Bullying is good! - Bullying is bad. That's always been the association of the word. Yet, a recent study in the US says that bullying can be a good thing for kids!. Following a series of experiments conducted over 2,000 school children aged between 11 and 12, psychologists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), claim that being shouted at, or ostracised can often have positive results. Comparing the results from children who reciprocated a fellow pupil's dislike with those who tried to ignore or placate their enemy, it was found that those who repay hostility with hostility seemed the most mature. Popularity of students who didn't suffer bullying silently also soared above those who did.
Melissa Witkow, who led the study, said, "Among kids who are disliked by a peer, our research suggests it may be helpful for some young adolescents to return that peer's dislike than to continue liking that peer." Most educationists in the country are pleasantly surprised with this report. While some have outright dismissed bullying as negative, others have felt that this report will make them more aware of grooming students to handle conflict resolution.
Counselling psychologist Saloni Priya, says, "Bullying that's limited to friendly leg-pulling can be good as long as it doesn't rub the self-esteem of the child. Such kind of bullying can help children to interact with those having diverse points of view. That's why it's often said a little bit of ragging is good for breaking the ice. But prolonged bullying and image tarnishing can be demeaning."
Malini Bhagat, principal of a school, feels that today's children ought to be self-sufficient enough to deal with bullying. "If a new child in school gets teased, I advise her to make her peers accept her the way she is and celebrate their differences," Bhagat adds.
Though Indrani Sanyal, principal of another school, feels that the UCLA survey might not be applicable in the country since the social scenario is different, she does talk about the importance of teaching conflict management to students. "Abroad, students are taught to be independent. But here, we teach them to be humble. I'm not for bullying," says Sanyal, "But suffering bullies in silence is never advisable. Students need to protest in a decent fashion by using rational thinking."
Educationist Seema Sapru believes that 90 per cent of children face bullying. "How they deal with it depends on their confidence levels and the development of their social skills. They should realise that the world outside isn't going to be just the way they want it to be." she says, adding, "Teachers must spend at least one hour every week with students to discuss conflict management."
So, while educationists aren't as yet ready to judge bullying in a positive light, they are keen on students learning to combat it independently. While aggression isn't advisable to gain maturity, protesting by use of rational principles, certainly is.
Melissa Witkow, who led the study, said, "Among kids who are disliked by a peer, our research suggests it may be helpful for some young adolescents to return that peer's dislike than to continue liking that peer." Most educationists in the country are pleasantly surprised with this report. While some have outright dismissed bullying as negative, others have felt that this report will make them more aware of grooming students to handle conflict resolution.
Counselling psychologist Saloni Priya, says, "Bullying that's limited to friendly leg-pulling can be good as long as it doesn't rub the self-esteem of the child. Such kind of bullying can help children to interact with those having diverse points of view. That's why it's often said a little bit of ragging is good for breaking the ice. But prolonged bullying and image tarnishing can be demeaning."
Malini Bhagat, principal of a school, feels that today's children ought to be self-sufficient enough to deal with bullying. "If a new child in school gets teased, I advise her to make her peers accept her the way she is and celebrate their differences," Bhagat adds.
Though Indrani Sanyal, principal of another school, feels that the UCLA survey might not be applicable in the country since the social scenario is different, she does talk about the importance of teaching conflict management to students. "Abroad, students are taught to be independent. But here, we teach them to be humble. I'm not for bullying," says Sanyal, "But suffering bullies in silence is never advisable. Students need to protest in a decent fashion by using rational thinking."
Educationist Seema Sapru believes that 90 per cent of children face bullying. "How they deal with it depends on their confidence levels and the development of their social skills. They should realise that the world outside isn't going to be just the way they want it to be." she says, adding, "Teachers must spend at least one hour every week with students to discuss conflict management."
So, while educationists aren't as yet ready to judge bullying in a positive light, they are keen on students learning to combat it independently. While aggression isn't advisable to gain maturity, protesting by use of rational principles, certainly is.
Bullying is good!
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