ERIC Number: ED546873
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Nov-8
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Perspectives about an Anti-Bullying Program
Lester, Robin Rawlings; Maldonado, Nancy
Online Submission, Paper presented at the Annual Mid-South Educational Research (MSERA) Conference (Pensacola, FL, Nov 8, 2013)
Bullying has become a nationwide concern at the K-12 level. Guided by the theoretical framework of social learning theory, this study explored the perceptions of secondary education teachers about the bully-proofing program in place at one target middle school. Despite the target middle school's anti-bullying program, the incidence of bullying had increased during the first and third year of the program's implementation. Because the teachers had first-hand knowledge of the target middle school's anti-bullying program, the study participants included four teachers, and data were collected using semi-structured, open-ended, audio taped interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by coding in order to identify emerging themes. Themes that emerged included the content of the anti-bullying curriculum, the contributions of the anti-bullying program, recommendations for effective anti-bullying programs, and teacher readiness and preparedness to implement curriculum. Reflexivity, member checking, and peer review were used to enhance trustworthiness of the study. Findings indicated that participants believe there is a need for an up-to-date anti-bullying program at the target school and a need to clarify the roles and responsibilities of school stakeholders. Study findings could have educational policy implications as well as positive social change implications at the local and national level as teachers and other stakeholders work together in order to combat bullying in schools and create a safe learning environment for students.
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; Middle Schools; Junior High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A