Task 3
Bullying and aggressive behaviour within schools cannot be tolerated
and is an issue that frequently occurs. As school councilor I have
the opportunity to chair
the committee and ensure that every important aspect of bullying and aggressive
behaviour is identified and discussed to provide clearer understanding
on minimizing these acts.
I would respond to the situation by identifying all the aspects that
I think should be raised. These include:
*who gets bullied
*who are the bullies
*the reasons why they bully
*the effect bullying has on the victim
*some strategies for reducing the rate of bullying
*any questions or situations that the teachers wish to discuss
*how to manage bullying behaviour in and outside the class
As bullying and aggressive behaviour can occur in many different situations
it is essential that every staff member who has contact with the children
attends the meeting. Each staff member is advised to read the book “Bullying: Concepts
and strategies for anti-bullying education (2003)” as it explains simply
the strategies that any teacher can apply to a bullying situation. The other
important reference that should be read by all staff is the web page
http://www.onthenet.com.au/~townsend/about_anti-bullying.htm which is based on Miami state school’s approach to bullying and the strategies they suggest should be undertaken. The other interesting aspect of the website is the “bullying test” which is designed to inform schools of their rate of bullying and whether it occurs within their school. Bullying and aggressive behaviours amongst students can be addressed within the teaching competency that every teacher must be aware of.
Increasing levels of bullying within schools can be stopped and reduced
through communication and consistency of staff’s efforts. As chair person I
would ensure that each member understands and knows how to adapt the anti-bullying
strategies to their students. A follow up meeting is also essential for further
progress.