students.
- Provide kids with resources to learn about bullying prevention. PACER provides a great bullying prevention toolkit that educators can use during National Bullying Prevention Week. It includes themed educational activities for each of the five days. PACER also recently unveiled its new Teens Against Bullying Website, a teen-friendly, interactive site packed with resources and activities teens can do on their own.
Though National Bullying Prevention Week is only seven days long, educators can use these activities as a springboard to keep dialoguing with students about bullying prevention all year long.
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