Bullying
is the act of intimidating, harassing or dominating another person who is
perceived by the bully as somebody weaker. It can be seen among children, adolescents
and even adults in both communities and school.
When my nephew Kyle was in grade one, he came home on two occasions with
his white polo shirt not only dirtied with mud but it also had a rubber shoe
mark. He was apparently being bullied by a taller classmate who pushed him
around. I told him that he should not be afraid of his classmate and to report
immediately to his teacher each time intimidation starts. I stressed that he
should not resort to violence like hitting back because physical aggression is
not only prohibited in school, but it is also not an acceptable behavior and
will fully worsen the situation.
An
online article on GMA News reported
that at least five out of 10 children in Grades 1-3, seven out of 10 in Grades
4-6, and six out of 10 in high school have experienced some kind of violence in
school. Verbal abuse is the most prevalent form of violence experienced by
children in all school levels. This includes being ridiculed and teased, being
shouted at and being cursed or spoken to with harsh words. Children’s peers,
more than the adults, are the perpetrators of violence in school. In our
country, the sad news is that physical and verbal forms of violence are
accepted by the children as part of discipline and seen as appropriate when inflicted
within certain parameters. Family background and personal circumstances,
influence of peers and media, lack of awareness about children’s rights, fear,
inability of authority figures to respond to cases and lack of policies are
some of the factors cited as contributing to incidences of violence in schools.
Bullying
may damage one’s self-image, can lead to absenteeism, chronic depression,
decline in functioning and in worse cases, even suicide. What is alarming is
when children and even adults are being bullied in social networks end up their
own lives. I sometimes wonder, as a parent, how can we protect our kids from
these bullies? Assigning a school buddy for your child may be an option to
lessen the chances of being bullied again. Having a teacher-mentor provides a
‘secure ‘base’ where the child can return to in times of distress or
intimidation. Being always within the company of true friends also lessens the
opportunity of the bully to pick on the victim. And I think apart from making
your home bully-free, we need to find a more secure and safer place for our
kids—we must find the right school.
After all, schools are supposed to be our kids’ home away from home.
Finding the right school will actually give parents some sense of ‘peace of mind’.
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| Bullying should be a no-no. |
My good
friend and contributor blog writer, Norma Galera recently attended a talk on
Bullying organized by Reedley
International School in order to raise awareness in fighting this global
concern. Reedley has always been at the forefront of campaigns against
bullying, and is one of the pioneers of anti-bullying school programs in the
country. Through the years, the school has effectively launched activities
through its annual Bully Proof
program that promote a culture of kindness, belongingness, and camaraderie in
school. In fact, Reedley’s anti-bullying campaigns were even used as a
reference in drafting a house bill on anti-bullying policies for schools.
My
contributor writer Norma only had good words for Reedley International School: “I guess what makes Reedley International
School different from all the other schools I’ve been to was the fact that
everybody treats everyone like family. While I was waiting at the reception
area, there was a child who played with his toy. One of the Reedley’s staff named Ms. Marissa
had informed the child that his mother’s on her way to pick him up. I thought
after saying such, she’d immediately go back to her workstation, but Ms.
Marissa did more than that. She wanted to make sure that the kid was doing
okay; she even asked if the child needs anything. I know that it wasn’t just a
superficial thing. Even if I wasn’t there, Ms. Marissa will still be showing
her concern over the child,” shares Norma. Genuine warmth is common at
Reedley’s.
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| Reedley is like a small family where everybody knows everyone. |
Reedley
raises the students’ morale and self-esteem so that they show more initiative
and greater disposition to learning. They have institutionalized a positive and
challenging learning environment where children can participate actively,
explore their interests and experience small and big successes because they
believe that happy students are better learners.
Reedley
International School also uses the latest and most effective academic programs.
The teachers have been extensively trained in Kagan structures, which improves
academic achievement, individual esteem through guided interaction. Dr. Spencer
Kagan developed these structures through years of extensive research and is
rooted in Brain Research and Cooperative Learning. Reedley has also adopted Authentic
Assessment, a grading system that allows them to go beyond measuring student
learning and focus improving student achievement. For English and Social
Sciences subjects, they have adopted the Ohio State Standards of Education. And
for Mathematics, Reedley does Singapore Math. Teachers have undergone training
with Singaporean consultants. They even have a Math Mastery program, an after
school session that provides basic Math skills remedial for those skills that
should have been mastered in the lower years.
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| Mommy bloggers asked questions from the Reedley experts. |
Reedley
empowers the students to manage healthy family and peer relationships and work
effectively with less stress through their Life
Skills Curriculum. Life Skills uses The
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and Happy
Kids by Sean Covey as an anchor and guide. In addition to Reedley’s
anti-bullying campaigns, the school integrates study skills, time management,
and conflict resolution in its curriculum.
Purple
Plum Fairy thanks Ms. Claudine De Leon, Reedley International School, Norma
Galera and Ms. Chesca Peralejo.
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