Virtual Workshop: Bullies, Victims and Bystanders

Please note: This workshop is now completely virtual!

Over the past few years the impact of bullying on victims, bystanders and bullies has received national attention. The social and emotional impact on children has required legislation to help protect children from this trauma. Understanding the types of bullying, how to identify a bully, recognizing bullying behavior, and characteristics of children who are at risk of becoming a bully, are critical to clinical prevention and intervention. The presentation will be broken down into four sections.

Identifying and Understanding the Bully

Dr. Plosker will discuss the types of bullying, how to identify a bully, recognizing bullying behavior, and characteristics of children who are at risk of becoming a bully. Dr. Plosker will go into depth on the developmental history and risk factors associated with children who bully.

Identifying the Victim

Next, Dr. Plosker will discuss the characteristics of the bullied child and the factors that make children at risk for being bullied. Understanding warning signs, the profile of the bullied child, and the increased risk of bullying for students with disabilities will be explored.

The Social, Emotional and Educational Impact of Bullying

Participants will identify and discuss the impact that bullying behavior has on the child, the family and bystanders of the bullied. Dr. Plosker will discuss in-depth ways to identify the characteristics of a child who has been bullied based on social, emotional and educational “red flags”. Participants will learn strategies to assess the bullied child and necessary interventions to protect the child from further harm.

Strategies and Interventions to Reduce Bullying Behavior

Finally, Dr. Plosker will identify effective strategies and interventions to help the child, parent, educators and clinicians to reduce bullying behaviors. Dr. Plosker will discuss intervention frameworks, school-wide approaches and community actions that are effective in reducing bullying behavior.

Participants will be able to:

· Understand the dynamics and impact of bullying.

· Develop a framework for intervention at the individual, family and programmatic levels.

· Apply techniques to reduce the occurrence of bullying.

· Develop strategies to work effectively with bullies, victims and bystanders.

About the Presenter:

Ryan Plosker, M.S., Ed.D. is the Executive Director and Founder of New England Academy. Dr. Plosker has worked in both clinical and school settings as a school psychologist, director and special education administrator. Dr. Plosker has a passion for bridging the gap between psychology and education to meet the needs of children with social, emotional and learning disabilities. Dr. Plosker consults with secondary schools and universities throughout the country. A passionate speaker who uses case examples and the success of his students to inspire creativity and hope, Dr. Plosker presents and consults nationally.