by: Paula McCoach
Hardcore bullies!
Which staff members are best suited to deal with them during the school year?
In my experience of coordinating the Bully Zapper Mentor Program for 7 years, guidance counselors are the most effective with these hardcore bullies.
1. Our building principal has mentored several hardcore bullies and, believe it or not, this was not an effective relationship in stopping this student from bullying.
Why?
Because the hardcore bully felt that they were “above the rules” with the principal being their mentor. No matter how much they were told that they would receive disciplinary consequences, they did not stop bullying because they felt like they had an advocate at the top.
Obviously, this is not the purpose of the Bully Zapper Mentor Program!
2. Teachers and even Educational Assistants have had some of our more hardcore bullies. If the teachers spend inordinate amounts of their personal time with the bullies nurturing and talking to them, often the hardcore bully was neutralized and even did a major turn around.
3. Some of our staff are outstanding in this way but most teachers do not have the time or any extra emotional resources to invest in a hardcore bully.
4. A few of our Educational Assistants have had success with the hardcore bullies, but they lack the professional experience and education to deal with them effectively on a regular basis.
5. Our most successful staff bully zappers have been the guidance counselors because not only do they have a more flexible schedule to deal with a bully crisis as it comes up, they have the training and experience to deals with these difficult kids.
Also, guidance counselors are privy to more personal information about the families, past history and personal issues of the hardcore bullies and many of them have already worked with these students and their families.
So, put your most effective mentors with these hardcore bullies – your able-bodied guidance counselors!
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by Paula McCoach