Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Get Smart: Understand the many types of bullying



By Dr. Jacqueline Smart


 Get Smart: Understand the many types of bullying


 
Many people believe they can recognize the signs of bullying behavior. Because of this reason, I want you to have a clear understanding of some of the ways that bullying can happen. 


Please understand that a child being mean to another does not automatically constitute bullying behavior. We don’t want to minimize mean behavior, but it is important to know the components of bullying. Bullying is an intentional act that is done on purpose. The bully’s goal is to cause harm, fear and shame to his or her victim. 


Face-to-face bullying


Bullying that is done face-to-face is considered traditional bullying. It shows its ugly head in various forms, such as physical violence: hitting, kicking, pushing or restraining, and-verbal violence such as name calling, teasing, taunting or threatening.


Verbal bullying can be seen as the old-fashioned way of bullying. It does not usually involve physical contact. Instead, words are used, either spoken or written, to cause fear, shame and intimidation. It could include teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, and/or threatening to cause harm. I’m reminded of back-in-the-day when classmates use to say, “I’m going to get you after school” with their fists balled up. Please keep in mind that the victim oftentimes does nothing to provoke such behaviors.

Social or relational bullying


Social bullying, also known as relational bullying, involves the destruction of another person’s reputation and/or relationships. Social bullying includes intended isolation (i.e., excluding a person from a group activity or telling others not to be friends with an individual), spreading rumors, and embarrassing the victim in public. According to Crick and Grotpeter, these acts are defined as “harming others through purposeful manipulation and damage of their peer relationships.”


Physical bullying


According to NoBullying.com, “physical bullying encompasses causing injury to a person’s body or possessions.” It includes forms of harassment such as name calling and stalking as well as more violent forms of abuse: “Hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, in addition to taking and/or breaking someone’s possessions.” It can also constitute forms of physical abuse where one person or a group will target and alienate a peer and taunt, torture and physically harm the individual because of a perceived difference in the individual. This type of bullying can have dire consequences, with the victim being severely hurt or killed.


Cyberbullying


Advances in technology have greatly influenced the way young people live their lives. Named so by Bill Belsey, cyberbullying is a term used to define bullying that is done via technology, specifically using the Internet. A victim becomes the target of hateful emails, cell phone calls, pictures, and websites that post hateful messages in an effort to intentionally humiliate and torment a person. Text messaging: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have become a new outlet for bullying. As with traditional bullying, cyberbullying can occur between one individual and a victim or among a group against a victim.


Acting white


Intellectually academic African-American students face daily taunting and intimidation from other black students simply for being academically smart in school. Black students are often told, “You’re acting white” or “You think you’re white” or “You think you’re cute” when their peers hear them speaking “proper” English or excelling in school (Davis 2011). It is sad that in the year 2016 some people still see African Americans being intelligent and academically successful as a white privilege only. 


Jacqueline Y. Smart is a middle school teacher and has been employed with the Savannah-Chatham school system since 2000. She has earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Cambridge College School of Education. Send your questions and comments to getsmartaboutbullying.blogspot.com or jackiesmart89@gmail.com.

Monday, June 20, 2016

Dr. Jacqueline Smart
Bullying is being malicious to others repeatedly and can include teasing, threatening physical harm, spreading rumors, the deliberate exclusion of others, physical attacks, and verbal abuse.
Bullying no longer just takes place in person, for the Internet has opened the door to what is now known as cyberbullying. This type of bullying transpires online, through text messages or via emails. The bully posts rumors on social media sites such as Facebook, shares pictures or videos that are embarrassing to the victim, as well as creates phony profiles or websites all in the hopes of shaming and humiliating the victim.
While the victim is often the main focal point in the bullying cycle, it is important to note that victims are not the only ones to suffer. A bully may also have life-long issues related to bullying.
In addition, bullying behaviors are more apt to continue into adult relationships. Husbands, wives, children, and significant others are at risk of being abused. The strong influence of bullying leaves the bully with the unhealed wounds that caused him or her to bully in the first place. Moreover, it leaves the victim feeling inadequate, worthless, and fearful. These are all feelings that drive criminal activity and domestic violence (NoBullying.com 2014).
From my observation as a classroom teacher, there is definitely a similarity between a student and their academic achievement when it comes to being a victim of bullying. The victim’s focus moves from being successful academically to focusing on fear, blame, being ashamed and the overwhelming feelings of powerlessness.
Schoolwork suffers when a student begins to worry and only focuses on his or her safety and well-being. To some, coming to school may feel more like going to prison instead of a place of learning. School years should be for learning academically, learning social skills with your friends/peers, and participating in after-school sporting activities.


Please send your questions and comments to getsmartaboutbullying.blogspot.com or jackiesmart89@gmail.com.