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The government has introduced 1 student 1 sport policy to all students, but how exactly it works? Dont hang around with those friends! said a parent to her son. In fact, I believe that all the parents do love their child and they are doing so, to protect the child from dangers that lurk around the society today. They are fear that their child would smoke, befriend someone bad or do anything else that is going to harm their child. In order to curb the increasing social ills among students, the government has come out with a new concept for the nation called 1 Student 1 Sport. I do agree that the implementation of this concept is a wise move as I can only see the benefits of this concept. Students are going to be benefited through this programme in a wide variety of aspects and I do believe that parents are going to get a good sleep from now onward. The implementation of 1 Student 1 Sport is going to make our students healthier. Studies show that lack of exercise is the main cause of the declining alertness among students. When our students are not alert, they would not be able to perform well in their studies. Though this has been told to the public in many forms including fairy tales and idioms such as All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but people are not paying much attention to it. They think that sports are a waste of time because it does not carry any knowledge that could be used in the exam. They have lost their will to participate in sports because it is not an important aspect in the exam orientated education system before this. However, students must always remember that a healthy body and a fresh mind are the main factors that lead to a good result in education. Exercise could reduce the amount of low density cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the body and eventually it will lead to a better blood circulatory system. When our brain got a steady and sufficient amount of oxygen, which is transported through the blood circulatory system, they are going to be able to think properly and thus, excel in studies. Besides, I believe this concept can help us to nurture more all rounded students, who excel in all aspects including academics and curricular. The importance of all rounded students has been highlighted by the Singapore Minister of Education and Second Minister of Defense, Dr. Ng Eng Hen at the National Institute of Singapore Teachers Investiture Ceremony held in Nanyang Technological University. As we look into our education system, students are assessed based on academics and curricular is ignored most of the time. Therefore, students tend to memorise the whole book instead of understanding it in order to pass the exam with flying colour, because they know that it is the symbol of glory and fame being named as the top students. The product of our education system is students who are only good at memorizing facts, but how are they going to lead and transform our nation into a develop country? Without skills such as leadership which could be honed through sports but not academic books, our country is not going to go far from what we are now. Students have to be exposed to being a leader in order for them to learn the skills and this can definitely be done through sports in school because they can be the leaders among students in the sport team. On top of that, the concept can also strengthen the sense of unity and cooperation among our people. Education does not only lie on academics but also selfimprovement. Thus learning the meaning of unity is part of the learning process that all students must go through. Students are able to play and work together through sports because teamwork is the most important and crucial factor that leads to a victory, the ultimate prize of all sports. Everyone loves to win and the force that manipulates this

feeling is going to push us to move forward. When we want to win, we are going to do whatever it takes and we are not going to care with whom we work with. Thus, unity can be achieved because every one of us has the same goal, which is winning the game. As time passes by, we would be able to know our teammates better, thus eliminating the bad impression caused by skin colour or anything else. In conclusion, I do agree that the concept of 1 Student 1 Sport is good to be implemented in our education system as it could create a healthier group of students, nurture all rounded students and promote unity among all Malaysian. Though the process may be tiring and the result can only be seen after a long period of time, but I know that the benefits are going to be enjoyed in the future. Thus, I hope that the concept could be used throughout the time, with improvement being made from time to time so that our nation could enjoy the maximum benefits of it. Why is the Habit of Reading important

The Importance of Reading is difficult to express in words but can experienced by people from all walks of life. With the advent of modern technology, the Ipod and the X-box have probably overtaken the humble Hardy Boys or Tom Sawyer in managing to catch the attention of the young kids. Parents and others would however do well to inculcate the habit of reading in children from a very young age and that will prove to be in good stead for the years to come. Although one can take to reading at any age, I have seen that it is much easier to begin at a young age and develop a love and passion for reading rather than forcing oneself to indulge in this at a later age in life. Reading has a host of benefits - tangible and intangible and should in fact become a habit as common as bathing or eating. I have been an avid reader since my childhood (and I can't seem to thank my parents enough for this gift) and to this date my house and work desk have been overflowing with books as I constantly move from one book to another enjoying the pearls of wisdom or the fantasies that come along with them.

Importance of Reading In these busy times, where we don't have time to eat breakfast, it isn't surprising that we have forgotten the importance of reading books. Aren't we missing on something? Of course, we are! Having no time ourselves, we also miss out the importance of reading to children, something that will help inculcate this important value in them...

