Critical Resource Review - Essay Example

Literature Review The detrimental long-term effects of bullying on children are not to be taken lightly. In a nutshell, victims of bullying lead miserable lives. The consequences of bullying go beyond the victims’ lives at school; their behavior even well after school shows such adverse signs as low self-esteem, inability to trust others and even difficulty in enjoying themselves (Kingman, 1994, p. 18 ). Schools would have to take a realist’s stance in dealing with bullying. They cannot forever cling to the myth that denies the prevalence of bullying acts right in their university grounds.

(McGrath, 2006, p. 8) Though bullying has been detected in all levels of the educational system, it is widespread in middle school, as pointed out in three studies. There is, then, this marked increase in the incidence of bullying as students graduate from elementary and move on to middle school. (Monitor Online website, 1999) In general, schools can do more to address student bullying within its campus by fostering organizational trust. The more the students trust their teachers to be concerned with their safety and well-being, the less prone they become to being victimized by bullies.

The conclusion of a study contends that trust in the faculty has its way of serving as protection for the students against the assaults of bullies, whether verbal or physical. (Smith & Birney, 2005, p. 480) Other than working on the students’ trust in the school faculty, the school can implement some other forms of intervention to address bullying amongst them. Examples of such interventions include curriculum-based strategies to increase the level of awareness of the students regarding bullying as a possible barrier against their overall development.

Thus, video films can be shown, theatre plays can be staged and open forums can be held to encourage students to be open about bullying as a threat that would have to be tackled by the faculty and the students together. (Smith & Sharp, 1994, p. 24) These collective actions of the school teachers against bullying must be established as a program that would be continually advocated for the welfare of the students. Schools must send out the messages that they will fight the occurrence of all sorts of bullying activities not just for a time but perpetually (Olweus, 1993, p. 77). Meanwhile, the bully whose behavior has gone unchecked is generally set to grow up as an antisocial person who has no adequate capability for empathy with others and who, therefore, turns out to be selfishly intolerant of others’ mistakes and inconsiderate of others’ feelings.

The bully would also tend to overlook the fact the other persons have rights, too. All these explain in part why child bullies are known to eventually have high chances of exhibiting violent and criminal behaviors as adults (Hantler, 1994, p. 8). ReferencesHantler, A. (1994). Children’s Views of Bullying. Health Education, 5, 8-14.Kingman, S. (1994). United Against Bullying. Health Education, 2, 18-20.Smith, P. & Birney, L. (2005). The Organizational Trust of Elementary Schools and Dimensions of Student Bullying.

International Journal of Educational Management, 19, (6), 469- 485.Smith, P. & Sharp, S. (1994). School Bullying Insights and Perspective. London: Routledge.McGrath, J. (2006). School Bullying: Tools for Avoiding Harm and Liability. London: Corwin Press.Bullying widespread in middle school, say three studies. October 1999. Monitor Online, 30, (9). Retrieved July 7, 2009 from http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct99/cf3.html. Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do (Understanding Children’s Worlds.

Oxford JF, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.