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Last updated on June 25th, 2023 at 07:50 pm
This past Wednesday, Oct. 19 was Unity Day and it was announced at my school for staff and students to wear orange to show support against bullying. So, I wore orange because I definitely support the cause, but I admit I didn’t really know much more than that about Unity Day. Hence, I am writing this post as I do a bit more research, so I can share with you more about Unity Day and bullying.
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center is where Unity Day comes from and it occurs on the third or fourth Wednesday in October. This event started in 2011. On this day people all over the nation are encouraged to wear orange, “…to show unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion and to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying” (PACER.org, 2022). Their website includes a lot of great information and activities that go along with Unity Day and bullying prevention. It’s well worth checking out!
Bullying comes in many forms and PACER.org used a report from the National Center for Educational Statistics written in 2019 that stated, “One out of every five (20.2%) students report being bullied.” Their website, also, states a fact from McCallion and Feder, 2013, that reads, “School-based bully prevention programs decrease bullying by up to 25%.” That really shows the importance of having that type of program in your school, along with the importance of teaching students social-emotional skills.
Second Step, one company that has a social-emotional skills program, also has a bullying prevention unit. I have not personally used it, but I know one of the schools I have worked in have used the kit with students. Check out there website for more information: secondstep.org
Another thing we can do is read books about bullying to our students and have discussions with our students on this important topic. Here are some good ones: The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith, The Juicebox Bully by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy, and Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. You could, also, incorporate some role-playing for students to show what they would do in a bullying situation, either as the victim or the bystander.
Children who are bullied are negatively impacted in many ways and the effects can be long-lasting. Unfortunately, we, as teachers, don’t always know when it’s occuring, so we aren’t able to help those students who may be suffering most. Research I am doing on this topic is not leading me to any tips for how to spot those students to be able to encourage them to share what may be happening to them. What comes up is how to best prevent bullying in the first place, which is great, but it isn’t realistic that all bullying will be prevented as evidenced from the statistics shared above.
My best tip is to observe and listen to your students. When you have spent time building relationships with your students, you’ll know when something is off. That’s when you pull that student aside and speak to them privately letting them know you are always there if they want to share anything good or bad, and you will be there to support them. You should, also, make note of these changes and speak with their parents to see if they’ve noticed anything and make them aware of your concerns. Hopefully, those students will come forward and share with you or another trusted adult what is happening.
In some instances, you may jump to the conclusion that a student is lying about another student saying or doing something to them, but it is best not to do that. Believe what they say, unless you are 100% certain it is a lie, even if the student is the one who usually exhibits difficult behaviors in the classroom.
But, also, be clear on the difference between bullying and conflict. I know many parents use the word bullying and say their child is being bullied, when, really, it is one instance of conflict between their child and another student. That type of situation would still need to be addressed in an appropriate manner following the procedures in your classroom and school, but would be handled differently than a bullying situation.
Bullying happens in schools. And I know this may seem like just one more thing on our plate, but our goal as teachers is to educate students and students aren’t learning when they feel unsafe. So it’s our job to educate ourselves about bullying and educate our students, so that they can stand up for themselves and others in safe ways. Please share below if you’ve attended any amazing professional development on bully prevention or have experience with a curriculum that has been successful in their school! I want to learn more, too!
