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1. Helping children deal with bullies - the works of Kathy
Noll
TAKING THE BULLY BY THE HORNS
SELF-HELP BOOK & WEB SITE
GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH
http://hometown.aol.com/kthynoll/bully.htm
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2. Regarding "Bully" themed page at Education World
(new March 2001)
The website "Education World," has a special bullying
themed page at
http://www.educationworld.com/a_special/bully_2000.shtml.
There appear to be many resources you can draw on from there.
The current article that the site has on bullying can be found
at
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr327.shtml
.
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3. Teasing and Bullying
EEC is working to find ways to help teachers and administrators
address
teasing and bullying behaviors effectively. Teachers need to learn
how to
deal with bullies who, at the very least, disrupt the learning process.
Quit
it!, EEC's new guide to pro-social teaching strategies, is a crucial
resource
for every teacher and administrator.EEC's Teasing and Bullying Project
and
its Quit it! guide for teachers have been featured in popular and
teacher
education magazines and journals. Here's a sample:
"On Purpose: Addressing Teasing and Bullying in Early Childhood."
Young
Children (National Association for the Education of Young Children),
March
1999.
"Fostering Friendships, Curbing Bullying." Educational
Leadership
(Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), May 1999.
"Sticks and Stones: Is Your Child Being Bothered by a Bully?"
Parent Guide,
May 1999.
"It's Not Child's Play: Teasing and Bullying Can Cause More
then a Few
Tears." Children and Families (National Head Start Association),
October
1999.
Look for upcoming article in Equity and Excellence in Education's
special
issue on gender equity (April 2000).
More about Quit it!
Educational Equity Concepts, Inc.
114 East Thirty-Second Street, New York, NY 10016
Voice/TTY: Fax:
E-Mail: information
http://www.edequity.org/teasing.htm
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4. Depression and children - noticing and helping (new
March 2001)
This is a National Mental Health factsheet on children and depression
Children's Mental Health
Children And Depression
Clinical depression is one of the mental, emotional and behavior
disorders that can appear during childhood and adolescence.
Depression in children can lead to school failure, alcohol or other
drug use, and even suicide.
Basic Facts about Clinical Depression and Children/Adolescents
* As many as one in every 33 children may have depression.[1]
* Up to 2.5% of children and up to 8.3% of adolescents in the U.S.
suffer from depression.[2]
* Once a young person has experienced an episode of major depression,
he or she is at risk of experiencing another episode of depression
within the next five years.
* Children under stress, who experience loss, or who have attention,
learning or conduct disorders are at a higher risk for depression.[3]
* The rate of depression among adolescents is similar to that of
depression in adults, and may be as high as one in eight.
* Two-thirds of children with mental health problems do not get
the help they need.
Symptoms of Depression in Children/Adolescents
Symptoms of child and adolescent depression
They vary in severity and duration and may be different from those
in adults. Diagnosing depression in these age groups can be
difficult because early symptoms can be hard to detect or may be
attributed to other causes. Child and adolescent psychiatrists3
advise parents and other adults in a young person’s life to
be aware of signs of depression, such as:
* Missed school or poor school performance
* Changes in eating and sleeping habits
* Withdrawal from friends and activities once enjoyed
* Persistent sadness and hopelessness
* Problems with authority
* Indecision, lack of concentration or forgetfulness
* Poor self-esteem or guilt
* Overreaction to criticism
* Frequent physical complaints, such as headaches and stomachaches
* Anger and rage
* Lack of enthusiasm, low energy or motivation
* Drug and/or alcohol abuse
* Thoughts of death or suicide
Young people who are depressed and exhibit additional symptoms,
such as insomnia, panic attacks and delusions or hallucinations,
are at particular risk for suicide. Child and adolescent psychiatrists
recommend that if one or more of these symptoms persist, professional
evaluation should be sought.
Possible Causes of Depression in Children/Adolescents
* The loss of love or attention, either by death or prolonged absence,
from someone on whom a child is dependent for care and nurturing.
