Universal efforts to improve the social skills, attitudes and behaviour of all students can be implemented through curricula and pedagogical approaches involving the teaching of social skills and groupings encouraging positive interactions between students, inclusiveness and acceptance.
These approaches include a heightened focus on relationships, engagement and positive classroom and behaviour management. Their intention is to produce school cultures where bullying is less likely to thrive.
Targeted approaches focus specifically on students who are involved in bullying incidents, either as perpetrator or target, giving specialised treatment (see below).
The approaches are complementary: universal approaches when consistently and persistently applied tend to lead to fewer cases of bullying requiring specialised intervention.
Management of bullying incidents will depend on the individual school's approaches to student behaviour. The most effective management methods are non-hostile and non-punitive, and the most useful approach to student discipline is as a learning tool rather than as a punitive device. Naturally very serious incidents will invoke a response consistent with department, jurisdictional or board requirements.
The Department of Education, Employment and Early Childhood Development has useful resources which lay out the issues very clearly and give a step-by-step process to follow in the case of Online Incidents of Inappropriate Behaviour Affecting Students and also a step-by-step guide: removing inappropriate content from websites or social media sites.
Bullying can continue over time, is often hidden from adults and will probably continue if no action is taken.
Read More >There is a growing awareness in Australia and other parts of the world about the level and impact of bullying in schools.
Read More >Schools and their teaching staff have a duty to take reasonable care for the safety and wellbeing of students.
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