Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is not a curriculum. It is a school-wide program that works at four levels: school, inpidual, classroom, and community.
What is Bullying?
According to Dr. Dan Olweus, bullying is: "when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself."
Key components of this definition include:
1) repeated over time
2) intent to commit harm - on purpose
3) imbalance of power
There are many forms of bullying including:
- verbal (name calling, verbal harassment)
- exclusion
- physical (pushing, shoving, hitting, kicking)
- spreading rumors
- stealing or damaging another person's personal property
- racial
- sexual harassment
- cyberbullying
What are the roles in a bullying situation?
Dr. Olweus has identified roles within the bullying situation including the bully, victim, supporters of the bully, onlookers, defenders, and those who want to defend but are not sure what to do. A bullying situation affects not only the child being bullied, but also the children who witness the bullying. At SEMS-East teachers have bi-weekly classroom meetings with students to teach them how to respond and/or report bullying. Teachers play an important role by addressing bullying situations they observe by using on-the-spot interventions, as well as reporting incidents to the office.
Tips for Parents
The following articles provides helpful tips to parents on how to handle bullying when your child is involved in bullying. Parent involvement is important so that all parties can work together to make it a learning experience on how to handle future situations.
What To Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied
What To Do If Your Child Bullies Others
What To Do If Your Child Witnesses Bullying
The internet has opened up the entire world to us at our fingertips. It can be a positive learning tool, but it also opens up hidden dangers. Educating oneself is the first step in being safe online. The links below will help parents with tips on internet safety and keeping their children safe. There are also some links that provides educational resources to teach children.
This guide is published by the U.S. Department of Justice - FBI
These tips are provided by Hazelden Foundation, Inc. Hazelden provides professional training materials and resources to assist schools in bullying prevention. Hazelden is a supporter of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and the leading provider of research-based programs such as Olweus.
The iKeepSafe website has resources for parents and children of all ages on the basic rules of internet safety, ethics, and responsible use.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is committed to ensuring safety of children online. It provides educational materials to help parents, children, and educators. This booklet provided by the FTC helps parents with talking to their child about being online, tips on cyberbullying, parental controls, protecting your computer, and protecting your child's privacy online.
Net Cetera - Chatting With Kids About Being Online
The majority of children have access to the internet through many forms of technology in our world today. Although these devices have been available for years, the number of children obtaining a device is growing while the age at which he or she receives it is decreasing. For example, the iPod Touch when first arrived on the market seemed to be harmless. Parents purchased it for their child not realizing that not only did it play music, but access to the virtual world was also available. Children are learning more at a younger age, but developmentally may not be ready. The popular and almost “required” cell phone also gives children access to the virtual world. Everything they need is at their fingertips. Cyber-communication may make life easier, but it can also put your child in danger.
At school, we are working to educate students about keeping safe online. Technology can be used as a learning tool, but education must also combine safety with responsible use. Parents can also help by learning about online safety and by talking to your child. Here are some suggestions:
- Keep your home computer in a busy area of your home. Monitoring your child’s online activity is important in keeping him or her safe.
- Make sure you know your child’s screen names and passwords and that they don’t include any personal information in their online profiles.
- On your child’s Facebook page, regularly go over the friends list. Ask who each person is and how your child knows that person.
- Review the privacy settings on your child’s Facebook account.
- Check the Messages to view discussions.
- Remind your child never to share his or her passwords with anyone except you.
- Remind your child not to put anything online that he or she wouldn’t want classmates, teachers, or family to see. Once posted, nothing is private and everything is permanent!·
Encourage your child never to respond online when angry. It’s too easy to click send without fully thinking through the consequences of actions done. It’s can’t be retracted and words can be very hurtful.
Always be as polite online as you would be in person!
The following links contains additional information for parents:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is committed to ensuring safety of children online. It provides educational materials to help parents, children, and educators. This booklet provided by the FTC helps parents with talking to their child about being online, tips on cyberbullying, parental controls, protecting your computer, and protecting your child's privacy online.
Net Cetera - Chatting with Kids About Being Online
This article is presented by the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. It provides suggestions for parents on helping to prevent cyberbullying and what to do if your child is involved in cyberbullying.
What Can Parents Do to Prevent and Address Cyberbullying
Cell phones also present worries to parents as children send hurtful text messages or inappropriate messages to one another. The link below is from the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC.org). It provides a family guide to being cell phone savvy including tips for talking, texting, and sending messages, a family contract for responsible cell phone use, and important websites.
Family Guide to Cell Phone Savvy
Links for Parents
This website provides a variety of helpful information to parents to help keep their child. Information from bicycle safety to bullying to personality issues are just a few of the topics this website provides.
http://www.ncpc.org/topics/by-audience/parents
Excellent website for parents that has been around since 1994. The website is a good educational tool for parents, and also provides helpful tips and suggestions.
http://www.safekids.com
Check out this website for current information on online safety. Parents and teens can also read discussions - or even join in on the discussions - to learn about safe blogging and social networking. Also on the website is current news, tips, and commentaries.