Let’s face it. Nobody wants to be a victim, and nobody wants to be party to bullying, harassment, or hazing. However, in the hormonal crucible that is middle school and junior high, children can be extremely cruel to one another. More so, it seems, when they have access to the Internet and even more ways to terrorize each other, including sexual harassment. As educators, we have a responsibility to stop this behavior and equip kids with ways to protect themselves. Here are 50 excellent blog posts about bullying that every teacher should read:
Bullying Basics
What is bullying, anyway? These blog posts describe ways to tell whether someone may be a victim of bullying behavior.
1. A Look at Bullying: What is Bullying? This post briefly describes bullying and gives a link to a website giving more detailed descriptions of bullying. There are also comments left about what readers think bullying means. 2. Definition of Bullying By General Statute This post is for anyone interested in the legal terms involving bullying. This is a good resource for teachers to be able to apprehend bullying before severe damage occurs.
3. Happy Slapping–A New Kind of Bullying? This post describes a specific bullying situation where bullies randomly hurt a stranger and film the incident. This incident is often posted online and shared between classmates.
4. Bullying is Subjective This post addresses in important problem blocking bullying confrontation: people have different definitions of bullying. Interpret it the way you want.
5. Is He a Bully? This is an interesting post about a mother being surprised that her son was considered a bully. Again, sometimes, it’s important to address the issues with both the victim and bullying person’s parents.
6. Bullying Clip (Second Entry) Mr. Bullyproof gives a good analysis of a YouTube video describing bullying behavior. He also raises an interesting question in the end that can be applied to other bullying cases.
Cyber-Bullying
These posts explore the growing problem of online bullying.
7. Bullying Moves Online This post points out a new, rising form of bullying: cyberbullying. There are some helpful links to articles and a video to help you understand more. 8. Facebook Nips the Bullies Elizabeth Bennett encourages social networking users to stop cyberbullying online. She also gives tips on preventing it in the first place.
9. When Will Our Schools Take a Stand Against Cyberbullying? This post talks about a new law that is designed to help counter cyberbullying. Teachers should be very familiar with this law.
10. Bullying Online is Common Mike fills us in on the stats and nuts and bolts of bullying. Cyberbullying is scary and in some ways more damaging than physical violence.
11. Cyber Bullying This is another excellent post about the rise of cyberbullying. Contains some pretty intense stuff.
Specific Bullying Cases
These cases are well-known in most instances because the victim of bullying ended his or her life. This occurs so frequently that a new term, “bullycide,” has been coined.
12. Teen Bully Convicted This post gives a link to a story about a few teens getting charged after a victim committed suicide. Readers share their opinions. 13. The Sociopaths and Phoebe Prince Elizabeth Bennett shares her thoughts about a recent suicide case in Massachusetts involving a bullied newcomer in a high school. Bennett talks about the exploration that bullies tend to do when bullying isn’t stopped.
14. What Can Forgiveness Do to You? This post is about how Phoebe Prince’s father focused on forgiving the students that drove his daughter to suicide. This is a good technique to encourage victims to do to ease their own suffering.
15. The Power of Forgiveness Similar to the case of Phoebe’s father, this girl’s parents forgave the girls that pressured the victim into suicide. This is an important thing to keep in mind.
16. Bullied Student Wins 800K Settlement Learn how schools and school districts may be held liable in cases of bullying.
Discussing The Bully’s Motives
These blog posts talk about the possible causes for bullying and ways these can be neutralized.
17. Why Do Some People Bully This post briefly describes some motives for bullying, again providing a link to help readers explore reasons. There is also detailed input from readers about what they think causes people to bully. 18. Bullies and Victims This post gives a link and video to what maybe motivates a bully to keep bullying. Readers again share their thoughts.
19. What Motivates Bullying Behavior Mr. Bullyproof gives a typical scenario of what causes a bullying relationship to start. This is important to keep in mind to help both the bully and the victim confront their weaknesses.
20. Deprogramming Bullies This post links to an article on the TIME magazine website.
Bullying Prevention Strategies and Programs
These posts are devoted to solving the problem of bullying.
21. Bully Branding Elizabeth Bennett brings up an interesting question about why we wait after the fact to solve a problem, leading to so many tragic cases involving bullies. This is a valid point instructors can benefit from. 22. Anti-bullying Series: Reactive or Preventive This post gives bullet points about what constitutes and doesn’t constitute a good anti-bully plan. Teachers should use this to formulate their own rules for bullying prevention.