'There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.' - Joseph Brodsky. Reading is the basic foundation on which academic skills of an individual are built. The education system knows this fact very well, and hence 'it' is given a top priority in primary education. Many believe that reading is an apt measure of a persons success in academics. Most of the subjects taught to us are based on a simple concept - read, synthesize, analyze, and process information. Although a priceless activity, the importance of reading has been deteriorating rapidly. One of the prominent causes for this is the technology boom, wherein you can get whatever information you need with just a click! Reading, however, doesn't mean making it through your school texts to clear the approaching tests. Neither is it restricted to educational purposes only. You can read almost anything including encyclopedias, novels, magazines...the list is pretty long, but that hardly matters, as long as you like doing it. Whether you like fiction or non-fiction is not important, but whether you like reading or not is! Sadly, however, people nowadays seem to have totally lost interest in this activity. Children are too busy with their computer games and television, whereas adults are glued on to their computer screen, amassing the wealth of knowledge through Internet search engines. Reading does have its loyal fan following, but the fan base is rapidly decreasing.

Importance of Reading to Children They say that the right time to inculcate good habits and values in a person is his childhood. With so many advantages to its credit, reading has to be inculcated in children at a young age. Reading skills and strategies enhance the child's ability to comprehend various concepts with immense ease. It develops critical thinking skills in children by making them think, instead of spoon feeding them. Understanding the concept and critical thinking are the two important qualities of a successful individual. Other than this, reading also improves the person's vocabulary, command on the language, and communication skills. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't. More importantly, good reading skills are directly related to good writing skills. A person who doesn't read will always experience a dearth of words when it comes to writing. Read more on critical thinking exercises for children. Importance of Reading Books The biggest difference between reading a book and watching a movie is the scope to unleash your own creativity. In movies, the concept is conceived by the writer and director and presented before you in a specific form. On the other hand, the writer does conceive the concept of the book, but you are also given ample freedom to unleash your creative thinking and power of imagination. Reading a book is in itself an exercise to sharpen your creative thinking skills, whilst you broaden your horizons. An individual not so keen on learning history is bound to take some interest in the subject after reading the biography of Abraham Lincoln or Theodore Roosevelt. Read more on creative reading. Inculcating the Importance of Reading at Home The foremost requirement here is that the parents themselves understand the importance of reading at home. If they themselves are not aware of it, it won't be possible for them to inculcate the reading habit in their children. One can understand that people have become very busy with their day-to-day work, but that's not an excuse for neglecting your children or not stressing on the importance of reading for children. Surprisingly though, we also seem to have forgotten the importance of reading the Bible and other religious texts. Reading religious books also helps inculcating good values in children. These books help us in knowing about the Almighty and how He wants us to live our life. Reading the Bible doesn't just help us to become a better person in life, but time and again helps us by showing us the right path. Technology has seemingly made the means of amassing knowledge easier, wherein you can sit at your home and find out about everything happening in the world. Reading yields great benefits, it's a fact which cannot be questioned by anyone. This is the reason one has to understand the importance of reading and writing, and be well versed with these activities. In this world of competitiveness, it's always advantageous

to amass vast knowledge, and there is no better way to do so, other than reading. So it's high time you find a cure for bibliophobia - fear of books, especially thick books, and dive into the world of literature or whatever you like to read. It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary. It is observed that children and teenagers who love reading have comparatively higher IQs. They are more creative and do better in school and college. It is recommended that parents to inculcate the importance of reading to their children in the early years. Reading is said to significantly help in developing vocabulary, and reading aloud helps to build a strong emotional bond between parents and children. The children who start reading from an early age are observed to have good language skills, and they grasp the variances in phonics much better. Reading helps in mental development and is known to stimulate the muscles of the eyes. Reading is an activity that involves greater levels of concentration and adds to the conversational skills of the reader. It is an indulgence that enhances the knowledge acquired, consistently. The habit of reading also helps readers to decipher new words and phrases that they come across in everyday conversations. The habit can become a healthy addiction and adds to the information available on various topics. It helps us to stay in-touch with contemporary writers as well as those from the days of yore and makes us sensitive to global issues.

Environmental Issues This part of the global issues web site attempts to highlight some of the environmental issues and concerns that have an effect on all of us from what we do, to what we dont do.

Environmental Issues and 7 related issues: Biodiversity Last updated Sunday, June 12, 2011.

The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity, is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. In some way or form, almost all cultures have recognized the importance of nature and its biological diversity for their societies and have therefore understood the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? Last updated Wednesday, April 06, 2011. Why is Biodiversity important? Does it really matter if there arent so many species? Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters. And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife. Read Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? to learn more. Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions Last updated Wednesday, April 06, 2011.

It has long been feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. Despite increased efforts at conservation, it has not been enough and biodiversity losses continue. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing

ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems. Nature and Animal Conservation Last updated Sunday, May 15, 2011. Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves. Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making conservation a struggle. Read Nature and Animal Conservation to learn more. Climate Change Affects Biodiversity Last updated Sunday, June 12, 2011.

