Worksheet3: Identifying the causes of the problem

Date: 10/6/06

Group Members: D. Chukwukere, L. Jackson,

C. Patten, D. Samuels, M. Figeroa, B. Gonzales, V. Villamar, C. Smith

Your problem (phrase):

Bullying in PS 208

Briefly list several broad underlying factors that contribute to the problem that you have identified:

1. For some students, bullying relationships are somewhat familiar or normal to their environment certain outside of school situations. It seems normal for them when they bring bullying behaviors into the school environment.

2. Bullying is a reflection of what some children have personally experienced outside of the school. Sometimes students are bullying others in school because they themselves been bullied at home or elsewhere outside of school.

3. Sometimes, the bullying is caused by a student that is camouflaging learning problems and is using bullying tactics to cover up his/ her learning difficulties.

4. In some cases, children have feelings of personal deprivation and turn to bullying behavior as a means to further their self- esteem and their standing among their peers.

5. Sometimes students are copying behavior they’ve seen when others are being bullied inside school.

6. Some students bully others at school, as a survival tactic, rather than be bullied. Sometimes, they are not the leaders of the bullying, but join in to belong to the group so they will not be bullied.

7. Another cause is that consequences for bullying are perceived as not harsh enough to be a strong enough deterrent.

8. Also there are not yet sufficiently obvious positive learning and behavior incentives implemented to counter bullying.