Physical Bullying: When one or more students attack a peer
physically (ex. Hitting, kicking, and shoving)
Verbal Bullying: Involves verbal insults or teasing/name calling.
Electronic Bullying: use of electronics to insult, threaten, taunt,
harass or intimidate a peer.
Relational bullying: Verbal methods used to threaten relationships or
social standing of victims (Ex. Excluding from important social events,
spreading rumors to promote exclusion of an individual)
Cyberbullying
physically (ex. Hitting, kicking, and shoving)
Verbal Bullying: Involves verbal insults or teasing/name calling.
Electronic Bullying: use of electronics to insult, threaten, taunt,
harass or intimidate a peer.
Relational bullying: Verbal methods used to threaten relationships or
social standing of victims (Ex. Excluding from important social events,
spreading rumors to promote exclusion of an individual)
Cyberbullying
Who: Child, preteen, or teenager
What: Tormenting, threatening, harassing, humiliating, or embarrassing actions targeted by another child, preteen, or teen towards another minor.
When: Typically takes place off-campus and outside of school hours. Schools are often sued for exceeding their authority and violating the student's free speech rights.
When: Typically takes place off-campus and outside of school hours. Schools are often sued for exceeding their authority and violating the student's free speech rights.
Where: Internet, interactive and digital technologies, or mobile phones
Why: Often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration. Sometimes they do it for entertainment or because they are bored and have too much time on their hands and too many tech toys available to them. Many do it for laughs or to get a reaction.
Types of cyber bullying
1.Direct attacks (messages sent to kids directly) via:
1. Instant messaging/text messaging.
2. Stealing passwords
3. Blogs
4. Websites
5. Sending pictures through cell phones and email
2. Cyberbullying by proxy (using others to help cyberbully the victim, either with or without the accomplice's knowledge). Because cyberbullying by proxy often gets adults involved in the harassment, it is much more dangerous.
Case study: Megan Meier- committed suicide over a Myspace hoax an adult neighbor created. The federal Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act was introduced to Congress on April 2, 2009.
MEGAN’S MEIER'S STORY..
10 ways to help prevent cyberbullying...
- Tell students to never pass along harmful or cruel messages or images.
- Train students to delete suspicious email messages without opening them.
- Ask students to step up to friends who are cyberbullying and tell them to stop.
- Teach students how to use technology to block communication with cyberbullies.
- Speak to students about the importance of telling a parent or adult about any cyberbullying they’re witness to.
- At home, supervise your child’s time online. Putting the computer in a common area, such as the kitchen, is a good idea.
- Addressing cyberbullying school-wide is key -- help institute a formal policy for dealing with any cyberbullying instances. Be sure students fully understand the consequences. For some guidelines on crafting a program, visit HotChalk.com and see Preventing Cyberbullying: A Conversation with Mike Donlin.
- Create a community outreach program to educate those beyond the school walls to the dangers of cyberbullying. Have students work with the Chamber of Commerce or other civic group to create an awareness campaign.
- Teach students the basics of smart and savvy Web behavior, such as never revealing passwords or real last names.
- Pay attention. If you notice a student is withdrawn, depressed or reluctant to attend school or social events, investigate.
Resources for Parents:
http://www.bullyingcourse.com/
offers a number of ways to support you in your learning about the issue of bullying, you choose the path and resources that will best help you in your learning journey.We offer different online learning resources for parents, educators and others who are interested in addressing the issue of bullying more effectively in their homes, schools and communities.
The Online Mom
Nasp Online - Cyberbully curriculum
Relational Bullying
While we may not be able to physically see the signs of relational bullying, it's still no less real. In many ways it can be even more torturous and isolating that physical or verbal bullying. Using psychological warfare, that many children may have learned from their parents or siblings, bullies can easily torment those who might be weaker or unsuspecting. Many people may actually have some or a lot of experience with some of the characteristics of this form of bullying.
Types of Relational Bullying:
The Silent Treatment:
Ignoring someone purposefully in order to isolate them and make them feel alone. Sometimes children may even purposefully go somewhere they might normally interact with the victim just to demonstrate the extent of their ostracism.
Exclusions from Groups:
Similar to the silent treatment, but other tactics may be used and the message is that the victim doesn't belong.
Spreading Rumors and Gossip:
Spreading any kind of slanderous, false stories about another individual can be quite common. Though it doesn't have to be made up, spreading someone's secrets around can be just as harmful as constructing fake ones.
Taunting:
This also might fall into the category of "verbal bullying," but in this case it's not said to the person's face specifically, there are indirect ways of getting your taunting to the victim.
Conditional Friendships:
Perhaps when of the more insidious forms of relational bullying, children may often put rules on their friendships with others, stating things like, "I will only be your friend if..." This is playing on the desire of the victim to belong and to have close friends.
Concerns:
Relational bullying can be one of the tougher forms of bullying to identify, parents may be very defensive of their children who may have learned their techniques from that adult, making it hard to confront the issue head-on.
Children also tend to want friends at the age where they might be the most vulnerable, even if this is at the expense of their own happiness. Kid that are relationally bullied may simply put up with this behavior from their peers in an attempt to maintain the friendship simply fearing the lack of any friendship at all.
Relational Bullying Prevention:
Multiple Social Groups allow children to bounce between groups, allowing them to thwart most attempts to bully them by simply abandoning one group for a more reliable set of friends.
Model Behavior that you would like your child to replicate. Make sure to treat your child with dignity and respect. Avoid gossiping and setting conditions on your love. Promote positive, kind behaviors and avoid any negativity.
Talk to your Child about Bullying and Empathy. This seems self explanatory, but many parents don't know how or don't ever see an opportunity to bring it up. Be direct; bring it up with your child and explain to them what each of these is and ask them to put themselves in the shoes of each role, explaining how they might feel and why that behavior might hurt someone else.
