The issue of bullying and its prevention have come to the forefront of the education community. Bullying behavior occurs both in school and online, creating serious and lasting problems for many students.
Today’s teachers are increasingly aware of bullying and incorporating its prevention within their teaching strategies. Find out more about bullying and how you can earn your online teaching degree, including a master’s in education, and help stop bullying.
Teaching Strategies to Stop Bullying
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines bullying as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time.1 According to health and education experts, bullying can have serious and lasting problems for both kids who are bullied and those who bully others. Bullying behavior includes making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
If you’re a teacher or looking to earn your teaching degree, understanding bullying and how to spot the signs of it are key to its prevention and students’ well-being. As an educator, it’s important to know key statistics about bullying:2
- According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 1 in 4 U.S. students say they have been bullied at school, with fewer reporting ever being cyberbullied. Most bullying happens at school.
- About 30% of children surveyed have admitted to bullying others.
More than 70% of children say they have seen bullying in their schools. - More than 70% of school staff say they have seen bullying, while 62% have witnessed bullying two or more times in the last month
9% of children in grades 6–12 say they’ve experienced cyberbullying. - Growing awareness about bullying may create the sense that bullying is on the rise, but some studies suggest bullying is actually on the decline.
- Children who are perceived as being different by their peers are at greater risk of being bullied. This includes children who are overweight; lesbian, gay, or bisexual; children with disabilities; or those who are less popular or do not get along with others.
- Children who are overly concerned with their popularity, those having problems at home, and those who are aggressive or view violence in a positive way are more likely to exhibit bullying behavior.
The bullying prevention strategies that are most effective are those that involve the entire school community creating a culture of respect, including students, families, administrators, teachers, and staff. - Upstanders are bystanders who step in when they see a young person being bullied and can play a big role in preventing and stopping bullying. When upstanders see bullying and intervene, the bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time.
Parents and other adults can help prevent bullying by taking the time to communicate with children, talk to them about bullying, model kindness and respect, and encourage them to be upstanders.
Make a Difference With a Master’s Degree in Education
Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping children and preparing them for the years ahead. If you’re an educator looking to earn an advanced teaching degree, find out how you can earn your MS in Education (MSED) degree online from Walden University.
For today’s working education professionals, universities with online teaching degree programs offer the flexibility to earn a degree around a busy school schedule. So whether you’ve been teaching for years or are preparing for a career in education, earning an MSED degree from Walden may be the solution for your educational and career goals.
Walden’s online master's in education program is designed to help teachers improve student outcomes and stay at the forefront of the education field. With a cutting-edge curriculum that will connect you with nationally-recognized education experts, researchers, and scholars, Walden offers 14 MSED degree specializations, including 6 specializations with an accelerated option that allows you to save time and money.
Don’t put off earning your advanced education degree. Find out today how you can enroll at Walden and be on your way to earning your MS in Education.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering an MS in Education degree program, with accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: https://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html
2Source: https://www.stopbullying.gov/media/facts/index.html#ftn2
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.
Walden University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) for a period of 7 years, from April 24, 2012, to June 30, 2019. In 2013, NCATE merged with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council to form the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP is the single specialized accreditor for educator preparation and administers NCATE accreditation. Walden University is eligible for and will seek accreditation based on CAEP standards beginning in fall 2018.