Rapid global warming can affect ecosystems chances to adapt naturally. The Arctic is very sensitive to climate change and already seeing lots of changes. Ocean biodiversity is already being affected as are other parts of the ecosystem. Coral Reefs

Last updated Sunday, January 16, 2011. One type of ecosystem that perhaps is neglected more than any other is perhaps also the richest in biodiversitythe coral reefs.

Coral reefs are useful to the environment and to people in a number of ways. However, all around the world, much of the worlds marine biodiversity face threats from human and activities as well as natural. It is feared that very soon, many reefs could die off. Environmental Problems Related Articles

Environmental Tips For Kids Problems With Relationships Environmental Hazards Of Electronic Waste Environmental Benefits Of Trees Environmental Ethics

For decades we have been busy with the invention of latest technologies to make life easier for us. Unfortunately, in the endeavor to make life more luxurious, we have neglected a serious problem closing in on us, namely-environmental problems. Starting from rapid deforestation to global warming, from worldwide floods to extinction of different life forms on the earth, the list of environmental problems is endless. Environmental tribulations have become a major concern to environmentalists all over the world today. It is therefore high time to gear up and take necessary steps. If we dont do something to protect our environment, soon the earth will turn to a desert, inapt for life. So, let us unite together to save our planet so that our children can live in this beautiful planet. While it wont be possible to stop the power plants (one of the major sources for pollution) or stop deforestation, saving energy at home is what you can do on your own that will surely make a difference. The following sections throw light on the different environmental problems that plague mother earth.

Current Environmental Issues Oil Spills Although oil spills have been there for a long time, the recent BP oil spill in America is one of the biggest environmental issues so far that affected the country in April. Oil spills disrupt marine ecology completely and affect the marine life very badly. It is one of the most important environmental issues that should be taken care of immediately to prevent marine life from becoming extinct. Cases of oil spills have also been reported in other coastal cities around the globe. Population Explosion Overpopulation is another crucial environmental problem that has concerned scientists and environmentalists all over the world. With the advancement of medical science, mortality rate has decreased worldwide to a significant level. Many countries are now taking family planning projects to control overpopulation. If the population rate of the

world continues to increase at the present rate, soon there will be no trees and land left to support growing humanity. Climate Change And Global Warming The environment is being continuously polluted, and this has led to the accumulation of greenhouse gases. Global warming is the primary cause of erratic weather patterns the earth experiences today. While some places suffer severe droughts for many years at a stretch, some places receive excess rainfall and experience floods. The increasing temperature of the earth is melting ice caps due to which the sea levels are rising day by day. If the ice caps continue to melt at this same rate, soon half of the earth will be under water. Management Of Wastes Improper waste management is another vital environmental problem. Wastes are either dumped into oceans or in landfills that have been wrecking havoc. Many waste products are non- degradable and accumulate thus causing damage to the environment. Proper waste management is important for safe surroundings. Other Environmental Issues

Water pollution from industry waste and oil spills is a common environmental issue. Deforestation is another important environmental issue. Forests have been cut down in a large scale to provide land for construction or for agriculture. Air pollution from excessive carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and CFC emitted from vehicles, AC, fridges, etc has led to ozone layer depletion. Nuclear testing and nuclear energy damages the environment in an unimaginable way. The two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are still suffering from the damage caused by the atom bomb explosion of the Second World War Many animals are now becoming extinct due to human activities like hunting and poaching. Natural habitats of animals and birds are being ruined by man. This has also contributed to the disruption of the biodiversity. Soil erosion due to extensive deforestation to clear lands for urbanization and agriculture is yet another vital environmental problem today.

School bullying From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article primarily concerns student-related bullying at school. For teacherrelated bullying at school, see Bullying in teaching. The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page.

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(December 2010)

Bullying is detrimental to students well-being and development.[1]

Students knocking themselves. School bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in connection with education, either inside or outside of school. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeated over a period of time.[2][3] In schools, bullying occurs in all areas. It can occur in nearly any part in or around the school building, though it more often occurs in PE, recess, hallways, bathrooms, on school buses and waiting for buses, classes that require group work and/or after school activities.[citation needed] Bullying in school sometimes consists of a group of students taking advantage of or isolating one student in particular and gaining the loyalty of bystanders who want to avoid becoming the next victim. These bullies taunt and tease their target before physically bullying the target. Targets of bullying in school are often pupils who are considered strange or different by their peers to begin with, making the situation harder for them to deal with. One student or a group can bully another student or a group of students. Bystanders may participate or watch, sometimes out of fear of becoming the next victim. However, there is some research suggesting that a significant proportion of "normal" school

