What we are doing isn’t working. Bullying is still a problem.

Perhaps we should try the Finnish approach.bus

Right now in America, most kids don’t trust the school system to help protect them. They don’t report problems and when they do, their problems are resolved only a fraction of the time. A dismal 4% of reported bullying problems are fixed when reported if the following stats are accurate: http://bullyvaccineproject.com/recent-research-and-statistics-about-bullying/

By contrast, kids in Finland report a 98% satisfaction rate when they report bullying. So what are they doing and how can we replicate it here. (see: http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/rubin/effective-bullying-prevention-program.shtml)

The Fins have a system to track reports and systematically deal with them. The reason their system works is because they use it consistently and systematically. Their system isn’t just a pack of materials and training. It’s a process that guides educators through the bullying extinction process. And that’s why it works!

Bullying is a behavior and to eliminate it you need to systematically and consistently train a bully to stop over time. Kids identified as bullies are counseled – and then – and this is critical, followed up with!

Eliminating bullying is a process that takes place over time. There are no magic solutions and as soon as we realize we need to be more systematic in our responses, the better.