23. Pit Bull Stops Bullying The author of this blog describes briefly how an incident with her dog inspired her to encourage others to educate and fight bullying. You may be touched.
24. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program This post contains a video and information about a recent program developed by Hazeldon and Clemson University.
25. Stop the Blame Game This post brings up a good point that both bullies and victims may have negative attitudes about themselves. This is a good point to consider to end the bullying chain.
26. To End Bullying, We Must Promote Confidence This post brings up a valid point that self-confidence is a method to end bullying. The author gives some tips to promoting a self-confident image.
27. Bullying is Part of a Much Bigger Picture Social worker Maryfrances Palmisano points out certain external factors that can be taken to prevent bullying. This includes education about exercise, healthy eating habits, and being open about problems.
28. Help Them Build Good Friendships Kathy Mangold, magazine editor, talks about how positive reinforcement can discourage bullying. She also emphasizes friendships.
29. News Coverage of Bullying Event This post contains a link about an event the Verbal Judo Institute did involving parents. Teachers can get some ideas about holding a similar event for their children.
30. Have the Talk with Your Children This is a good thing to encourage parents to do.
31. Can Dads Stop and Ask for Directions Often times when a parent confronts a teacher about bullying, it’s the Moms. Here are maybe some concerns that teachers can think about and address for the well-being of the kids.
32. This Summer, Break the Pattern of Bully Behavior This post gives a judicious warning about how parents should talk to their children about bullying before school resumes. This is a helpful message for teachers to pass on to parents.
33. MTV and a Thin Line Conquer Sexting This may be a topic of interest for teachers with older students. Sexting seems to have played a significant part in recent cases.
34. Film Documents Teen Bullying This post gives some brief info about a film made about bullying. Readers also share their thoughts about what impact the movie can make.
35. Building a Safe Place….for Themselves W. Lee Fjelstad brings up a very important point here: it is important that we build a safe place in a child’s mind and take time to listen and communicate with them to prevent mental damage later.
36. Step It Up, Teachers! Dr. George Thompson gives a video link and talks about how it is important for teachers to be on guard for bullying. He explains why teachers are the rescue team here.
37. Teachers, Consider Yourself Classroom Cops Robert Willis points out a good point that teachers and other school officials could be liable in bullying cases. This is a great point to keep in mind.
38. Affirmation Quote for Self Self-affirmation is an important strategy to prevent susceptibility to bullying.
Helping Victims of Bullying
You may wonder what to say or do when a child has been victim of bullying. Here are some helpful suggestions.
39. Adult Recognition of Bullying Behavior This blog by a psychology researcher reviews studies related to the effects of bullying on children over the long term. 41. People’s Various Opinions on a Bullying Statement This post asks readers to describe the bullying scene at their school. There are a lot of thoughtful comments posted.
42. Message to Bullied Kids: Be Assertive, Not Aggressive This post from the vice president of the Verbal Judo Institute gives some good advice to victims of bullying. This is something teachers can share with their students.
43. Do You Want Them to Like You or Respect You? The author uses an example about bullying to illustrate the difference between being liked and being respected.
44. Solution to End Bullying Exists….So What’s Missing? Coach Bob Lindsey points out another point: bullying leaves signs. He warns us that when there is tragedy involving bullying, there has often been knowledge of its occurrence beforehand.
45. Bullies Do Devastating Damage Dr. George Thompson tells about how parents should educate kids to defend themselves and not pass on the bullying to feel better about themselves. Teachers should follow the same thing.
46. We Know the Problem, We Need the Answers Kathy Mangold gives some good tips on helping kids deal with destructive comments. This makes for some good conversation topics teachers can have with the students.
47. Violence Warning Signs This is what teachers should have heeded before the Columbine incident. These tips can be applied to both bullies and victims of bullying.
48. My Kid Fought Back-What Now! This post explains how to deal with the scenario in which the kid is not passive toward the bullying and fights back. This post implies how teachers should take these bullying messages seriously.
49. Violent Kids Dr. Helen posts this helpful information for kids and teens. Adults who work with kids should definitely read this.
50. Interesting Book on Bullying and Revenge Review of Todd Strasser’s book, Give a Boy a Gun. The blogger thinks that teachers and students alike should read this thought-provoking piece to better understand the roots of school violence.
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