28 Mar 2018
Kandos High School celebrated the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. Students participated in a range of activities that included: writing positive messages that promote anti-bullying actions, a cake stall, anti-bullying photo booth and the creation of a giant NO in the playground.
In addition, students participated in 'mini' lesson during their timetabled classes where students developed their knowledge and understanding of bullying.
We encourage you to take the time to reinforce these concepts at home.
The national definition of bullying for Australian schools says:
Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group of misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious or hidden.
Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long term effects on those involved, including bystanders.
Single incidents and conflict of rights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
There are four types of bullying behaviour:
- Verbal bullying which includes name calling or insulting someone about physical characteristics such as their weight or height, or other attributes including race, sexuality, culture or religion
- Physical bullying which includes hitting or otherwise hurting someone, showing or intimidating another person, or damaging or stealing their belongings
- Social bullying which includes consistently excluding another person or sharing information or images that will have a harmful effect on the other person
- Online bullying carried out through the internet or mobile devices. Online bullying is also sometimes call cyberbullying.
Signs and symptoms
Being bullied:
- Unspecified headaches, stomach aches (frequent requests to stay at home)
- Outbursts of anger
- Unexplained cuts and bruises, torn and mud splattered clothing
- Hitting out, flinching
- Tiredness ( often linked to sleep disturbance)
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained crying
- Unwillingness to walk or travel to school alone
- Avoidance of students once called as 'friends'
- Staying at home on evenings and at weekends
- Stealing money
- Staying late at school (to avoid encounters with students outside of school)
- Becoming introverted, sullen and self-effacing
- Expressing self-doubt
- Greater uneasiness with expressing physical affection
- Becoming easily distracted, forgetful (an indication that they are preoccupied with something else)
Bullying others:
- Changes in friendship groups (particularly the loss of a friendship group)
- An unexplained but overall decline in grades
- Expressions of disaffection with school
- Desire to show off, especially in front of others
- Ownership of items or goods that could not have been bought without parental knowledge
- Expessed anger or irritation with fellow students (including making disparaging comments about them or threating to hit them)
- Frustration with homework
- Domination or subjugation of siblings.
It is important that students become comfortable to report any bullying behavious to their teacher. We need to ensure that we provide a safe and positive learning environment to all students.