Defining Bullying
"Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
Sometimes, bullying can be hard to distinguish from play or rude behavior. One rude or mean interaction does not qualify as bullying, but as the definition above makes clear, repeated issues over time do constitute bullying. As a substitute, you usually won't know the history of students' interactions; however, you can watch for behaviors that persist over the time you are in the classroom, step up to protect victims, and seek school support for suspected bullying.
Defining Cyberbullying
"Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
As a substitute, you should refer any suspected or reported cyberbullying to school administration. You should not view content on student phones, and you should seek school support if a student device needs to be confiscated. Even in schools where cell phones are allowed, it is best practice to have students keep their cell phones put away so that they cannot be used inappropriately in class. Click here for our resource page on managing electronic devices in schools.
Types of Bullying
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines three types of bullying: physical, verbal, and social.
Physical bullying is any physical contact used to bully. This obviously includes harmful physical behaviors like hitting, pushing, etc., but it also includes other physical behaviors used to bully, such as blocking someone's path, cornering someone, breaking things, using inappropriate gestures, or getting in someone's face.
Verbal bullying is anything spoken or written to bully someone. This includes teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or threatening to cause harm.
Social bullying is using social situations to bully others, such as spreading rumors, excluding from groups or activities, and public humiliation.
Where Bullying Happens
Bullying at school can take place anywhere: in a classroom, in the hallway, at lunch or recess, in the bathroom, at a water fountain, at an assembly, during a fire drill, and anywhere else. Bullying is more likely to happen away from staff supervision, but students are often sneaky or brazen and will do it even when staff are nearby.
Students may also try to take advantage of situations that are out of the routine, such as having a substitute. This is why it is important for substitutes to set expectations from the start of class and circulate the room throughout class to put a quick end to any inappropriate behaviors. Click here for our resource page on behavior management essentials.
Targets of Bullying
Anyone can be a target of bullying, and those who are bullies or victims can change.
Bullies often target students who have noticeable differences:
- height
- weight
- acne
- clothing
- birthmarks, scars
- hair style or new haircuts
- voice, speech, laugh
- glasses, braces, glucometers
- body changes, especially early or late puberty
In addition, there are some student groups that are targeted more frequently:
- Special education
- LGBTQ+
- English language learners
- Minorities
- Low socio-economic class
- New to a class/school
- Low or high academic achievement
- Quiet/shy personality
Preventing Bullying in Schools
Most states require both staff and students to receive training on bullying. Schools are responsible for teaching students what bullying is, how it harms others, and what consequences they can expect if they participate in bullying.
Students are encouraged to be "up-standers," that is, those willing to stand up for anyone being bullied. This means not participating in bullying, speaking up during moments of bullying if comfortable doing so, and reporting it to staff right away.
As a substitute, you will not have been a part of those lessons, but you can still reinforce school and classroom expectations of always treating others with respect in what they say and what they do. Many schools and classrooms have posters with acronyms for shared values—respect is almost always on those posters!
Here are a few important things that you can do to help prevent bullying:
- Set expectations at the start of class.
- Listen closely to student talk.
- Circulate the classroom during lessons and activities.
- Monitor playground interactions closely.
- Check in with students who appear sad or upset.
More Resources
- stopbullying.gov
- schoolsafety.gov
- Children's Safety Network
- Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center
- STOMP Out Bullying
- OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program
