Bullying Versus Conflict
Social media has brought bullying and its harmful effect more into the open. At Robert Smith School, as a preventative strategy to promote safety and respect, anti-bullying strategies are discussed and taught at all grade levels at school. Students are being taught to problem-solve during class meetings and to share the responsibility of a safe learning environment at school. Notwithstanding these efforts, there is often confusion between what is bullying as opposed to the normal conflicts that often occur when children interact and try to meet their individual needs for power, belonging, freedom and fun. The following information has been quoted from the “Dare to Care” Bully-proofing Program to help distinguish between normal conflict among peers versus bullying behaviour.
Normal Conflict Versus Bullying:
Normal Conflict: Equal Power between friends
Bullying: Imbalance of power -- not friends
Normal Conflict: Happens occasionally
Bullying: Repeated negative actions
Normal Conflict: Accidental
Bullying: Purposeful / Intentional / Meant to hurt
Normal Conflict: Not serious (though often irritating)
Bullying: Serious threat of physical or emotion harm
Normal Conflict: Equal emotional reaction
Bullying: Strong emotional reaction of distress or upset on the part of victim
Normal Conflict: Not purposely seeking power or attention
Bullying: Seeking power, control over the victim
Normal Conflict: Not setting out to try to get something
Bullying: Trying to gain material things or power
Normal Conflict: Evidence of remorse – students take responsibility
Bullying: No remorse ,,, no willingness to make amends ... perpetrator blames victim
Normal Conflict: Authentic effort to solve the problem
Bullying: No real effort to solve problem
With the increased access to the internet and electronic tools, cyber bullying is on the rise. What should parents watch for and monitor?
Resources for Parents:
Safe Schools (Also available on the LSSD web site: lssd.ca)
www.getwebwise.ca
www.cyberbullying.ca
www.bewebaware.com
Social media has brought bullying and its harmful effect more into the open. At Robert Smith School, as a preventative strategy to promote safety and respect, anti-bullying strategies are discussed and taught at all grade levels at school. Students are being taught to problem-solve during class meetings and to share the responsibility of a safe learning environment at school. Notwithstanding these efforts, there is often confusion between what is bullying as opposed to the normal conflicts that often occur when children interact and try to meet their individual needs for power, belonging, freedom and fun. The following information has been quoted from the “Dare to Care” Bully-proofing Program to help distinguish between normal conflict among peers versus bullying behaviour.
Normal Conflict Versus Bullying:
Normal Conflict: Equal Power between friends
Bullying: Imbalance of power -- not friends
Normal Conflict: Happens occasionally
Bullying: Repeated negative actions
Normal Conflict: Accidental
Bullying: Purposeful / Intentional / Meant to hurt
Normal Conflict: Not serious (though often irritating)
Bullying: Serious threat of physical or emotion harm
Normal Conflict: Equal emotional reaction
Bullying: Strong emotional reaction of distress or upset on the part of victim
Normal Conflict: Not purposely seeking power or attention
Bullying: Seeking power, control over the victim
Normal Conflict: Not setting out to try to get something
Bullying: Trying to gain material things or power
Normal Conflict: Evidence of remorse – students take responsibility
Bullying: No remorse ,,, no willingness to make amends ... perpetrator blames victim
Normal Conflict: Authentic effort to solve the problem
Bullying: No real effort to solve problem
With the increased access to the internet and electronic tools, cyber bullying is on the rise. What should parents watch for and monitor?
- Child spends long hours on the computer
- Child closes windows on their computer when an adult enters the room
- Parent notices disturbing / concerning behavioral changes on the part of the child
- Child spends extended time in chat groups and gets behind with school work
- Parent finds unexplained pictures on computer and child won’t say who they are talking to
Resources for Parents:
Safe Schools (Also available on the LSSD web site: lssd.ca)
www.getwebwise.ca
www.cyberbullying.ca
www.bewebaware.com