Wow, I feel I should have something to contribute--but I'm feeling the opposite--like not talking about it at all (I just wrote a 20 page paper on the Effects of Bullying). Yet I'm still posting... more for other procrastination purposes
I doubt I could effectively summarize what I discussed for 20 pages, but I would just like to say that there are some scary instances of kids who DIDN'T cope very well. Kerby Casey Guerra, for instance. Poor kid blew her head off in her kitchen after unsuccessful attempts to curb bullying aimed at her. Instances of school violence (shootings, stabbings) often snowballed from bullying behavior, eventually causing a "snap" kind of reaction. Research suggests that bullying victims experience Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Time bombs. However, there is a shaky line between normal peer interaction and "bullying" and I think that it takes both experience and research to figure out appropriate times to step in. Better safe than sorry, though, and so I'd say it'd be best to try to prevent or stop all forms of abuse--the main problem is the confusion of definition between that bullying and normal peer interaction. Sure, a little shoving and name-calling can be "normal" but that doesn't mean it's right or that it won't turn into something more dangerous. To truly make a difference, educators need to be exposed to that redefinition and re-evaluate their hallway observations in order to do their part in protecting the well-being of their students. Kids can/will learn to grow up and face the "real world" without those kinds of negative treatment.
Edited to add that yes, I think when kids are skipping class and hiding in the bathroom in order to avoid bullies that their learning is being hindered.
Okay, I REALLY need to get back to studying for my American Government exam *ugh* It's my only class that didn't cancel--he scheduled an EXAM for the day before Thanksgiving Break begins *sigh* Oh, well... Back to my notes on Chapter 12: "The Judiciary"...
~april