MARC - Program Description

Characteristic

Explanation

Prevention-based

This program is a prevention program. It is not a crisis-reaction or a treatment or therapy program. Rather, it is designed to help schools change their culture to discourage incidents of bullying and violence.

Research-based

The MARC K-12 Anti-Bullying Program brings together several different veins of research in the behavioral sciences, including research from Psychology, Biology, and Criminal Justice. These empirically-based theories and findings form the core of the program, and it is the collaboration of these different approaches which renders the program unique.

1. Children who engage in bullying behaviors do so for different reasons. Some have cognitive dysfunctions, generally biases towards hostile interpretations of ambiguous social events, and others bully because of poor self-esteem and poor social skills. Ringleaders are called bullies in MARC and they generally have high self-esteem but a tendency to fail to recognize the impact of their own behaviors on what happens to them. Bullies are supported by followers who participate in bullying behaviors but aren't ringleaders. These followers are called eggers in MARC because they support and egg on bullies.
   1. Crick, N., and Dodge, K.A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information-processing mechanisms in children's social adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, 115, 74-101. Dodge, K.A. (1980). Social cognition and children's aggressive behavior. Child Development, 51,162170
   2. Dodge, K.A. (1982). Social cognitive biases and deficits in aggressive boys. Child Development, 53, 620-625.
   3. Dodge, K.A. & Frame, C.L. (1982). Social cognitive biases and deficits in aggressive boys. Child Development, 53, 620-635
   4. Olweus, D. (1978). Aggression in the Schools: Bullies and Whipping Boys. Washington, DC: Hemisphere (Wiley).
2. Most bullying is verbal or psychological in nature (not physical).
   1. Garbarino, James & deLara, Ellen (2002). And Words Can Hurt Forever: How to Protect Adolescents from Bullying, Harassment, and Emotional Violence. New York: The Free Press.
   2. Simons, Rachel (2002). Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Trade Publishing.
3. Consistent and firm limit-setting is the only thing that works with bullying. Clear and consistent policies and procedures change behavior most effectively.
   1. Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. (1999). Blueprints for Violence Prevention, Book Nine: Bullying Prevention Program. Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.
   2. Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. (1999). Blueprints for Violence Prevention, Book Nine: Bullying Prevention Program. Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.
4. Bullies count on adults to ignore bullying behaviors, and this allows them to continue bullying activities.
   1. Steiner, A. (2002). Bullies: ignore them and they won�t go away. The Link, 18(2), retrieved from http://education.umn.edu/alum/link/2002Winter/bullies.html
   2. Cohn, A. and Kanter, A. (2003). Bullying: Facts for Schools and Parents. National Association for School Psychologists, retrieved from http://www.naspcenter.org/factsheets/bullying_fs.html
5. Males and females bully differently.
   1. Nansel, T.R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, W.J., Simons-Morton, B., & Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying Behaviors Among US Youth: Prevalence and Association With Psychosocial Adjustment. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(16), 2094-2100.
   2. Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, Inc., p. 19.
6. The most effective programs are those that teens lead for themselves
   1. Alcaraz, R. (2004). Bullying In Schools. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ON YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE.
   2. Coalition for Asian Pacific American Youth (Boston, Massachusetts): Youth Leadership for Development Initiative Case Studies. Retrieved 2005 from: http://www.theinnovationcenter.org/pressroom/casestudies.html.
7. Intervene immediately and separate bully & victim � do not use mediation or attempt to force them to confront one another.
   1. Steps for Intervening in Bullying Situations. Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System of the London Family Court Clinic. Retrieved November 2005 from: http://www.lfcc.on.ca/.
   2. Englander, E. (2005). When should you hesitate to mediate? Models of Respecting Everyone, 1(1), 2-5.

Comprehensive

The program presumes that any attempt to change the culture of a school will only succeed if all persons in the school have heightened awareness and education about the problem of violence and bullying in schools. Therefore, MARC offers:

• student programming emphasizing raising awareness & education (a variety of approaches; see below)
• teacher/faculty/support staff training on a variety of topics (see below)
• engaging parents/community (a variety of approaches; see below)
• for administration, help developing effective policy & administrative procedure

Tailoring services to individual schools

When a school contacts MARC with interest in its anti-bullying program, we take the time to discuss each school's unique needs and resources; this enables us to tailor the program to make full use of resources and to address each school's particular needs.

Some schools utilize the entire program; others, only parts (such as only the faculty training).  The more schools devote to programs such as this one, the more success they will enjoy.

It is important to note that MARC does not displace other programs, especially curriculum-based bullying-prevention programs.  These can (and should) be used in conjunction with MARC's services.  We can assist schools in integrating the programs if necessary, but this is seldom necessary.

Providing ongoing support and consultation

MARC provides ongoing support to schools utilizing its services. Schools are encouraged to ask for assistance when they need it and to utilize the Center's resources.

SEE STUDENT PROGRAMS PAGE FOR DETAILS ON OUR STUDENT ASSEMBLIES &

PEER LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS

SEE PARENT PRESENTATIONS PAGE FOR DETAILS ON OUR PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS