Guidelines in line with the Bullying in Schools Policy

Mission Statement of Xgħajra Primary

Xgħajra Primary is committed to ensure that each student fulfils his/her potential within a caring and safe environment that is free of any kind of discrimination and violence. We understand that whilst bullying behaviours in schools cause distress to the victim, the perpetrator cannot be misjudged and despised. Many unfortunate circumstances generate antagonism which in turn is manifested by inflicting suffering to innocent others.

Therefore, our school strives to ensure that each child perceives the school as a safe and enjoyable place to be in. Thus, teaching and learning is facilitated; each child develops to his/her fullest potential and cultivates a healthy bond with all the members of the school community, including other children and teaching staff.

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is intentional aggressive behaviour repeated over time. This can take the form of physical or verbal harassment and involves an imbalance of power inflicted by an individual or a group. Bullying can cause a victim to feel upset, afraid, ashamed, embarrassed, and anxious about going to school.

Aims of Addressing Bullying behaviours in Schools

While many may assume that bullying in schools is a problem that does not occur in the early years, the fact is that schools and parents should take steps to prevent and stop bullying in schools as early as kindergarten. By teaching children about what bullying is as well as the facts about how and why it is harmful,     teachers and parents can set important foundations to stop bullying behaviour before it starts.

Safety at school affects the learning experience of children and thus their holistic development. Since bullying hinders the victim’s safety it brings about the following violation of human rights amongst others:

• The right to a safe and supportive educational environment, one which is free from violence and aggression both on a physical and emotional level
• The right to be safeguarded from physical injuries and emotional distress, taking into account a person’s self- worth, dignity and wellbeing
• The right to be treated equally, free from discriminatory comments, labelling and stereotyping

The school, however, recognises that while caring for the victim, the perpetrator must also be attended to. Sometimes children bully to fit in. These children can benefit from participating in positive activities. Strategies to take leadership roles and make friends without feeling the need to bully will be adopted.

Other times children act out because of issues at home, abuse, stress, and other experiences they may have encountered. They also may have been bullied. These children may be in need of additional support, and the school commits itself to assist these children through the various services offered.

Bystanders who witness bullying are a great assistance for the issue of bullying to be resolved. Even if children are not bullied or bullying others they may still be affected by bullying. They may not know how to stop it but there are many other initiatives they can take to assist the school  to address the issue. The probability of the perpetrator’s adverse behaviour to stop when it is not encouraged by peers cannot be underestimated.

The school environment needs to enable learners to perceive themselves as belonging to the school, rather than just in it. Giving learners this level of acknowledgement, leads the latter to feel respected and thus be more accountable for their behaviour.

Types of Bullying Behaviour

Physical bullying

Physical bullying includes any physical act which results in harming the victims or damaging their property.

Verbal bullying

Verbal bullying includes name calling, insults, teasing, intimidation and homophobic or racist remarks. Bullying is also intimidating persons with special needs or making those coming from difficult socio-economic background feel inferior. Putting a child’s development of his/her potential at risk by demeaning his/her capabilities is also considered as bullying.

Covert or hidden bullying

This sort of bullying is often harder to recognise and can be carried out behind the bullied person’s back. It is designed to harm someone’s social reputation and/or cause humiliation. Covert bullying includes:

• lying and spreading rumours
  • negative facial or physical gestures, menacing or contemptuous looks
  • playing nasty jokes to embarrass and humiliate
  • mimicking unkindly
  • encouraging others to socially exclude someone
  • damaging someone’s social reputation or social acceptance

Discrimination

The school is committed to promote equality of opportunity and good relations among learners, irrelevant of different race, religion, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. Therefore, any possible discrimination exhibited by learners will be addressed immediately. Perpetrators must recognise that discrimination contributes to making the     school environment unpleasant and all learners are to be involved in ensuring that it does not occur.

Children construct identities at school therefore the school should offer a safe learning environment to its students. Each learner is a unique individual with a baggage of experiences that construct his/her strengths and needs. This knowledge was taken in consideration in the formulation of this policy and hence victims, perpetrators and bystanders were all considered in addressing the problem and eradicating bullying in school.

Schools need to create a learning environment in which students acquire the necessary skills to regulate their behaviour which enables them to function properly in the school community. When their behaviour becomes unacceptable:

• students must be allowed to take responsibility for their behaviour
  • change their behaviour to a manner that is acceptable, and
  • be required to make proper amends

The school will embrace the collaboration of parents/guardians and strive together with these towards a commitment to zero tolerance to bullying. The issue of bullying in our school will be positively and firmly addressed through measures discussed with children themselves so that ownership of strategies ensures a successful outcome.

As a key stakeholder, the school community, including, learners, parents/guardians, teachers, LSEs, KGEs and the SMT, has the responsibility and a key role to assist in the prevention of bullying and to address this adverse behaviour within its community.

