October is National Bullying Prevention Month. As you know, bullying is a major problem in school. Students who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. It affects everyone: the person being bullied, the bully, and the witnesses. Whether it is the classroom, the cafeteria, library, on the playground, or bathroom, it is up to the teachers to help prevent bullying in school.

Here, Voki have 3 tips that can help you and other school administrators prevent bullying from happening in school.

 

1. Help your students understand bullying.

Explain to your students what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell them that bullying is unacceptable. Encourage them to speak to a trusted adult if they see someone being bullies or if they are bullied. Give your students tips on how to stand up to bullies and if it doesn’t work, walk away.

 

2. Create a safe and supportive environment.

You should create a classroom culture of inclusion and respect that welcomes all students. Make sure that your students interact safely. Find out where students can have a higher risk of bullying, such as bathrooms, playgrounds, and cafeteria. This is where there is little or no adult supervision. Establish ground rules in in class so students can help create this positive and respectful environment. Always remember that you are a role model for them so you must follow the rules yourself.

 

3. Stop Bullying on the spot.

If you spot bullying in school, stop it immediately. Do not ignore it and do think that they can work it out without help. If another teacher is needed, do not hesitate to ask. Talk to the students individually and do not force other students to say what they saw publicly. Model respectful behavior when you intervene because you are their role model.

 

For more information on how to prevent bullying, visit www.stopbullying.gov.

Until next time,

Eva D.
The Voki Team

Bio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!