Bullying and Teasing

Current research demonstrates that bullying affects all children in schools, not simply the several students who may be most visibly involved in an individual incident. In order to prevent escalation or to stop the action, something different must happen. The victim or bully must change, but this may not be easy. Importantly, the classmates or the adults who witness the interaction have the power to change the interaction as well. This work frames bullying and teasing as part of the critical foundations of elementary and middle school planning that will allow children to experience the sense of personal safety needed to learn and grow. Several key features include: discussing bullying and destructive teasing in relation to the ability of children to benefit from instruction, in relation to the general school climate, and in relation to school violence; suggesting concrete ways to change school climate and provide protective factors for students by drawing on theories of group dynamics, "social norms" and bystander theory; and providing insights into training for individual students on how to deal with teasing and bullying using research into stress reactions and temperament.The book is designed for school psychologists and other school mental health workers, including school counsellors, social workers and school nurses, who want to address the ways bullying and teasing impact both individual students and the school as a whole. It should also be of interest to school administrators, health coordinators, special educators and school board members.