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Bullying in Middle Schools Schools need to be aware and proactive when dealing with bullying and harassment. Their policies should extend to teacher, parent, community, staff, and student. Middle School children are influenced by the adults around them. They need to know that their parents, teachers, school staff, and community understand and respect them. When something like bullying happens to a student, when they feel as if they are alone and as if they are being the only one harassed- they need to know that the adults around them care, and are actively doing something to help the situation. Two of the most important things that all parties should know is: both the bully and the victim need support and when dealing with bullies address the behavior, not the child, as the problem. Schools need to have an anti-bullying policy in their school policies. This policy needs to be reinforced by everyone, not just the staff. All people involved in any way with the school need to have access to this plan and the school should take the time to educate all parties. Teachers should teach lessons about bullying and talk about different strategies on dealing and coping with bullies. Mini-lessons should be centered around positive change and how everyone should be involved and how the school cares. There should be active learning and sharing from all during these lessons. The school staff needs to know what to do if they see bullying happening. They also should have a plan on how to report and support those involved. Parents should know what is going on at all times. They should also know ways to help their child, whether their child is the bully or the victim. There can be a school wide meeting, letters sent home from the classes, whatever. There needs to be something for the parents. The community should try to have an anti-bullying policy out of school as well. No one likes to be bullied. It should be well known everywhere that bullying is not accepted. The community should have something related to this where children can see and experience it. That support will show children that they are not only not alone but also that they can find support where ever they might need to. |
