Bullying at Schools, Research Paper Example

Executive Summary

Bullying in schools is one no-nonsense issue that needs immediate attention at present. The more the students become involved or accustomed to such culture, the more damage the said system implicates on the being of the learners which could generally affect their understanding of how they ought to handle conflicts as they grow older. Most often than not, bullies are considered to be the bad-guys and their victims to be the oppressed ones who are forever doomed to be traumatized by their youthful experiences of being bullied. Nevertheless, to make the approach a little bit different this time, this study would not only look into the side of the ones who are victimized. Instead, the attention would also be shed towards the condition of the bullies; why are they the way that they are and how they can be helped. This way, the approach to the problem would be from the root to the tip of the issue; which could redefine the possibility of eliminating the culture of bullying in schools at present.

Where does the oppressive behavior come from? Where does the rage spur out from? These are among the many questions that would be responded to in the research. All of these assumptions and queries are to be given attention to for the sake of defining one goal: to provide solutions to the dreadful situation of those who are victimized by bullies at school. Through theoretical and statistical data to be collected for the study’s completion, a more defined insistence on what the problem is how serious it is and how it could be resolved shall be presented accordingly.

Introduction

School life for students has always been a source of tension and pressures due to the standards of results that learners are expected to incur. Noticeably, the system of learning in schools seemingly provides the students with so much to accomplish already; however, there are still instances when some students would opt to do otherwise. Having their own motives in mind, some of the students find their schools as the perfect place for distinct desire of oppressing others. Bullies swarm the schools at present and the rate of those being victimized by such an act remains at a high stake and is remarkably increasing every year. This is a considerably disturbing situation for school authorities to give attention to. Somehow, every year, school officials make sure that they are to push through a particular campaign against bullying, but still it could be realized that the reality behind such consideration fails to provide what the victims need [which determines the protection they deserve from the bullies]. What is likely the primary reason behind this failure? How has the world faced the issues of school bullying so far? Are there developmental results that make such option rather effective in giving the students the assurance they need in becoming more confident in the system of protection designed to give them the capacity to embrace a more defined sense of their personal worth? Are these campaigns effective enough to prevent the growth of the number of bullies in schools at present?

All these questions and queries would be further responded to and the situation be defined alongside the desire of finding the most comprehensive procedure of resolving the issues accordingly. Noticeably, it could be understood that the assumption of situations and the way they ought to be handled depend on the capacity of individuals involved to become more effective in determining a better way of designing programs that would reduce the number of victims of school bullying through controlling the way the number of bullies grow in rate. This way, the problem shall be resolved based on its roots; allowing the individuals involved to see a better pace of distinct control on how the situation is paced for resolution, thus giving the parties involved a sense of understanding on how they are to face the challenges of bullying.

Realities behind Bullying

In determining the realities behind the occurrence of bullying in schools, it is first and foremost important to know what bullying is all about. Following the principles of oppression, bullying is defined as the manner by which an individual presents himself at a stronger stance against others basing on the way he is able to control them and the ways by which they face their everyday lives. Putting pressure on the lives of others, they are able to achieve what they hope to accomplish especially when it comes to determining a much better sense of how their reputation is redefined by the ways they are feared by their peers.

In schools, where students coming from diversified backgrounds is an evident scenario, bullying has become a common place. Young individuals who opt to test their power against others who are seemingly weaker than they are are often given such a chance to explore their capabilities as they deal with peers in school. What makes these individuals a little bit more expressive with their demands and extensive in their aggressiveness to get what they want is that of the background that they have basically been involved with for a long time. This is the reason why school counselors are expected to create programs to see through a student even before they become bullies; there are particular common elements among these individuals making it easier for them to define their ways of progress in becoming bullies so much as they desire to find ways to bring out their frustrations. It is expected that through this manner of redefining their perspective in life that they would be much able to estimate a more comprehensive manner of getting their frustrations out on some other outlets than simply making others’ lives miserable.

