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The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Paul NortonElementary

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Program Program ComponentsComponents

School-wide

Individual

Classroom

Community

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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The Olweus Bullying The Olweus Bullying Prevention ProgramPrevention Program

IS...IS...• UniversalUniversal (a school-wide effort)(a school-wide effort)• Systems-oriented Systems-oriented AND AND

individual-orientedindividual-oriented• PreventivePreventive AND AND problem-solvingproblem-solving• Focused on changing normsFocused on changing norms andand

behaviorbehavior• Research-basedResearch-based• NOT time-limited:NOT time-limited: Requires Requires

systematic efforts over timesystematic efforts over time© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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The Bullying The Bullying Prevention ProgramPrevention Program IS IS

NOT...NOT...• a curriculumcurriculum

• a a conflict resolutionconflict resolution approachapproach

• a peer mediationpeer mediation program

• an anger managementanger management program

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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““Bullying . . .”Bullying . . .”

A A studentstudent is being bullied is being bullied when he or she is when he or she is

exposed,exposed,repeatedlyrepeatedly and and over time, to negative actions over time, to negative actions

on the part of one or more on the part of one or more students.students.

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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Bullying implies Bullying implies an an imbalanceimbalance in in

power or strength.power or strength.

The student who is bullied The student who is bullied has difficulty defending has difficulty defending

himself/herself.himself/herself.

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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Indirect Indirect BullyingBullying

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

• Getting another person to Getting another person to assault someoneassault someone

• Spreading rumorsSpreading rumors• Deliberate exclusion from a Deliberate exclusion from a

group or activitygroup or activity• Cyber-bullyingCyber-bullying

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Direct Direct BullyingBullying

• Hitting, kicking, shoving, Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting…spitting…

• Taunting, teasing, Taunting, teasing, degrading racial or sexual degrading racial or sexual commentscomments

• Threatening, obscene Threatening, obscene gesturesgestures

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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Effects of BullyingImmediate Effects

Students who are bullied experience– Fear– Anxiety– Depression– Physical Symptoms– Poor performance in school

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Effects of BullyingImmediate Effects

Students who bully others• Have little empathy toward targets and their

situations• Gradually become more scornful of targets• If no adult intervenes or rarely does so, it is

perceived as a signal of silent approval of the activities leading to a negative class/school climate

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Effects of BullyingLong-term effects

Students who are bullied

• Former targets of bullying were more likely to have trouble with poor self-esteem and depressive tendencies through age 23.

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Effects of BullyingLong-term effects

Students who bully others

• Boys who are bullies during their school years have a higher risk than other boys for subsequently becoming involved in crime and alcohol abuse. For example, at the age of 24, former bullies had a level of relatively serious repeat crime that was 4X higher than boys who were not bullies during their school years.

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Goals of the Olweus Goals of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Bullying Prevention

ProgramProgram

• Reduce existing bully/victim Reduce existing bully/victim problems among school childrenproblems among school children

• Prevent the development of new Prevent the development of new bully/victim problemsbully/victim problems

• Improve peer relationsImprove peer relations

• Improve school climateImprove school climate

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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Program Principles--Program Principles--

• Warmth & Warmth & Positive InterestPositive Interest

• Involvement from adultsInvolvement from adults

• Adults acting as authorities Adults acting as authorities and positive role modelsand positive role models

• Firm limits and non-hostile Firm limits and non-hostile and non-physical sanctionsand non-physical sanctions

It is critical to develop a It is critical to develop a school environment school environment characterized by:characterized by:

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

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On-the-spot Interventions

1. Stop the bullying2. Support the target3. Name the bullying behavior4. Refer to the school rules

1. We will not bully others.2. We will help students who are bullied.3. We will include students who are easily left out.4. When we know somebody is being bullied, we will

tell an adult at school and an adult at home.

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On-the-spot Interventions

5. Impose immediate consequences

6. Encourage the bystanders

• There are specific follow-up procedures we utilize as well, following such incidents.

• If an incident is reported to the teacher or staff member, they must investigate before following our procedures for reporting bullying.

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What happens?

• If a bullying incident occurs, and it is a child’s “first offense”, the situation will be addressed and the parent may or may not be contacted (it would depend upon the severity of the situation).

• If a child is involved in a bullying incident for a second time, a paper is sent home with the child to fill out and the parent is asked to sign and return the form to school.

• For a third offense, the child’s parent(s) will be asked to meet with Mrs. Trepa to complete a plan on how to extinguish the bullying behavior.