Information sheet
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Whole school community |
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Building a safe and supportive school and preventing bullying |
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Provide opportunities through the curriculum for the diversity of students (and staff) to develop relevant knowledge and skills in positive communication |
Bullying, harassment and discrimination can exist at every level and across every group as part of the social organisation of the school and the society, embedded in the culture as part of everyday rules and practices. Therefore it is unhelpful to single out a particular person or group as 'the problem to be fixed', or to work just on individual factors.
Students, staff and carers develop greater insights and generate constructive action for long-term change through examining the deeper issues that underpin bullying, harassment and discriminatory behaviours in our organisations and society, and that therefore influence the day-to-day social dynamics between students and all members of the school community.
At a whole school level, such effective responses can be encouraged through
establishing a critically reflective community of learners and raising awareness
of the socially constructed nature of much of the bullying and harassment
that occur at schools. Such an approach assists school community members to
move from blaming and wishing to punish or ostracise individuals, or, alternatively,
glorifying these behaviours, to understanding the construction of gender,
race, culture and class, and the negative effects that these constructs have
on the life experiences of individuals, groups and all members of the school
community.
One primary school is trying to encourage its students to form a critically reflective community of learners. Classes have:
A large primary school invited a critical friend from a local university to help set up an Action Research Group for staff. Members of this group worked on developing a set of understandings and skills to underpin the sort of curriculum that would make the need for behaviour management almost non-existent. This group's members developed a framework for integrated curriculum planning. They helped make decisions about those things that would underpin curriculum development within the school – for example, using critical analysis; knowledge and understandings of gender, race and class; investigation of cultural contexts; negotiation; active citizenship; using investigative processes such as action research.
Students and teachers at a number of year levels have been involved in using Action Research to investigate questions raised about violence and justice in their lives. All staff are involved in professional development about the social issues that underpin curriculum development and how important that is in terms of preventing and countering bullying and harassment.
Schools in action:
Examining gender, race, class
and power
No Fear - a Whole School Approach - resource kit
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (formerly DEST) (1995)
A kit of teaching materials to identify and address gender based violence. Topics discussed include the construction of gender, gender and the law, body works and sexual harassment. Both primary and secondary school versions available.
Piecing it Together ... Understanding the Construction of Gender
Department of Education, Queensland (1996)
Brisbane, Department of Education.
A training program designed as a self paced module which develops understandings of the implications of gender construction for student learning, behaviour and success at school
Hands off! : the anti-violence guide to developing positive relationships
Forsey, Christine & Shaw, Gary (1994)
West Education Centre, West Footscray, Vic.
A teacher resource for students aged 10 to 15 years. Covers group building
and valuing self and others through cooperative learning, understanding violence,
developing positive relationships for preventing violence, and raising awareness
of how social institutions perpetuate violence. The resource uses student-centred
learning to assist young people to understand violence in terms of context
of power and gender, why it occurs and the consequences. Students are assisted
with communication and negotiation skills for preventing violence in personal
relationships; and to understand the links between popular culture, sport,
and violence in Australia.
'Just boys, just girls and just schooling: Curriculum, behaviours (including
bullying) and gender',
Equity across curriculum perspectives, April
http://www.sacsa.sa.edu.au/index_fsrc.asp?t=ECCP&ID=E3.1A2
Gender Equity Curriculum Policy Directorate (2001)
A professional development paper that examines gender perspectives and power relations across the curriculum, and ways these issues might be addressed through curriculum, teaching and learning in all educational settings including child care, kindergarten, preschool and early primary contexts. Includes case studies from primary schools.
Playing fair
http://www.sacsa.sa.edu.au/ATT/%7BA0FC80D2-98FD-4D7B-8D18-9C72F0722462%7D/playingfair.pdf
Gender Equity Curriculum Policy Directorate
A short resource that supports teachers and parents in identifying bias in terms of gender, race, ability, sexuality, social class or cultural beliefs and practices, and addresses the issues through responses to children's questions and support for children to change things that are unfair.
Mind Matters: A Whole School Approach to Dealing with Bullying and Harassment
http://online.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters/resources/dealing.htm
Forms one component of a comprehensive whole school approach for mapping, managing and promoting mental health for students in junior secondary school. Includes a checklist to inform policy and practice, along with three classroom units and relevant materials.
Challenging Violence in Schools - An issue of masculinities
Mills, Martin (2001)
London: Open University Press.
This 169 page book examines the role of violence in school as the demonstration of a valued form of masculinity. School case studies are included along with key questions and suggestions to encourage constructive long term change.
