Bullying in the WorkplaceU of L Education

Undergraduate Society

October 16, 2012

Kurtis Hewson

Faculty Associate

Spot the Bullying

• You walk into the staff room just as a colleague is finishing a joke you find offensive

• A colleague tells a parent that they wouldn’t want a child in your class

• As you go down the hall, an aggressive colleague “bumps” into you, and smiles as she walks by

• As a staff, you watch a funny video showing an ineffective teaching practice and a colleague remarks “Kurtis, I didn’t know you did movies!”

What is Bullying?

• Intentional or Deliberate• Disrespectful (Imbalance

of Power)• Repeated

Consider This…

• UK Study:– 15.5% of teachers stating they were currently

being bullied– 35.4% bullied in the past five years

• 1 in 4 teachers will suffer workplace bullying in their careers

• Not a gender issue (prevalent with both genders)

What Does It Look Like?

Doug applies but is not successful in the VP position

you receive. He begins to covertly share with other

staff members your incompetence.

What Does It Look Like?

Martha finds every available opportunity in

staff settings to drop sarcastic sentiments about your teaching.

What Does It Look Like?

Elaine starts a rumor in the community that you

enjoy coaching girls volleyball “a little too

much, if you know what I mean…”

What Does It Look Like?

Philip is consistently arranging “staff functions” at his house but never

invites you.

What Does It Look Like?

• Typically not physical• Isolation and exclusion• Rumors• Negative remarks to parents and students• Criticism• Unreasonable workloads• Cyberbullying

Impact of Staffroom Bullies

• Stress symptoms (anxiety, headaches, nausea, hypertension)

• Sleep problems• Irritability• Depression• Suicidal thoughts• Loss of self-esteem• Loss of job

What to do?

• Laugh, ignore, avoid?• Act if impacting your professional reputation• Document and keep any evidence• Contact the ATA• Speak directly with the person

– Share concerns and try to find a way forward

• Be courteous, non-confrontational, keep social contact to a minimum

What not to do

• Reciprocate• Change who you are as a teacher• Allow yourself to be a victim• Be bullied into silence• Share concerns with other teachers• Share concerns with your principal

(without talking to the other person)

Rule of ThumbIf unsure, make the call!

Questions?

Kurtis HewsonFaculty Associate

hewskp@uleth.ca

Twitter - @hewsonk27

http://kurtishewson.wordpress.com/