1. Newspaper article from 1999. "Ijime: A Social Illness of Japan"
2. From the BBC News December 2006 "Japan's Deadly Bullying Problem"
3. Here is the 8 page article in Japanese, Dr. Cowie wrote titled "Understanding Why Children and Young People Engage in Bullying"
Remember, Dr. Cowie would really like to hear your comments on today's class. Please ask them by using the comment button for this post. You questions and comments are anonymous! Ask anything!
19 comments:
Good morning!
I have some questions.
I'm going to work as a tutor at a cram school next spring.
I'm working part time there.
So, I want to be a good listener to my students.
In fact, I want to be a good adviser to them, but I don't have enough special educational skill, enough knowledge about education because I don't get a teaching qualification.
So, I want to be a good listener.
I want to be a tutor my students can talk to easily.
How can I be a good listener?
I think only listening is even difficult.
Please tell me how I listen to their talk.
Also, if they had bullying at their school, what could I do for them?
Good morning!
I have some questions.
I'm going to work as a tutor at a cram school next spring.
I'm working part time there.
So, I want to be a good listener to my students.
In fact, I want to be a good adviser to them, but I don't have enough special educational skill, enough knowledge about education because I don't get a teaching qualification.
So, I want to be a good listener.
I want to be a tutor my students can talk to easily.
How can I be a good listener?
I think only listening is even difficult.
Please tell me how I listen to their talk.
Also, if they had bullying at their school, what could I do for them?
Thanks for your comment. I think that the very fact that you have asked the question means that you are well on the way to becoming a good listnener as you obviously care about the emotional well-being of your students. Some teachers find it helpful to do a counselling skills course as in this training you are given practice in active listening and constructive feedback from fellow students and trainers. You might also like to set up a peer support service in your school. Prof Shinji Kurihara and his education students at Hiroshima University have plenty of contacts in this field that you may find useful. Please read the handouts I gave you and then, if you still have questions, write to me directly on cowieh@btinternet.com and I will send you some more information on how to combat bullying at school. Best wishes, Helen
Hello.
Thank you for your profound lecture, Dr. Cowie.
I thought that bullying is took place very easily, but to stop it is very very difficult.
Stepping into the bullying is sometimes good, but sometimes things don't go good way.
So, I think we have to take action depend on the situation.
I read an article "Ijime: A Social Illness of Japan."
I really agree with this 3rd paragraph.
Japanese society may cause bullying, I think.
Thank you so much, Dr.Cowie!!
Hello.
Thank you for your profound lecture, Dr. Cowie.
I thought that bullying is took place very easily, but to stop it is very very difficult.
Stepping into the bullying is sometimes good, but sometimes things don't go good way.
So, I think we have to take action depend on the situation.
I read an article "Ijime: A Social Illness of Japan."
I really agree with this 3rd paragraph.
Japanese society may cause bullying, I think.
Thank you so much, Dr.Cowie!!
Thank you so much for your discussion, Dr.Cowie.
I think having good human relation and keep it is not easy for adults, not only young people.
Losing a friend who committed suicide after being bullied is too sad to think about it.
Each of us have to be enthusiastic about addressing bullying issue, I think.
Thank you for precious time.
Thank you so much for your discussion, Dr.Cowie.
I think having good human relation and keep it is not easy for adults, not only young people.
Losing a friend who committed suicide after being bullied is too sad to think about it.
Each of us have to be enthusiastic about addressing bullying issue, I think.
Thank you for precious time.
Dear BERRY, Thanks for your comments. It is too easy to blame Japanese society. You are right that bullying is hard to stop and you need to consider the costs and benefits of intervening. Fortunately there are a lot of things that you can do. Society can change too and we can take action to change it, even in small ways. If every person challenged bullying each time they saw it happen, then there would be a difference because it thrives in contexts where the majority remains silent and looks the other way. Best wishes,
Helen
Hello Dr. Cowie,
First of all, I would like to thank you for sparing your limited and precious time for us. I found it interesting that School Bullying has various kinds. From my experience of being a bully victim, I think the worst thing that people ever could do is ignoring. It broke my heart when my friends ignored me on porpose ,and when I noticed that they enjoyed watching me being isolated. I felt like there was no reason to be there, even to be exist in this world. I hated going to school. Now, I think this experience was meant to be, to understand feelings of others' but at that time it was not lovely.
Well, maybe why I think this sad experience was meaningful is to glorify it and to ease my pain.
I have thought of suiciding, but never tried because of my parents' existance. They were always by my side, and loved me very much so that I did not have to feel alone in the world. I was lucky, because there have been so many people who kill themselves for being bullied.
I think Japanese schools need having more counselors so that victims can visit and talk with them.
