Title

Preventing Bullying: What Can Schools Do?

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Yvette Bynum, Auburn University - MontgomeryFollow

First Presenter's Institution

Auburn University at Montgomery

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

NA

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Verelst

Strand #1

Safety & Violence Prevention

Relevance

This proposal relates to Strand III: Safety and Violence Prevention. One of the objectives of the presentation is to discuss possible preventions and solutions to the problem of bullying in schools.

Brief Program Description

Minimizing school bullying is essential for learning and has become a necessary field of study mostly stimulated by repeated episodes of school violence. The main aims of this research were to (a) determine the differences between bullying, cyberbullying, and teasing, (b) analyze the causes of the rise in instances of bullying and (c) explore prevention and solutions. The target audience includes school administrators, faculty, and staff.

Summary

In 2011, twenty-eight percent of middle and high school aged students reported being bullied at school during the school year; nine percent reported being cyberbullied (Roberts, Kemp, & Truman, 2012). Bullying, especially cyberbullying appears to be a growing phenomenon, with a need for research to help us understand how and why students bully (Smith 2009). Over the last decade, schools have become involved in research on bullying because it affects the student’s social-emotional functioning and perception of school (O’Brennan, Bradshaw Sawyer, 2009). Bullying is one of many acts of violence at schools that can disrupt the learning environment and negatively affect the safety of children at school. It is the responsibility of a school’s administrative team to establish and nurture a safe learning environment. There were three main objectives of this study: 1) determine the differences between bullying, cyberbullying, and teasing, (2) analyze the impact of the media in increasing the instances of bullying and (3) explore prevention and solutions to bullying in schools.

Evidence

Although no one would deny the fact that bullying is a problem in American schools today, finding a solution could be a daunting task. Research shows that isolated activities are ineffective in changing bullying behaviors (Copich, 2012), so schools must begin to make concise and concerted efforts to address the problem. School administrators can begin by providing student and parent education (Aftab 2005); and establish a school-wide bullying task force composed of educators, parents, students, and community members to develop and implement an anti-bullying program. An increase in awareness by staff, students, and parents is the most important element of any successful preventative plan.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Yvette Bynum currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Instructional Leadership in the College of Education, Auburn University Montgomery. She arrived at AUM in 2013 having worked for Montgomery Public Schools for 15 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and education specialist for Career and Technical Education. Serving as the program coordinator for Instructional Leadership she teaches a variety of graduate level Instructional Leadership courses; supervises interns and is an executive board member of the Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership. Her research interest includes leadership development, mentoring, and current trends affecting leadership and schools. Publications include Cyberbullying: Six things administrators can do and The Power of Informal Mentoring.

Keyword Descriptors

Bullying, Cyberbulling

Presentation Year

2017

Start Date

3-6-2017 1:15 PM

End Date

3-6-2017 2:30 PM

Recommended Citation

Bynum, Yvette, "Preventing Bullying: What Can Schools Do?" (2017). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 45.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2017/2017/45