Critical Reflection
Reflecting on this assignment and the amount of research and information I have read and watched as well as the inclusion of my own personal experiences with bullying, I have placed myself in a position where I feel as though it is extremely vital that I have an abundance amount of information, strategies and understanding to assist me in dealing with bullying. I know that with anything, I will never reach a point to where I have gained enough knowledge on this subject; Leading to why I believe it is crucial that I undertake additional professional development to boost my understanding of what bullying is and find suitable ways to connect my learning into the classroom environment as well as with families and the community. I have also come to an understanding through this assignment that dealing with bullying is not just the responsibility of the teacher but it requires the active assistance and involvement of families and bullying plays such an influence on their lives. Parents and siblings play a crucial role in a child's developmental growth and therefore, are vital in the process to build a classroom framework which connects with the schools policies to eliminate bullying and anti-social behaviours within my classroom. This aligns with supporting the future vision of the public to discourage bullying within the entire school community and finally society as a whole. Initially, to start my fight or campaign against bullying within my classroom I would develop a set of classroom rules derived from the students, allowing them to define what they feel is acceptable behaviour making them accountable for their actions. Lessons and discussions about bullying at times will be student centered, a forum encouraging students to speak and reflect on anti-social behaviours and address any thoughts or concerns, as well as how we as a class community can make our learning environment safe for all students.
Reflecting on this assignment and the amount of research and information I have read and watched as well as the inclusion of my own personal experiences with bullying, I have placed myself in a position where I feel as though it is extremely vital that I have an abundance amount of information, strategies and understanding to assist me in dealing with bullying. I know that with anything, I will never reach a point to where I have gained enough knowledge on this subject; Leading to why I believe it is crucial that I undertake additional professional development to boost my understanding of what bullying is and find suitable ways to connect my learning into the classroom environment as well as with families and the community. I have also come to an understanding through this assignment that dealing with bullying is not just the responsibility of the teacher but it requires the active assistance and involvement of families and bullying plays such an influence on their lives. Parents and siblings play a crucial role in a child's developmental growth and therefore, are vital in the process to build a classroom framework which connects with the schools policies to eliminate bullying and anti-social behaviours within my classroom. This aligns with supporting the future vision of the public to discourage bullying within the entire school community and finally society as a whole. Initially, to start my fight or campaign against bullying within my classroom I would develop a set of classroom rules derived from the students, allowing them to define what they feel is acceptable behaviour making them accountable for their actions. Lessons and discussions about bullying at times will be student centered, a forum encouraging students to speak and reflect on anti-social behaviours and address any thoughts or concerns, as well as how we as a class community can make our learning environment safe for all students.
"There is no doubt that the effects of bullying can be serious. However, parents, students, schools and local governments have each an important part in helping the society be bully-free. Everything can be done within our means to eventually stop bullying"
(Bullyingfacts.info, 2014)
(Bullyingfacts.info, 2014)
My pre-assumptions about bullying
Within this section I will identify three assumptions I had prior to this assignment which I feel needed to be addressed in order for me to critically evaluate my position in regards to bullying. My pre-assumptions on bullying are as follows:
There is a large amount of differing information readily available
When I decided to use this topic for this assignment,I thought that their would be various amounts of information readily available; However I felt as though there was a lack of differentiating knowledge when it came to bullying especially relating to the perspective of the bully and within a family context. Many articles, websites and videos direct their focus on the victim and prevention strategies within the school, noting a link between home and community rather then expanding on how to all work simultaneously together to support the victims, explore why people bully and eradicate such behavious.
Parents and teachers are well educated on what bullying is
I was surprised to learn the about the lack of education parents and educators had on what the term bullying actually means and involves. I discovered that parents and educators could not define what behaviours were acts of bullying and what was typical school yard banter as well as establishing the difference between direct and indirect bullying (Mishna, Peplar & Wiener, 2006). I feel as though, including parents, families and community members in a School Wide Positive Behaviour System well help place everybody on the same page, discouraging misconceptions, all having an educated understanding and establishing a strong parent involvement in their children's lives.
Bullying is not extremely life-threatening on an individual
Looking through information and videos to find a child's perspective on bullying I came across an astounding amount of footage and articles detailing the deaths of children due to bullying, with suicide as being children's answer to the resolution to escape victimization. I did not think that bullying had reached these heights and was so detrimental to the lives of children as young as 8 years of age. I discovered that suicide has a real connection to bullying, with suicide being the third leading death for children aged between 12-18 (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007). Other information includes statistics stating that nearly 14 per cent of American High school students each year contemplate committing suicide, with 11 percent detailing how they would end their lives and about 6.3 percent actually attempting suicide (CDC, 2010). These alarming statistics alone should ignite anyone, educator, parent, siblings, neighbors, communities and societies nationally and internationally to be well educated on bullying and team up to end bullying once and for all.
There is a large amount of differing information readily available
When I decided to use this topic for this assignment,I thought that their would be various amounts of information readily available; However I felt as though there was a lack of differentiating knowledge when it came to bullying especially relating to the perspective of the bully and within a family context. Many articles, websites and videos direct their focus on the victim and prevention strategies within the school, noting a link between home and community rather then expanding on how to all work simultaneously together to support the victims, explore why people bully and eradicate such behavious.
Parents and teachers are well educated on what bullying is
I was surprised to learn the about the lack of education parents and educators had on what the term bullying actually means and involves. I discovered that parents and educators could not define what behaviours were acts of bullying and what was typical school yard banter as well as establishing the difference between direct and indirect bullying (Mishna, Peplar & Wiener, 2006). I feel as though, including parents, families and community members in a School Wide Positive Behaviour System well help place everybody on the same page, discouraging misconceptions, all having an educated understanding and establishing a strong parent involvement in their children's lives.
Bullying is not extremely life-threatening on an individual
Looking through information and videos to find a child's perspective on bullying I came across an astounding amount of footage and articles detailing the deaths of children due to bullying, with suicide as being children's answer to the resolution to escape victimization. I did not think that bullying had reached these heights and was so detrimental to the lives of children as young as 8 years of age. I discovered that suicide has a real connection to bullying, with suicide being the third leading death for children aged between 12-18 (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007). Other information includes statistics stating that nearly 14 per cent of American High school students each year contemplate committing suicide, with 11 percent detailing how they would end their lives and about 6.3 percent actually attempting suicide (CDC, 2010). These alarming statistics alone should ignite anyone, educator, parent, siblings, neighbors, communities and societies nationally and internationally to be well educated on bullying and team up to end bullying once and for all.