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children may not evaluate school-based violence (student-on-student victimization) as negatively or as being unacceptable as much as adults generally do, and may even derive enjoyment from it, and they may thus not see a reason to prevent it if it brings them joy on some level.[4] Bullying can also be perpetrated by teachers and the school system itself: There is an inherent power differential in the system that can easily predispose to subtle or covert abuse (relational aggression or passive aggression), humiliation, or exclusion even while maintaining overt commitments to anti-bullying policies.[5][6][7] Anti-bullying programs are designed to teach students cooperation, as well as training peer moderators in intervention and dispute resolution techniques, as a form of peer support.[citation needed] Types Physical bullying See also: Physical abuse Physical bullying is any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim. This is one of the most easily identifiable forms of bullying. Examples include:[2][8]

punching pushing shoving kicking slapping tickling headlocks school pranks teasing fighting Use of available objects as weapons

Emotional bullying See also: Psychological abuse Emotional bullying is any form of bullying that causes damage to a victims psyche and/or emotional well-being. Examples include:[2][8]

spreading malicious rumors about people keeping certain people out of a "group"

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getting certain people to "gang up" on others (It also could be considered physical bullying) ignoring people on purpose - the silent treatment harassment provocation whispering to another in front of someone - whispering campaign keeping secrets away from a so-called friend eye rolling, silent, but hurtful body motions such as pointing, face making

Verbal bullying See also: Verbal abuse Verbal bullying is any slanderous statements or accusations that cause the victim undue emotional distress. Examples include:[8]

directing foul language (profanity) at the target name calling commenting negatively on someone's looks, clothes, body etc. - personal abuse tormenting harassment

Cyber-bullying Main article: Cyber-bullying Cyber-bullying is any bullying done through the use of technology. This form of bullying can easily go undetected because of lack of parental/authoritative supervision. Because bullies can pose as someone else, it is the most anonymous form of bullying. Cyber bullying includes, but is not limited to, abuse using email, instant messaging, text messaging, websites, social networking sites, etc.[8] Sexual bullying Sexual bullying is "any bullying behaviour, whether physical or non-physical, that is based on a persons sexuality or gender. It is when sexuality or gender is used as a weapon by boys or girls towards other boys or girls although it is more commonly directed at girls. It can be carried out to a persons face, behind their back or through the use of technology."[9] As part of its research into sexual bullying in schools, the BBC Panorama programme commissioned a questionnaire aimed at young people aged 1119 years in schools and youth clubs across five regions of England.[10] The survey revealed that of the 273 young people who responded to the questionnaire, 28 had been forced to do something sexual and 31 had seen it happen to someone else. Of the 273 respondents, 40 had experienced unwanted touching.[11] UK Government figures show that in school year

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2007/8, there were 3,450 fixed period exclusions and 120 expulsions from schools in England due to sexual misconduct.[12] This includes incidents such as groping and using sexually insulting language. From April 2008 to March 2009, ChildLine counselled a total of 156,729 children. Of these, 26,134 children spoke about bullying as a main concern and 300 of these talked specifically about sexual bullying.[9] Some people, including the UK charity Beatbullying, have claimed that children are being bullied into providing sexual favours in exchange for protection as gang culture enters inner city schools[13]. Other anti-bullying groups and teachers' unions, including the National Union of Teachers, challenged the charity to provide evidence of this, as they had no evidence that this sort of behaviour was happening in schools.[13]

Main article: Homophobic bullying Doctor Melinda Gentry Executive Director of an Atlanta Based Non-Profit created a task force that addressed the issue of bullying as it relates to sexual orientation. "After working in Atlanta Publics Schools, Atlanta, Georgia, I experienced bullying first hand. Due to my sexual orientation my co-workers rallied to have me demoted so that I was not in charge of them. I was told that I was not wanted or welcomed in the school. I was hired to empower children and as a resort I was demoralized. There was no support in the community. People need to be represented, I am an advocate for Human Rights of LGBT individuals in the community. These individuals pay taxes, raise articulate citizens and they love and respect others; they deserve reciprocity. I know from my own experience that bullying takes place in elementary and secondary schools. People in positions of authority do not always respect diversity. The House of Pink Inc. is working to create strategies to combat school bullying. It is unacceptable for adults and/ or children to be bullied in schools based on the premises of their sexuality. Schools need a unified system that strategically addresses issues such as bullying and violence. "These issues are often minimized but have a very long lasting effect on the individuals involved. Victims of bullying become victims of domestic violence in the future. Bullying is a precursor for other acts of civil and criminal violations. The studies on the number of children and adults who become suicidal or murdered in hate crime acts are ridiculously high and there needs to be something done now" Doctor Melinda Gentry.[ In the United Kingdom, the Equality and Human Rights Commission reported in 2010 that "Homophobic bullying is widespread in British secondary schools. Nearly half of all secondary schoolteachers in England acknowledge that such bullying is common, and just 1 in 6 believe that their school is very active in promoting respect for LGBT students."[14] High school bullying According to Tara Kuther, associate professor of psychology at Western Connecticut State University, "...bullying gets so much more sophisticated and subtle in high school. It's more relational. It becomes more difficult for teens to know when to intervene, whereas with younger kids bullying is more physical and therefore more clear cut".[15] Statistics

