Bullying In Primary Education
Bullying is a social phenomenon and problem that occurs regardless of class and cultural or economic level. It is most prevalent in early adolescence, around the ages of 11 and 13. For this reason, we have prepared this article on bullying in Primary Education.
It is in the last years of primary school that a large number of cases of bullying occur and start, even more than in secondary school. Therefore, if awareness-raising and awareness-raising on the issue of school violence is worked from the first courses, the number of people affected by it would be reduced in the short and long term.
Characteristics of Primary Education students
It must be borne in mind that Primary Education students are in full development of their abilities and skills. Thus, depending on age, they acquire certain skills:
- In the age range of 6 to 12 years, the feeling of autonomy and the need for independence develop.
- Between the ages of 7 and 9, children begin to be aware of social norms and the sense of ridicule. Therefore, it is important for them to feel accepted and valued by their friends. It is an ideal age to teach them to share, negotiate, cooperate and know how to accept failures in social relationships.
- Around the age of 9 and 10 they begin to separate from the family world and establish a commitment of loyalty to their friends. So at this stage they must learn the value of personal effort and put comfort aside.
- From the age of 11, due to physical changes, there is an increase in insecurity. They also want to appear older and mature. For this reason, they can come to challenge authority with pride and the group of friends acquires a very relevant place in their lives.
In short, it can be said that Primary Education students are characterized by the need for approval from their peers, giving great importance to the opinion of others.
The first feelings of exclusion appear in the face of difference, in front of people who do not place themselves within the social norm. Because of this, they have to learn to:
- Don’t judge people.
- Put yourself in the place of the other.
- Look for solutions.
- Be consistent with your actions.
Measures against bullying in Primary Education
It is important to act against bullying in Primary Education. Thus, children learn from a young age to react to intolerance, provocation, to reflect on different ways of controlling anger, to generate new proposals, to seek solutions and to stop believing that conflicts are always negative. In this way, positive social relationships are achieved and non-violent interaction is encouraged.
Thus, the inclusive school defends an education focused on promoting a coexistence based on values and good citizen practices, such as:
- The Solidarity.
- Respect.
- The tolerance.
- The participation.
- The responsability.
- The commitment to the public.
In addition, the inclusive school guarantees that all students have access to a quality education, based on equity and equal opportunities. In this educational context, differences must be addressed and the specific supports and aids that the most vulnerable people require must be given.
In the same way, the Educational System must build democratic and participatory social spaces, socially enriched, that facilitate learning and emphasize the interest in living together, learning, understanding, communicating, relating, acting and projecting itself towards other groups.
It is about focusing on the real presence and participation and implies fighting against any form of exclusion, which is considered a process that is never finished.
In conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that one of the purposes of education is the integral development of the person in all its dimensions of development:
- Physical.
- Cognitive.
- Communicative.
- Social.
- Cultural.
- Moral.
- Affective.
- Emotional.
Therefore, a harmonious balance in the development of all these dimensions promotes positive coexistence, which has an effect on the quite significant reduction of cases of bullying in schools.
