Nelnah Bessie John Anti-Bullying Policy
Prevention:
We work together to build a safe and caring school where students are taught to recognize, refuse, and report bullying behaviors. The following definition, is used to identify bullying:
Bullying is unfair. It can be physical, verbal, social, or gender-based. It is any behavior that leaves you feeling hurt, frightened, threatened or left out on purpose. Bullying is intentional.
Our prevention program aims to build maturity, understanding and to teach empathy by:
Intervention:
There is no excuse for hurting others physically or emotionally. Children must learn to treat one another kindly despite their own feelings or personal situations. Interventions focus on the negative behaviors displayed rather than on the whole child. Replacement behaviors are taught and practiced for students to use in the future.
When bullying is reported, we will use methods to work toward changing the offenders behavior and making amends with the victim. This method involves interviewing all the people involved and working towards having the students take responsibility for their behavior.
Communication between administration, staff, students, and parents is a key factor when responding to bullying situations.
Consequences for bullying behaviors are outlined in the Code of Conduct. Consequences will be designed to both deter bullying and to teach appropriate behavior. Whenever possible, restitution will be the focus. Students who bully will be asked to problem solve, and repair the harm they’ve done.
Research shows that the most powerful influence on reducing bullying is the reaction of the students who are neither the bully nor the victim, but those who are aware of the situation happening. Bystanders who help to reduce the impact of a situation or who contribute to the escalation will be included in all interventions.
Follow Up:
Students involved in chronic bullying will be involved in interventions in a more meaningful manner. Based on the philosophy that punishing bullies leads to increased outbursts when adults aren’t looking, a change in the kind of bullying they do and increased feelings of revenge, less punitive measures will be taken. Staff will work specifically with victims, bullies and bystanders to reduce the negative impact of the bullying and to develop pro-social skills. The following are some examples of support students may receive:
Working with the Victim:
Working with the Bully
Working with the Bystander
Prevention:
We work together to build a safe and caring school where students are taught to recognize, refuse, and report bullying behaviors. The following definition, is used to identify bullying:
Bullying is unfair. It can be physical, verbal, social, or gender-based. It is any behavior that leaves you feeling hurt, frightened, threatened or left out on purpose. Bullying is intentional.
Our prevention program aims to build maturity, understanding and to teach empathy by:
- Providing excellent role modeling of calm and positive language, self-control, and acceptable problem solving steps;
- Direct teaching of empathy through the Career and Personal Planning lessons;
- Direct teaching of problem solving steps and anger management through the Career and Personal Planning curriculum and classroom teacher follow-up
- Direct teaching on the subject of bullying- definition, difference between bullying and fighting, skills for refusing bullies, how to report an incident, and the importance of not retaliating;
- Increased supervision
Intervention:
There is no excuse for hurting others physically or emotionally. Children must learn to treat one another kindly despite their own feelings or personal situations. Interventions focus on the negative behaviors displayed rather than on the whole child. Replacement behaviors are taught and practiced for students to use in the future.
When bullying is reported, we will use methods to work toward changing the offenders behavior and making amends with the victim. This method involves interviewing all the people involved and working towards having the students take responsibility for their behavior.
Communication between administration, staff, students, and parents is a key factor when responding to bullying situations.
Consequences for bullying behaviors are outlined in the Code of Conduct. Consequences will be designed to both deter bullying and to teach appropriate behavior. Whenever possible, restitution will be the focus. Students who bully will be asked to problem solve, and repair the harm they’ve done.
Research shows that the most powerful influence on reducing bullying is the reaction of the students who are neither the bully nor the victim, but those who are aware of the situation happening. Bystanders who help to reduce the impact of a situation or who contribute to the escalation will be included in all interventions.
Follow Up:
Students involved in chronic bullying will be involved in interventions in a more meaningful manner. Based on the philosophy that punishing bullies leads to increased outbursts when adults aren’t looking, a change in the kind of bullying they do and increased feelings of revenge, less punitive measures will be taken. Staff will work specifically with victims, bullies and bystanders to reduce the negative impact of the bullying and to develop pro-social skills. The following are some examples of support students may receive:
Working with the Victim:
- Counselling
- Safe-contact person
- Self-esteem building activities
- Friendship building opportunities
- Guidance on refusing to be bullied
- Support to parents
- Increased supervision and/or alternative plans and activities
Working with the Bully
- Positive behaviour plan
- Counselling
- Increased supervision and/or alternative plans and activities
- Self-esteem building opportunities
- Involvement by parents and teachers
- Support to parents
- Explicit individual lessons regarding bullying and its impact
Working with the Bystander
- Reward all attempts to reduce the impact of a situation
- Encourage and praise students who report bullying
- Explicit lessons regarding bullying and its impact as well as impact of bystanders