New Approaches to Stopping Bullying

Last week I attended a workshop that discussed a different way to address bullying, presented by Israel Kalman, MS. He presented methods that put the victim more in control of the situation to better handle it. He also discussed how teachers can help decrease the incidences of bullying and teach the victim to be able to take care of these issues his or herself in the future.

Although Mr. Kalman's methods are different and therefore have been known to be somewhat controversial, I definitely agree with quite a bit of what he has to say. I am a firm believer that victims must be empowered to deal with the bullies so that the bullies know that he or she is not the child to pick on. Of course bullies need to have consequences when it becomes physical or harmful, but if the teacher handles everything for the victim, the victim continues to be just that: a victim. He or she learns that the only way to handle tough situations is to go to someone else to handle it for them. Teaching ways to deal effectively and appropriately with a bully is a life-long skill any child should be taught. As most parents and teachers know, ignoring typically is not effective. Teaching alternative skills can truly help the victims and stop the bullies.

If you would like to learn more about Mr. Kalman's techniques please refer to his website: www.bullies2buddies.com. If you would like to learn more about how I work with victims of bullying, feel free to e-mail or call me for more information.

Good luck!