Implications
Although this research used a small sample and generalisation is inappropriate, its findings help to understand social processes and provide explanations that have wider resonance beyond the data (Coffey and Atkinson 1996; Mason 1996). Recommendations are likely to be applicable to other schools, and to some extent, the workplace. They have been drawn from cases that do not conform to traditional definitions, for example, bullying that does not involve a clear imbalance of power (Flyvbjerk 2004). These recommendations have also been drawn from participants who have different perspectives and are from different backgrounds such as working-class and middle-class children. They also take into account different severities, forms and modalities of bullying.
Recommendations
Reduce the Stigma of the Bullying Label
It has been found that most children involved in bullying are reluctant to be identified as a bully or victim. This implies that teachers, pupils and policy makers should also use terms such as ‘experiencing bullying’ or ‘engaging in bullying’ because bully and victim labels are often ineffective. Children could also refer to themselves as being victimised (particularly when it is severe) and those who often bully people could be referred to as ‘bullying’ and not necessarily a bully. This means children can resist being subject to powers of normalisation, and having a fixed stigmatised identity. However, since there are some clear cases of bullies and victims it is important not to reject the these labels altogether. Although changing the label is not expected to stop bullying, using less stigmatised terms may encourage more people to admit to being involved in bullying. Bullying should also be recognised in varying in form and severity. Using clear binaries of what bullying does and does not involve also gives an
opportunity for statements such as ‘bullying does not happen in our school’.
This research has demonstrated how widely children are affected by bullying. It is therefore important to encourage children not to be ashamed of being bullied and to have the courage to admit to being bullied and engaging in bullying. One way to do this is to encourage people to talk more openly about bullying which is discussed below. Another recommendation is to promote understanding of why people bully, for example, often people bully to be popular. This research also suggests that interventions aimed specifically at reducing bullying are likely to be ineffective in dealing with the underlying factors associated with bullying such as boredom. Dealing with boredom involves engaging children’s interests and this is discussed later in this chapter.
Nip Bullying in the Bud to Avoid ‘Crisis Interventions’
This research has found that bullying often gets progressively worse. Therefore, when it has occurred, teachers (and managers in the workplace) need to check it has not recurred, even when it has been reported. Often bullying is not completely hidden from teachers even though it is rarely reported to them. This suggests that teachers should be concerned when they see people being maltreated, for example, persistently called names, and should explain to children that this is unacceptable and can be hurtful. This can be raised in class but if teachers think it may lead to further victimisation, it could be discussed in small groups or with individuals.
Punishment and Talking
Dealing with bullying in its extreme and typical form by using interventions such as isolation can target certain individuals. Children who were often punished in this research tended to be working-class males in lower streams. The way punishment was administered often made people angry and want revenge. It did not encourage them to reflect on their behaviour, and removed responsibility from pupils.
One way to deal with ‘bad behaviour’ is to encourage children to talk about their problems and ask them why they are misbehaving rather than immediately punishing them, as some children suggested in this research When children are throwing pens around the room, the teacher should take them aside and ask them ‘why did you do that?’ However, policy- makers and head-teachers need to give teachers the time opportunity and training to do so. This is particularly important because these children often encounter difficulties such as family problems which can make them more susceptible to ‘unfair punishment’ and bullying.
It would be beneficial for schools and policy-makers to carefully consider the early stages of exclusion, for example, a reading difficulty can result in a child being unable to participate in learning, become overtly disruptive and more inclined to be punished. Isolation should only be used when children are a severe threat to themselves or others. Although it could be argued that isolation provides an opportunity for the majority of children to work without major disruption, it arguably borders on abuse.
Children in this research suggested that outright punishment methods tend to make bullying worse once children return to school, and those who are bullied are often frightened of these methods. Sophisticated and popular bullies usually escape being noticed by policy and interventions. For bullying to be perceived as ‘uncool’ it is important to show children it is not acceptable. If a teacher is aware that someone is persistently engaging in bullying, then they should encourage the victim to report it, support the victim and encourage other children to support and report bullying. When someone is being severely bullied and the bully refuses to desist, then exclusion may be necessary as a last resort. However, prior to this, teachers should try to get the person to understand the hurt they have caused, listen to how it makes the ‘victim’ feel, and the consequences of this.
This research has examined children in PRUs, which is often where excluded children go. It suggests that they are not an optimal place for children with their widespread violence, segregation and ‘boring’ activities. One recommendation is to send them to ‘retreats’ first where they are encouraged to talk about and reflect on their behaviour, have counselling and support. This is especially helpful for people who engage in bullying because their underlying problems can be addressed. Although this research has not examined whether this would be effective, it has demonstrated that children are not encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and implies that it would be beneficial if they did.
