External media
Anti-Bullying
Bullying Stats from a study by the University of British Columbia
- 64 per cent of kids had been bullied at school.
- 12 per cent were bullied regularly (once or more a week).
- 13 per cent bullied other students regularly (once or more a week).
- 72 per cent observed bullying at school at least once in a while.
- 40 per cent tried to intervene.
- 64 per cent considered bullying a normal part of school life.
- 20-50 per cent said bullying can be a good thing (makes people tougher, is a good way to solve problems, etc.).
- 25-33 per cent said bullying is sometimes OK and/or that it is OK to pick on losers.
- 61-80 per cent said bullies are often popular and enjoy high status among their peers.
Anti-Bullying Resources
Quotes from the talk
"A teacher that can be replaced by a machine, should be"
"Education is a self organizing system, where learning is an emergent phenomenon"
"Good teachers don't want to go to the places they are needed most"
"If children have interest, then education happens"
"Children will learn to do what they want to do"
Teachers and Bullying
I believe that teachers can have incredible influence on the anti-bullying front. I remember my practicum seminar teacher Dr. David Blades saying that when a teacher just walks around a school, with their ears open, they can learn all sorts of things that are going on in it's halls. This includes bullying. Another example of this is when I was in grade 11. Rumors of a big fight were circulating the school and I repeated them to my friend at his locker. I immediately heard one of my teachers ask me what it was about, and despite my feigned innocence, he was able to find out the time and location from me and notify the correct authorities. Teachers can also create chances for bullying. It could be as simple as grouping students together that you know might not get along, or perhaps one of the students would feel excluded. Teachers can use this power over their classroom and students to avoid potential problems and also create friendships. Many students would not receive a chance to get to know their peers without a teachers influence. Finally I believe a teacher should never be a bystander to bullying. No matter how much time is left in class or the day, how stressed he/she might be, there is never a time to ignore a cry for help.