1) Bullying prevention programs are important in preschools because research shows that experiencing or witnessing bullying as a child can lead to engaging in violence later in life.
2) Bullying harms not just victims but also perpetrators and bystanders, affecting children's social, mental, and physical development. It is common in preschools so prevention programs are needed.
3) Such programs aim to raise awareness of bullying, teach coping skills, and encourage empathy to curb bullying and break its cycle from an early age.
1) Bullying prevention programs are important in preschools because research shows that experiencing or witnessing bullying as a child can lead to engaging in violence later in life.
2) Bullying harms not just victims but also perpetrators and bystanders, affecting children's social, mental, and physical development. It is common in preschools so prevention programs are needed.
3) Such programs aim to raise awareness of bullying, teach coping skills, and encourage empathy to curb bullying and break its cycle from an early age.
1) Bullying prevention programs are important in preschools because research shows that experiencing or witnessing bullying as a child can lead to engaging in violence later in life.
2) Bullying harms not just victims but also perpetrators and bystanders, affecting children's social, mental, and physical development. It is common in preschools so prevention programs are needed.
3) Such programs aim to raise awareness of bullying, teach coping skills, and encourage empathy to curb bullying and break its cycle from an early age.
1) Bullying prevention programs are important in preschools because research shows that experiencing or witnessing bullying as a child can lead to engaging in violence later in life.
2) Bullying harms not just victims but also perpetrators and bystanders, affecting children's social, mental, and physical development. It is common in preschools so prevention programs are needed.
3) Such programs aim to raise awareness of bullying, teach coping skills, and encourage empathy to curb bullying and break its cycle from an early age.
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 6
Academic Writing Assignment
Zhu Bi Yu
Bullying is harmful to one’s development.
How important is it to introduce bullying prevention programmes in preschools?
Do you know that violence committed by social extremists have close association with their childhood experience? Research has proven the cycle of violence, which explains the possibility of one who involved or witnessed bullying is more likely to grow up to become perpetrators of violence (Colvin, Tobin, Beard, Hagan & Sprague,1998). Bullying brings harms to not only the victims, but also the perpetrators and the bystanders. It is now a phenomenon to be addressed in preschool as more researches prove the importance of education in preschool playing a role in curbing bullying in the later years. Some may argue that it is too early and therefore unnecessary to introduce bullying prevention educational programme in preschool as to these optimists, children are seen as “angels” who do not commit intentional harms to others. However, this is unjustified as bullying is common in preschools. Thus, it is extremely important to introduce such programme in preschool to raise awareness and to prevent deterioration of bullying in the later years. It is impossible to stop bullying therefore essential for pre-schoolers to master the bullying-proof skills so that in face of bullying circumstance in the future, they will be emotionally strong to handle them.
Bullying is a situation where a powerful bully intentionally harms a vulnerable and
isolated victim repeatedly and that can result in damaging consequences (Colvin et al., 1998). There are 4 types of bullying prevalent in Singapore; physical, verbal, relational and cyber. Victims may feel irritated and upset temporarily. However, when children are incapable to cope with it, they might feel highly stressful and severe distress, accompanied with low sense of self-worth. These negative emotions affect their learning as victims tend to avoid school and develop feigned illnesses, resulting in significant detrimental and long-term effects on a child’s social, mental and physical development (Repo, 2015). Furthermore, children who bully have an increased risk of antisocial behaviour later in life, such as criminal acts (Sourander et al., 2007). Bullying within preschool environment have not been the focus of bullying research until recently (Repo, 2015). Notorious shooting incidents in high schools has raised concerns as these perpetrators are victims of bullying in their early childhood. Out of the intention for retaliation, they resort to violence. These could have all been avoided
1 Academic Writing Assignment Zhu Bi Yu
if their issues are addressed and identified early. Thus, it is necessary for early bullying intervention. From the perspective educators, preschool should be a conducive environment for the students, educators have the responsibility to ensure the psychological safety, intellectual safety, physical health and safety of each child (AECES ,2015).
The children’s overall wellbeing affects the family’s atmosphere. Pre-schoolers who are being bullied in school show more behavioural problems at home. Also, parents of victims encounter difficulties in persuading the children to go to school. The bullies might demonstrate aggressive acts to their family members.
Some people may argue that it is too young for children to start the bullying prevention programme as pre-schoolers are still innocent, they have not developed the intention to harm. Many acts are demonstrated with the intention of play. These optimists justified bullying as a natural growing up behaviour. In the early childhood settings, pre-schoolers are just beginning to learn how to play and socialise with others (Gartrell, 2011). Thus, some people tolerate the bullying act and find it reductant to include bullying prevention programme in preschools. When the issue of bullying is raised. Some of the bullies’ parents will justify for their children and refer the behaviour as part of the game process.
