Dynamic Leadership: Designing a Leadership Strategy for Problem of Bullying in Schools - Research Paper Example

?RE: Dynamic Leadership: Designing a Leadership Strategy for Problem-solving and Decision Making The problem of bullying in schools leads the victims towards psychological problems and the bullies towards adjustment problems/behavioral problems. But the media does not provide ample importance to the future consequences of bullying at schools. Still, collective responsibility is needed to resolve the problem of bullying at schools. This research work attempts to design a leadership strategy to solve the problem of bullying at schools. Besides, this research work analyzes the decision making capacity, within the context of dynamic leadership. In the first phase (Problem Analysis Phase), the researcher conducts a needs analysis to identify the problem. In the second phase (Policy Creation Phase), the researcher formulates a policy to implement the same within the context of school environment. In the third phase (Strategic Communication Phase), the researcher formulates an effective plan to analyze the effectiveness of the measures adopted to solve the problem of bullying at schools. Worldwide, schools act the role of a social institution which moulds the character of the student community. At the same time, a principal is the supreme authority that is responsible to take apt decisions at critical situations and solve the problems within the school environment. So, principals must possess decision making capacity and must be aware of the different techniques made use to solve problems. In addition, dynamic leadership is essential for a principal to take decisions and solve problems. Within this context, bullying is a serious problem to be dealt by school principals. Thesis statement: The evaluation of the innovative techniques used by the researcher/principal to resolve the problem of school bullying proves that needs analysis (Problem Analysis Phase), policy development/implementation (Policy Creation Phase), and strategic planning (Strategic Communication Phase) can reduce the scope of the same within school environment. Problem Analysis Phase Within the context of school administration, problem analysis phase consists of the analysis of the problem identified by the researcher/principal. First of all, my responsibility as the principal is to confirm the rumors on bullying. I will take initiative to collect information from the teachers who are aware of the problem. Rigby (2010) states that, “First, it must be confirmed that an act or a series of acts of aggression has actually taken place; that is, someone has deliberately sought to hurt or threaten another person” (p.23). So as to analyze the problem, I will inform all the teachers and non-teaching staff to attend an immediate staff meeting. At the meeting, I will inform the teachers that bullying is a serious problem and we are responsible to rectify the same. Besides, I will ask the teachers and non-teaching staff to collect evidence on bullying. In this way, I will collect information from the teachers and non-teaching staff. In addition, I will ask the physical education teacher to be vigilant and to watch the bullies and the victims and collect evidence on bullying. After doing this, I will inform the computer instructor to collect evidence from the students who are victimized by the bullies. One can see that this step is difficult because online bullying is beyond school environment. For instance, the bullies can make use of social networking sites to threaten the other students. Still, the victims can provide evidence on online bullying because they can save their activities on the internet and can provide the same to the teacher as evidence. After collecting evidence from the teachers, non-teaching staff and the students, I will approach the parents of the victims. First of all, I will ask those parents to visit the school and provide evidence for bullying. Foster (2011) opines that, “When bullying incidents occur, administrators should preserve and open dialog with the parents or guardians of all involved students” (p.51). Then I will conduct a PTA (Parents and Teachers Association) meeting. All these steps will help me to confirm whether the rumors are right or wrong. Policy Creation Phase One can easily identify that policy creation phase is important to solve a problem. Besides, this phase (say, policy creation phase) is interconnected with the effectiveness of the process of decision making. After confirming the rumors on bullying, I will create a policy to resolve the problem faced by the students. My policy on bullying will be based upon the general rules and regulations related to school administration. One can see that there is high possibility for the victims of bullying to be face emotional problems in future. According to Harper (2011), “Results for child ratings supported the hypothesis that the association between peer victimization and psychosocial maladjustment is mediated through characterological blame attributions; this pattern of association was evident within parent-report data as well” (p.387). On the other side, bullying is related to the criminal instinct that can be seen in some students. As the principal of my school, I will provide ample importance to the emotional trauma faced by the victims because it leads to serous behavioral change among the victims. So, I will create an effective policy to reduce the future scope of bullying in my school. First of all, I will go through the demographic information about my