Banishing Bullying Behavior

Transforming the Culture of Peer Abuse

By (author) SuEllen Fried, Blanche E. Sosland

Publication date:

09 September 2011

Length of book:

192 pages

Publisher

R&L Education

ISBN-13: 9781610484329

Banishing Bullying Behavior challenges students, parents, educators, education support professionals, administrators, counselors, and policy makers to confront the culture of cruelty that is devastating our society. This book is filled with insights, personal stories, anecdotal material, and strategies that are directed to the widest audience possible. It urges us to become change agents and empower children to transform their pain, rage, and revenge to empathy, kindness, and healing. Fried and Sosland tackle the demanding questions about physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, cyber, sibling, and even summer camp bullying. What sets this book apart is Chapter Eleven, "the Student Empowerment Session," which focuses on giving students ownership of the problem and the solutions. Anti-bullying legislation and school policies are essential supports, but we must change the hearts, attitudes, and behavior of students. President Obama said it well, “Bullying is not normal and it is not inevitable.” The implication of that statement is daunting but not impossible. Banishing Bullying Behavior will inspire you to prevent peer abuse and intervene effectively when necessary.

Chapter 1Transforming the Culture
Chapter 2Dimensions and Overview of Bullying
Chapter 3Back to Bullying Basics
Chapter 4Getting Specific About Bullying
Chapter 5Cyberbullying: Unimagined Cruelty
Chapter 6Bully Free Summer Camps
Chapter 7Bullying from Pre-School through Adolescence
Chapter 8Helping Special Needs Students Achieve Success
Chapter 9The Challenges of Changing the Culture
Chapter 10Change Agents
Chapter 11Empowering Students in the Solution
Chapter 12Ten Burning Questions
Chapter 13Parents as Protectors, Partners, and Change Agents
Chapter 14Letters From the Children

Bullying has unfortunately become a major issue in school communities. Fried and Sosland have extensive experience to support their writing. Fried created a bully prevention program, BullySafeUSA, which is utilized in 36 states, in addition to authoring four books on the topic. Sosland brings her classroom expertise to the topic. The book defines bullying behavior; gives profiles of the bullies, targets, and witnesses; and discusses types of bullying (e.g., physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and cyber bullying). The authors also give examples across grade levels. Most helpful is the authors' description of roles of each change agent, including administrators, teachers (they address specific content area teachers separately), parents, counselors, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and others. This holistic approach assists communities in changing the culture of the school and challenges readers to end this cycle of pain. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections.