Preventing Bullying in the Classroom: 10 Proactive Tips for Educators
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to focus on and raise awareness on bullying. National Bullying Prevention Month was founded to help transform a society that accepts bullying into a society that recognizes that bullying must – and can – be addressed through education and support.
We are sharing some tips and resources for spotting and dealing with bullying in the classroom and how to create a safe space for students.
Bullying is a common form of violence for youth.
With one in five students reporting that they have been bullies, chances are you will encounter it in your classroom or with young people you work with (data courtesy of https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/stats.asp):
- One out of every five (20.2%) students report being bullied
- 9 out of 10 LGBTQ students experience bullying or harassment
- Only 20% of students notify an adult when they are bullied
- 59.5% of LGBTQ students feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, 44.6% because of their gender expression, and 35% because of their gender
- Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school.
There is no singular way that bullying happens; it comes in many forms.
Knowing and understanding the types of bullying that may occur in the classroom can help to prevent it:
- Social bullying includes purposeful social exclusion from a group, spreading rumors, telling others not to be friends with someone or other methods of intentionally isolating the victim.
- Verbal bullying involves teasing, taunting, name-calling, and threats to cause harm.
- Physical bullying consists of actions like hitting, kicking, spitting at, tripping, or pushing. It can also include breaking or stealing possessions.
- Cyberbullying includes spreading rumors online, sharing inappropriate information or pictures online, threats made over the internet, online impersonation, or outing someone online.
The bullying issue affects not only youth but those who witness it.
Witnesses report feeling less safe, helpless to stop it, and intimidated. Plus, bullied youth are at a higher risk for adverse physical or emotional health issues. Learning to spot the gateway behaviors and signs of bullying can help prevent it:
- Eye rolling
- Prolonged staring
- Back turning
- Laughing cruelly/encouraging others to laugh
- Name-calling
- Ignoring or excluding
- Causing physical harm
- Spying
- Stalking
It’s vital for adults to know how to respond, to be there for those involved in bullying situations, to hold youth accountable for bullying behavior, and to support and educate youth about how to advocate for themselves and others.
Here are some proactive things you can do in your classroom to help prevent bullying and support students:
- Educate Yourself.
- The first step you can take to help students feel safe and welcome is to educate yourself. Learn about the issues important to your students and the things impacting them. Ask questions and be informed on community issues.
- Encourage respect for all students.
- Model respect, discuss respect, and praise respectful behavior.
- Practice active listening
- This is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, the complete message being communicated. Most importantly, listen without judgment.
- Learn to identify early signs of bullying.
- If you see signs of bullying in your classroom, it may be a good idea to have a private discussion with the student acting differently to see if something is going on in their life.
- Identify where a student can go for extra support.
- Know who school counselors are and have a list of community resources for students in need.
- Use inclusive language in the classroom.
- Stay updated on inclusive language and correct yourself when you make a mistake.
- Use correct pronouns.
- Normalize asking for someone's preferred pronouns and introducing yourself using yours to help facilitate that.
- Empower students to break the cycle of bullying.
- Teach young people ways to confront bullying behavior through empathy with phrases like “I’m so sorry for what it is that’s bothering you.”
- Create opportunities for connection
- Encourage team-building activities, group projects, and activities that promote open communication.
- Keep Going!
For more resources and education around bullying, these helpful links can get you started:
A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Bullying in the Classroom
PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
Learn More from YEN:
Visit https://www.etr.org/yen/resources/ for more resources on Youth Engagement and more.
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