How The Country School Handles Bullying Behavior

• Hosting morning meetings, leadership councils, and open circles that encourage discussion.
• Having class read alouds, literature circles and related discussions that focus on the importance of the golden rule.
• Role-playing and modeling social interactions.  
• Listening to both sides of a story and trying to investigate in a delicate manner why there is a problem. 
• Intervening when there is unkind behavior.  Depending on the type of behavior, teachers may either use humor to diffuse a questionable situation or be more direct in a clearly defined situation.  
• Having conversations with the students involved to get their perspectives. 
• Speaking honestly and transparently. Country School teachers let children know that their unkind or bullying behavior made them uncomfortable and is not a suitable way to act.  
• Reporting repeated, hurtful behavior to an administrator and parents.  It often takes a 360 degree approach to help a child understand why certain behaviors and words are not appropriate and hurtful.  It is also important for the victims of unkind behavior not to suffer in silence and instead to speak to a trusted adult.  
• Teaching about intent versus impact. Sometimes words or actions are not perceived as intended.  
• Keeping parents in the loop. Communication is key.

• Provide students with the feedback they need and create a time for a true apology of action, not just an “I am sorry.” 
• Country School involves families early on so that they can reinforce their shared value of being kind at home. 

The Country School discourages bullying and unkind behavior by empowering the community to call one another on any mean and unkind behavior. Faculty and administration model “What does being kind look like?” all over campus: in the locker hallway, on the playground, in Middle School advisories, and in the Dining Hall. Such modeling provides the students with opportunities to think about what being kind looks and sounds like.