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Bully Prevention in Schools Online

Course Outline

Course Description


The goal of this course is to create a classroom climate in which all students feel safe. One child in four is bullied at school. One in five admit bullying. Recently, a government report on school shootings showed that the only common trait among student shooters was that they all have a long history of being bullied. In schools where fear and anxiety are the norm, students can't learn and achieve.

In this course, teachers review the research on the causes and effects of bullying, as well as study best practices. In addition, they learn strategies for meeting the underlying needs of bullies.

Objectives


  • Develop a working definition of bullying.
  • Assess characteristics, traits and behaviors of bullies.
  • Analyze the negative consequences of bullying behavior on the bully, the victim, witnesses and the school environment.
  • Compare and contrast bullying and teasing.
  • Appraise characteristics, traits and behaviors of victims
  • Compare and contrast types of victims
  • Create strategies to counteract the negative effects of collusion
  • Evaluate reasons that children become bullies
  • Evaluate reasons that children become victims
  • Examine the prevalence of bullying behaviors in the classroom and school
  • Develop strategies for creating a caring classroom environment where students feel a sense of community
  • Identify core elements of a comprehensive school wide approach to preventing bullying
  • Identify appropriate strategies for school-wide intervention of bullying behaviors
  • Evaluate current anti-bullying policies
  • Develop techniques to bring children into discussions on what to do about bullying
  • Select strategies to help children reduce a bully's power
  • Identify children's literature with examples of bullying behavior
  • Develop techniques to bring children's literature into discussions on what to do about bullying
  • Identify additional resources available to participants
  • Address approaches that can be shared with parents who are dealing with a child who is being bullied or who is a bully
  • Evaluate conferencing and intervention techniques for working with the parents of bullies, victims and/or bystanders

Curriculum Design & Time Requirements


Bully Prevention is a 13 week 3 credit graduate level or sixty hour professional development course taught online. The Introduction and Modules 1 through 9 will each take one week to complete. Module 10 will be completed over two weeks so students will have time to revise and complete the final integration project.

Hardware & Computer Skill Requirements


Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 2000 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have internet access with an active e-mail account. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Mozilla Firefox etc.

Course Materials


The required textbook for this course is The Bully Free Classroom by Allan L. Beane. The textbook and course materials will be provided to all students. In addition, selected web resources will be read and reviewed.

Session Outline

Session 1: Dubunking The Myths
Objective: To be aware of common misconceptions regarding bullies.
Contents:
  1. Overview
  2. Requirements & Expectations
  3. Setting Personal Goals
  4. A Definition of Bullying
  5. Facts and Myths Regarding Bullying

Session 2: Identifying Different Types of Bullying Behavior
Objective:Recognize and identify incidences of bullying and identify its various types, styles and forms.
Contents:
  1. Strategies for Identifying Bully Behavior at School
  2. Direct Forms of Bullying: Open Attacks; Name-Calling; Threats
  3. Indirect Bullying: Exclusion, Isolation, Rejection, Gossip
  4. Repeated Abuse Versus Isolated Incidences
  5. Verbal Versus Physical Bullying
  6. Sexual
  7. Racial

Session 3: The Consequences of Bullying
Objective: Become aware of both the short and long-term consequences of ignoring bullying.
Contents:
  1. Personal Testaments
  2. Statistics
  3. The Bullying Cycle
  4. Distress in Victim
  5. Classroom Effect

Session 4: Characteristics of Bullies and Victims
Objective: Identify the characteristics of bullies and their victims.
Contents:
  1. Bullies: Who are They?
  2. What Makes Bullies Tick?
  3. The True Needs of Bullies
  4. Victims: Why Do They Get Picked On?
  5. Warning Signs

Session 5: Classroom Surveys
Objective: Review bullying behaviors in the classroom.
Contents:
  1. Classroom Surveys
  2. This Week in School
  3. Bullying Survey
  4. Reactions To The Results
  5. Intervention/Prevention Strategies

Session 6: The Role of Collusion
Objective: Identify collusion and its role in the bullying cycle.
Contents:
  1. Collusion: What Does It Sound And Look Like In Your Classroom?
  2. Silent Collusion: What To Do About It
  3. Taking The Power Away From Negative Collusion
  4. Positive Collusion And How It Can Help Create A Classroom Environment That Is Safe For Everyone

Session 7: Creating a Safe Classroom Environment
Objective: Learn strategies for creating a classroom environment where everyone feels safe, accepted and contributing members of the classroom.
Contents:
  1. Dialogues With Students About Bullying Behavior
  2. Strategies For Building Acceptance Among Students
  3. Building Empathy
  4. Confronting Bullies
  5. Using I-Messages
  6. Tips On Establishing Classroom Rules With Students
  7. Getting Students Involved With Service Projects

Session 8: Creating a Safe Classroom Environment
Objective: Learn the core elements of a comprehensive school-wide approach to bullying.
Contents:
  1. Accessing The Extent Of Bullying In Your School
  2. Developing A School-Wide Plan For The Prevention And Intervention
  3. Parental Involvement
  4. Involving The Community

Session 9: Strategies for Parents of Bullies and Victims
Objective: Identify approaches for parents who are dealing with a child who is being bullied or who is a bully.
Contents:
  1. Why Is Bullying Harmful?
  2. Why Some Children Bully?
  3. If Your Child Is Being Bullied
  4. If Your Child Is A Bully
  5. 20 Things To Do Instead Of Hurting Someone
  6. Ways To Stay Bully Free
  7. "What Should You Do" Quiz For Kids

Session 10: Project Presentations and Final Exams
Objective: Present projects on research and application of best practices.
Contents:
  1. Project Presentations
  2. Final Exam
  3. Course Evaluation
  4. The "Real" Final Exam

Grading


    Assignment Points   Grading Scale  
  Forum Discussions   30      100 – 93 A
  Reading Assignments   20       92 – 85 B
  Final Integration Project   30       84 – 77 C
    Final Exam   20            
  Total Points 100    

Student Requirements

1. Actively participate in all Forum activities.
2. Complete all reading assignments. Keep a journal, reflecting upon the major ideas in the assigned readings and the application of those ideas in your school and classroom. This journal should have a minimum of five entries of one-half page in length.
3. Complete the Final Integration Project. Review research and literature on bullying and identify several major findings or themes. Based on these key research themes, design a unit of study for your students, addressing the issue of bullying. This unit should consist of 5 lessons, each containing a list of objectives and a description of activities and content.
4. Pass a final exam.

Student Academic Integrity


Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.

Register


To register to take TEI's Bully Prevention in Schools Online course, go to the Course Registration page.