By Marie Meegan – Fall 2004

    By October 1 of any school year, schedules have settled down and teachers begin to feel the impact of what is to come for the year.  Getting to know the students and being aware of what one has to teach them can be daunting.  Perhaps, you have noticed that some children have to act mean, and ostracize other students.  You are correct.  Statistics say that one child in 10 is regularly bullied and feels threatened by peers.  It is important for all children to feel safe.  It is up to adults to supervise and make sure they are safe.

      In schools, much of the bullying behavior occurs when children are on their own, in the bathrooms, in the hallways, on the playground, walking home and on the school bus.  Transition times are rife with bullying opportunities.  Count the number of times students enter and leave your classroom daily.  It is my belief that children view the art room similarly because, during art, they are free to “create”, work in groups and choose from a variety of materials.  Art rooms have an open-ended atmosphere. This easily can be interpreted as freedom to let loose, often on someone vulnerable. 

The following are suggestions about what art teachers can do about the problem:

1. Plan age appropriate projects that challenge students without frustrating them. Real success is a confidence builder that leads to more positive attitudes.  Children who recognize their own self-worth are less likely to bully.
    
2. Be very careful how you SEAT the children in the art room.  Consider which personalities are compatible in this process.  Have a good mix of both boys and girls in each grouping.    
    
3. Maintain consistent routines so the students know what to expect.  Good habits add to a sense of security. 
    
4. Be prepared with supplies and demonstration materials before the children arrive.  (Since art lessons are exciting to most children and happen perhaps, once a week, they work best if set up well in advance.)
    
5. Keep directions and demonstrations short and to the point.  Don’t lose their attention before they begin. 
    
6. WATCH the children work.  Comment on appropriate work habits.  For examples you might say, “I like the way the children at table number two are “SHARING” the materials, or I like the way you are “HELPING” one another, or the way you are “CLEANING” up.
    
7. Listen if someone complains about being left out, or about being picked on.  Distinguish between “TELLING” and “TATTLING” when a child complains.  If what is being described is dangerous or destructive, definitely take action.  Saying, “Go away! Work it out,” is not good enough.
    
8. Carry out only realistic consequences when these are necessary.  “Fold your hands and watch the clock for one full minute,” is sometimes enough of a deterrent for little things that happen during art.  “Sit in the time out area until you get control of yourself” (3-5 minutes) is appropriate for repeated offenses.  Some children, however, need to lose a recess or have you call home to stop negative behaviors.        
    
9. Be specific about what the children “SHOULD” be doing.  If they do not know what is appropriate behavior, tell them.  In some cases you may have to model good behavior. (Even demonstrating bad behavior, if done in a humorous way, can ”wake them up” to what they have actually been doing.) 
    
10. Never embarrass a child in front of his or her peers.  You may have to take someone aside after class for a talk, not a berating.
     
11. Without an individual confrontation, and without divulging who complained about being left out or about being bullied, the teacher could take a small group into the hall (where others will not hear) and say, “I know and you know what is happening in your group, and I want it to stop now.  Each one of you is responsible for ……and I will not tolerate this.”  Be sure they know you will be watching and that you expect change.    
     
12. Refrain from general praise.  It can be threatening to some children and cause acting out behavior.  By this I mean, “That’s awesome!  That’s beautiful!  I love it!”  Furthermore, children do not learn from this.  Awesome, beautiful, why?  You love it.  Should they please only you? 
     
13. Be specific about praising some new skill or ability.  For example:  “Chris is using glue so it will not ooze out.  His work is looking clean and shows good craftsmanship.  Show us how you did that, Chris.”  Or, “the way you drew the lines in your picture is very interesting.  How did you come up with that idea?”  Remarks such as these are confidence building.
     
14.  Be aware of time constraints throughout the art lesson.  Give a 3 MINUTE WARNING before clean-up in order to avoid a frantic end to the lesson when bullying might raise its ugly head.  “Wait!”  “Just one more thing!”  “I am not done!” are familiar cries.
     
15. When you, the teacher, create a safe environment in which students can look, listen and learn, you will reap the benefits of children who can make art, share materials, be creative, and critique their own work and the work of others without hurting anyone verbally or physically.  This security leads to great freedom.
    
    
16. Lastly, never allow yourself to feel guilty about using class time to deal with behavior issues.  Without attentive, cooperative students, who trust you to keep them safe, no substantial learning ever happens.  
    

For more detailed information about bullying in schools and what to do about it, refer to “Quit it! A teacher’s Guide on Teasing and Bullying for Use with Students in Grades K-3” by Merle Froschl, Barbara Sprung, Nancy Mullin-Rindler, and “Bully Proof” a similar text for grades 4 and 5 by Lisa Sjostrom and Nan Stein.  Both are available from Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, 106 Central St., Wellesley, MA 12181.