Page 13 - Demo

13BULLYING CONCERNS THE ENTIRE CLASSBullying often involves more than two individuals. Typically, many students are aware of the situation, and often the bullying has several eye-witnesses, also called bystanders. Unfortunately, the eye-witnesses might join in on the bullying, laugh at the situation, or give signals that they accept the bullying. Fortunately, some students decide to take the side of the bullied student. Most students stay away from the situation, and by doing so, they become silent approvers of bullying. How students act when witnessing bullying differs between classes and depends on the group norms. In one class, children might naturally laugh when someone is being bullied, as it seems fun to them. In another class, students might rather include everybody by supporting and defending those who are being bullied. These unwritten norms of reacting to bullying present in the classroom affect how much bullying there is within the group. These norms also affect the bullied student%u2019s experience and well-being. Encourage your child to think how the bullied student might feel and about how to support them. %u201cIn the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends%u201d.The above quote from Martin Luther King Jr. describes well a bullied student%u2019s experience of not being cared for or defended. Why doesn%u2019t anyone dare to defend a bullied student? One reason is the lack of courage and the fear that defending others might lead to becoming bullied oneself. In addition, the lack of tools to support the bullied student might affect the ability to intervene, as the students do not know what they could do to help the bullied student. The KiVa program aims to explain to the students that even the smallest act can send the message that they are on the bullied student%u2019s side, they want to support the bullied student, or that the way the bullied student is being treated is wrong.If the bullying continues for a longer period of time, the way other students view the bullied student can become more negative. Mistreating the bullied student within the group might become a norm. These norms of the class create an environment where it is not easy to defend the bullied student or even have any kind of interaction with them. The other students might think that the bullying is acceptable if adults do not intervene clearly and efficiently.