Re: Accelerated & being bullied

On 11/08/09, rnicklas wrote:
> I have a 4th grade student that skipped 2nd grade & is now
> dealing with bullying. His mom contacted me today looking
> for help. I welcome any suggestions for websites or
> literature on this subject.
>
> Thanks!

Bullies look for targets but for a quick if temporary fix -
where is this happening? At school? Where at school? On the
playground? In gym? In the class?

Bullies shouldn't be given an opportunity to bully - there
should be adults around. Find out where this bullying is
occurring.

Then - address the bullies. Bullies bully out of a sense
there's not enough good to go around. Many bullies come from
homes where their needs are not being met. A school can
counter bullying by being a strong community but too many
schools harbor a few teachers who are inclined toward
bullying themselves. Set a tone of community - "We're all in
this together." And then mean it.

This child is being bullied because he skipped a grade - that
will make other students angry. Why is this child special?
Why can't they skip a grade too? Someone needs to speak to
this. Why was this child given this special privilege when we
often say "No special privileges." It's not an easy question
to answer but it should be openly addresses to quell the
bullies' interest in him.

How many students per class in your school? If more than 25,
that's a problem. What's the general tone of the school?
Happy and comfortable or stressed and grim?

As a last resort, I put the bullies by my side and they spend
their day(s) there.