Today I talk about adults in schools who bully.  I am so sad that there are many.  Some teachers use sarcasm with students-Hey there knucklehead-you back from your "vacation"?  Some principals seem to enjoy striking fear into their employees-"Do it because I SAID!!"-and the rest of us "see no evil, hear no evil."  For those of you who are familiar with the Olweus Bullying Circle-think about a bullying adult in your school.  Is that person a teacher?  An administrator? What do you do?  What role do you take on?

I share with you excerpts of an article from Education World.  It's entitled "Are You A Bully"? by Linda Starr.  She writes, "Classroom management..... is the "practices and procedures that allow teachers to teach and students to learn.  Bullying is the practice of being habitually cruel or overbearing..." She continues, "Those who can, manage their classrooms.  Those who can't, manage their students.  The former are educators:the latter are bullies. 

My next post will look at specifically how adults bully.  Let's make a pact-let's not bully-no abuse of power: no sarcasm; no eye rolling; no yelling (well ok-Let's allow raised voices from time to time!)  You in?

Kim