Phase 1 - Establishing The Facts
The immediate response to a report that a student is being bullied is a survey of the relevant class or year group. This can be done during homeroom, and it protects the source of the information from any kind of retaliation or additional bullying since the information could then have come from anyone surveyed. When undertaking a survey it can be stated that some teachers expressed concerns . . ." that there may be "someone being unfairly or disrespectfully treated in this class . . ."
For this exercise desks should be separated, as for examinations, so students cannot see what others are writing. Students should be told that all completed questionnaire forms should be immediately turned face down on desks so nobody can see what was written on them. Everything written is confidential between the writer and the person giving the survey (which can either be the Teacher and/or someone from the Student Support Center). In addition, nobody, either student, Head of Year, Head of section, or Head of School has access to them so long as anyone identified in them as being involved in bullying promises to stop the bullying and keeps that promise. On the basis of this confidentiality rule and to ensure protection of all sources of information, when being interviewed later, perpetrators should never be told how many questionnaires in a survey identified them, or who reported about the bullying initially. They need only be told that "according to the survey you were . . . " or "what the students are saying in the survey is that you . . ." or the like.
UISGZ Alert System:
When a suspected bullying incident is reported by a student, parent or other person, the teacher or staff member completes the UISGZ Alert System. The teacher or staff member can fill out the alert form and include information about the day and date of the incident, the names of perpetrators and/or targeted students, initial details of the incident and the names of others who were there; and then submitted in the usual fashion. For every Incident Report Form submitted an investigation must take place.
Information to be Read to Students Before Administering the Anti-Bullying Survey:
The highlighted parts of this document are always used before carrying out a survey whether in relation to bullying in general or specific incidents. It sets out the context of all the activities that together make up the ongoing anti-bullying Program in the school - bullying in any form is unacceptable and must stop. It highlights RESPECT as central to proper behavior towards others. In particular it guarantees a “no-blame” approach - students who are found to be involved in bullying behavior are asked to promise to stop and if they do this and keep their promise they will not be penalized. In this context students who report bullying are not “ratting” on each other and getting people in trouble but rather getting people out of trouble into which they would otherwise have got. This approach seems to offer the best chance of eliciting reliable information.
Incident Survey Questionnaire:
This is a questionnaire, to be signed and distributed to a whole class group or year group to try to establish/corroborate details of what happened in a recent incident. The information section at the top reminds students that if the matter is resolved there will be no penalty. Some of the questions seek information about the incident. Students who do not know anything about the incident should be told to write, "I don't know" rather than leaving any section blank. A signed statement "I don't know" is different from a signed blank questionnaire that could mean a refusal to cooperate with the survey by someone who does know. The question about others who were there has proved particularly useful. This information is easily given and those named can be spoken to later, if necessary, for further information or to clarify details.
The last two questions have two purposes. One is to get students to "declare where they stand" on bullying and the Anti-Bullying Program. The more often this is done, within reason, the better. However, the other is to make sure that even students who know nothing about the incident have to write something on the page. This avoids the problem of students who are afraid, and who wish a bully to know that they are not writing down what they know, dropping their pens and turning over their pages immediately and sitting back to make it obvious that any information coming from the survey did not come from them.
If the Anti-Bullying Program is effective in raising awareness, then, in the case of serious single incidents this survey tends to provide a lot of useful accurate detail. However, it is harder for students to spot more subtle or low-key forms of bullying or to identify it for what it is (for example, because it looks like harmless banter, or part of a cultural interpersonal norm). If it is hard to get corroboration other methods can be used, for example using Witness Incident Statements (online or paper versions) or the Student Friction Alert. Regardless of how much information is received once a report is received and a survey carried out the alleged perpetrator(s) should be interviewed.
Initial Class Survey Questionnaire:
This is a questionnaire to be used with a class or year group in which it is known or suspected that there is ongoing bullying but where no specific incident has triggered an investigation. Teachers can use this as a part of a homeroom activity. Students are reminded that there will be no penalty for perpetrators of bullying behavior provided they promise to stop and keep that promise. In this questionnaire students have the chance to indicate if they or others are being bullied and to say who the perpetrators are. They can also identify other students who know about what is going on and anyone named here can be asked for corroboration later. Perpetrators are given a chance to admit their behavior knowing that they will not be penalized provided they stop. If they make this admission they usually indicate that they are involved "sometimes" even if they are "often" involved but the admission binds them to making and keeping a promise to stop - the best possible outcome. This online form is used to get details about an incident from students who were named, possibly in one of the other surveys, as being present when it happened; or by students who wish to confidentially report an incident. Students can report incidents from the safety of their home if they are afraid of retaliation. (When they indicate who else was there they may unwittingly name the person who said they themselves were present). Information gathered this way may be used to corroborate what has already been reported or indicated in a survey by students or by staff on behalf of a student, parent or themselves on the E-Referral System. (NOTE: The student must be told that a real name and homeroom must be indicated on the “Student Online Bullying Incident Report Form” or it will not be accepted)
Adaptable Whole Class Interview Form:
This form may need to be used occasionally, despite ongoing awareness-raising and culture-shifting exercises. This could arise for example:
1. When a student who bullies another has a lot of friends or supporters in her/his class group,
2. The targeted student does not have any friends for support,
3. When members of the class realize that the alleged perpetrator is re-offending and that a penalty may ensue, or
4. if cultural norms or issues make it harder for information to be gathered.
