SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

SAFE SCHOOL POLICY

Draft: 12 May 2010

Senior High School actively seeks to provide a safe, supportive learning environment that is free from all forms of intimidation and harassment.

Bullying is a form of anti-social behaviour that has no place at Senior High School. It is the responsibility of every member of the school community to ensure bullying behaviour is actively rejected.

All staff have the responsibility to assist those students subject to bullying, resolve issues and provide support to victims.

Bullying is a pattern of repeated and unjustifiable behaviour by one person towards another, which is designed to hurt, injure, embarrass, upset or discomfort the other person.

There are three common features of bullying:

·  Deliberate, hurtful behaviour

·  Repeated, often over a period of time

·  Difficult for those being bullied to protect themselves. The bully is usually more powerful than the victim.

There are three main types of bullying:

·  Physical – hitting, kicking, taking belongings

·  Verbal – name calling, insulting, racist remarks

·  Relational – spreading nasty stories, rumours. This can include ‘cyber-bullying’ via text message or using internet sites

Violence, harassment and bulling affect everyone not just the bullies and the victims. The affect may also be on children who witness violence and aggression and see the distress of the victim. These negative behaviours damage the atmosphere of a classroom and the climate of the school.

Violence, harassment and bullying will not be tolerated at School Senior High School. It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent these behaviours happening in order to develop a school wide ethos of respect and responsibility, and cooperation.

Cyber-bullying

Cyber-bullying involves the use of electronic devices, such as mobile phones and the internet, to bully or harass another person. While this may happen outside of school hours or school grounds, where it involves students from the school or impacts on them, it is covered by this policy.


Responsibilities in Managing Bullying

School

·  Inform staff and students about what is acceptable behaviour

·  Implement programmes that build resilience, foster positive relationships and minimise bullying in the classroom

Students

·  Treat all school members with respect, staff and students

·  Do not bully other students

·  Do not tolerate other students bullying

·  Tell a responsible adult if bullying is occurring to them or someone else

·  Act as a responsible bystander

·  Support a fellow student who is being bullied

Parents

·  Model and reinforce positive, non-bullying behaviour

·  Watch for signs their child is being bullied (or is bullying others)

·  Listen and take an active interest in your child’s social life

·  Encourage your child to accept and tolerate differences

·  If you suspect your child is being bullied (or is being a bully) inform the school immediately and request and interview

·  Reinforce that your child should tell a responsible adult if they are being bullied

Teachers

All staff need to have an understanding of bullying, an appreciation of the policy and procedures and a commitment to support students. All staff must be empowered to deal with bullying issues and not simply refer to a super-ordinate or Student Services. Staff must also have the skills and empathy to support victims as well as minimising bullying.

It is not acceptable for staff to ignore, or refuse to assist, a student complaining about bullying.

Factors that need to be considered in dealing with bullying include:

·  Model appropriate behaviour

·  Establish positive relationships with staff and students

·  Intervene early to minimise bullying

·  Deal with reported and observed incidences of bullying as shown in the flowchart on page 3

·  Use SIS procedures for recording incidents of violence, harassment and bullying in a consistent way

·  Provide expected supervision in the classroom and the yard

·  Report incidents of bullying to the appropriate personnel as shown in the flowchart

·  Provide relevant support to the victim

·  Assist the victim to develop an improved sense of resilience

Supporting the Victim

Victims of bullying should receive support. Examples of support include:

·  Staff acknowledging the victims feelings

·  Referral to Year Manager and/or Student Services

·  Discussion with parents

·  Peer mentors

·  Resilience measures

Specific Anti-bullying management Strategies

There are a number of strategies available to manage bullying situations. Guidance on using some of these strategies to resolve bullying is included later in this document.

Steps in dealing with a Bullying Situation:

Teacher Action

8 STEPS TO RESOLVE CONFLICT

The following model is useful in assisting staff resolve conflict between students. It has a wider application than in just bullying situations.

1.  Cool down. Don’t try to resolve a conflict when you’re angry (or the other person is angry). Take a time-out or agree to meet again in 24 hours.

2.  Describe the conflict. Each person should tell about it in his or her own words. No put-downs allowed! Important: Although each person may have a different view of the conflict and use different words to describe it, neither account is “right” or “wrong”.

3.  Describe what caused the conflict. What specific events led to the conflict? What happened first? Next? Did the conflict start out as a minor disagreement or difference of opinion? What happened to turn it into a conflict? Important: Don’t label the conflict either person’s “fault”.

4.  Describe the feelings raised by the conflict. Again, each person should use his or her own words. Honesty is important. No blaming allowed!

5.  Listen carefully and respectfully while the other person is talking. Try to understand his or her point of view. Don’t interrupt. It might help to “reflect” the other person’s perceptions and feelings by repeating them back. Examples: “You didn’t like it when I called you a name”. “Your feelings are hurt”. “You thought you should have first choice about what game to play at recess.” “You’re sad because you feel left out.”

6.  Brainstorm solutions to the conflict. Follow the three basic rules of brainstorming:

·  Everyone tries to come up with as many ideas as they can.

·  All ideas are okay.

·  Nobody makes fun of anyone else’s ideas.

Be creative. Affirm each other’s ideas. Be open to new ideas. Make a list of brainstormed ideas so you’re sure to remember them all. Then choose one solution to try.

Be willing to negotiate and compromise.

7.  Try your solution. See how it works. Give it your best efforts. Be patient.

8.  If one solution doesn’t get results, try another.

Keep trying. Brainstorm more solutions if you need to.

If you can’t resolve the conflict no matter how hard you try, agree to disagree. Sometimes that’s the best you can do. Meanwhile, realize that the conflict doesn’t have to end your relationship. People can get along even when they disagree.

