Module 4 discussion topics and key concepts

¶ … Bullying

When it comes to bullying, some parents and teachers unfortunately seek refuge in the notion that "all kids bully one another at some point" and that it's merely an aspect of growing up. Such an idea couldn't be further from the truth. Bullying is a traumatic and damaging experience for any child to go through; in fact, some experts claim that all parties involved are in trouble, and that the children who engage in the bullying are often making a cry for help as well. Furthermore, given this age of intensified and advanced technology, children unfortunately have news ways to terrorize one another. In fact, some forms of bullying occur exclusively over social media. Given these higher stakes, parents and educators have an intensified obligation to address bullying head on in creative and effective ways.

One of the foremost ways that can truly assist children in dealing with bullies is by helping them to strengthen and empower themselves. For instance, strengthening the victim can empower the victim to deal with bullies more effectively and to act more assertively (unisa.edu.au, 2010). Such an approach also helps children develop more important life skills and helps them to develop more successful means of reacting to the cruelty of bullies. Some experts say that the only way of dealing with a bully is via strength and that this is the only way to make bullies respond appropriately to their victims and potential victims. A comparable method is known as the "support group method" and the philosophy behind this technique is that it helps kids to confront bullies by using strength, but this time using the collective strength of a greater community. This technique was "previously called the 'no blame approach', it involves speaking with the victim and identifying the perpetrators, after which a group meeting is held which includes the bullies and several students who support the victim, but not the victim. The practitioner describes the victim's distress and then each person says how he or she will help. The situation is then carefully monitored" (unisa.edu.au, 2010). This philosophy behind this method is that bullying occurs because bystanders allow it to happen and that other children help to facilitate bullying either by looking the other way or by encouraging the bully through either laughter or praise or some other form of negative reinforcement. This technique prevents the bully from engaging in further attacks on a potential victim in that it recruits a veritable army around the victim -- a form of collective support for reinforcement and assistance.