Page 31 - Essential Advice for the Teaching Profession - Vol. 8

Responding to the Bullying of Students
The Council of the Ontario College of Teachers approved this advisory on June 8, 2017.
This advice applies to all members of the College including, but not limited to, teachers, con- sultants, vice-principals, principals, supervisory officers, directors of education and those working in non-school board positions.
What is bullying? What effect does it have on a student’s self-esteem, development, and learning? How does bullying both inside and outside the classroom affect the learn- ing environment? Can you recognize bullying in its various forms, including by electronic means? Do you know how to address and prevent bullying among your students?
Bullying means “aggressive and typically repeated behaviour”1 that is pervasive in society, particularly among young people.
In a comprehensive study conducted by
the Nova Scotia Task Force on Bullying
and Cyberbullying, 58 per cent of the 3,052 student respondents reported that they had been bullied and 30 per cent admitted to bullying others.2 According to a 2015 Ontario
1 RSO 1990, c. E.2, s.1.(1)
study, 24 per cent (representing about 231,000 students) reported being bullied at school, and 13 per cent said that they
had bullied others at school.3
The scale of the problem signals that “many children may not be learning the skills and competencies necessary to engage positively or constructively in human relationships.”4 This has a tremen- dous negative impact on students and learning environments.
By understanding the characteristics of bullying, you can identify bullying behaviour and provide effective interventions that can minimize its effects and reduce occurrences.
2 A. Wayne MacKay, “Respectful and Responsible Relationships: There’s No App for That” (The Report of the Nova Scotia Task Force on Bullying and Cyberbullying, 29 November 2012).
3 Boak, A., Hamilton, H.A., Adlaf, E. M., Henderson, J.L., & Mann, R.E. (2016). “The mental health and well-being of Ontario students, 1991-2015: Details OSDUHS findings” (CAMH Research Document Series No. 43). Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
4 MacKay, 5.
Help prevent bullying in schools.
Read Professional Advisory — Responding to the Bullying of Students in its entirety by visiting oct-oeeo.ca/bullying.
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
ESSENTiAL ADViCE FOR THE TEACHiNG PROFESSiON 27