School resumption and managing bullying: strategies for coping
Bullying can be a challenging and overwhelming experience for anyone, but it's essential to prioritise personal safety and wellbeing. If a confrontation feels unsafe, walking away is the wisest course of action.
Taking action empowers you to protect your wellbeing and promote a respectful, supportive environment. Using assertive statements like "Stop bothering me" delivers a strong message that their behaviour will not be tolerated. Maintaining eye contact while addressing the bully reinforces the seriousness of your stance and boundaries.
Keeping a detailed diary of bullying incidents can help provide valuable evidence. Documenting dates, times, locations, and behaviours allows adults to better understand the ongoing problem. Practising these strategies regularly can build confidence and readiness.
When faced with bullying, it's important to stay calm. Counting to 25 or even 50 can provide additional time to regulate emotions. Counting backwards from 10 allows focus to shift away from the bully. Resisting the urge to retaliate prevents further escalation.
Speaking to trusted adults or professionals can provide guidance and emotional reassurance during difficult times. Telling a trusted adult about bullying is always the right step. Confiding in someone ensures you are not facing the situation alone.
Schools can effectively address and prevent bullying by implementing a multi-layered approach. This comprehensive strategy includes clear anti-bullying policies, promotion of a positive school culture, staff and student training, encouraging anonymous reporting, and engaging families and the community.
Key elements of this approach include setting clear rules and expectations, promoting a positive school culture, training staff and students, encouraging reporting, involving families and community, and intervening with both victims and bullies. Teachers play a crucial role in modelling positive behaviour, promptly addressing bullying, teaching empathy, and fostering trusting relationships.
Additional recommendations to support students include encouraging involvement in clubs and teams to build friendships and confidence, and designing safe spaces where students can be supervised and avoid isolation.
Prolonged bullying can damage self-esteem and, in severe cases, contribute to self-harm or suicidal thoughts. It's important to seek immediate support if you are feeling this way. Avoiding areas where encounters are most likely can minimize potential contact. Planning ahead helps manage emotional responses more effectively. Bullies often seek reactions, so avoiding showing fear or distress is important.
Together, these evidence-based strategies create a safe and supportive learning environment essential for protecting students' emotional well-being and enabling academic achievement. Remember, you are not alone in this. Reach out for help and support when needed.
- To promote mental health and wellness, practicing assertive therapy techniques like stating "Stop bothering me" can help establish boundaries and prevent bullying.
- In the context of health-and-wellness, maintaining a diary of bullying incidents can provide valuable science-backed evidence, helping adults address and prevent bullying more effectively.