If the usual survey does not yield enough corroboration to effectively deal with the situation this method is useful. It involves at least four staff members,(from the Student Resource Center and other stakeholders), without advance notice, carrying out short, focused interviews with everyone in the class group, within one period of 40 minutes so members of the class have no opportunity to compare notes or arrange answers. This can be done during a homeroom period. This sheet should be adapted in advance so the questions asked are tailored to the particular class situation.
Vulnerable Student Alert Notice for Staff:
This adaptable form (sent out by the Student Support Center) requests information from staff members about particular students who are thought to be experiencing bullying behavior. This form has the effect of having staff-members "watch out for" identified students. Copies are emailed to relevant staff-members and feedback returned to the Student Welfare Coordinator. If feedback is received about a student the reporting staff member is then asked to submit an online Alert, to assist the investigation (that is already underway). This procedure also has the advantage that after the matter is resolved the staff-member in question can be asked, in the weeks that follow, how the student is getting on with classmates at that stage and whether there has been any recurrence of the bullying.
This form can also be used to ask staff to "watch out for" a student who is known to have been bullied but may be bullied again by others. For example: if a large number of students were involved in the bullying and just some had been dealt with others may take the opportunity to continue the bullying "on behalf of" or "in the absence of" their friend who had stopped. A notice like this for staff can limit the options of such potential perpetrators by increasing the vigilance of staff in relation to the particular targeted student.
Staff-members often become more alert and vigilant in watching student behavior for signs of bullying - enhancing the whole-school approach that is necessary for our Anti-Bullying Program to be successful. Finally, teachers can also opt to initiate information gathering using this form but completed forms must be sent as well to the Student Resource Center.
Phase 2 - Interviewing
Phase 3 - Resolution
Phase 4 - Rehabilitation
For this exercise desks should be separated, as for examinations, so students cannot see what others are writing. Students should be told that all completed questionnaire forms should be immediately turned face down on desks so nobody can see what was written on them. Everything written is confidential between the writer and the person giving the survey (which can either be the Teacher and/or someone from the Student Support Center). In addition, nobody, either student, Head of Year, Head of section, or Head of School has access to them so long as anyone identified in them as being involved in bullying promises to stop the bullying and keeps that promise. On the basis of this confidentiality rule and to ensure protection of all sources of information, when being interviewed later, perpetrators should never be told how many questionnaires in a survey identified them, or who reported about the bullying initially. They need only be told that "according to the survey you were . . . " or "what the students are saying in the survey is that you . . ." or the like.
UISGZ Alert System:
When a suspected bullying incident is reported by a student, parent or other person, the teacher or staff member completes the UISGZ Alert System. The teacher or staff member can fill out the alert form and include information about the day and date of the incident, the names of perpetrators and/or targeted students, initial details of the incident and the names of others who were there; and then submitted in the usual fashion. For every Incident Report Form submitted an investigation must take place.
Information to be Read to Students Before Administering the Anti-Bullying Survey:
The highlighted parts of this document are always used before carrying out a survey whether in relation to bullying in general or specific incidents. It sets out the context of all the activities that together make up the ongoing anti-bullying Program in the school - bullying in any form is unacceptable and must stop. It highlights RESPECT as central to proper behavior towards others. In particular it guarantees a “no-blame” approach - students who are found to be involved in bullying behavior are asked to promise to stop and if they do this and keep their promise they will not be penalized. In this context students who report bullying are not “ratting” on each other and getting people in trouble but rather getting people out of trouble into which they would otherwise have got. This approach seems to offer the best chance of eliciting reliable information.
Incident Survey Questionnaire:
This is a questionnaire, to be signed and distributed to a whole class group or year group to try to establish/corroborate details of what happened in a recent incident. The information section at the top reminds students that if the matter is resolved there will be no penalty. Some of the questions seek information about the incident. Students who do not know anything about the incident should be told to write, "I don't know" rather than leaving any section blank. A signed statement "I don't know" is different from a signed blank questionnaire that could mean a refusal to cooperate with the survey by someone who does know. The question about others who were there has proved particularly useful. This information is easily given and those named can be spoken to later, if necessary, for further information or to clarify details.