Talk about Bullying: Resist the Silence
People should be encouraged to discuss more openly things that are upsetting and bothering them. However, they are often afraid to say when they are bullied. When children are punished it does not encourage discussion and reflection. It has been discussed in the ethics section that talking about bullying and maltreatment in a supportive environment can help reduce isolation and loneliness (Zerubabel 2006). Because people are often silent about bullying, when they talk about it they are resisting it and have the opportunity (albeit restricted) to do something about it. Schools should encourage this ‘talking culture’ and give teachers time to facilitate it. It is likely to help reduce disruptive behaviour and bullying and contribute to a better learning environment. Since this research has found different severities and forms of bullying, teachers could recognise this when they talk to children and encourage them to be aware of this.
Resist ‘Popular Bullying’
The finding that most children suggested people bully to be popular suggests that parents and teachers should pay attention to the dynamics of popular groups, for example, who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’. Since people who are ostracised from certain groups are likely to be experiencing bullying. Teachers should recognise the social gains that people can have through bullying, rather than just perceiving it as negative and unrewarding behaviour.
These findings also have wider resonance to people who have social power in other areas of life, for example, managers in the workplace. Because of their position, people with social power can have influence over large groups. However, the social group has the power to question and resist their power. To do this they should recognise and exercise their power. It is unlikely that an individual alone resisting bullying will change the power dynamics (although it is a start) others need to start to support this so that they group can use their power and resist that of bullies.
Give Teachers More Power to Deal with Bullying
If teachers are expected to do something about bullying then it is important to encourage children to report it. Some strategies have already been suggested whereby teachers can handle bullying in a more effective way, for example, talking about bullying before punishing ‘bullies’.
Teachers should be given more authority to deal with bullying, but their role is currently restricted. They should be placed in a position where they are not so susceptible to bully children, for example by persistently targeting certain children for punishment. There should be procedures in place to acknowledge how teachers can bully pupils, these could include examples of what experiences constitute teachers bullying pupils and specify what people can do about it, for example, who to report it to.
There should also be acknowledgement some pupils can bully teachers and there should also be procedures in place for this. Systemic bullying could also be recognised and recommendations put in place by schools of how to deal with this. This could be concerned with a code of conduct where people in school are encouraged to treat people respectfully. Teachers and children should be encouraged to speak respectfully to each other and not shout, this is likely to set a good example to discourage people from bullying and make it less ‘normal’. Communication skills such as talking, listening and reflecting should be
encouraged in schools. Teachers should be able to reduce disruption more, however many children find school boring. Consequently, school should be made more interesting. This is discussed in more detail in the boredom section of this chapter.
To reduce disruption, anger and bullying, children need to feel they can exercise more voice and autonomy. However, this is beyond the power of individual teachers. Policymakers could give teachers time to provide more one-one tutorials from a specific person, for example, in pastoral care where children can make appointments so they can help them overcome their difficulties, however, this is likely to be expensive. Initiatives to reduce bullying by giving pupils opportunities to express themselves such as bully boxes would be more effective if more time and opportunity was given for teachers to listen to children. These issues could be dealt with in some of the Personal and Social Education (PSE) lessons. For children to feel that teachers will listen to them when they report bullying, they need to think that they listen to them in other ways.
Thorough Investigations of Bullying
When bullying is reported it is important that the teacher thoroughly investigates the details of what has happened, for example, someone may have retaliated and hit their bully rather than being a violent bully. Bullying can be a ‘grey’ area and teachers need to look deeply into the details and carefully examine events. They could also speak to other witnesses. However, they should be aware that witnesses may be afraid to discuss bullying with them.
Although reporting bullying may make individuals more vulnerable, it is important to tell people so they can help. Children should tell parents and teachers and pupils who they trust and they discuss strategies and how to best approach bullying. If the bully retaliates then people should continue to try to reduce the bullying rather than be frightened by it. Schools and policymakers need to make it as easy as possible for people to report bullying but if written reports are given priority over verbal reports this
places the least literate at a disadvantage and to some extent denies them voice.
