C How to Stop Bullying in Schools:What Works,What Doesn’t

Meghan Holohan

Everyone knows bullying is a huge problem,and we all need to work to stop it.But how? The science is unclear.While school districts across the country spend millions of dollars each year to combat bullying,not all anti-bullying programs work equally—and some of the most common approaches,it turns out,don’t work very well at all.

Common bullying solutions that DON’T work

Many schools simply tackle bullying by hosting an anti-bullying assembly.While that might be a good start,experts agree that an annual address does little.“We can’t teach math overnight,”said Catherine Bradshaw,senior associate dean for research and faculty development in the Curry School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia.“It is not a skill you can learn in an hour.That is the whole issue with social emotional learning.”

When schools only host an assembly it sends the message to students that bullying isn’t important.That might mean students don’t seek help when they are being bullied or see a classmate being bullied.

“It could inadvertently signal that we are checking off a box that we are doing something about bullying without showing an ongoing commitment,”1.inadvertently：非故意地，無意地；check off a box：在方框中打鉤，這里指例行公事，沒有認真對待；ongoing：持續存在的，進行中的；commitment：投入。said Susan P.Limber,Dan Olweus Professor of Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University.“Bullying is a complex phenomenon.There are many reasons why children bully,why kids may be targeted.An approach needs to be comprehensive and touch all the risk factors and really can’t be seen as a short-term fix2.fix：臨時解決方案。.”

Another common tactic is to encourage the bully and victim to talk through the problem and vow to be nice to one other.While it sounds lovely,in theory,it normally backfires3.backfire：（計劃）產生適得其反的結果。.

隨著《少年的你》熱映，校園欺凌問題再度引起關注和熱議。究竟怎樣應對這一問題，國內外都只是摸著石頭過河，尚無定論。但是，通過不斷的嘗試，終究能發現哪些是行之有效的，而哪些又是事倍功半的。國外已經走過的路，或許能成為我們的借鑒。

Bullying programs that are backed by research

Over the past year,Clifton Middle School in Monrovia,California has tried a different approach to bullying.The school implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program,4.implement：實施，貫徹；Olweus Bullying Prevention Program：奧爾韋烏斯欺凌預防項目。a research-based program that first started in Norway.Olweus encourages schools to have antibullying classes as part of the curriculum and provides a framework for addressing bullies and victims.There’s no data on the program’s success yet,but already,principal Jennifer Jackson has noticed a change.

“I have seen students going from being bullies to being very empathetic5.empathetic：有同情心的，能共情的。human beings because we pulled something out of them they never knew they had,”she said.“It is very powerful.”

“In the world of bullying,which has always existed,everything discipline-wise was getting lumped together.Olweus allows us to separate bullying incidences and discipline.You are not just addressing the bullying and the victim but also the bystanders,”Jackson explained.6.杰克遜解釋道：“校園欺凌這一問題長期存在，并且一直都按紀律問題對待。奧爾韋烏斯欺凌預防項目則把欺凌行為和紀律分離開，不僅處理欺凌者與被欺凌者的問題，也處理旁觀者的問題。”-wise：在某方面；lump：（有時錯誤地）歸并在一起；incidence：（尤指罪行、疾病等的）發生率。

Jackson says Olweus focuses on understanding the root causes of bullying,while teaching social and emotional intelligence.One way the program does this is with mindfulness7.mindfulness：正念認知，一種在當下體會人的身體和心靈的方法，可以使人保持平靜。classes and schoolwide classes focused directly on bullying and its effects.Staffguide students to stop,think and process before acting,reducing impulsive8.impulsive：沖動的。behaviors.The school even uses therapy dogs to help students struggling with complex and confusing emotions.

What works to prevent bullying

Experts agree that certain things make anti-bullying programs more successful,although research hasn’t conclusively identified every element that works.9.專家承認，確實有一些方法在反欺凌方面收到了不錯的效果，但起作用的因素究竟都有哪些，他們還沒完全弄明白。One key to success:setting goals that are properly communicated to the staff,students,parents and the community.Schools need to have very clear policies and procedures around bullying recognition and response.

A bullying prevention that’s integrated throughout the curriculum also makes a difference.Heather Wellman,a seventh grade English language arts teacher,in Pueblo,Colorado,has used novels to explore social and emotional learning concepts around bullying.When her seventh grade students readAnimal Farmthey looked at whether Squealer was a good friend,10.Animal Farm：《動物莊園》（1945），英國作家喬治·奧威爾創作的中篇小說，講述了一個農場的動物們在豬的帶領下成功“革命”，趕走了壓榨他們的人類東家，建立起了一個平等的動物社會。然而，兩只處于領導地位的豬卻為了權力而互相傾軋，最終獲得領導權的一只名為“拿破侖”的豬成為比人類東家更加獨裁的統治者；Squealer：《動物莊園》中一只名為“聲響器”的豬，善于言辭，是獨裁豬“拿破侖”的忠實支持者。which ties into the anti-bullying and mental health program Sources of Strength that her school uses.Using fictional characters helps students better identify positive and negative characteristics that might lead to bullying or poor mental health,while better understanding the books.

Sources of Strength encourages students to leverage11.leverage：充分利用（資源、觀點等）。positive things in their lives,such as helpful adult mentors or healthy activities,to address bullying.For example,the program helps children identify those strong people in their lives so they know where to turn if they do face problems.

Wellman thinks the program’s focus on peer mentors is a real asset.12.peer mentor：朋輩導師，同齡人導師；real asset：實際資產，這里指有實際價值的東西。It encourages adults to tap13.tap：委任，選擇（某人做某事，尤指擔當重要工作）。10 percent of its student body to be what she thinks of as“influencers.”These students undergo a day of training with monthly refresher courses14.refresher course：（短期職業）進修課程。on anti-bullying concepts,and they are supposed to lead by example.Wellman recalls a group of peer leaders who noticed one girl accusing another of being“fake.”They worried she’d be shunned15.shun：有意回避。because of it.The peer mentors approached Wellman about the situation,and she guided them to problem solving using concepts from their anti-bullying program.The girls invited the so-called fake student to join them for lunch.

“I didn’t tell those girls to be nice,”she explained.“They ran with it.It helped alleviate that tension.”16.她解釋道：“我沒有專門說要她們和氣一點，她們自己就有這個意識了。這很好地緩解了緊張和不安。”run with it：（為使計劃、問題等成功而）控制并加入自己的想法；alleviate：減輕，緩和。

Another tactic proven to reduce bullying:teaching socialemotional learning.This helps students better learn how to grapple with their feelings in a positive way instead of taking it out on others.17.grapple with：盡力解決，設法克服；take out：發泄。“They know what to do when they are bullied and develop skills with social and emotional learning so they can regulate their own emotions,”Bradshaw said.

Experts agree that any anti-bullying program is only as strong as a school’s commitment to it.18.專家認為，學校的決心越強，反欺凌的效果越好。To get results,you have to put in the time.“These efforts have to be woven in the fabric of19.be woven in the fabric of：納入到……的機制中去。their school,”Limber said.“It needs to be part of who they are.”