Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i1HFfLI17196; Tue, 17 Feb 2004 10:41:21 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 10:41:21 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <20040217153803.54458.qmail@web11202.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Bertha Mo <bertiemo@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:2845] Re: bullying X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 4186 Lines: 98 This reinforces for me the importance of beginning groups and classes with a participatory discussion of groundrules for appropriate behavior. The discussion needs to be participatory as the rules which are developed need buy-in from everyone and shouldn't just be from the teacher... It's not too late to discuss ground rules now and I would also suggest that"bullying" complete with vocabulary etc. would be an appropriate content area for this class and perhaps the entire school. Bertie Mo, Ph.D., MPH Medical Anthropology --- Daphne Greenberg <ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu> wrote: > Have any of you experienced bullying in your > classrooms? An incident occurred recently in one of > my adult literacy research classes and it bothers me > a great deal. There are two more weeks left to the > class, and one student dropped out because she was > bullied by two other students. Here are the > specifics: > There are 4 students in this class-three women and > one man (all in their mid twenties/early thirties). > All along, the teacher had to intervene between two > of the women. Basically, Cindy did not know how to > read social cues. She would say/do something that > would normally not receive a negative reaction from > most people. But Melissa would always react > negatively. Unfortunately, Cindy would not > understand, and while most people would back off, > Cindy would continue addressing Melissa in such a > way that Melissa would get more and more upset with > Cindy. One day, Julie joined in and yelled at Cindy. > Now with both Julie and Melissa ganging up against > Cindy, Cindy decided that she couldn't take it > anymore. When the teacher tried to talk to all three > of them, Melissa, in front of Cindy said: I have > been in jail before, my family knows how I can be > when I am upset. Cindy has also told Melissa in the > hall way that she will beat her up if necessary. > Cindy decided that for her safety, she! > would drop out of this class, but continue > attending her other class. She did not want us to > talk to Melissa or Julie because she was scared that > they would retaliate against her. Our approach with > Cindy was a supportive one. We told her that we were > proud of her that she is taking care of herself, > that she is doing what she needs to do in order to > keep herself safe. We also told her that we still > considered her to be part of the class, we would > therefore offer her everything that all the others > would be getting-a chance to attend the end of class > celebration, a certificate of participation, a > chance to engage in two more testing points (there > is a small stipend involved). We have also offered > to meet with her one on one so that she can continue > to get the same literacy instruction as the others. > My problem-Julie and Melissa are being rewarded for > their behavior. Cindy's behaviors/conversations/etc. > bothered them and now she is no longer in class. > This is problematic for two reasons: > 1. Julie and Melissa are not being given an > opportunity to learn that this kind of behavior is > inappropriate/unacceptable. > 2. Cindy, the victim in all of this is being > punished-she dropped out of a class that she > enjoyed. > All three of these individuals have abuse histories. > Two of the three have learned to cope in one way, > the third in a different way. All three have > repeated the pattern that they are used to in their > interactions with others. > Cindy has repeatedly said that she does not want us > to talk to Julie or Melissa-she is very scared of > them. Whether she needs to be or not-does not > matter-she is scared. The only good thing that comes > out of it for her is that she got out of the abusive > situation, and was supported by others in her > decision. She will also have an opportunity to get > the material that she will be missing in the class. > However, what about Julie and Melissa????? > Any ideas? > Thanks, > Daphne > > Daphne Greenberg > Associate Director > Center for the Study of Adult Literacy > MSC 6A0360 > Georgia State University > 33 Gilmer Street SE Unit 6 > Atlanta, GA 30303-3086 > phone: 404-651-0127 > fax:404-651-4901 > dgreenberg@gsu.edu >
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