Hello Dr. Cowie,
First of all, I would like to thank you for sparing your limited and precious time for us. I found it interesting that School Bullying has various kinds. From my experience of being a bully victim, I think the worst thing that people ever could do is ignoring. It broke my heart when my friends ignored me on porpose ,and when I noticed that they enjoyed watching me being isolated. I felt like there was no reason to be there, even to be exist in this world. I hated going to school. Now, I think this experience was meant to be, to understand feelings of others' but at that time it was not lovely.
Well, maybe why I think this sad experience was meaningful is to glorify it and to ease my pain.
I have thought of suiciding, but never tried because of my parents' existance. They were always by my side, and loved me very much so that I did not have to feel alone in the world. I was lucky, because there have been so many people who kill themselves for being bullied.
I think Japanese schools need having more counselors so that victims can visit and talk with them.
Dear Kimi, Thank you for your comments and reflections. First, I would like to say how much I appreciate you honesty and openness. The experience of being bullied has left a deep impression on you and your description of the pain of being ignored by your friends while all this was going on illustrates so clearly the utter cruelty of such forms of bullying.
You write that it was the love of your family that saved you from suicide. Sadly, some other children have felt so lonely and abandoned by being bullied that they did commit suicide. Your honest reflections show how young people can resort to desperate actions when they are in a situation like that. That is why it is so important for victims of bullying to tell someone they trust - a teacher, a friend, a family member, a counsellor, a school nurse - anyone who can take action to stop the bullying immediately and help the young person to understand that it is not their fault and that they have the right to be safe at school. I do hope that my lecture gave you some ideas about the many interventions that there are to support victims of bullying and to challenge bullies.
I agree with you that Japanese schools could do more to create anti-bullying policies and regular campaigns to reduce bullying and to acknowledge that it is happening. I also think that we as individuals can play a key part - whether we are fellow students, professionals, parents, or just bystanders who observe it happening.
Some of the best peer supporters have actually been young people who were bullied. They have such empathy for victims of bullying. They also appreciate the help and support that they received at the time - just as you appreciate the love of your parents - and wanted to pass this care on to others.
With best wishes, Helen
Good evening.
When I heard Dr. Cowie's talking, I want to tell her about Japanese good manga about "School Bullying".
If she can understand Japanese, I want her to read manga named "ライフ(life)". This is manga about "Japanese high school bullying". I think this manga help your thinking of bullying.
Good evening.
When I heard Dr. Cowie's talking, I want to tell her about Japanese good manga about "School Bullying".
If she can understand Japanese, I want her to read manga named "ライフ(life)". This is manga about "Japanese high school bullying". I think this manga help your thinking of bullying.
Good evening.
When I heard Dr. Cowie's talking, I want to tell her about Japanese good manga about "School Bullying".
If she can understand Japanese, I want her to read manga named "ライフ(life)". This is manga about "Japanese high school bullying". I think this manga help your thinking of bullying.
Dear Schlange, I would very much like to read the manga about "ライフ(life)" to deepen my understanding of bullying. Is it possible for you to write the key points in English? Otherwise, I can get one of my Japanese friends to get me a copy and translate it. it does sound fascinating. Helen
Dear Sweet Candy,
I agree with you. We can all help, even in small ways, so that tragedies like that never happen again. Relationships are at the core of our existence. They give us great happiness but they can also cause us deep pain. That is why we need to support and help one another when times are difficult. This happens to everyone right through life but we can survive betrayals and breaches of friendship and move into new, uncharted territories in our lives. Thanks for your comments.
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you for telling us about bullying. As you said, bullying was cruel and we should not bully someone whatever happens. In Japan, minority like disabled, foreign, and sometimes conspicuous people can be the target of bullying. I think that it is terrible for decent people to be bullied.
When I did a working experience at school in England last year, we had a 'Anti-bullying Week'. I did not see people doing something special, but teachers were promoting not to bully their friends during the week.
I did not have such a campaign when I was in juniour high school in Japan, I would be glad if you tell me about it more.
Hi Helen,
Thank you for telling us about bullying. As you said, bullying was cruel and we should not bully someone whatever happens. In Japan, minority like disabled, foreign, and sometimes conspicuous people can be the target of bullying. I think that it is terrible for decent people to be bullied.
When I did a working experience at school in England last year, we had a 'Anti-bullying Week'. I did not see people doing something special, but teachers promoted not to bully their friends during the week.
I did not have such a campaign when I was in juniour high school in Japan, I would be glad if you tell me about it more.
Dear Chuck,
Thanks for your comments. It is intersting that you were in the UK during Anti-Bullying Week. This is organised by a charity, the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which actually works and campaigns all year round to stop bullying. They have a website with advice for children and young people as well as parents and teachers. It is on http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/Page.asp
I am sure that Japan could organise such an organisation as well.
Helen
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