The last two questions have two purposes. One is to get students to "declare where they stand" on bullying and the Anti-Bullying Program. The more often this is done, within reason, the better. However, the other is to make sure that even students who know nothing about the incident have to write something on the page. This avoids the problem of students who are afraid, and who wish a bully to know that they are not writing down what they know, dropping their pens and turning over their pages immediately and sitting back to make it obvious that any information coming from the survey did not come from them.
If the Anti-Bullying Program is effective in raising awareness, then, in the case of serious single incidents this survey tends to provide a lot of useful accurate detail. However, it is harder for students to spot more subtle or low-key forms of bullying or to identify it for what it is (for example, because it looks like harmless banter, or part of a cultural interpersonal norm). If it is hard to get corroboration other methods can be used, for example using Witness Incident Statements (online or paper versions) or the Student Friction Alert. Regardless of how much information is received once a report is received and a survey carried out the alleged perpetrator(s) should be interviewed.
Initial Class Survey Questionnaire:
This is a questionnaire to be used with a class or year group in which it is known or suspected that there is ongoing bullying but where no specific incident has triggered an investigation. Teachers can use this as a part of a homeroom activity. Students are reminded that there will be no penalty for perpetrators of bullying behavior provided they promise to stop and keep that promise. In this questionnaire students have the chance to indicate if they or others are being bullied and to say who the perpetrators are. They can also identify other students who know about what is going on and anyone named here can be asked for corroboration later. Perpetrators are given a chance to admit their behavior knowing that they will not be penalized provided they stop. If they make this admission they usually indicate that they are involved "sometimes" even if they are "often" involved but the admission binds them to making and keeping a promise to stop - the best possible outcome. This online form is used to get details about an incident from students who were named, possibly in one of the other surveys, as being present when it happened; or by students who wish to confidentially report an incident. Students can report incidents from the safety of their home if they are afraid of retaliation. (When they indicate who else was there they may unwittingly name the person who said they themselves were present). Information gathered this way may be used to corroborate what has already been reported or indicated in a survey by students or by staff on behalf of a student, parent or themselves on the E-Referral System. (NOTE: The student must be told that a real name and homeroom must be indicated on the “Student Online Bullying Incident Report Form” or it will not be accepted)
Adaptable Whole Class Interview Form:
This form may need to be used occasionally, despite ongoing awareness-raising and culture-shifting exercises. This could arise for example:
1. When a student who bullies another has a lot of friends or supporters in her/his class group,
2. The targeted student does not have any friends for support,
3. When members of the class realize that the alleged perpetrator is re-offending and that a penalty may ensue, or
4. if cultural norms or issues make it harder for information to be gathered.
If the usual survey does not yield enough corroboration to effectively deal with the situation this method is useful. It involves at least four staff members,(from the Student Resource Center and other stakeholders), without advance notice, carrying out short, focused interviews with everyone in the class group, within one period of 40 minutes so members of the class have no opportunity to compare notes or arrange answers. This can be done during a homeroom period. This sheet should be adapted in advance so the questions asked are tailored to the particular class situation.
Vulnerable Student Alert Notice for Staff:
This adaptable form (sent out by the Student Support Center) requests information from staff members about particular students who are thought to be experiencing bullying behavior. This form has the effect of having staff-members "watch out for" identified students. Copies are emailed to relevant staff-members and feedback returned to the Student Welfare Coordinator. If feedback is received about a student the reporting staff member is then asked to submit an online Alert, to assist the investigation (that is already underway). This procedure also has the advantage that after the matter is resolved the staff-member in question can be asked, in the weeks that follow, how the student is getting on with classmates at that stage and whether there has been any recurrence of the bullying.
This form can also be used to ask staff to "watch out for" a student who is known to have been bullied but may be bullied again by others. For example: if a large number of students were involved in the bullying and just some had been dealt with others may take the opportunity to continue the bullying "on behalf of" or "in the absence of" their friend who had stopped. A notice like this for staff can limit the options of such potential perpetrators by increasing the vigilance of staff in relation to the particular targeted student.
Staff-members often become more alert and vigilant in watching student behavior for signs of bullying - enhancing the whole-school approach that is necessary for our Anti-Bullying Program to be successful. Finally, teachers can also opt to initiate information gathering using this form but completed forms must be sent as well to the Student Resource Center.
Phase 2 - Interviewing
Phase 3 - Resolution
Phase 4 - Rehabilitation