5 Ideal Anti Bullying Strategies For Young Learners

12th July 2021

Bullying is a much bigger issue and often emerges at an early age. Education in the pre and primary and secondary level in today’s date needs a holistic approach. In kids' life, it is not limited to the four walls of the school. Bullying in days date has extended to social media and cyberbullying.

Though the idea of kindness, empathy, and positive behavior is innate within oneself, it is still the responsibility of parents and teachers to allow the right exposer so that children can be expressive of their emotions and understand each other with compassion.

Schools are adding policies and programs to combat negative behaviors with the boundaries of school. Besides, teachers too are navigating various ways to take active initiation to prevent bullying. The classroom is the number one premise of students' interaction with his/her peer.

Open Talk About Bullying

Why the topic of Bullying needs to be introduced at an early age! Two things can happen when we choose to openly talk about bullying. First, they understand it is a serious matter and second, they can rely upon teachers and parents and feel safe. To do this properly, teachers may choose a particular day where they discuss the topic in detail. Starting from what bullying looks like, how they can share their concerns, and what happens when someone bullies, etc.

Besides this, you can encourage children to stand tall and help each other in times of need. There are several ways to introduce healthier methods to understand each other, see each other's differences and celebrate those differences. Younger kids can understand better when they feel supported to follow the right direction.

Teach Social Skills

Social skill is a vast area, but the key to helping children adopt social skills is through everyday activities. A teacher can model and prepare such activities for young children to practice those skill sets. Role playing, puppetry, games, and even presentation can be made to promote social skills. While forming the activities two things needs to be considered – age-appropriation and developmental stage.

Also, children feel more comfortable practicing social skills when they have a concrete understanding of what they are supposed to apply. In context to bullying empathy, assertiveness and problem-solving skills can be made as the theme for lessons and activities.

Introduce Problem-solving Skills

Allowing children to form an understanding of how to analyze and resolve issues from an early stage, helps them to build a strong sense of self-assurance. When you are preparing the activity on problem-solving, tailor make the lesson in such a where children are made to define the situation, think/analyze it, and choose the appropriate response/option.

Storytelling With Anti-bullying Message

Another active way towards the prevention of bullying is through storytelling. Since the majority of the time, storytelling is already a part of the curriculum. It won’t be hard for teachers to involve stories that come with positive messages about compassion and empathy. Through stories, they can even comprehend about what the consequence look like and how bad bullying can impact someone. The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson & Maria Dismondy are the two finest stories with a great massage.

Find Teachable Moments

Always be prepared to take advantage of teachable moments. Teachable moments are those windows of opportunities for teachers to intervene where positive behaviors can be reinforced and hurtful behaviors can be redirected towards healthy ones. Children especially, younger ones learn better when their presence of mind flows organically into the learning. This can take place through intervention. In moments like where have engaged themselves or children are going to indulge in bullying, intervene as the teacher. Include all children in the process – those who bully the victim and even the bystanders too.

Teachable moments are great for conflict resolution as well. Unless it is absolutely necessary for elders to intervene, allow children to find their own way to navigate those conflicts with each other.

Goodness cannot be learned but it can certainly be invoked, as no human is born evil. Teaching jobs in an educator's life are not confined to academic aspects of learning. Teachers must find ways to build a better understanding and bring healthier approaches to deal with emotional issues that children deal with in school.

International teaching diploma to help prepare modern teachers to provide a positive outlook in students’ lives that is much need in today’s educational field.

Written By : Anita Shah