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Understanding School Bullying

18 abr 2024Rogelio Valdés

Understanding School Bullying

Rogelio Valdés

Apr 18, 2024

Why has bullying in schools increased? Is it something new, or are we simply using a new English word for an old problem?

School bullying is actually a complex issue that has existed for a long time. In recent decades, society has become more aware of emotional health, and the subject now receives more attention. But this also happened to our parents and grandparents.

What is true is that bullying has intensified as education became more standardized and adopted a mass model inherited from the industrial revolution.

There are 3 main roots of school bullying:

  • Lack of student interest
  • Lack of attention students receive
  • Lack of social-emotional education

    • These three drivers have grown stronger ever since we standardized education and embraced a mass model. That is one of the reasons alternative approaches such as homeschooling, Montessori, Waldorf, and others have gained traction. Let’s look at the specific solutions these models offer and how they could also help reduce bullying even in traditional schools.

    Boredom

    School is supposed to be a place for learning. Students are always doing something, at least in theory. But if they are always busy, when does bullying happen?

    The reality is that during a six-hour school day, there are only certain moments when students are truly engaged with an academic topic. This is contradictory, because education should be interesting to the learner. If it is not, we lose their attention.

    When a student is bored, uninterested in the activity, or finds it either too easy or too difficult, they look for distraction. Not every bored student turns to bullying, but boredom is definitely a catalyst.

    I am not saying students should only do what they want. I am saying the system should adapt to each learner’s interests and pace. If something is too easy, we get bored. If it is too hard, we get frustrated. In both cases, attention leaves the academic task and shifts toward whatever seems more interesting. The goal of a school should be for each student to feel the right level of challenge.

    Some solutions:

  • Curricular enrichment: A more dynamic and participatory curriculum that truly challenges and engages students can reduce boredom. Practical activities, project-based learning, and lessons connected to real interests can make a huge difference.
  • Clubs and extracurricular activities: Offering a range of supervised activities after school gives children productive ways to explore interests and develop skills, reducing the time and energy available for negative behavior.

    • The search for attention

    Children seek attention at school for many reasons, often tied to basic emotional and psychological needs. In many cases, school is the main social setting where a child looks for approval, recognition, and status among both teachers and peers.

    Some children may feel overlooked at home or may not receive enough positive interaction, so they try to compensate by standing out at school. This can show up through disruptive behavior or actions that guarantee they will be the center of attention, whether in a positive or negative way. Understanding these dynamics is essential if we want to support them properly and redirect that energy toward healthier behavior.

    Some children use bullying as a way to get the attention they feel is missing in other parts of their life, whether at home or at school. It becomes a distorted way of seeking recognition or social power.

    Some solutions:

  • Positive recognition: Teachers and parents need to offer attention and recognition for positive behavior. Systems that reward good conduct and academic effort can motivate students to seek attention in healthier ways.
  • Behavioral interventions: Early intervention programs that teach social skills and healthy ways to seek attention can be especially helpful for students who are already showing signs of emotional or behavioral struggle.

    • Social-emotional education

    In many schools, students are not taught enough about how to manage feelings or how to handle relationships when conflict appears. This is what social-emotional education is about, and it matters because it helps us understand both our own emotions and the emotions of others.

    When students do not receive good social-emotional education, they are forced to figure out on their own how to deal with disagreements, conflict, and misunderstanding. If I want to play basketball and my classmate wants to play soccer at recess, we have to negotiate. Some children learn to do that through dialogue, others do not. Ideally, an adult guides and moderates these conflicts so students learn to resolve them in a healthy way. Even simply holding a debate teaches students how to deal with disagreement through dialogue and listening.

    Some solutions:

  • A social-emotional curriculum: Integrating social-emotional education into the school curriculum is essential. Teaching empathy, conflict resolution, and self-awareness can help prevent bullying before it begins.
  • Teacher training: Teachers also need training so they can recognize and address students’ social-emotional needs. Educators with these skills can create a classroom environment that is more inclusive and more understanding.

    • Understanding the root causes of bullying is essential if we want to address it effectively. Tackling boredom, the search for attention, and the absence of social-emotional education requires a holistic and collaborative approach involving educators, parents, and students. By facing these problems directly, we can create a school environment that is safer and more welcoming for everyone.