If you witness bullying or are victimized by bullying yourself tell a trusted adult. An adult can help stop bullying by intervening during an altercation, preventing it in the first place by talking to the bully, or simply by giving the person being bullied a sympathetic ear to vent.
• A child who knows of ongoing bullying can tell a trusted adult in person, on the phone, or by leaving them a note.
• While a bullying situation is in progress a child can go find, or ask a friend to find, a trusted adult right away. The adult can help stop the bullying.
• Remind children not to get discouraged if they have already talked to an adult and nothing has changed. Often times it takes a number of adult interventions
to solve the problem.
• Talk to as many adults as possible — teachers, guidance counselors, parents, or police officers are all great examples of a trusted adult. The more adults aware of the scenario the better.
A child needs to know just who a “trusted adult” is. A trusted adult is somebody who the child gravitates toward. An adult who they feel listens to them. It’s about who they feel comfortable talking to ~ who do you feel listens to them. Any adult in a school environment can be that ally.
Often school leaders state that they don’t have the information they need to solve the problem of bullying within the schools as a whole. A lot of times educators will take the stance that “kids will work it out themselves” or “my classroom’s safe, so my job is done.” In truth, the whole school needs to respond when the bullying among students is an issue. In order for this to happen, students need to communicate with the educators who are responsible for their well being. Then in turn adults need to be communicating with each other so that the whole school can monitor and respond at all times.
In order to achieve these open lines of communication it’s important from an early age to start having conversations with children about bullying. In this way if they feel they or someone they know have been harmed by a bully they will know that your door is always open and that they can come to you as a trusted adult.
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About The Author:
Jeff Reese, Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belt, has had the honor of learning from two generations of Gracie family members including Royce, Royler, Rodrigo, Rolker, Ralek, Rener, and Ryron; he teaches at Gracie NEPA in Scranton, PA.
