Social and emotional development play a significant role in children reaching their potential.
Bullying is one experience that can have a significant negative impact on a child’s well-being on this journey. It is always our responsibility, as schools and parents to educate and prevent learners from being victims or perpetrators of bullying.
Recently, various Spark learners wore green and rallied with placards to stand up against bullying.
Head of school of achievement at Spark Schools Nkazimulo Moyo-Zitha, said, “It is always our responsibility, as schools and parents to educate and prevent learners from being victims or perpetrators of bullying. Spark’s emphasis on its core values teaches learners to share their feelings and concerns with their parents, guardians, teachers, and other Spark learners to develop a sense of community support.”
He added that Spark Schools do not tolerate bullying in any form, and all staff members are committed to promoting a safe and caring environment for all learners.
Nkazimulo Moyo-Zitha shares four ways schools can help to reduce bullying:
- Have a clear definition and shared understanding of bullying with learners, parents and families – every school needs to have the same language within all its networks of schools in order to reduce bullying.
– To start, the schools need to have a common definition of bullying – Bullying is ‘any form of aggressive behaviour or harassment by an individual or a group, repeated over time, which intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally and is generally based on an imbalance in power. Bullying can be physical or non-physical in nature.
– Bullying is often a repeated offence. Talking to the victim about what happened and whether there have been past occurrences is very important.
- Children are visual beings. The use of storytelling and the arts to create context can be a powerful tool for helping young people see situations from different perspectives as this method serves as a vehicle for conversation, and educators can help students understand the negative impact of bullying.
- Instil kindness and empathy – One of our student experience strands is belonging which encourages kids to value the uniqueness in all of us. When learners are able to approach ideas and problems from multiple perspectives, they’re less likely to bully others. Every day, learners repeat the Spark Schools Creed, a daily promise that summarises these core values and reminds them that they are Spark learners at all times. They treat themselves and others with respect and dignity. They are generous and value their relationships with peers and teachers alike. Our core values are essential to setting our learners on a path of learning and personal success at Spark and beyond.
- Teach social and emotional learning and provide children with tools to help them manage social situations that they may face at school and beyond their time at school. This encourages children to be confident, and independent and to take responsibility for their own actions. These tools are shared with parents should they wish to incorporate them into their home life.
Spark Schools teach its foundation phase learners to manage their emotions and strengthen their relationships through a programme called Toolbox.
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