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Bullying is a common occurrence in most schools. According to the American Psychological Association, approximately "40% to 80% of school-age children experience bullying at some point during their school careers". [16] Regardless of the grade level, socioeconomic environment, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, bullying can happen to anyone. However, various studies point out that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more bullied than students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.[17] Most children experience bullying at some point in their academic careers. The following is a list of statistics that illustrate the severity of bullying within classrooms:[16]

20-40% of bullying victims actually report being bullied 70% of middle school students and 70% of high school students experience bullying in school 7-12% of bullies are habitual and pose a serious threat 5-15% of students are constantly bullied 27% of students are bullied because of their refusal to engage in common sexual practices 25% of students encourage bullying if not given proper education and support in anti-bullying techniques[15]

Due to the low numbers of students who actually report incidents of bullying, teachers need to have a certain level of awareness that will thwart any potential problems. This awareness starts with understanding bullying. Short-term and long-term effects See also: Post traumatic stress disorder and Psychological trauma Dombeck says that as a forty-year-old man, he still feels the effects of the bullying he received as a ten-year-old. Every day, he would dread riding the bus home from school because he was bullied by the older children on the bus. Dombeck defines some common short-term and long-term effects of bullying. These include, but are not limited to:[18] Short-term:

depression suicide (bullycide) anxiety anger significant drop in school performance abiding feelings of insecurity lack of trust extreme sensitivity (hypervigilance) need for revenge

Long-term:

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School bullying is a major cause of school shootings. 71% of the attackers were motivated by being bullied and picked on. School shooters that died or committed suicide left behind evidence that they were bullied, including Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, Nathan Ferris, Edmar Aparecido Freitas, Seung-Hui Cho, Wellington Menezes Oliveira, and Jeff Weise. Complex dynamics of a school bullying culture Parsons identifies school bullying cultures as typically having a web of dynamics which are much more complex than just considering bullying amongst students. These dynamics include:[19]

some students bully other students; some of these student bullies are themselves bullied by other student bullies; some of these student bullies bully teachers some teachers bully students; some teacher bullies bully other teachers; some teacher bullies bully parents some office staff bully teachers, students and parents some principals bully teachers, office staff, students and parents some parents bully teachers, office staff, principals, and their own children. Make sure an adult knows what is happening to their children. Actually enforce anti bully laws. Make it clear that bullying is never acceptable. Recognize that bullying can occur at all levels within the hierarchy of the school (i.e., including adults). Hold a school conference day or forum devoted to bully/victim problems. Increase adult supervision in the yard, halls and washrooms more vigilantly. Emphasize caring, respect and safety. Emphasize consequences of hurting others. Enforce consistent and immediate consequences for aggressive behaviors. Improve communication among school administrators, teachers, parents and students. Have a school problem box where kids can report problems, concerns and offer suggestions. Teach cooperative learning activities. Help bullies with anger control and the development of empathy. Encourage positive peer relations. Offer a variety of extracurricular activities which appeal to a range of interests Teach your child to defend himself or herself, verbally and physically, if necessary.

Strategies to reduce school bullying

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Keep in mind the range of possible causes: e.g., medical, psychiatric, psychological, developmental, family problems, etc. If problems continue in your school, press harassment charges against the family of the person who is bullying you.

