Brian Silve University-College Vice-preident Bullying in the Music Classroom
The task of selecting clinics for our state convention that will appeal to our diverse membership is difficult. The MMEA leadership team considers a variety of topics, all of which we believe will inform, motivate, and challenge teachers to think carefully about their own teaching practices. Within each division, vice-presidents are asked to secure a specific number of clinics that will interest teachers in their area. Due to my position as College/University Vice President, I have a bit more latitude than some of my colleagues on the MMEA Board. Because of the timeliness and importance of this topic, I solicited a presentation for the 2017 MMEA Convention from Dr. Jared Rawlings, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah, who will speak candidly about an issue that has become more prevalent in recent years, particularly in the music classroom—bullying.
Bullying has been defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time” (“
stopbullying.gov,” 2016). Furthermore, bullying victimization can take many forms, including physical, verbal, social, or cyberbullying abuse (Wang, Iannotti, & Nansel, 2009). If you are unsure whether behavior
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that you are witnessing could be described as bullying, ask yourself the following three questions:
1. Was this behavior intentional? 2. Was this behavior repetitive? and
3. Was there an attempt for one student to win power over another student? (Rawlings, 2011, p. 25).
If these criteria can be applied with regard to a particular student or a series of incidents, there is a strong likelihood that bullying may be taking place. If so, it may be best to meet with the students involved to determine the cause(s) of this behavior. If the trouble persists, enlist school counselors and administrators to develop a plan to help extinguish this behavior.
Although some bullying behavior may seem dismissive as mere teasing, there is research evidence to suggest that bullies and their victims experience a range of enduring physical, emotional, and social problems that affect their entire school experience negatively (Bouldton, Trueman, & Murray, 2008; Hutzell & Payne, 2012). Elpus and Carter (2016) recently found that music ensemble and theatre students were more likely to be victimized by in-person bullying than their non-arts peers. Because music classrooms often are used by
students who may be practicing before and after school, and are considered sanctuaries for students who assemble and socialize in these spaces, music teachers should be vigilant in monitoring these areas to ensure that students feel safe.
What can music teachers do to help curtail bullying in the music classroom? Taylor (2011) suggested that teachers should establish a safe environment, be consistent and supportive of their students, and be a “game changer” by working to reverse long held instrument gender stereotypes. Rawlings (2011) wrote that teachers should explain terminology in an effort to increase their students’ understanding about bullying behaviors. Helping your students to empathize with other students’ struggles with bullying victimization will likely help combat bullying not only in your classroom, but throughout the entire school. Obviously, no student should be subjected to any type of bullying or harassing behavior during their participation in music classes or ensembles. Taking a proactive approach, one in which students, parents, teachers, and administrators are involved, will help lead to a more inclusive and welcoming classroom environment.
See SILVEY, pg. 25 MISSOURI SCHOOL MUSIC | Volume 71, Number 2
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