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[CCBC-Net] Books re bullies
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From: Nancegar at aol.com <Nancegar>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:38:50 EDT
It's sad when teachers come in for more than their share of blame for bullying--I agree. But the trouble is that a good deal of bullying goes on where teachers and administrators can't see it--bathrooms, hallways, playgrounds, parking lots, lunchrooms, buses. It's also true that some teachers and administrators do deny that bullying is taking places-- some because they honestly don't see it, some perhaps because they feel bullying is a natural rite of passage that bullies will outgrow and that bullied kids have to weather ("Boys will be boys," etc.), and some because they don't know how to handle it. But blaming teachers across the board is counterproductive--and unfair.
A good anti-bullying policy, consistently followed by EVERYONE in a school, with counseling and anger management for bullies (who have often been bullies themselves, and who are at risk of continuing to be bullies even as adults if they're allowed to get away with their actions), help for victims and a policy of NEVER blaming them for bringing bullying on themselves, and support for bystanders, including encouragement for them to report bullying and confidentiality for them when they Do report it can help reduce bullying. Books, as CJ Bott has said (see her book THE BULLY IN THE BOOK AND IN THE CLASSROOM), can be a good, non-confrontational way for both teachers and parents to open discussions about bullying.
When all is said and done, bullying is a very hard problem to control, but the good thing is that in the last few years, people are at last beginning to take it seriously and to try to address it.
(Sorry for sounding off, but this is a problem that engages me, and that I've researched, written, and spoken about. And I'm glad that CCBC is discussing it!)
Nancy (Garden)
_________________________________________________________________ Please check out my redesigned and updated website at www.nancygarden.com And please note my new book, HEAR US OUT: LESBIAN AND GAY STORIES OF STRUGGLE, PROGRESS AND HOPE, 1950 TO THE PRESENT, and the new edition of ANNIE ON MY MIND, in honor of its 25th anniversary!
<BR><BR><BR>**************<BR>It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & Finance.<BR>
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Received on Tue 18 Mar 2008 12:38:50 PM CDT
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:38:50 EDT
It's sad when teachers come in for more than their share of blame for bullying--I agree. But the trouble is that a good deal of bullying goes on where teachers and administrators can't see it--bathrooms, hallways, playgrounds, parking lots, lunchrooms, buses. It's also true that some teachers and administrators do deny that bullying is taking places-- some because they honestly don't see it, some perhaps because they feel bullying is a natural rite of passage that bullies will outgrow and that bullied kids have to weather ("Boys will be boys," etc.), and some because they don't know how to handle it. But blaming teachers across the board is counterproductive--and unfair.
A good anti-bullying policy, consistently followed by EVERYONE in a school, with counseling and anger management for bullies (who have often been bullies themselves, and who are at risk of continuing to be bullies even as adults if they're allowed to get away with their actions), help for victims and a policy of NEVER blaming them for bringing bullying on themselves, and support for bystanders, including encouragement for them to report bullying and confidentiality for them when they Do report it can help reduce bullying. Books, as CJ Bott has said (see her book THE BULLY IN THE BOOK AND IN THE CLASSROOM), can be a good, non-confrontational way for both teachers and parents to open discussions about bullying.
When all is said and done, bullying is a very hard problem to control, but the good thing is that in the last few years, people are at last beginning to take it seriously and to try to address it.
(Sorry for sounding off, but this is a problem that engages me, and that I've researched, written, and spoken about. And I'm glad that CCBC is discussing it!)
Nancy (Garden)
_________________________________________________________________ Please check out my redesigned and updated website at www.nancygarden.com And please note my new book, HEAR US OUT: LESBIAN AND GAY STORIES OF STRUGGLE, PROGRESS AND HOPE, 1950 TO THE PRESENT, and the new edition of ANNIE ON MY MIND, in honor of its 25th anniversary!
<BR><BR><BR>**************<BR>It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & Finance.<BR>
(http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)</HTML>
Received on Tue 18 Mar 2008 12:38:50 PM CDT