Semiotics of bullying in schools Bullying is defined as a conscious, deliberate hostile activity intended to terrorize and harm others through the threat of further aggression. School-age bullying is not limited to any national, religious, or ethno-cultural group. Statistics show that one out of four students are bullied by a peer, over 160,000 children choose to stay home from school due to the fear of being bullied, and lastly, bullying is responsible for childhood attempted suicides.[27] Sociologists E.D. Nelson and R.D. Lambert write, "It has been argued that the term bullying warrants recovery by deriving power from the potential effects of bullying: intimidation, humiliation, coercion, and silencing of the victims".[28]. Forms Bullying is delivered in a number of different forms and is not limited to one gender. Forms include verbal, physical, direct, sexual harassment, and relational bullying. Bullying covers a wide range of age groups but is particularly prominent between the ages of 9-18. Boys tend to do more bullying than girls, especially in the form of physical bullying. However girls are just as guilty. They usually tend to bully in verbal forms.[29] Understanding the semiotics of school-age bullying may increase the chances of stopping the problem before drastic measures are taken by the victims, such as suicide. Bully, target, and bystander are labels that have been created to help describe and understand the roles of the individuals involved in the vicious cycle. Barbara Coloroso, an expert in the field of bullying prevention, explains that the labels serve as descriptors of a childs behavior rather than permanently labeling the child.[29] Associations Bullying is usually associated with an imbalance of power. A bully has a perceived authority over another due to factors such as size, gender, or age.[30] Bullies are not identifiable by their appearance or group identification; rather we need to focus on how they act. The definition of bullying briefly describes actions that are exhibited by an individual that is playing the role of a bully.[31] Boys find motivation for bully from factors such as not fitting in, physically weak, short-tempered, who their friends were, and the clothes they wore. Girls on the other hand, result from factors like not fitting in, facial appearance, emotional, overweight, and academic status.[29] In both sexes, a speech impediment of some sort (such as stutter) can also become the target of a bully. Individuals that choose to be a bully are not typically born with the characteristic. It is a result from the treatment they receive from authority figures, including parents. Bullies often come from families that use physical forms of discipline.[28] This somewhat turns the tables on the bully, making them the victim. Unfortunately, this leads to a strategy of bully or be bullied.[31]

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Identifying Verifying the signs that signify bullying characteristics are slightly harder than expected. They are usually viewed as loud and assertive and may even be hostile in particular situations. Bullies are not usually the largest kid in a class, but may be part of the popular or cool kids group.[32] The bullies that are part of a popular group may not come from intense disciplinary homes, rather they gain acceptance from the peer group by bullying a victim.[28] Victims of bullying typically are physically smaller, more sensitive, unhappy, cautious, anxious, quiet, and withdrawn. They are often described as passive or submissive. Possessing these qualities make these individuals vulnerable to being victimized. Unfortunately bullies know that these students will not retaliate, making them an easy target.[28] A general semantics term called indexing is useful in dealing with the different types of bullying. Indexing is a way to categorize of signs. This allows educators and parents a way to assist in recognizing how bullying behavior varies. By understanding and recognizing the different varieties of behavior it helps to allow flexibility in the responses to the variations.[31] An interesting result from previous research states that the majority of children possess anti-bullying attitudes. However there is a small amount of children that admire those that bully and show little empathy for those that get bullied.[33] Legal recourse in the US Main article: School anti-bullying legislation Some states of the United States have implemented laws to address school bullying. Law prohibits bullying of students based on sexual orientation and gender identity Law prohibits bullying of students based on sexual orientation School regulation or ethical code for teachers that address bullying of students based on sexual orientation Law prohibits bullying in school but lists no categories of protection No statewide law that specifically prohibits bullying in schools American victims and their families have legal recourse, such as suing a school or teacher for failure to adequately supervise, for racial or gender discrimination, or for other civil rights violations. Special education students who are victimized may sue a school or school board under the ADA or Section 504. In addition, the victims of some school shootings have sued both the shooters' families and the schools.[34] Victims Phoebe Prince November 24, 1994 - January 14, 2010, moved from Ireland to the United States. She attended South Hadley High School in Massachusetts where she was a victim of bullying. After suffering from her bullies for a period of time, She committed suicide by hanging. This leads to a criminal case. In May 2011 the defendants plead guilty to lesser charges, receiving probation and community service. She is buried in Ireland.

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In popular culture Bullies frequently appear as antagonists in TV shows about young people. For example, on the TV series Malcolm in the Middle, Malcolm's older brother, Reese, is notoriously known as the school and neighborhood bully. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air also featured a bully who picked on Ashley Banks and who comes from a bullying family. On the nowlate Nickelodeon series, 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, the titular character was a bully who was transformed into a dog and must complete 100 good deeds before being turned back into a human. In the cartoon Hey Arnold!, Helga G. Pataki was the bully in her fourth grade class due to many factors such as her neglectful parents, dysfunctional homelife, and insecurities. The Stephen King novel, Carrie and its respective film adaptation include bullying as a main plot; the heroine, Carrie White is viciously bullied at school by a clique of wicked girls led by Chris Hargensen. Bullies are featured in the 1980 film My Bodyguard where a hotelier's son attends a public high school and harassed - features a young Matt Dillon as the lead bully (his second role as a villain). A major plot of the 1984 film The Karate Kid has school bullies who are members of a martial arts dojo run by an ex-Special Forces Vietnam veteran; the lead bully is seen using illegal drugs during a Halloween dance. The British slasher film Tormented features bullying as a major theme, as the film's "slasher", Darren Mullet, an overweight, unpopular nerd, is bullied to the point of suicide by the school's most popular students. The film was praised for its portrayal of cyberbullying and how bullying is not always limited to the school students; the tutors in Tormented are seen to deliberately overlook the shy, vulnerable students and allow the in-crowd to get away with their cruel behaviour. In the musical Missing Mel (in association with Youth Music Theatre: UK), there is an entire number that revolves around two twins bullying a girl named Lauren. This musical has been praised for raising the awareness of the harm bullying can do to a victim.[citation
needed]