Source: Beane, A.C.(1999), The Bully Free Classroom. Free Spirit Publishing, Minneapolis


Strategies to Resolve Bullying

The following pages detail the process for three commonly used strategies to resolve bullying. The table below indicates when each of the strategies might be used, and when not to use it.

Key points / When it’s best used / When it’s best not to use this approach
Shared Concern / This method uses strategies to develop empathy for others. The process should not be emotion based – it should be as intellectual as possible. This method is similar to the No Blame approach. / Appropriate for group bullying incidents. When the bullied student may have in some way attracted the bullying. Generally used for bullying reported after the incident rather than observed bullying incidents. / Time-limited situations. This approach requires some time to conduct. It is not suited to incidents of violent or criminal behaviour or where students are unable to develop empathy or concern for others.
No Blame / This approach is similar to the method of Shared Concern. It is more appropriate for younger students. / In less serious or one-off incidents of bullying where the students have been friends in the past. / When the bullying students are intentionally bullying the other or take enjoyment from the others hurt feelings.
Restorative Practice / The focus is on repairing relationships. Requires students to feel remorse for their hurtful actions. / Works well in groups and can help repair friendships. / If the offending student(s) display little or no remorse.


STRATEGY 1: THE NO-BLAME APPROACH

The No-Blame Approach is focused on finding a solution to bullying through assisting bullies understand the feelings of victims. The strategy is not to seek to identify who started bullying, when and over what, nor to find fault or award punishments. By seeking detailed answers and apportioning blame bullying may actually be enhanced by promoting revenge. Without having to consider blame or punishment, bullies will be more attuned to suggesting solutions and trying to improve things for the victim.

The suggested stages in implementing this approach are:

·  Interview the victim. The interviewer should concentrate on support for the victim and appreciating the actions of the victim for “telling”. Share the victim’s feelings and stress that he/she has done nothing wrong and has a right to a safe environment. Advise the victim that there will be a conference of the bully/ies and bystanders and the aim will be to have the bully appreciate the impact of his/her behaviour. Ask the victim who he/she admires and potential support people. Ask the victim to spend time clarifying his/her feelings. A diary may be a useful tool. The victim should be asked to write his/her feelings in an essay, poem or artwork. This will be used during the conference with the bully so that the bully can understand the feelings of the victim.

·  Consult with staff who know the peer group. Attempt to identify the main bully, bystanders who may have supported the bully and some who may have supported (or may support) the victim – seek to establish if any student leaders were bystanders and failed to act responsibly.

·  Convene a meeting of this group without the victim (this can be informal). Explain that there is a problem and that the victim is unhappy. Share the feelings of the victim (this may include reading from the victim’s statement). Do not go into detail and DO NOT seek to apportion blame.

·  Discuss the concept of group responsibility in bullying situations. Each member is then encouraged to suggest ways the victim’s problem may be solved. The facilitator should show support for helpful suggestions and seek to re-focus ones that will not promote respectful relationships. Students should not be asked for details of implementation or a promise of compliance.

·  Re-convene in a week to discuss progress. (This can be informal.) It is important that the group understands that you are leaving them to support the victim. It may be useful to meet each student separately to assess progress. This avoids competition between members as to who did well or accusations as to members who hindered progress. It is vital to ascertain that the bullying has stopped and the victim is feeling better.

·  Support the victim by meeting informally to check progress. Additionally, seek to link the victim with support.

The two groups of students (bully and victim) are not brought together but managed separately. The reason for this is to ensure that the key issue of improving life for the victim remains the main effort. It is considered that a meeting of all students may lead to issues of cause being explored, rather than effect, and encourage the search for who is to blame.

Students will be surprised that the staff facilitator does not seek to blame or punish individuals. This leads to an empathetic environment for the issue to be discussed.

The victim should not be asked to do anything different.

Don’t ask “why”. Bullies may not be able to explain and this may reduce the empathic environment.

Avoid labels of “victim” or “bully”.

Separate bullying from assaults or violence. The No-Blame Approach seeks to manage behaviour. Any specific violent act should be dealt with under the school’s Behaviour Management provisions.

Source: Maines, B. and Robinson, G. (1992). The No Blame Approach. Bristol: Lame Duck Publishing.

STRATEGY 2: METHOD OF SHARED CONCERN – PIKAS METHOD

The Method of Shared Concern has a number of similarities with the “No Blame” approach. With the Method of Shared Concern, or Pikas Method, the facilitator undertakes work with the bully/ies and bystanders prior to conferencing with the victim/s. The final stage is where the facilitator will bring the bully/ies, bystanders and victim/s together. The adult controls the meeting and focuses on improving the situation for the victim/s using the students to express the ideas that they shaped in the initial meetings.

The approach does not seek to establish blame or punish bullies.

This method of managing bullying incidents is based on the following principles:

·  Bullying occurs in a group context.

·  Changing the social dynamics that maintain bullying will prevent further bullying incidents.

·  Promoting a shift in behaviour by encouraging empathy and concern for others.

·  Punitive measures model and reinforce the use of power to meet needs and wants and put students at risk of revenge.

The Method of Shared Concern aims to change the behaviour of students involved in bullying incidents and improve the situation of the student being bullied. The method employs a non-punitive, non-blaming and non-aggressive approach to individual and group discussion of the incidents. Each student involved in the bullying incident participates in a series of individual discussions with a staff member, beginning with the bully/ies. Clearly defined steps are used to reach a point where the bully/ies agree that the student being bullied is having a difficult time. The bully is then encouraged to suggest and try out ways of helping to improve the situation for the victim. The victim is also provided with the opportunity to discuss the incident and encouraged to consider ways in which he/she can improve his/her own situation.