L-iskola primarja tax-Xgħajra tikkometti ruħha li tiżgura li kull student jilħaq il-potenzjal tiegħu              f’ambjent ta’ mħabba u sigurtà fejn id-diskriminazzjoni u l-vjolenza jkunu eradikati. Filwaqt li nifhmu li l-atteġjament ta’ bullying jikkawża dwejjaq kbar lill-vittma, min qed jinstiga dan m’għandux jiġi ġġudikat u disprezzat. Ħafna fatturi sfortunati jiġġeneraw antagoniżmu li b’konsegwenza t’hekk jiġi manifestat fi tpattija fuq terzi persuni innoċenti.

Għaldaqstant, l-iskola tagħna tistinka sabiex jiġi żgurat li kull student iħares lejn l-iskola bħala post sigur fejn kulħadd jiġi jieħu gost jitgħallem. Għalhekk it-tagħlim ikun faċilitat u kull student jiżviluppa l-massimu tal-potenzjal tiegħu u jiżviluppa wkoll rabta mal-membri kollha tal-komunità skolastika, inkluż studenti oħrajn u għalliema.

Definizzjoni ta’ ‘Bullying’

Bullying huwa atteġġjament aggressiv, intenzjonat u repetut fuq medda ta’ żmien. Dan jista’ jsir fiżikament jew verbalment minn individwu jew grupp ta’ individwi u jinvolvi  żbilanċ f’dak li huwa poter. Il-bullying iġiegħel lill-individwu  jħossu mdejjaq, imbeżża’, mistħi, imbarazzat, u anzjuż li jmur  l-iskola. Jista’ jinvolvi tfal ta’ kull età, għalkemm il-frekwenza ta’ inċidenti fost tfal fis-snin bikrin hija inqas komuni.

L-Għan li tiġi indirizzata Imġiba ta’ Bullying fl- Iskejjel

Filwaqt li ħafna jassumu li bullying fl-iskejjel mhux problema li tolqot is-snin bikrin, il-verità hija li l-iskejjel u l-ġenituri  għandhom jieħdu passi biex tiġi mwaqqfa kull tip ta’ imġiba ta’ bullying fl-iskejjel sa mill-età żgħira tal-Kindergarten. Meta t-tfal jiġu mgħallma dwar x’inhu l-bullying u l-fatti dwar kif u għaliex huwa ta’ detriment għall-vittma, l-għalliema u l-ġenituri flimkien ikunu jistgħu jibnu pedamenti sodi sabiex titwaqqaf din l-imġiba sa minn qabel tibda.

Is-sigurtà fl-iskola teffetwa l-esperjenza ta’ tagħlim kif ukoll l-iżvilupp ħolistiku tal- individwu. Peress li l-bullying ixekkel is-sigurtà tal-vittma, jiġġenera sfruttar tad-drittijiet tal- bniedem fost l-oħrajn dawn imsemmija hawn taħt:

• Id-dritt għall-ambjent sigur u ta’ għajnuna fejn il-vjolenza u l-agressjoni kemm fuq livell fiżiku kif ukoll emozzjonali ma jeżistux
• Id-dritt li tkun imħares minn kull detriment fiżiku u emozzjonali, fejn l-apprezzament tal-persuna, id-dinjità u s-sigurtà jkunu protetti b’mod ħolistiku
• Id-dritt li kulħadd ikun trattat ugwalment, mingħajr kummenti diskriminatorji u mingħajr ittimbrar u sterjotipi

L-iskola madankollu tirrikonoxxi li waqt li tieħu ħsieb il-vittma, tagħraf li l-agressur ukoll  għandu bżonn ħafna attenzjoni. Xi daqqiet it-tfal jirrikorru għall-bullying biex iħossuhom parti mill-grupp. Dawn it-tfal jibbenifikaw jekk minflok jirrikorru għall-bullying jipparteċipaw f’attivitajiet pożittivi. Ninkoraġixxu biex minflok, jiġu addottati strateġiji li jinkludu rwoli ta’ tmexxija u kif wieħed jista’ jagħmel ħbieb mingħajr ma jirrikorri għall-bullying.

Xi drabi oħra t-tfal jirrikorru għall-bullying minħabba ċirkostanzi tad-dar, abbuż, stress, u esperjenzi oħra li jkunu ħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom. Jista’ jkun li huma stess ikunu ġew bullied. Dawn it-tfal jista’ jkollhom bżonn iżjed għajnuna, u l-iskola tikkommetti ruħha biex tgħin lil dawn it-tfal permezz tas-servizzi varji li toffri.

Dawk li jkunu xhieda ta’ azzjonijiet ta’ bullying huma ta’ assistenza kbira sabiex jgħinu biex il- problema tiġi solvuta. Anke meta t-tfal ma jkunux vittmi diretti jew ma jkunux huma li jinstigaw bullying xorta waħda jistgħu jiġu effetwati mill-problema. Jista’ jkun ma jkunux jafu kif iwaqqfu l-azzjoni iżda jeżistu ħafna inizjattivi oħra sabiex jassistu lill-iskola biex tindirizza l-problema. Il-probabilità li l-imġiba tal-aggressur tieqaf meta ma jkunx hemm inkoraġġiment min-naħa tat-tfal l-oħra trid tingħata l-importanza tagħha.