In Mean Girls, the school's four most popular girls emotionally pick on others, and write a "Burn Book", which includes malicious gossip, rumors, and secrets about the other girls in their school. After copies of the pages of the Burn Book are scattered around the school, the girls realize their humiliating secrets have been revealed to the entire school and attack their friends, which also leads to bullying because all the girls are fighting in the hallways, etc. when they find out who is cheating on whom, rumors, and what friends said behind their backs, etc. The book series "The Clique" is about rich girls who fight over boys, pick on others, and are totally spoiled by their parents. The leader, Massie Block, also set up a game about "Gossip Points", which has no real reward, making the other 'members' tell her all gossip they heard. Only for 'points' that have no reward (such as money) makes it pointless, except so Massie knows other girls' secrets which she uses to blackmail people. And the fact that they go to an all-girls school makes the gossip worse. In the Harry Potter books and film adaptations, Draco Malfoy (his father, Lucius, is also a bully) verbally taunts Harry (because he has no parents and because of his fame), Ron (because he is poor), and Hermione (because of her blood status) with the help of

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his "friends" Crabbe and Goyle, although the three don't let the taunting get to them and retaliate. Also Professor Severus Snape, who teaches potions, bullies his students, especially Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville Longbottom and overlooks any wrongdoing by those who are in Slytherin (the house he is head of). In the past, to Harry's shock, James Potter, with the help of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew while Remus Lupin was a bystander, bullied Snape relentlessly while they were students at Hogwarts. In the show Glee, one of the students, Kurt Hummel, is constantly being bullied for being gay by one of the school football players Dave Karofsky. Kurt tries to confront him, but ends up being kissed by Dave. Dave threatens to kill him if the kiss is revealed. Kurt tells the teachers about the threat, but not the cause of the threat. Dave is expelled, but eventually comes back and apologizes to Kurt on two separate occasions: in the episode "Born This Way" and "Prom Queen." During the prom however, other people bully him by nominating him for prom queen. Although hurt, Kurt decides to take the title, showing that he is proud for who he is. Bullying at school: tackling the problem Dan Olweus, Research Centre for Health Promotion, University of Bergen, Norway

For two years, Johnny, a quiet 13-year-old, was a human plaything for some of his classmates. The teenagers badgered Johnny for money, forced him to swallow weeds and drink milk mixed with detergent, beat him up in the restroom and tied a string around his neck, leading him around as a pet. When Johnnys torturers were interrogated about the bullying, they said they pursued their victim because it was fun. (Excerpt from a Norwegian newspaper article cited in Olweus, 1993.) Bullying among schoolchildren is certainly a very old phenomenon, though it was not until the early 1970s that it was made the object of systematic research. Though this research originally focused on Scandinavia, by the 1980s bullying among schoolchildren had attracted wider attention in countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. A broad definition of bullying is when a student is repeatedly exposed to negative actions on the part of one or more other students. These negative actions can take the form of physical contact, verbal abuse, or making faces and rude gestures. Spreading rumours and excluding the victim from a group are also common forms. Bullying also entails an imbalance in strength between the bullies and the victim, what experts call an asymmetric power relationship. Our surveys of more than 150,000 students show that some 15% of pupils in elementary and lower secondary/junior high schools (roughly corresponding to ages 7 to 16) in Scandinavia are involved in bully/victim problems with some regularity either as bullies, victims or both. Approximately 9% are victims, and 7% bully other students with some regularity. A relatively small proportion (15-20%) of the victims are themselves bullies of other pupils. These figures probably underestimate the problem, and there are indications that the level of bullying has risen over the last 10-15 years.

