October is National Bullying Awareness Month

Addressing bullying in schools is certainly NOT a one-size-fits-all approach.

Teachers and education support professionals want students to feel safe from physical threat, emotional harm, harassment, and alienation from their peers. Nowadays, with so much communication taking place in the virtual space, it can be more challenging for school staff to identify when students have become a target of bullying, and who is doing the bullying.

The MNEA Learning Library has a series of independent-study courses that can help you identify, deter, and advocate for a whole-school plan.

With cell phones in hand, students roam the halls and often do not know how or who to call for help, or even if they should ask for assistance. The sad fact is that about 20 percent of students report being bullied. (www.stopbullying.gov/resources/facts)

During this month of awareness,

1. Survey your students to see if there is an issue at your school.
2. State it clearly-bullying will not be tolerated. Discuss what kind of behaviors can be viewed as bullying.
3. Talk to them about treating everyone with respect, kindness, and acceptance, and celebrating our differences.
4. Let students know you are a caring adult who can be trusted to get help and recognize when it is time to seek outside intervention for serious situations.