However, no matter how supposedly strong the programs it is the willingness of everyone else to work with the system that counts as the most important aspect of the program’s strength. For instance, the system might not be able to serve its real purpose because of the unwillingness of the victims to actually disclose their cases. Fear and control of the situation; these are two among the most comprehensive elements that make it easier for victims to simply keep quiet than to actually become more serious about resolving the situation. Most of than not, it could be understood that victims are pressed down to not speak out of blackmailing, often directed to their reputation or the reputation of those who are close to them. These considerations of the bigger picture pushes the victims to stay quiet about the situation and become less concerned about their personal ideals [or even how much oppression they are receiving from their bullies].

The interaction between bullies and their victims is solidified by the many aspects of control that is used by the more powerful against the weaker party. At some point, the oppressed ones feel that it would be safer for them to choose not to speak than to actually go to authorities about the situation, thus making a definite impact on how they are viewed. Self-preservation often challenges the victims as to how they ought to handle the situation. Most often than not, to be able to promote a more distinct sense of effect on how they protect their reputation, some victims choose to keep quiet and give in to all the whims of their bullies (Agirdag, et al, 473). These are instances when cases go unnoticed as they are kept out from the knowledge of the public because of the agreement formed between the bully and the victim. Although this may seem quite of a higher range of arranged or planned bullying that usually happens between adults, the same thing happens among students in schools. However, the younger the victims are, the harder it is for them to get away from the situation without bruising their ego or hurting their personal course of advancement accordingly.

True to its sense, as clearly envisioned in this section of the presentation, the realities behind the occurrence of bullying among students in schools at present create a more distinct source of pressure on how the cases would be reported through empowering the victims to get along with the system and to cooperate with the ways by which they are being protected by those who have the authority and supposed control of the situation. Empowering the victims and helping them understand that it is not right to be bullied [no matter what form of oppression is used against them] and that it is highly important to address the problem immediately.

Statistics and Facts

The results of bullying in schools and among young victims are harsh enough that they can alter the attitude of the individuals affected by the said act of oppression. Most of the time, those who are affected by this matter, who choose not to speak, suffer harsher situations, often making a definite impact on how they develop as adults and how they handle conflicts accordingly. Through distinct studies, the following facts have been collected and analyzed in relation to the situations being examined in relation to bullying:

This graph basically outlines the comparison of bullying reports in both middle school and high school between the years 2007 towards 2010. The higher rate of bullying cases in middle school indicates that the victims during the said year of learning are less capable of expressing themselves in defense against their oppressors. This fact tends to challenge the capacity of administrators and school officials to become more involved in the campaign towards providing the students a more defined understanding on what they are going through and how they ought to face such situations.

Most of these reported cases are defined under the course by which the bullying approaches are taken at a more direct attack. Bullies in the middle grades are more direct in attacking their victims compared to the ones in high school. Likely, the lower rate of case reports noted in middle school could be accounted for the fact that the victims are already developing a personal concern about their reputation and the way they are viewed by their peers; some fear that if they do disclose that they are victims of bullying, that they would be branded weak and unable to defend themselves from oppressive attacks. Hence, to save themselves from shame, they tend to come up with some agreement with their bullies thus intending to preserve their reputation amongst their peers (Berger, 122). Nevertheless, although this may present a resolution at the surface, the effects of such agreements are most often than not harder to deal with compared to the chances by which the cases are being disclosed to the authorities.

This is where educational campaigns come into a much defined consistence especially in improving the ways by which individuals know more about bullying, its forms and its approaches and the ways by which attackers are intending to control the situation especially in creating strategies that are effective enough to make a definite turn on how matters could take their side of the story.

When young individuals learn about the situation more effectively, they are more likely to incur a better sense of control on how they are supposed to mandate matters, especially on how they are to take a courageous stand against their oppressors. On the other hand, providing education about the possible backgrounder of the oppressors or the bullies shall make it easier for the supposed victims to note the strategies they can take into account to be able to make a distinct sense on how they are to make an impact on the ways their problems are resolved especially with regards dealing with highly oppressive actions. Most likely, it could be understood that it is with this particular sense of knowledge that both bullies and victims could be helped to work towards supporting each other [not to tolerate the action] but to resolve issues that are designated to be fixed because of the emergence of behavioral issues that are distinctively creating a better sense of determination on how more defined essence of resolving situations come into account (Goldsmid, 225). The creation of such connection between conflicting parties ought to be given attention to through the emergent application of intervention coming from an outside party that is designated to provide the support that the conflicting ends are supposed to consider.

