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27 Mar

Bullying Prevention

At The Monarch Institute, we believe that no amount of anti-bullying signs, slogans or movements will be effective without foundational beliefs and practices that foster a community centered in care and respect. The following tips are examples of practices we have integrated into The Monarch School with overwhelmingly positive results.

Tip #1
Shared Values – In many schools, all of the campus and classroom rules are determined by the adults, and students are expected to know and follow them. Allowing students to participate in the establishment of mutually agreed upon standards for communication and behavior increases their buy-in, ownership of and ability to defend those values when they are threatened. Students who are actively involved in the creation of these shared values are less likely to bully, and more likely to have the courage to defend another student who is being bullied.

Tip #2
Critical Thinking – The degree to which students are able to think for themselves, discern right from wrong, and evaluate a given situation impacts their ability to respond to bullying behavior, even when a majority of their peers are encouraging the bully. Overtly teaching students how to think critically improves their confidence, independence and self-reliance, decreasing the likelihood of their becoming a victim of bullying.

Tip #3
Perspective Sharing – A common characteristic of students who bully is their inability to “role take” or “see through the eyes” of others. Fostering empathy and perspective sharing skills not only decreases the amount of bullying that occurs in communities, but it also empowers students to be more compassionate and caring. With the ability to understand other perspectives comes greater acceptance of differences and openness to compromise.

Tip #4
Consensus-Based Decision Making – Making group decisions by consensus, in which all community members (faculty and students) must agree on the decision, is one of the least efficient and most time consuming ways to make a decision. And it’s one of the best processes for giving everyone a voice, empowering those who might not otherwise be able to contribute, and teaching students to be curious and caring about each other’s needs.

Tip #5
Peer Mediation – Bullying decreases when there are non-violent solutions available when conflicts or breakdowns in communication occur. Peer mediation provides students a safe opportunity to work toward win-win solutions with other students and teachers. When students are feeling “picked on” or bullied, trained peer mediators facilitate a meeting between the two to air concerns and come to a “we” agreement for future interactions. Peer mediation programs encourage a higher degree of mutual respect between teachers and students.

Schools whose teachers focus on foundational practices such as those described above equip their students with the awareness, understanding and skills necessary to foster a milieu centered in respect, an environment committed to care, and a community devoted to defending the rights of all to enjoy a safe learning experience.

John Barone
A+ Certified Presenter
The Bullying Crisis
Director of Communications
The Monarch School

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