Bullying Prevention and Intervention

What is Bullying?

Bullying is a form of violence that involves one or more

individuals using power to chronically control and/or
intentionally demean, embarrass, or physically harm another
individual or group (CDE, 2003).  

Bullying may be:

• physical (hitting, kicking, spitting, destroying property)
• verbal (taunting, name calling, insults, threatening),
• social and emotional (spreading rumors, excluding from
activities, humiliating, or intimidating).

• Bullying may occur face to face or through the internet, cell

phones or other electronic means (cyberbullying).
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Risk Factors for the Target

These traits are common among the target of bullying:

 socially isolated
 physically weak or with special needs
 emotionally reactive or quick tempered
 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or those who are
questioning their identities
 difficulty with social skills
 hyperactive
 obese or overweight
 anxious/sensitive
**Please note: there is no one single profile for a target of
bullying.

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Risk Factors for the Offender

These traits are common among the offender of bullying:

• impulsive
• hot-tempered
• aggressive
• lack of empathy
• disregard for rules
• social leader
• self-involved

**Please note: there is no one single profile for an Offender.

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Bullying Warning Signs

Possible warning signs that a student is being bullied:

• difficulty focusing on tasks
• loss of interest in school work or sudden change in grades
• appears sad, tearful or anxious
• complains of headaches or stomachaches
• experiences a loss of appetite
• Increase in absences or being tardy to school
• avoidance of social activities

**Warning signs can include any significant behavior change.

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention Strategies

• All staff will participate in a Bullying Prevention and

Intervention training annually.
• All students will participate in (3) bullying prevention
lessons during the second week of the school year.
• All 5th – 8th grade students will participate in
Bullying/Cyberbullying Presentations.
• All parents/guardians will be invited to attend a
Bullying/Cyberbullying Parent University Session.

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies
If STAFF witness or hear about bullying taking place:
1. stop the behavior
2. name the behavior
3. remind students of school expectations
4. talk with the target and aggressor separately
5. notify site administrator

MEDIATION does not work to reduce bullying behavior.

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies

Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Responsible

STOP BULLYING… It begins with ME!

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies

If STUDENTS witness or experience bullying:

Be Safe
Stop the bullying right away
Avoid situations where bullying occurs
Talk to an adult

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies

If STUDENTS witness or experience bullying:

Be Respectful
Stop the bullying right away
Refuse to join in
Provide support

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies

If STUDENTS witness or experience bullying:

Be Responsible
Stop the bullying right away
Make a report

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Potential Bullying Prevention/Intervention
Strategies
• take all incidents of bullying seriously
• notify your site administrator if you witness or hear
about bullying taking place in school, in the
community, or via the internet through one of the
following:
• In person report
• Paper incident report
• Online report (add link here)
• follow up with the administrator/support staff on
interventions/consequences assigned to the target
and to the offender

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The Case for Social and Emotional Learning
WHAT IS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
LEARNING (SEL)?
SEL is…
The process through which children and adults acquire
and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills
necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and
achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for
others, establish and maintain positive relationships,
and make responsible decisions.
Social and Emotional Learning
SEL
• Impulse control
• Identifying emotions • Stress management
• Self-perception/Identity • Self-discipline
• Recognizing strengths • Self-motivation
• Sense of self-confidence • Perseverance
• Self-efficacy • Goal-setting
• Organizational skills
SELF- SELF-
AWARENESS MANAGEMENT

• Perspective-taking Social and

• Empathy Emotional
SOCIAL Learning RESPONSIBLE
• Appreciating diversity
AWARENESS (SEL) DECISION-
• Respect for others
MAKING

RELATIONSHIP • Identifying problems

SKILLS • Analyzing situations
• Communication • Solving problems
• Social engagement • Evaluating
• Building relationships • Reflecting
• Working cooperatively • Ethical responsibility
• Resolving conflicts
• Helping/Seeking help
What does SEL look like in a
classroom, school, community?

SELF- SELF-
AWARENESS MANAGEMENT

SEL CURRICULUM &

Social and
Emotional

INSTRUCTION
Learning
SOCIAL RESPONSIBLE
(SEL)
AWARENESS DECISION-
MAKING

RELATIONSHIP
SKILLS
SEL benefits adults:
Positive impact on teachers 

Teachers who possess social and emotional competencies are

more likely to stay in the classroom longer.

Teachers with high levels of social competence are better able to

protect themselves from burnout by:
 developing and managing nurturing relationships with their
students
 managing behavior in their classrooms
 serving as behavioral role models for children
 regulating their own emotions,

Source: Jennings, P.A. & Greenberg, M.T. (2009) The Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and Emotional Competence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes. American Educational
Research Association.
SEL works:
Linked to young adult outcomes 

Statistically significant associations exist between measured

social-emotional skills in kindergarten and young adult
outcomes across multiple domains: 

Kindergartners who were stronger in SEL competence were more likely to:
 graduate from high school
 complete a college degree
 obtain stable employment in young adulthood

And less likely to be:

 living in public housing
 receiving public assistance
 involved with police
 in a detention facility
Parents
value SEL

3 out 5 say “being happy/not overly stressed”

parents is more important than academics.
*Note the research says this is a false choice: social and emotional well-being contributes to academic
success, among other benefits.

Proportions saying they worry a lot or some about this aspect of raising their child

Child's happiness and emotional well-being

58%
Child's facing peer pressure
58%
Ability to pay for or finance child's education
57%
Child safety/responsibility using internet/social media
54%
Child's physical safety 51%
Child being bullied 50%
Child's ability to cope and manage stress 50%

Source: Learning Heroes, 2017

Teachers
value SEL
We learned that:

want a greater focus on

93% SEL in schools
Teachers cite positive effects on:

Workforce readiness 87%

Life success 87%
Attendance/graduation 80%
College preparation 78%
Academic success 75%

More recently:

74% Report that they are devoting more time to teaching

SEL skills today compared to five years ago.
Thank You!