Anti-bullying is much more than pointing fingers and labeling perpetrators. Teens who are labeled as bullies are unlikely to simply change their ways just because they have been accused of bullying. Preventing bullying also goes beyond hanging rules on a classroom wall. The real goal should be to undermine bullying by fostering compassion in…

Jake was a popular sixth-grader at a local public school. He had plenty of friends and admirers, made good grades, and had adequate social skills. Jake was also a bully. Over the course of that sixth grade year Jake recruited a couple of friends, and then a much larger groups of peers, to target a classmate: Matthew. The school was quick to…

The Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to preventing youth violence. For the past decade, DVP has supported research on risk and protective factors associated with youth interpersonal violence and the development and evaluation of prevention programs. This commentary addresses…

This article details the growth of student-based cyberbullying in the United States. The article argues that the current legal limbo of student speech issues originating in cyberspace has unfortunately led to inconsistent lower court decisions that continue to confuse as well as frustrate today's educators and parents who are required to confront…

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on what she can do about the bossy behavior of one of her students which she is worried may escalate to bullying. The author provides some strategies on how to help the child who constantly tries to control others. She also suggests finding other attributes besides the child's…

Boredom and violence are not disconnected, and kids who aren't engaged in what they must spend more than twelve years doing, day after day, are at risk. But are schools safe even in more favored neighborhoods? Not in the deeper sense of safe. Not only are children verbally and physically abused in many public schools in minor ways--in ways that…

Some classroom-management techniques actually undermine establishment of an orderly classroom and impair an otherwise competent teacher's ability to win changing behavior. Instead of changing behavior, all teachers achieve with these heavy-handed techniques is minimal compliance, beneath which lies deep resentment, a breeding ground for…

Some people view bullying as a normal aspect of childhood; teachers who prevent bullying know that this is not true. Bullying is a deliberate act that hurts young victims, both emotionally and physically. Aside from the victims, bullying affects people around them by distracting, intimidating, and upsetting them. Basically, bullying in the…

Dr. Arthur (Andy) Horne completed his PhD at Southern Illinois University in 1971. He taught at Indiana State University from 1971 until 1989, during which time he served as a member of the faculty and the director of training of the APA-accredited Counseling Psychology Program. He also was a member of the AAMFT-accredited Marriage and Family…

Part of growing up involves discovering social power, the power of the group, and the power of words. Victims of chronic harassment are at serious risk for poor mental and physical health, as well as academic underachievement. A good way to start simultaneously protecting at-risk victims while explaining to parents of non-victims that what appears…

Focuses on school-based triggers for disruptive and hurtful bullying behavior. Reviews playground design, patterns of children's access to and use of playgrounds, mode of teacher supervision, and the role of the school in early intervention as these factors relate to the dynamics of playground behavior. (DLH)

In this article, the author discusses the impact of name-calling towards the student's academic performance and emotions and cites some measures on how should teachers address this problem in order to facilitate effective learning among students. Psychologists recognize that name-calling and other forms of verbal bullying and harassment are more…

Attempts to place the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in a historical perspective. Describes the shootings in Littleton and the high school shootings since 1996. Interprets the possible reasons for the Columbine shootings, such as the role of the high school, access to guns, and violence in the mass media. (CMK)

In this article, the author provides tips for teachers on how they can help children who make fun of others. These strategies include: (1) maintaining a united front; (2) being consistent in set policies; (3) setting boundaries; and (4) implementing a "kindness curriculum." In addition, a teacher may adopt just one rule in his/her classroom--by…

Middle-schoolers have always been selectively sullen, shamelessly self-absorbed, and hopelessly obsessed with winning the admiration of their peers. In some ways, the preadolescent brain can't keep up with the demands on it. The frontal lobes, where organization and judgment and reasoning reside, aren't as well developed as the emotional centers.…