At a Glance

• A little respect can go a long way
  Bullying is a serious problem in schools, yet responses to bullying incidents can go only so far, writes Marge Scherer, editor-in-chief of ASCD’s Educational Leadership. She shares stories from educators who reflect on their role in changing a disrespectful culture into a respectful one. While it is possible for everyone to bully and be bullied, the teachers note, it also is possible for anyone to promote respect and a more positive school environment. Educational Leadership (9/2011)     

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Who Bullies and Why?

• Bullying comes naturally to many students
  Research has found that teachers and administrators witness only about 4% of all bullying incidents, and it continues to be an increasingly subtle — and serious — problem. Bryan Goodwin, vice president of communications at McREL, writes that studies show more than 70% of bullying is indirect or psychological. Typical bullies are not necessarily stereotypical outcasts and may even be popular or interested in improving their social status. While bullying comes naturally to many students, Goodwin writes that schools should take such behavior seriously and that the most effective preventions work to change the school climate. Educational Leadership (9/2011)     

• A quarter of high-school students report being bullied
  About 25% of high-school students say they were bullied during the 2008-09 school year, primarily by being the focus of jokes or the subject of rumors, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The bullying most likely was to take place in the classroom or school hallways. While fewer students say they were bullied online, a growing number of online incidents resulted in students getting into fights at school or avoiding certain parts of the building. U.S. News & World Report/High School Notes blog (8/24)     

• Other News

• 9/11 attacks led to harassment of some Muslim students

  Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org) (9/8)     

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The Role of Technology

• Professor: Technology makes bullying easier
  Bullying increasingly is taking place through text messages, e-mail, social media, video recordings and websites. Kathleen Conn, a professor at Neumann University and a cyberbullying expert, said online bullying originated among male students, but girls more frequently are taking part. Conn said advances in technology have made it easier for students to engage in cyberbullying, which is most common among middle-school students. The Mercury (Pottstown, Pa.) (8/23)     

• How to prevent bullying on social networks
  Many educators are beginning to realize that social-networking tools such as Facebook and now Google+ can be used by students to create groups that include, exclude and otherwise bully their peers. In this blog post, graduate research and teaching assistant Ira Socol suggests educators bring these tools into the classroom with forethought and care regarding how they can be used to support open learning environments, while protecting against the creation of harmful and unsafe situations for students. Edutopia.org/Ira Socol’s blog (8/1)     

• School has students report bullying online
  A Nebraska middle school offers an online reporting system on its website for students who are bullied. Students can report bullying incidents anonymously, and administrators receive the reports and take action. Since implementing the online reporting this year, administrators say they already have seen a decline in bullying as students become more empowered to report incidents. KHAS-TV (Hastings, Neb.) (9/6)     

• Should schools be able to punish students for online bullying?
  A West Virginia high school had the authority to discipline a student for creating a harassing MySpace page about another student, according to a federal appeals court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit found that “[s]uch harassment and bullying is inappropriate and hurtful and … it must be taken seriously by school administrators in order to preserve an appropriate pedagogical environment.” The case is the latest to consider the scope of school discipline when the Internet is involved, and rulings have come down on both sides of the issue. Education Week/School Law blog (7/27)     

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Preventing Bullying

• The power of restorative practices
  Restorative practices, in which students assume responsibility for their bad behavior and receive support in repairing the damage, more likely are to improve student behavior than simply doling out punishments, says Laura Mirsky of the International Institute for Restorative Practices. She writes about three restorative practices that work, including a conference in which the parties discuss the incident and how the situation can be repaired. Other approaches are to have students express how they have been affected by certain behaviors or to hold group discussions in a circle about concerns. Educational Leadership (9/2011)     

• Using student pledges to deter bullying
  Maurice Elias, director of the Social-Emotional Learning Lab at Rutgers University, in this blog post encourages teachers to consider their position on creating a pledge for students to sign to help prevent bullying in school. Elias suggests that a powerful and effective pledge created, in part, by and for students would affirm values the students seek to uphold, and would be signed publicly by each student. Edutopia.org/Maurice Elias’ blog (6/13)     

• The role of mentors in ending bullying
  Middle-school students who are mentored by college students could be less likely to become bullies, according to the architects of a bullying-prevention program. Education professor Tammy James and middle-school health teacher Marnie Gibson also say that college students could help younger students open up about bullying in a way they will not around adults. “They’re more likely to listen to older students because they look up to them — as opposed to adults looking down on them,” one student said. Daily Local News (West Chester, Pa.) (8/25)     

• Other News

• Teacher: 10 steps to decrease bullying

  The Washington Post/The Answer Sheet blog (8/26)     

ASCD Resources

• Additional Educational Leadership issues
  Educational Leadership: Promoting Respectful Schools (September 2011)

  Digital EL: Promoting Respectful Schools (September 2011)

  Educational Leadership: Schools, Families, Communities (May 2011)     

• ASCD Resources
  Book: Inspiring the Best in Students

  PD Online® course: Bullying: Taking Charge, 2nd Edition

  Education Update: Cyberbullying: Is It Happening In Your Class?

  Inservice blog post: Why Respect for Students is a Positive Practice

  Inservice blog post: Buddy or Boss?

  Inservice blog post: Building Respectful Schools and Individuals

  Inservice blog post: Why We Must Teach to Learning Needs, Not Race

  ASCD Express: Setting Up Teachers for Success

  Whole Child Podcast episode: A Whole Child Approach to Addressing Bullying

  Whole Child resources intended to help develop environments that keep students physically and emotionally safe

  Research a Topic: Character Education     

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