Bullying in the Classroom What it looks like and what to do about it

What is bullying? To cause physical harm to a student, damaging a student’s property or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm or actions resulting in an intimidating, threatening or abusive environment for a student. Engaging in written or oral expression or physical conduct that Fort Worth ISD determines: to have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property; or to be sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment for a student.

..\INOK team file\FORT WORTH ISD Teacher Bullying Reference Chart (Secondary).docx Forms of Bullying

Bullying Statistics Around 10% of children have time off school due to bullying. Up to 40% of children think teachers have no clue that bullying is happening within the school. Victims of bullying are more likely to suffer from common illnesses such as colds, sore throats and stomach problems. By the average age of 23, children who had been bullied in school were found to still suffer from depression and stress related illnesses. Nearly 60% of boys who were classified as bullies when they were younger had been convicted of at least one crime by the time they were 23 Source:

Setting up a bully-free classroom Create an open and safe environment ◦No hidden areas, foster a connection Hang anti-bullying posters Talk to your students about bullying (set the tone on the first day of class) Make bullying awareness/prevention a part of your lessons Give the students a list of bullying prevention rules –post these in your classroom Have the students sign a bullying prevention class pledge on a banner and hang that banner in the classroom

Setting up a bully-free classroom Have assigned seating Do not allow students to choose their own groups/teams for class projects Do activities that promote class unity Have an anonymous “notes-to-the-teacher” box or determine another anonymous way for students to report bullying Train students on how to deal with bullying (ex: scenarios) Get students involved in the It’s Not Okay (INOK) campaign Keep your eyes and ears open at all times! (Source :

Strategies for Teachers Be approachable Model non-bullying behaviors Take every student’s complaint seriously Address bullying behaviors that you observe ◦Never force a victim to face their bully, especially after an incident ◦No forced apologies, handshakes Change seat assignments when needed Have meetings with students to discuss bullying issues Provide students with ways to deal with bullying Be consistent! Work with team teachers for prevention and intervention strategies Make referrals when necessary-Student Support Services, Administrators Get parents involved!