Are You Frustrated You Have Not Been Able to Stop the Bullies?
You are frustrated as a professional! You have given these bully victims all of your best techniques, and they are still being bullied. What should you do?
You are out of ideas! You are have given this student your best shot. You know what you should do?
Keep trying.
Tell those bully victims to return to you every time they are bullied. Tell them to keep a list of what the bully says, when they say it and who says it. They can keep a chart.
Then, You should talk to the bully several times. Each time the consequences should become more severe for the bully. Some of the consequences should include discussing what harassment is and giving them the county policy on the consequences of harassment.
Secondly, a phone call to their parents should be made informing them that their child has been reported for bullying several times.
Thirdly, you can enroll that bully and victim in The Bully Zapper mentor program.
Note on talking to parents: be sure you have ample proof and several incidents to cite to the parent before calling them. I usually wait until I have an adult who has observed the bullying behavior to be sure I am reporting valid information.
Finally, after attempting several of these interventions, an office referral and/or involvement of the administration should occur. If the bully is in the Bully Zapper Mentor Program already and they are still bullying, they should be removed at this point and referred to the administration.
I feel that it is more important to promote successful
mentor/mentee relationships, and refer the students who do not respond to more serious consequences. If these bullies are having some success with their mentors, they should be told that they need to leave this particular student alone or they will be removed from the program.
At this point, in or out of school suspension could occur, possibly a class or schedule change for either of these students, and/or a Pupil Services Team meeting on both of these students.
Most of all, you are to be commended for your work with victims and the bullies too. With the above techniques, I have had great success with stopping the bullying, rehabilitating the bullies and making the school environment more comfortable for the former victims.
© 2004 Permission granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to the email coach@bullyzapper.com and http://www.bullyzapper.com.
About The Author
Paula McCoach has been in public education for 23 years. She has been a school counselor for the past 10 in an alternative school and an elementary/middle school in Maryland. She has spearheaded mentor programs, Character Education initiatives, & Bully awareness. For more information, send an email to coach@bullyzapper.com or visit http://www.bullyzapper.com.
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