Bullying undermines learning and development, and it can have tragic consequences for students. Whether as a bully, a victim, a bystander or “upstander,” each and every student is affected. And every student can be part of preventing it. The focus on bullying also shines a spotlight on the ways peers affect each others’ lives and learning — for better or worse. As adults, we too often focus more on the negative ways peers treat or influence each other, such as through bullying and negative peer pressure. This focus on the negative brings up our myths of bullying that need to be reversed.
Myth #1: Bullying is Normal
Sometimes people will dismiss concern about bullying, saying that it’s just part of growing up. In fact, the vast majority of young people do not bully others. However, when bullying behaviors evoke laughter, cheers or feelings of power, they are reinforced and create a culture that condones bullying. The good news is that the rate of students experiencing bullying in U.S. schools has dropped from 28% (in 2011) to 22% (in 2013), according to the U.S. Department of Education. So there’s still work to do — particularly with groups of youth who tend to experience higher levels of bullying, such as LGBT youth. But there’s progress. We don’t have to accept bullying as an inevitable part of school life. Rather, we can emphasize the many other ways peers interact with each other that are supportive, encouraging and inspiring.
Myth #2: Peer Pressure is Always Negative
Too often, we assume that peer pressure is what happens when someone gets gullible, vulnerable or maladjusted kids to do something bad or risky. Although negative pressure is part of the dynamic, peer influence or pressure is much broader than that. Through their relationships with peers, young people develop social skills, try new activities and figure out a lot about themselves and who they are becoming. All students absorb ideas, likes, dislikes and values from their friends and classmates. In fact, we want to help students learn to influence others — in positive ways. We help them learn to write and speak persuasively. We cultivate leadership skills. So being influenced by, and influencing, peers is an inevitable and important part of growing up and being part of society.
Myth #3: Peer Relationships Negatively Impact Learning
We may think we are teaching individual students. Yet, in reality, students are part of a web of relationships, all of which affect how they learn and what they learn. A growing body of research highlights the ways peers influence each other’s attitudes toward school and learning. That influence can be negative, when peers dismiss education or “being smart.” But the influence can also be critical for school success. If students enjoy being with friends in school, they’re more likely to show up and engage. Friends help each other problem-solve and learn. Peers often provide emotional support and safety through challenges, and they often reinforce positive educational aspirations.
Myth #4: Adults Don’t Play a Role
A great deal of peer influence (including bullying) occurs away from the watchful eyes of teachers, staff, parents and other adults. That can leave the impression that “kids will have to work this out among themselves.” Like most myths, there’s some truth here: young people do need to learn to solve problems on their own. But adults can also play important roles. Teachers and other school staff reinforce positive peer relationships by:
• Modeling positive, respectful relationships with all students.
• Creating a cooperative, respectful climate in a classroom.
• Giving students opportunities to work together cooperatively, talk about what they’re learning, support their opinions with evidence and provide feedback to each other — all important 21st century skills.
Positive peer relationships play a critical role in schools. Not only are they foundational for preventing bullying, but they are also an integral part of learning. National Bullying Prevention Month provides an opportunity to celebrate and harness this power for preventing bullying and for enhancing the learning experience for all students.
Jostens partnered with Search Institute to provide research-based data and advice for dealing with common school challenges. Over the past 30 years, Search Institute has studied the strengths and difficulties in the lives of more than five million middle and high school youth across the country and around the world to understand what kids need in order to succeed. Like Jostens Renaissance, Search Institute focuses on young people’s strengths, rather than emphasizing their problems or deficiencies. Visit SearchInstitute.org to learn more.
Click the button to download a PDF with class activities, statistics, research and references around peer pressure and bullying.
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