students. I am aware of the fact that this will be an extreme difficult task. Still, I can seek help from other teachers and the non-teaching staff. Then, I will inform all the teachers, non-teaching staff, students and their parents that I have decided to implement the policy on bulling. My policy on bullying will not be based upon severe punishment. Instead, my policy will be based upon the general behavioral rules to be followed by the student community. In the general assembly, I will declare that our school is a non-bullying zone; each and every student is responsible to keep away from bullying. I will inform the non-teaching staff to display the school’s policy on the notice board. Then, I will inform the teachers to create awareness among the students that bullying is a serious crime. In this way, I will create awareness on the consequences of bullying behavior. Strategic Communication Phase One can see that strategic communication phase is related to the implementation of the strategic plan formulated by an authoritative body. As pointed out, I will seek help from the teachers and non-teaching staff to implement the strategic plan formulated to reduce the future scope of bullying in my school. But Hilton (2010) states that, “School-based prevention/intervention programs have had mixed success, mainly because some of the risk factors associated with bullying and victimization are beyond the scope of these programs” (p. 413). Besides, I will communicate with the parents and students and make them aware of the seriousness of the problem faced by the school. Within this context, the PTA can play an important role to resolve the problem with ease. Besides, the teachers and non-teaching staff can help me to collect information on the family background of the bullies and their victims. I will collect the personal details of the bullies and ask them to inform their parents to meet me at the office. Then, I will discuss the matter with the parents and provide apt solution to rectify the mistakes/behavioral change among the students. Roberge (2011) states that, “Diagnostic assessment followed by remedial action seems to be a common, and effective, trend in education when working towards educational change” (p.12). Besides, I will conduct a special meeting for the victims of bullying and will help them to overcome this problem with confidence. If needed, I will conduct a special counseling session for the bullies and the other students (the victims). Bauman (2008) makes clear that, “Victims (all types combined) had more depressive symptoms than did nonvictims” (p.528). One can see that monitoring of the policy’s implementation and effect within the school community is utmost important. First of all, I will ask the teachers and the non-teaching staff to point out their opinion on the effectiveness of the policy. Then, I will ask the victims about the effectiveness of anti-bullying policy. Besides, I will ask the parents to observe their children and to report the change in behavior. Then, I will conduct a general meeting consisting of the teachers, non-teaching staff, students, parents and me and collect information on the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy implemented by the school. With the help of the teachers and non-teaching staff, I can collect information on the effectiveness of the policy. Going through the information, I can evaluate whether the implementation of the policy is successful or not. Summing, dynamic leadership is essential to design a leadership strategy/policy to solve problems within a school environment. Besides, decision making capacity is an essential quality for a principal to deal with serious problems like bullying. One can see that the technique made use by the researcher/principal is effective because the researcher/principal strictly followed the technical side of the conflict resolution/problem solving method. First of all, the researcher/principal conducted a needs analysis ((Problem Analysis Phase). Then, he/she developed an apt policy (Policy Creation Phase) and implemented the same within the school environment. Later, he/she evaluated the effectiveness of the policy (Strategic Communication Phase) and rectified the mistakes. In short, the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy proves that dynamic leadership, decision making capacity and the usage of innovative problem solving techniques can reduce bullying within the school environment. References Bauman, S. (2008). The Association Between Gender, Age, and Acculturation, and Depression and Overt and Relational Victimization Among Mexican American Elementary Students. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 28(4), 528-554. Foster, E.L. (2011). Implementation of a Social Skills Curriculum to Reduce Behavioral Problems of African American Boys in Elementary Classroom Settings. USA: Xlibris Corporation. Harper, B.D. (2011). Parents’ and Children’s Beliefs About Peer Victimization Attributions, Coping Responses, and Child Adjustment. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 32(3), 387-413. Hilton, J. M. (2010). A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Factors Associated With School Bullying in Japan and the United States. The Family Journal, 18(4), 413-422. Rigby, K. (2010). Bullying Interventions in Schools: Six Basic Approaches. Victoria, Australia: Aust Council for Ed Research. Roberge, G.D. (2011). Countering School Bul lying: An Analysis of Policy Content in Ontario and Saskatchewan. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 6(5), 1-14. Read More