Mrs Schläpfer, do you always have to get involved in bullying?

Mrs Schläpfer, you are committed to bullying prevention in schools. You use stories and films to do this. Can you tell us how you go about it?

It is not enough to simply inform pupils about bullying. You have to sensitise them. I use films and stories to do this. I hand out role cards with the names of the protagonists of the film or story and give the pupils the task of concentrating on the respective character. They try to empathise with the character and understand how they feel and what they need. The class then works together to find solutions to the bullying situation in the story. If this exercise is carried out, however, care should be taken to ensure that a child who is a victim in the class does not receive a «victim role card».

In some cases, you also work in this way in acute bullying situations. Why don't you address the bullying directly?

Stories allow the children to talk about a situation that is similar to their own without having to expose themselves. As the pupils are neither shamed nor blamed in this way, they do not end up justifying or trivialising the situation. This enables a creative and joint search for solutions and, above all, a new perspective. The insights and solutions gained can then be carefully transferred to your own situation in the classroom. The resources of the class and the ideas for solutions that emerge from working with the metaphor are utilised.

Only the co-operation or inaction of others gives the «perpetrator» a justification to continue.

Can you recommend some stories and films?

For younger children, I like to recommend picture books and stories. One of my favourite books is «Irgendwie Anders» by Kathrin Cave. This story is about active exclusion. The children really empathise with the character. The book is very lovingly designed and is a wonderful way to address feelings, needs, respectful interaction and tolerance for differences. I like to work with a film example from Childnet for children from middle school upwards: «Let's fight together». Although this is officially a prevention film against cyberbullying, the classic bullying mechanisms are shown so beautifully that I see this example as particularly suitable. It is an English film with subtitles - but there is hardly any speaking and the emotions definitely don't need any translation here.

What do pupils need to learn so that bullying can be resolved?

Through this form of work, the pupils learn that they have a shared responsibility. It is by no means a question of guilt, but rather a question of responsibility. Anyone who thinks that only the «perpetrator» is responsible for the situation or that the «victim» is to blame is mistaken. Bullying, unlike a normal conflict, is a group phenomenon. Only the co-operation or inaction of others gives the «perpetrator» a justification to continue. Followers and bystanders are «enablers» and must be involved in finding a solution.

Who can and should intervene in cases of bullying?

As bullying is a group phenomenon, the person working with the group - i.e. the teacher - should also intervene in cases of bullying. The teacher knows their pupils and the group dynamics best. In some cases, there may be a lack of objectivity or the confidence to be able to resolve the bullying situation themselves - in this case, the school social workers should at least be called in for advice. In cases of cyberbullying, it is important not to intervene on your own. In such cases, it is essential - also for legal reasons - to form a task force.

What are the biggest stumbling blocks and dangers when trying to resolve bullying in a classroom? What should teachers not do under any circumstances?

It is very easy to «judge» and look for explanations as to why a child is being bullied and even blame them. Whatever the reason for the bullying: Bullying must not be tolerated. I see another stumbling block in the assumption that the perpetrator must be punished. This view is very common among both parents and teachers. Punishment often exacerbates the bullying - in other words, the perpetrator then takes revenge on the victim because he has been sanctioned. As a result, many victims do not seek help out of fear and endure the situation until they break.

What do you think of peace treaties, as practised by some schools?

This does not work with bullying, but only with a bilateral conflict. In this variant, it is not taken into account that the other pupils share responsibility for the situation and should also be involved in the solution. Secondly, both the victim and the perpetrator are exposed. Both feel uncomfortable: the victim cannot open up out of fear, the perpetrator feels ashamed and blamed and goes on the defensive - the peace treaty is then a forced thing.

Many schools discuss the bullying situation in class or in the class council

Under no circumstances should bullying be discussed in the class council! The victim feels extremely exposed and a dynamic of justification quickly arises among the «stronger» children who do not want to look like «losers». If you want to intervene in this way, a support group should be formed in line with the «no blame approach», in which the victim does not have to be present. Ultimately, the teacher's attitude is crucial: do they want to stop the bullying, sanction the «bad guys» and «enforce harmony» or do they want to sensitise the children, show them their responsibility and involve them in resolving the situation so that they become more socially competent?
Picture: picture-alliance/dpa

Online dossier on bullying:

Read more:

• The no-blame approach: How teachers can intervene in cases of bullying
• My child is being bullied, what now?
• How do I recognise bullying?