More than 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year. More than half of students report witnessing some type of bullying at school. More than 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied. The statistics speak for themselves: bullying is still a big issue, and it’s only getting worse.
The excitement of a new school year can be overshadowed with the onset of bullying at school. Physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school, although verbal abuse remains constant.
Bill Taylor Bushido School of Karate’s chief instructor and owner decided he wanted to do something to address the issue. That’s why he started the Bully Buster program, which offers free 30-minute sessions for anyone in the community.
Taylor says that his main goal is to help students grow their confidence. This, he says, makes them less likely to be a target of bullying.
“We make sure the children who come to us get their confidence up,” Taylor says. “The way they talk, carry themselves, their eye contact – these things can all influence bullying at school. And these are things we practice in a martial arts setting every day. Just by coming to class and performing, confidence goes up. Setting goals, and seeing the realization of those goals, makes their confidence go up.”
Bill Taylor Bushido School of Karate’s Bully Buster sessions teach skills to deal with potential bully situations at school. Instructors talk about why someone might become a bully.
Prepare Your Children:
Taylor encourages anyone who has experienced bullying in the past or recently to visit his web site at http://bskonline.com to watch a short video about handling a bully situation. People can also call (615) 893-6003 for more information on the Bully Buster program.
“It’s our job to teach kids to take this confidence to school,” Taylor says, “and not be chosen as a target.”
What does the Rutherford County School System Say About Bullying?
Bullying is 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. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. See the School Website HERE.
Source:
Bill Taylor Bushido School of Karate