However, this may not be true because patterns of aggression are noticeable as early as 17 months of age (Darling-Churchill, 2016) and children at risk of engaging in bullying can be identified in early childhood. In Singapore, percentage of bullying is 21% in primary schools and 25% in secondary schools (Tan, n.d.). Phenomenon of bullying does not occur overnight, the origins of bullying lie in early childhood (Vlachou, Botosoglou & Andreou, 2013) as continued aggression leads to bullying in primary school. Thus, it is of utmost importance to introduce bullying prevention programme to serve as a deterioration for further development of bullying in primary school onwards. Furthermore, from the sociocultural perspective, bullying among young children reflects the inability to cooperate (Repo, 2015) and ineffective communication. Often, causes are children wanting to seeks attention, to show the control of power or it is
2 Academic Writing Assignment Zhu Bi Yu
merely a way of peer interaction. Violence within the family (Baldry, 2002) and influence of media are contributing factors to bully’s aggressive acts. As media are filled with mean remarks and violence, children often imitate them. In fact, they perceive it to be acceptable because of its frequent occurrence (Freedman, 2002). Therefore, the role of education in preschool is important as without a proper educational upbringing, a risk that the behaviours will eventually turns to bullying. Bullies in preschool has the right for an appropriate education where they can learn to behave in the socially acceptable manner. Introduction of bullying prevention programme will be an effective way to curb bullying and correct the bullies’ acts before it is too late to do so. This helps to prevent and reduce bullying in the later years of the children’s lives as the issue is addressed when the first sign of bullying appears, allowing little chance for further progression.
It is essential to introduce bullying prevention programme as it raises awareness
among the children, parents and educators as well as to empower pre-schoolers with the coping skills and a sense of empathy. They will gain knowledge and recognise the existence of bullying in preschool. It is unavoidable for people to get bullied, Thus the emergence of bullying prevention programme will teach the pre-schoolers on coping skills so that they are more prepared for these significant social conflicts (Freedman, 2002). Bullying itself is not a problem, the issue arises only when children are not able to cope with it and get distressed. To learn the coping skills can ease children’s intense stress and pain. Pre-schoolers should be taught on how to handle bullying and never start a fight, but to defend themselves when fight become inevitable. Pre-schoolers must learn to stand up for themselves or other victims of bullying (Vitali, 2007). Furthermore, in the preschool stage, children start to recognise differences and develop social understandings. Singapore is a multi-racial country with various cultures. Bullying Prevention programme will encourage children to embrace differences thus, prevent racially motivated bullying. In addition, parents and teachers will be inculcated with knowledges of handling bullying and be able to deal with it to ensure the best interest of pre-schoolers. They can watchdog the behaviours and identify bullying. With the recognition of bullying occurring in preschool, they will pay more attention to signs of bullying. Many parents are unaware of what they should do when their children involved in bullying. They would not know to what extent should
3 Academic Writing Assignment Zhu Bi Yu
they interfere. However, with the bullying prevention programme, parents are educated of ways to help their children by giving emotional support and giving judgement on severity of issue, this reduces the feelings of helplessness in pre- schooler victims. Therefore, introducing bullying prevention programme is beneficial in raising awareness and bringing education values.
Lastly, introducing prevention programme aids the preschool in advocating and
providing a safe and conducive learning environment for the children. Children learn best when they are at ease. School should be enjoyable for the pre-schoolers. However, occurrence of bullying denies children from the joy in school. In the case of physical bullying, the physical wellbeing of the children will be at risk. Not only do bullying harms the victims, but also the by-standers. They may feel guilty for not standing up for their peers and caused emotional turbulence when they witnessed bullying. This is definitely not what educators want to see in children as the ultimate goal is to groom children into curious, confident and competent learners (MOE, 2012). Thus, it is crucial to reduce the occurrence of bullying in preschool to the best of our ability in order to provide a conducive environment for learning to take place.
In conclusion, it is inevitable for bullying to happen as it is widespread and universal
(Freedman, 2002). Educators can strive to reduce the occurrence of bullying in preschools by breaking the cycle of violence through introduction of bullying prevention programme. The rationale is to bring awareness about bullying, encourage the support and cooperation of parents and teachers and to inculcate coping skills in pre-schoolers. We can take advantage of the social settings in the early childhood, which modelling, teaching, and reinforcing pro-social behaviours, empathy, and kindness can take place. By doing this, we intervened the further development of bullying in the later years of the children’s lives. Ultimately, educators want a safe learning environment which can enhance children’s learning and development. Secure and valued emotions will enable children to act spontaneously and confidently (MOE, 2012). Therefore, it is necessary and extremely important to introduce bullying prevention programme in preschools.
4 Academic Writing Assignment Zhu Bi Yu
References
Association for Early Childhood Educators Singapore (AECES, 2015). Code of ethics
handbook for early childhood professionals: An essential companion for daily
practice (2nd ed.). Singapore, MA: Association for Early Childhood Educators
Singapore.
Baldry, A.C. (2003). Bullying in schools and exposure to domestic violence. Child
abuse and neglect 27(7), 713-732.
Colvin, C., Tobin, T., Beard, K., Hagan, S., & Sprague, J. (1998). The school bully:
Assessing the problem, developing interventions, and future research
directions. Journal of Behavioural Education, 8(3), 293-319.
Darling-Churchill, K. (2016). Early childhood roots of bullying: Early childhood
investigation webinar. Child Trends. Retrieved from
Julio Giano v. Daniel Senkowski, Superintendent, Clinton Correctional Facility Thomas Coughlin, Commissioner, Department of Correctional Services, 54 F.3d 1050, 2d Cir. (1995)
Julio Giano v. Daniel Senkowski, Superintendent, Clinton Correctional Facility Thomas Coughlin, Commissioner, Department of Correctional Services, 54 F.3d 1050, 2d Cir. (1995)
