The 6 strategies to combat bullying

Bullying, or bullying, is one of the main problems in the educational field that both victims and parents, as well as educators, have faced for years.

In recent years, the level of social awareness has increased in the face of this type of dynamics of violence that are, unfortunately, so frequent in educational centers. This is something very positive, given that if a few decades ago this type of harassment was seen as something normal or even desirable (interpreted as a way to make boys "become tanned" by the harshness of life), today the idea that it is something to be eradicated from schools has become hegemonic, something necessary to put an end to bullying.

However, it is common for the discourse on what should be done to combat bullying to be more emotional and impulsive than constructive. The need to punish stalkers is often emphasized, to make them pay for what they have done, and a whole series of drastic measures based on revenge and that seem more like an escape valve to channel anger than a really effective way to combat bullying school. So that…

What strategies can we follow to combat bullying? Let's see it.

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Effective strategies to combat bullying

For some years now, research in both the field of mental health and education has led to the knowledge of various ways to adequately prevent and combat harassment school. These are some of the most important.

1. Sensitize and create awareness

The first task that corresponds to parents and educators is to educate and sensitize both children and their families about the existence of different types of bullying and how they can affect the person who suffers them. To do this, it must be clear that bullying is not simply a "problem" between two people, but a social phenomenon that is linked to an entire community.

So, for example, informing teachers that bullying is taking place is not meddling in the lives of others, but to talk about something that affects a whole class or even a whole school.

Also It is important for children to know that bullying is not limited to beatings and physical attacks. that everyone can see at recess or in the classroom, but there are also more subtle forms of violence that are put into practice with the aim of harming the victim as much as possible. For example, the appearance of new forms of communication through smartphones has made it possible for new forms of communication to be practiced in bullying as well. harassment that tend to have more harmful effects on the life and mental health of the victim, such as disseminating humiliating videos or photographs of the victim.

In addition to that, it is of great importance to educate children and students so that they not only do not harass their peers, but also, in the event that someone suffers harassment, report it as soon as possible to teachers or fathers.

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2. Improve school lines of communication

Work to ensure that the school has different lines of communication through which victims can ask for help from Confidential and secure manner will allow us to improve the surveillance of the center when detecting cases of harassment as quickly as possible. possible.

Have lines of communication available to detect cases of bullying means talking with children frequently about their feelings and daily experiences in the school, as well as always being willing to listen to them something that both parents and educators.

Likewise, we can also work to improve existing lines of communication, putting special attention to the health of children and attend whenever there is a problem with any of the they.

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3. Promote positive values

The positive values ​​of coexistence and interpersonal relationships at school, such as inclusion, tolerance, Solidarity and camaraderie among students is one of the best ways to prevent cases of bullying in schools. the classrooms.

In order to achieve this goal it is important to create examples and references among students, since children learn good and bad behaviors from the models they receive from both their parents and teachers.

The work of teachers when acting as role models can also be achieved by assessing the good behavior of the students who are in this line, making them feel proud to behave like this and punishing the slightest hint of harassing behavior whenever it is produce.

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4. Train school staff

Another of the most useful strategies that we can put into practice to combat bullying is to train school staff in the early detection of signs of bullying, and in the activation of standardized protocols to eradicate it and properly care for the victim.

Currently there are a wide variety of institutions specialized in the training and education of educators to combat bullying. They can teach the main tools and strategies that will allow us to be prepared and act diligently in the event of these types of cases.

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5. Discourage viewers

Psychology professionals agree that most cases of bullying are possible thanks to the participation of other students who act as bystanders to the bullying, laugh at it, or stand by to stop it.

Discouraging these bystanders from appearing is also one of the best ways to end bullying, something that has been put into practice for several years by the Finnish government with the KiVa method.

The KiVa method is a common tool in the Finnish education system, considered one of the best in the world, and focuses on educating students not to encourage the harasser, or offer any kind of recognition for her actions, so that she has no incentive to do so. to bully.

In a nutshell, the KiVa method prevents the rest of the classroom from laughing at the bully and participating in the bully. harassment of the victim, a strategy that has managed to eradicate harassment in up to 80% of educational centers Finns.

• You may be interested: "The KiVa method, an idea that is ending bullying"

6. Promote integration

Encourage the most vulnerable children to carry out social activities of all kinds according to their interests or hobbies is also a good way to prevent bullying.

Help them to participate in activities that make them happy, such as sports, swimming, singing, painting, youth groups or bands. Music will contribute enormously to increasing the child's self-esteem, improving their emotional health and will allow them to meet people of their own age with their own interests.

In the same way, it is important to educate the little ones to understand the differences and signs of cultural diversity that exist in the members of the same course. In this way, situations of social isolation are avoided, which favor cases of bullying by creating the figure of the defenseless victim with whom there is no empathy.

All of this as a whole contributes to preventing bullying and acts positively on the child's personality.

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