Handling bullying situations in online classrooms requires sensitivity, setting boundaries, and effective communication from the tutor.
Bullying is defined as "an aggressive behaviour - physical, verbal, psychological, or social - that occurs intentionally, unprovoked and repeatedly, at school and even on social media. Its purpose is to impose and cause physical and mental suffering on the person (or group of people) who suffers it." (Brank et al., 2012)
Different types of behaviours may indicate a bullying incident in different settings. Even in an online classroom where physically aggressive behaviour cannot be detected, verbal or social bullying cases may be observed. Verbal bullying can be manifested in mocking comments intended to harm or mock someone, discrimination against one or more children, sexual comments, etc. Social bullying may consist of spreading rumours, behaviour that leads to the isolation of a child from the rest of the group, etc. Three types of roles can be observed in this phenomenon: the perpetrator, the victim and the observer(s). (Rigby, 2002).
Of course, the phenomenon's effects are multifaceted and concern not only the victims but all participants in it, as well as emotional, academic, and social consequences (Rigby, 2002). Some of these concerns effects on:
Self-esteem, self-image and mental well-being of the victims
Social adaptation of the victims (reluctance and absences from school, feelings of loneliness, shyness, etc.)
Social adaptation of delinquents (absences due to apathy for school, antisocial behaviour, etc.)
Mental euphoria (feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, self-pity, psychological exhaustion, etc.)
During class, the tutor must be very observant and notice any signs of bullying behaviour. The tutor must also maintain objectivity and not discriminate in favour of or against students.
If he perceives bullying behaviour against one or more children, he must react and intervene in time. Of course, always politely, not judgmentally or abruptly, by scaring the children but maintaining balance and safety in the classroom.
In any case, we try to show respect and not blame the abuser in a targeted way, as the perpetrators seem to be emotionally burdened children themselves (Rigby, 2002). Supportive methods are preferable to punitive methods because of their effectiveness (Wasch et al., 2018). Therefore, we need to intervene in a calm and loving way while protecting the recipient of this behaviour.
We may, for example, encourage them to go into the process of thinking by asking children questions about how the recipient of the behaviour might feel, the importance of effective communication and active listening in group discussions, and the rules that were set at the beginning of sessions with children's participation about acceptable and non-acceptable behaviours. Thus, empathy and conflict management skills are strengthened, and at the same time, a safe climate is created.
Ages 6-8:
Contingent situation: A student makes fun of another student's appearance during a virtual class.
Suggested tutor response:
We set the boundaries and rules of the classroom about appropriate vocabulary by asking the children.
"In our class, it is important that we all treat everyone with respect and not make negative comments about our classmates. Who wants to remind us of our rules?”
We explain in simple and appropriate words why such behaviour is not acceptable.
"When we say something to someone in a bad way, we may upset them and hurt them, and that's not very nice."
We enhance empathy and understanding of the consequences of such an act with simple questions.
"How do you think he felt?" How would you feel if someone said that to you?”
We emphasize the importance of being polite and respecting each other. We can also show a short video that captures the above in a simple and understandable way for the age group.
We reinforce positively by rewarding when the student shows improvement in their behaviour.
Ages 9-11:
Contingent situation: A student repeatedly interrupts and talks over another student during an activity.
Suggested tutor response:
We remind you of boundaries and acceptable behaviours in the classroom
"We may not all agree with everyone, but it is important to listen carefully to what everyone has to say and respect each other's opinions. Which one of you wants to remind us of the rules we set at our first sessions?”
We emphasize the importance of active listening. We can ask the students what active listening is, allowing them to think about it and realize its importance. This way, we can manage the situation while also strengthening this important skill.
"When someone expresses his thoughts and feelings, it is very important to listen carefully as we would like to be listened to when we speak. Who wants to tell us what active listening is? Why is it so important?”
We emphasize the importance of teamwork.
"It is very important that we all work together to achieve the purpose of the activity. Some information from one of us will help everyone to think about other alternatives. We can all be helped by the opinion of others and reach our common goal together."
We assign each child a role during the activity to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to express themselves and participate equally.
Ages 12-14:
Contingent situation: A student shares offensive comments about another student in class chat, causing embarrassment.
Suggested tutor response:
We intervene immediately, stressing that this behaviour is not acceptable.
"Our words can hurt others. Let's discuss how we can communicate respectfully."
We create a climate of respect and safety so that everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves. We encourage students to report any incidents of bullying.
"Here in our class, everyone is free to express their thoughts without offending each other. It's a safe environment where if someone feels annoyed or wronged, they can express it, and we can all discuss it together."
We discuss the consequences of such behaviour. We can start by asking the students questions so that they themselves are first in the process of thinking about the possible implications.
We can role-play, and some students will take on the roles of the bully, the victim, and the bystanders.
Ages 15-17:
Contingent situation: A student spreads rumours about another student through the chat shared with his classmates.
Suggested tutor response:
We intervene immediately by stating that such behaviour is not acceptable.
We clearly discuss the consequences of rumour-mongering and the potential harm it can cause to individuals' well-being while fostering empathy. This can be done by discussing real-life examples or hypothetical situations.
"When rumours are spread, they can deeply hurt the person they're about. Imagine if someone were spreading false rumours about you. How would that make you feel?"
We could set up a breakout room with the bully and the victim to discuss expressing our concern about the behaviour and the potential for friction between the students.
"I've noticed some rumours going around in our class discussion, and it's important to address them. Can you tell me about your involvement in spreading these rumours? Is something going on between you two?"
We encourage the students to take responsibility for their actions and understand the impact of their words. This may include reflecting on the motivations behind spreading rumors and considering alternative ways of handling conflicts or issues. It can also be done through private messages so that the student does not get in a difficult position to answer in front of the others.
"I want you to think about why you felt the need to spread these rumours. What did you hope to achieve? How do you think the other student feels now?"
We can facilitate a cycle of restoring respect and open dialogue. Students can openly discuss the effects of bullying behaviour and work together to create a supportive classroom culture. They can set rules for their behaviour together.
Also, to ensure the privacy and dignity of the recipient of aggressive behaviour, we can communicate through private chat messages expressing our interest and support. We can ask the child if they are okay, stating that we are available if they want to discuss anything. Also, if we have the opportunity and wish, we can ask the child if he wants us to stay for a while after the lesson to discuss if he needs it.
In any case, if a child's bullying behaviour persists and we need additional help, we can communicate by sending our concerns to the corresponding Discord channel. Depending on the severity or frequency of the bullying incident, we can contact the Morphoses counsellors so that the parents can be informed and support it appropriately.
The goal is always to create a safe environment for all students where respect and empathy prevail among students.
References:
Brank, E. M., Hoetger, L. A., & Hazen, K. P. (2012). Bullying. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 8(1), 213–230. doi:10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-102811-173820
Rigby, K. (2002). Σχολικός Εκφοβισμός. Σύγχρονες Απόψεις (Α. Γιαβαζολιάς, επίμ.). Εκδόσεις Τόπος.
Wachs, S., Bilz, L., Niproschke, S., & Schubarth, W. (2018). Bullying Intervention in Schools: A Multilevel Analysis of Teachers’ Success in Handling Bullying From the Students’ Perspective. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 1-27.doi:10.1177/0272431618780423