10 STEPS FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL'S TO STOP BULLYING IN SCHOOLS

1.Assign a mentor to each student

Experienced teachers should be assigned as mentors to a small group of students. Mentors should meet their children frequently and ask them about the problems that they face. They should interact with the students in a parental way. They should keep a track of their performance in class, examinations, and homework. Inconsistency in their academics can be a sign that the student is struggling with something. In such cases, mentors can talk to their students personally, ask them about their problems & give them the correct advice.

2. Have Strict Policies against bullying.

A good school has great policies that it abides by. Strict policies should be formed by the high authorities of the school. Students not following the policies must be given an initial warning & should be suspended for a limited time if he breaks the same policy again. In a place like a school, rules are meant to be followed.

3. Schedule a parent-teacher meeting frequently

To know what goes on in a student’s mind, teachers should be aware of their behavior at their home. They should talk to their parents regarding his academic performance, mental health, the attitude at home.[Inserted: the ] Some kids might not say anything in the school, but their parents might be aware that their child is constantly getting bullied. To avoid such cases, an interaction of the parents with the teachers is important. This in a way prevents the reputation of the school, which may otherwise go down If a student takes some serious actions on himself.

4. Conduct seminars related to bullying

To prevent bullying, one must be aware of what bullying exactly is. [Inserted: of ]At the beginning of every new semester, a seminar should be conducted where students get to know about bullying. They should be told about what measures to take when they are bullied by someone. A proper structured method should be proposed so that the bullies be aware beforehand & know that the school that got strict policies.

5.Observe the kids outside the campus

Students should be observed in the areas near to the school. Many bullies do not harass other children in the school. They do that out of the school so that they have no worry about getting caught. Security guards and bus attendants should be instructed to keep a watch on the kids & their behavior with their peers. A strict observation effectively prevents the bullies from creating any kind of a nuisance.

6.Adopt a ‘Black Dot’ System

This policy should be included in one of the most important policies of the school. A student who fails to behave properly should be given a ‘black dot’ indicating his misbehavior. Multiple black dots should result in the temporary or permanent suspension of the students from the school depending on the acts that he did.

7.Enforcing recommendations of the education board

In 2007 Raghavan Committee published a report that offered several recommendations to tackle bullying in schools. Recommendations included pinning liability on principals and teachers if any act of bullying took place in school premises. Following this report, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) ordered the setting up of Anti Bullying Committees in 2015. Several methods including warnings, suspensions, and rustication of bullies have been suggested. School management should not only practice the advice offered by the Education board but also spread awareness about the same.

8.Introduce a subject to values & discipline

Seminars are one-time & most of the students will forget it ones the classes commence. If there’s a subject that teaches some values of life, students will learn a lot from it. Apart from the normal theoretical subjects, students will learn something that Is useful in the real world. 

9. Make an online portal where students can talk to someone

There are cases where a student does not feel comfortable sharing bullying problems face-to-face. Online portals solve such problems by giving the students a platform where they can share their problems without any hesitation.

10.Engage them in different activities so that they interact with each other

Various types of activities should be held by the school so that students have a healthy relationship with each other. Try keeping the classes fun & interactive & encourage discussions among students. Make students appreciate differences between individuals. Forging friendships reduces the chances of bullying.

Keeping in mind all the above points, bullying in schools can be prevented. This will further enhance the experience of students in the schools & they’ll learn a lot of useful values that contribute to their overall personal development.