Why do bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence happen?
Staff
Q. I'm an upper primary teacher and I like students to work out their own problems – like bullying. Why should I intervene?
A. When bullying incidents occur, they are a signal that students are not able to sort things out on their own. Everyone has the right to feel safe at school, and bullying can have long-term negative effects on students' self-concept and relationships.
Q. Why should I deal with harassment in early childhood classes?
A. By the time children reach school age they have well-established beliefs and behaviours. Some of these behaviours, particularly those that reflect gender stereotypes, promote power imbalances that lead to bullying, violence and harassment. Children of all ages, including young children, need to be taught skills and experiences that enable them to recognise these social practices and to develop strategies for conflict resolution and to sustain nonviolent relationships.
Q. We have a great behaviour management plan and rules at our school, but
students are still ostracising and picking on others. Any ideas?
A. Formal rules – especially rules that are developed by everyone who is affected by them – are important, but so is learning about positive social connectedness within and across groups. As teachers, we have a lot of power to help or hinder this quest. Using punishment responses all the time can be enough to damage the belief in positive relationships. To increase social connectedness, we need to reduce fear and suspicion, to constantly affirm the right to hold different views, to provide opportunities for nonviolent dissent and to demonstrate and encourage relationships based on trust, respect, fairness and care for others.
Q. Can you explain why I must always use exactly the same words when I speak
to some students with intellectual disabilities about their violence? I'm
sure they understand everything I say, and I feel more comfortable correcting
them in my own words.
A. Keep in mind that although students with
intellectual disabilities might understand our words, abstract concepts are
much more difficult for them to comprehend, and so simple directions can be
misunderstood. By having a 'script', you can eliminate much personal variation.
This variation might make life interesting for most of us, but for young people
with intellectual impairments it can confuse communication.
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