The Developing Psychology of Oppression

The desire to be in control is a natural human attitude towards others; the satisfaction it gives is rather affective on how one relatively sees himself. The capacity of a person to make sure that he becomes a powerful individual, especially in terms of affecting the lives and thinking of others, gives a sense of satisfaction that fits one’s ability to control matters. Such desire, however, becomes a source of frustration for some; one that makes it easier for some to resort to bullying others who may seem to have a weaker stand against them. Behavioral reorganization on the part of those going to intervene in the process of determining the capacity of each person to embrace a more distinct sense of controlling anger, frustration and loneliness gives them a better sense of making a distinct change on how they deal with others (Mishna, et al, 374). Helping them develop a more defined perception about life; one that basically defines the constancy of how good decision making on their own part could create a better individual out of themselves, making it easier for them to relate to their peers in a more positive manner.

Living in a hostile society, it might be harder to deal with the desire to contain the effects of the culture of oppression and how it basically affects the thinking of the people surrounding such manner of ideal thinking (Petrosino, et al, 433). Noticeably, it could be understood that it is with the structuralized form of embracing a new system of dealing with the issue of bullying that the problem could be resolved accordingly. This is where social cooperation comes in; especially as the resolution calls for a unified approach on how the situation could be contained and involved individuals could be guided as to how they are supposed to deal with the challenge of changing themselves and their ideals all at the same time.

Resolutions

School officials are in the front line of having the capacity to face the challenge. Noticeably, it is in their power that the capacity of the students to face their differences and become balanced in viewing themselves and their peers could be further guided and established. With such concentration on the positive implications towards applying psychological approaches in determining a better course of development on how behavioral imbalances are resolved. The connection between the bullies and their victims ought to be outlined properly, thus directed towards creating a more defined pattern on how their differences are dealt with and how they are guided to take better options to where they ought to resort their frustrations. Providing them the knowledge they need about the basics of bullying gives them a better option of determining what needs to be done for the sake of completely eliminating the problem if not containing the situation and the results it implies on the victims of the said cases.

Conclusion

This full research gives a clear overview on what bullying is and its status in making a distinct effect on the lives of school children at present. Working through the differences of the students and aiming to resolve the issue of discrimination among the young learners could provide a more constructive approach as to how the works of distinct counselors and psychologists could be put together to come up with good results in relation to how the young ones are assisted to deal with their differences.

Relatively, it could be realized that with the constructive manner of involving the agencies that are able to contain the situation among bullies and their victims, it would be much easier to manage the changes that are desired to be acquired accordingly. Noticeably, through applying a better sense of improvement on how the cases are dealt with. Hopefully improving the overall perception of the individuals involved in bullying, it is expected that current resolutions would hive long-lasting resolutions that could improve the situation of students [both that of the bullies and that of their victims].

Works Cited

Agirdag, O.; Demanet, J.; Van Houtte, M.; Van Avermaet, P.; Bettelheim, K. A. (2011). “Ethnic school composition and peer victimization: A focus on the interethnic school climate”. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 35 (4): 465–473.

Berger, Kathleen Stassen (2007). “Update on bullying at school: Science forgotten?”. Developmental Review.

Goldsmid, S.; Howie, P. (2014). “Bullying by definition: An examination of definitional components of bullying”. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties 19 (2): 210–225.

Liepe-Levinson, Katherine and Levinson, Martin H. (2005). “A General Semantics Approach to School-Age Bullying”. Review of General Semantics 62 (1): 4–16.

Mishna, F.; Cook, C.; Gadalla, T.; Daciuk, J.; Solomon, S. (2010). “Cyber bullying behaviors among middle and high school students”. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 80 (3): 362–374.

Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What We Know and What We Can Do. Oxford Blackwell Publishers

Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J., and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010–No. 092. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands.

Perren, S.; Gutzwiller-Helfenfinger, E.; Malti, T.; Hymel, S. (2012). “Moral Reasoning and Emotion Attributions of Adolescent Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victims“. British Journal Of Developmental Psychology 30 (4): 511–530.