L-ambjent tal-iskola għandu joħloq spazju sabiex l-istudenti jħarsu lejhom infushom bħala parti mill-iskola minflok sempliċiment jattendu fiha. Meta tagħti lill-istudenti dan ir-rikonoxximent, iħossuhom iktar rispettati u għaldaqstant ikunu aktar responsabbli u jippruvaw itejbu l-imġiba tagħhom.

Tipi Differenti ta’ Mġiba ta’ Bullying

Bullying Fiżiku

Bullying fiżiku jinkludi kull azzjoni fiżika li tirriżulta fi vjolenza fuq il-persuna jew ħsara lill- affarijiet li jappartjenu lilha.

Bullying Verbali

Bullying verbali jinkludi tgħajjir, insulti, inkejja, intimidazzjoni, u rimarki razzisti u omofobiċi. Bullying jinkludi wkoll intimidazzjoni ta’ persuni bi bżonnijiet speċjali u li dawk li ġejjin minn ambjent soċjo-ekonomiku diffiċli jkunu mġegħla jħossuhom inferjuri. Meta l-iżvilupp ta’ individwu potenzjalment jitpoġġa f’riskju billi l-kapaċitajiet tiegħu/tagħha jiġu mċekkna jitqies ukoll bħala bullying.

Bullying sottili jew minn taħt

Dan it-tip ta’ bullying huwa ħafna drabi iktar diffiċli biex wieħed jinduna bih u jista’ jsir minn wara dahar il-vittma. Dan jiġi użat biex tixxekkel ir-reputazzjoni jew/u jikkawża umiljazzjoni lill-vittma. Dan il-bullying sottili jinkludi:

• Gideb u għajdut
  • Espressjonijiet negattivi kemm tal-wiċċ kif ukoll fiżiċi, ħars li jhedded jew li jesibixxi diżapprovazzjoni
  • Ċajt kattiv li jumilja u jimbarazza
  • Imitazzjoni b’mod li twaqqa’ għaċ-ċajt
  • Inkorraġġiment lil ħaddieħor biex jeskludi lil xi ħadd soċjalment
  • Xkiel fir-reputazzjoni soċjali jew l-aċċettazzjoni soċjali ta’ xi ħadd

Diskriminazzjoni

L-iskola tikkommetti ruħha li tippromwovi opportunitajiet ugwali u relazzjonijiet tajba fost l- istudenti, irrelevanti r-razza, it-twemmin reliġjuż, l-orjentazzjoni sesswali u l-ambjent soċjo- ekonomiku tal-individwu. Għaldaqstant kull tip ta’ diskriminazzjoni li xi studenti jistgħu jimmanifestaw għandha tiġi indirizzata immedjatament. Min jiprovoka jrid jirrikonoxxi li d- diskriminazzjoni tikkontribwixxi biex l-ambjent tal-iskola ma jibqax pjaċevoli u għaldaqstant l-istudenti kollha għandhom jiġu involuti biex jassiguraw li dan ma jseħħx.

It-tfal jibnu l-identità tagħhom l-iskola għalhekk l-iskola trid toffri ambjent sigur lill-istudenti tagħha. Kull student huwa uniku b’bagalja ta’ esperjenzi uniċi li jiffurmaw il-bżonnijiet u jsaħħu l-qasam fejn wieħed ikollu l-iżjed x’joffri. Dan it-tagħrif kien ikkunsidrat meta ġiet ifformulata din il-politika u għaldaqstant il-vittmi, aggressuri u x-xhieda ta’ dak li jkun qed jiġri kienu kollha kkunsidrati biex tiġi indirizzata l-problema ta’ bullying u eliminata għal kollox mill-iskola.

L-iskejjel għandhom bżonn joħolqu ambjent ta’ tagħlim fejn l-istudenti jakkwistaw il-ħiliet neċessarji biex jirregolaw l-imġiba tagħhom biex jirnexxielhom jiffunzjonaw aħjar fil- komunità skolastika.  Meta l-imġiba tal-istudenti tkun inaċċettabli:

• L-istudenti għandhom jieħdu responsabiltà tal-azzjonijiet tagħhom
  • Ibiddlu l-imġiba għal waħda li hija aċċettabli, u
  • Jintalbu jagħmlu l-emendi neċessarji

L-iskola tilqa’ il-kollaborazzjoni tal-ġenituri/kustodji biex flimkien jaħdmu lejn tolleranza żero għall-bullying. Il-problema tal-bullying fl-iskola tagħna se tkun indirizzata b’mod sod iżda pożittiv permezz ta’ miżuri diskussi mat-tfal stess sabiex l-istrateġiji jkunu aċċettati mill- istudenti u b’hekk ir-riżultati jkunu iktar ta’ suċċess.

Bħala stakeholder prinċipali, il-komunità tal-iskola, inkluż l-istudenti, ġenituri/kustodji, għalliema, LSEs, KGEs u l-SMT għandhom ir-responsabiltà u rwol prinċipali sabiex jassistu fil-prevenzjoni tal-bullying u li jindirizzaw din l-imġiba xejn pjaċevoli fi ħdan il-komunità tagħhom.