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More worrying, it is the more frequent and severe forms of bullying that have increased most. Scandinavia is clearly not the stable rock of peace and calm it is often portrayed to be. Still, bullying may be more prevalent in other countries. For example, one British study of over 6,700 students shows that more than a quarter (27%) of primary school students reported being bullied with some regularity; this figure was 10% for secondary school students. With regard to bullying other students, corresponding figures were 12% for primary and 6% for secondary school students (Smith & Sharp, 1994). These are the raw data, but what about the background? There is considerable research literature on the characteristics, family backgrounds, long-term outcomes for victims and bullies, mechanisms and group processes involved, and some of the key titles are included in the reference section of this article. Fundamentally, bullying has to be seen as a component of more generally antisocial and rule-breaking behaviour. In my follow-up studies, some 35% to 40% of boys who were characterised as bullies in Grades 6 to 9 (ages 13 to 16) had been convicted of at least three officially registered crimes by the age of 24. In contrast, this was true of only 10% of boys who were not classified as bullies. In other words, former school bullies were four times more likely than other pupils to engage in relatively serious crime. SOME MYTHS There are several common assumptions about the causes of bullying for which there is no supporting evidence. They include claims that bullying is a consequence of large class or school sizes, or of the competition for grades and other pressures that school generates. Another common assumption is that under a tough surface bullies, in fact, suffer from poor self-esteem and insecurity. These views are no more accurate than the stereotype that students who are fat, red-haired and wear glasses are particularly likely to become victims of bullying. In reality, other factors are more important. Certain personality characteristics and typical reaction patterns, combined with the level of physical strength or weakness in the case of boys, can help to explain the development of bullying problems in individual students. At the same time, environmental influences, such as teachers attitudes, behaviour and supervisory routines play a crucial role in determining the extent to which these problems will manifest themselves in a classroom or a school. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS Victims of bullying form a large group of students who tend to be neglected by their schools. Yet it is a fundamental human or democratic right for a child to feel safe in school and to be spared the oppression and repeated, intentional humiliation of bullying. Governments and school authorities have therefore an important role to play in assuring that these rights are honoured. A Swedish law passed in 1994 and amended in 1997 goes some way to upholding these childrens rights at school. The associated regulations also make school principals responsible for realising these goals, including the development of an explicit intervention plan against bullying. Similar legal moves, although with somewhat weaker formulations, have been made in a few other countries, notably Norway and the United Kingdom.

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As bully/victim problems have gradually been placed on formal school agendas in many countries, a number of suggestions about their handling and prevention have been proposed; see Peter K. Smith et al (1999) for an overview of a number of such measures. Some of these suggestions and approaches seem ill-conceived or even counterproductive, such as excessive focus on changing the victims behaviour to make them less vulnerable to bullying. Others appear meaningful and potentially useful. A key problem, however, is that most of them have either not had positive results or have not been subjected to proper evaluation. Therefore it is difficult to know which measures actually work and which do not. Yet it is the results that count, not how adults might feel about using a programme. CAN BULLYING BE STOPPED? The situation is well illustrated by the following. Recently, a US expert committee under the leadership of a respected criminologist, Professor Delbert Elliott, systematically evaluated more than 400 violence (or problem-behaviour) prevention programmes. Only 10 of the programmes (four of which were school-based) satisfied the specified minimum criteria of the evaluation. These criteria were that they could show documented successful results, that the positive effects had lasted at least a year and that the programme had produced positive results in at least one site beyond the original one. These Blueprint or model programmes are now being implemented in a number of sites with financial support from the US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. A similar evaluation of 25 programmes designed to counteract or prevent problem behaviour was recently carried out by an officially appointed committee in Norway. Only one programme was recommended for further use without reservations. My own Bullying Prevention Programme is one of the 10 US Blueprint programmes and was the programme selected by the Norwegian committee. In this programme, the tools themselves are quite straightforward, ranging from adult awareness and parent meetings to classroom rules against bullying, followed up by regular classroom meetings with the students; these elements are summarised in the box. The first evaluation of the use of the intervention programme was based on data from approximately 2,500 students (aged 11-14) in 42 primary and lower secondary/junior high schools in Bergen, Norway. The subjects of the study were followed over a period of two and a half years, from 1983 to 1985 (Olweus 1993; and Olweus & Limber, 1999). The main findings were threefold. First, there were marked reductions by 50% or more in bully/victim problems for the periods studied, which included 8 and 20 months of intervention. Second, clear reductions were recorded in general antisocial behaviour, such as vandalism, fighting, pilfering, drunkenness and truancy. And third, the social climate of the classroom greatly improved, while student satisfaction with school life rose too. Similar results have been documented in a recent large-scale intervention project (1997-1999) in Bergen and in a new project (results not yet published) in 10 Oslo schools. Positive, although somewhat lesser, effects have also been reported in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Norwegian government has now decided to offer the Bullying Prevention Programme to all comprehensive schools in Norway. A key element of the new initiative

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is the establishment of educational teacher discussion groups at each school. These groups will receive training and supervision from special trainer candidates, who in turn are trained and supervised by my Group for the Prevention of Bullying and Antisocial Behaviour at the University of Bergen. In this way, it will be possible to reach out to a large number of schools in a relatively short time. `