* Deprecation and rejection of the child by a caretaker.
* Genetic vulnerability
* An increased rate of depression is found in children of parents
with bipolar disorder or who have been hospitalized for chronic
physical illness.
* Hospitalization, especially for a chronic illness.What Parents/Adults
Can Do
If parents and adults in a young person’s life suspect a
problem with depression, they should:
* Be aware of the behaviors that concern them, note how long and
how often the behaviors have been occurring, and how severe they
seem.
* See a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other mental health
professional or the child’s doctor for evaluation and diagnosis.
* Get accurate information about depression from libraries, hotlines
and other sources.
* Learn more about available treatments and resources from a doctor
or mental health professional.
* Talk to other families in their community that may be able to
offer advice and support.
* Identify and participate in family network organizations.
For More Information:
Contact your local Mental Health Association, community mental health
center, or for additional resources, please call 1-800-969-NMHA.
http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/78.cfm
And, of course their home page is ...
http://www.nmha.org
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5. Classroom meetings and bullies - works of Glasser
(March 2001)
The power and beauty of classroom meetings ...
a story from William Glasser’s “Schools without Failure”
In William Glasser’s book “Schools without Failure,”
he devotes a number of chapters regarding the use of the classroom
meeting as a vehicle for “turning classroom disharmony into
harmony.” One of the significant tools in this process is helping
students express what is has not always been easy for them to talk
about and ... for other students to truly hear what they have to
say.
This excerpt is found on pages 130 and 131.
A classroom bully who pushes other children on the playground,
dominates the games, and is physically abusive in and out of the
class often presents such a difficult problem. It seems that the
more he is discussed, the less effective the discussion proves to
be; the solutions offered by the class work poorly. Even for such
a problem the strength of the classroom meetings can be used in
two ways ...
First, often the solution to the problem of such a child
lies not so much in coming up with an exact answer, but in the discussion
itself. As individual members talk about him, as they see his faults
and shortcoming, they become less frightened and less able to be
intimidated. Allowing the problem to come out into thefor
discussion increases the strength of the bullied students so that
gradually, sometimes almost imperceptibly, thought the bully’s
behavior hasn’t changed, it becomes less destructive because
the others now have more strength.
Second, after he is discussed several times, discussion of
the bully might be avoided. Unless, he does something worthwhile
or constructive, he is not talked about; if he does something constructive,
it is mentioned. This technique removes the attention that he is
getting through aggressive behavior and focuses on constructive,
positive actions. The teacher might say, “There is no sense
talking about Johnny because he is doing the same thing that everyone
is complaining about. Let’s wait until we can talk about something
else he might do that the class would like.” Johnny, hearing
this and needing attention, will improve his behavior.
It is important, therefore, in class meeting for the teacher, but
not the class, to be non judgmental. The class makes judgments and
from these judgments words toward positive solutions. The teacher
may reflect the class attitude, but she should give opinions sparingly
and make sure the class understands that her opinions are not law.
Each child learns that he is important to every other child, that
what he says is heard by everyone, and that his ideas count. When
children experience the satisfaction of thinking and listening to
others, they are not afraid to have ideas, to enter into a discussion,
and to solve their own problems and the problems of their class
by using their brains.
Schools without Failure by William Glasser, Perennial Library -
Harper and Row, Copyright 1969
To learn more about the works of William Glasser you may wish to
explore information regarding the Glasser Insitute. They have an
comprehensive “Quality Schools,” programs which incorporates
his theories and practices. Along with classroom meetings, the program
places a strong emphasis and teaching to what is needed and useful
for the student. Among many outcomes - competence and joy are very
much included.
Glasser Institute Home Page
http://www.wglasserinst.com/
Editors note ... in this example the bully changes his way - in
part at least - by wanting positive attention. I wonder to what
extent does he also hear the the hurt and anger of fellow classmates
and to what extent does some empathy build as well. If anyone has
thoughts regarding this process, I would be glad to hear about it.
Marty K buildcare1
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