Recognise Vulnerable People are often Bullied
People can be particularly vulnerable to bullying if they do not conform to standards expected of them, for example, if they have a learning difficulty. Policymakers should try to prevent these children from being so vulnerable to bullying. It is important to recognise and build on people’s abilities rather than disabilities. There could be opportunity in the curriculum, or as part of PSE lessons, where people can build on their talents and what they are good at. There could also be events at certain times of the year where children can demonstrate the different things they have learned and the talents they have. It is also important that teachers are careful about how they speak about people who may not be achieving the academic standards expected of them. Teachers and children should more openly recognise and talk about their achievements in order to improve their self-esteem.
To encourage children to accept difference and enhance their self-esteem teachers should promote the notion that even though all children are different and make mistakes, they do not deserve to be bullied. They could show children that they accept difference and have more tolerance when children make mistakes. They could also encourage children to help one another. If a child forgets their pen, teachers should advise them that they remember it next time and encourage another child to lend them a pen rather than sending them out of class and excluding them from learning. This will also encourage a more stimulating, inclusive and supportive environment. However, because this research has found that children and teachers are used to children being overtly punished when they make mistakes, it may be difficult for people to adjust to working in this way.
Agency, Resistance and using Power
This research has demonstrated that people often lose power when they are bullied. However, because power is fluid and is not completely in anyone’s hands, they can exercise resistance. Firstly, they could psychologically resist, question the power of their bullies and reject what they say about them. Resisting bullying by speaking about and reporting it has already been discussed. Children who are bullied should find some self-acceptance for themselves by recognising that they should be treated with respect, regardless of what other people think of them. It is also important for people to find attributes in themselves and others that are positive and that they think favourably of.
Children who misbehave and feel ‘picked on’ by their teachers can resist punishment by improving their behaviour and doing their work. It could be argued that this is just compliance. However, they will have more power since they will not be repeatedly punished. It does not necessarily mean that they completely suppress their voice and be defeated. If they concentrate on their work, they have less chance of being targeted and more chance of reaping both long-term and short-term education rewards. Although they may still not be able to achieve the same educational rewards as more able students, it puts them in a position where they are less likely to be segregated.
Make School more Interesting to Reduce Boredom
Boredom was found to be a common reason for why people bully. It was often experienced by children, particularly those who are the most disengaged. This implies that different ways of teaching and examining children should be used more widely such as audio recording so children who have learning difficulties can perform better. Streaming can make children vulnerable to bullying and perceived as ‘thick’ or a ‘swot’. To reduce this stigma, mixed ability classes could be used in some subjects such as Art, and if someone is talented in something in the lowest set then they could go in higher sets for this.
Encouraging children to reflect on their behaviour rather than just punishing them can be used to engage children more. Teachers should encourage children to be more involved with their social world, for example, contribute to their community by being involved in with the local council, rather than writing lines. Curriculum and pedagogy could be more flexible to allow children to learn some subjects that they enjoy and find interesting. To capture children’s interest teachers could encourage children to learn something that they find interesting and where they can exercise their choice and agency such as researching a topic they find interesting.
Other strategies include reducing class sizes so teachers can engage with children and be able to notice and respond to children when they are disengaged. However, this is likely to be expensive although it will be more stimulating for children and help them develop. It would be beneficial for lessons to be shorter so that activities can be broken up and that time does not drag. This is particularly useful for children who may have a shorter attention span and also when certain tasks that children are learning are difficult. When children appear to be bored then it is beneficial to change activities. This will help reduce boredom because children feel they have control. Teachers could also have a ‘voice box’ where children can post their comments about school, and teachers could read and respond to their comments.
Encourage Children to Take Responsibility
Children should be encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour and the influence it has on others. If a person has caused distress by making a humiliating remark, then they should take responsibility for their behaviour and the upset caused, regardless of whether they admit they caused harm. Teachers could encourage children to apologise for their behaviour and reflect on it. They could watch films about the adverse effects of bullying, if they have damaged someone’s property then they could pay for the damage. They could also be encouraged to write about the effects their bullying may have on their victim. The teacher or person
who is bullied could explain (with support from a teacher) how their behaviour has made them feel, so the bully can reflect on it. It is not acceptable to point to someone’s physical and intellectual imperfections, laugh at them and upset them. It is also important to consider how certain behaviours which may seem harmless fun such as name-calling can offend and upset someone to the point they feel suicidal.
Encourage Recognition
This research has demonstrated that overt rewards for example, ‘pupil of the week’ can be counter-productive, create hostility and perpetuate bullying by arousing anger and feelings of low self-worth in those who don’t get rewarded. Children who are often rewarded may be under the gaze, perceived as swots and experience bullying. Recognition could be