People are both social and biological creatures. Therefore, often some of them give free rein to their unchanging animal instincts. This is reflected both in relationships between adults and in children. Therefore, school bullying is a phenomenon that has been, is and will be.
Psychologists and educators speak about bullying more often at conferences and general meetings, bloggers and media representatives to increase ratings and views than those who directly faced it. Meanwhile, the victims of bullying are often precisely those children who, by their nature, are psychologically more vulnerable than others. Such children often do not have enough internal resources or internal strength to cope with the aggressive behavior of their classmates and all the negativity that comes from them.
School bullying mechanism
Bullying is not about having classmates laugh or argue with a child a couple of times. Bullying is about when a child is purposefully and constantly encouraged by classmates with their aggressive behavior.
Bullying is a kind of internal device that allows you to build systems of social status within the classroom and school. The hierarchy of statuses is built in a similar way in the adult world. The only difference is in the level of cruelty.
The aggressors are children who consider themselves to be the top of the hierarchy or kings and queens who rule the collective. For them, bullying is a way to maintain their authority. Also, asocial children who, for whatever reason, did not fit into the team, can also act as aggressors. And bullying for them is a way to take a high status, to become these very kings and queens.
There are 4 parties involved in school bullying:
- victim;
- aggressor;
- children who witness the bullying, but do not participate in it;
- teachers and parents.
If the first two parties are directly involved in school bullying, then the second two, through their non-intervention, are accomplices in this "crime". Often, teachers and parents, when such a situation arises, either prefer not to interfere, or do their best not to notice it.
And yet, in many studies, bullying is seen as a failure of the school system. This is due to the fact that in the formation of classes, only one feature is used mainly - the year of birth. Therefore, finding themselves in a forcibly imposed collective, children find themselves in an unnatural situation when they have to look for their place in the collective and build power.
The consequences of bullying
School bullying negatively affects all four sides, affecting their worldview in a bad way. Victims often show signs of anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior (anorexia, bulimia, addictions, promiscuity, and suicidal attempts), and are more likely to get sick, have less motivation for learning and less desire to go to school.
The aggressor, feeling his impunity for organizing the persecution of his classmates, is convinced that the power is in the hands of those who can humiliate. Such children more often than others demonstrate illegal actions.
Children who witness bullying often experience fear and shame and become accustomed to their passive participation in society.
Life hacks for the persecuted
Since the problem of school bullying is often raised in the media, many different “life hacks for bullying” have appeared in various sources, which not only do not work, but can also lead to the exact opposite effect.
Such "life chats" include "hit back", "pay no attention", "find the strongest and defeat him", "become the coolest", "behave the same way" and the like.
Parents are advised by "experts" from the media "not to pay attention", "let the children figure it out themselves" or "go to school and deal with the aggressors themselves."
In fact, each case of bullying is different, so there is no universal solution to this problem.
The importance of working together to solve a problem
As noted above, bullying is a malfunction of the school system. The consequences of bullying have a negative impact on the worldview of all children. If bullying occurs, contact your class teacher or school administration.
Such problems need to be solved only by joint efforts (children, teachers, parents, school administration) with the involvement of a school psychologist or third-party psychological service specialists.
