7.8.3 How do I recognize bullying?

Duration: 

40 min

Aim: 

Participants will be introduced to the analytical tool “bullying glasses” in order to recognize a bullying situation. They will sharpen their observation by reflecting possible signs like bullying activities and bullying signals or hints from colleagues, students etc.

Materials:

Flipchart No. 3a, 3b, pin board, markers

Instruction for implementation:

The facilitators ask the participants to form small groups of two or three persons in order to reflect the questions on flipchart No. 3 (Approx. 5 minutes).Facilitators have prepared a chart on the pin board:

“Bullying glasses” Information sources Bullying activities Bullying signals
Stabilizers

Facilitators invite the participants to share their collection of answers. One facilitator moderates the exchange and the other one takes notes, classifying the answers and writing them down. There is no discussion at this point, just the collection of answers and the correct classification. If there is no fluent exchange, the trainers try to stimulate further thoughts, e.g.:

  • What else did you observe in former bullying cases?
  • Why does bullying work/ stabilizers?
  • What are your sources of information?

Once the columns have been filled in, facilitators introduce the “bullying glasses”, explaining that not only one or two observations/signals/activities justify labeling a certain behavior as bullying. But if a teacher observes several symptoms in different columns there is a strong likelihood for bullying. Also: Once a teacher becomes suspicious that there might be a case of bullying it is helpful to put on the bullying glasses and have a close look at the specific situation of a student.