Bullying is a widespread global problem, with extensive research in different countries showing that no school is untouched by it. In South Africa, the scale is particularly worrying, with studies indicating that between fifth and over half How many learners have experienced or witnessed school violence?
This means that many pre-service teachers will enter training with their own experience of bullying in school.
Studies elsewhere have shown that bullying experiences can promote sympathy and interventionBut this may result in avoidance, helplessness, or even attack. That is why it is important to understand teachers' beliefs and coping styles in addressing bullying.
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A theory about learning, social learning theoryBelieves that behavior is learned through observation and imitation. this would suggest That bullying and aggression are shaped by experiences at home, school, and society.
So pre-service teachers begin their training with pre-formed notions of how bullying is managed, based on what they have observed. However, behavior is not determined by observation alone. The theory of planned behavior logic When people feel motivated and confident, they perform. This means that if a person has the support of others, he can do something to reduce bullying.
Researchers have noted that bullying involves three leading actorsthat is Perpetrators, Victims and Bystanders. It has been suggested that teachers “key agents of change“. But studies have shown that although teachers Identify need to act, they repeatedly light Bringer The scope of the problem. and learners can Avoid reporting incidents because they think so no action will be taken.
As a teacher trainer I am interested in what they bring to their profession from their past, and how to prepare them for their role. A few years ago I did something Study Which examined how the previous experiences of first-year pre-service teachers in a South African school of education shaped their perceptions of bullying and their reactions to it, and how these experiences might influence their roles as future teachers.
More than half of the teachers in the study had witnessed bullying at school at some point, but did nothing about it. I found that they were not prepared to deal with bullying. I am not aware that this is a regular part of teacher training in South Africa. Their training should better prepare them to break the cycle of learning how to be a bystander (or worse).
The study did not follow pre-service teachers into subsequent years.
Bullying experiences at school
My study used a mixed-methods, longitudinal design to examine pre-service teachers' experiences and understandings of bullying. Data from 305 multiple-choice questionnaires established the frequency of their exposure to bullying at school when they were learners themselves. A group of 56 respondents completed open-ended questionnaires about how they felt their experiences might impact them as teachers.
Result revealed that the majority of people have experienced bullying as a bystander (66%). He said that because he was “afraid of being bullied”, he chose to “just sit and watch”. Some (18%) identified as victims and said they were “bullied most of the time” and “constantly physically attacked by fellow learners”. Twelve percent (12%) of participants said they assumed a combination of roles (bystander, victim, bully).
One participant said that he “was a victim at some stage in schooling, but when (he) got smarter (he) started bullying”. A minority (3%) acknowledged bullying, which was often related to power. One said he was able to function independently as “the teacher's favorite.” Another participant said he would “use (his) power as a class representative and tease others knowing they won't say anything back”.
These patterns indicate that participants had learned OverviewAnd when they become teachers they will not be able to take action against bullying.
Nevertheless, 79% said they believed their experiences would make them a “better teacher”, even though they were “never sure what exactly to do”. These participants expressed strong intentions to take action “by reporting every bullying incident”, yet also highlighted systemic shortcomings, noting that their teachers at school “did not escalate matters” when they learned they were bullied.
A dominant (64%) perception was that “bullying cannot be avoided… (it) is a growing epidemic”. Participants emphasized the emotional impact: one comment was that bullying “makes you feel absolutely terrible and destroyed”. These experiences fostered empathy as well as insecurity, as some felt it could “test their anger levels” or make teaching a “burden.”
future teacher
These findings matter because they show that teachers are not neutral actors; Their past experiences of bullying determine how they may interpret, ignore, or respond to the learner's behavior. When the majority of people enter the profession as bystanders or victims, there is a real risk of inaction, poor judgment, or overcorrection in classrooms.
Read more: What student teachers learn when putting theory into practice in the classroom
This has a direct impact on school climate, learner safety and the reproduction of harmful power dynamics. Without intervention, the cycle of silence and generalization may continue despite good intentions.
Study participants did not receive training after the study to help them deal with bullying.
Teacher education programs should integrate structured, critical reflection around personal schooling histories, particularly bullying and authority. This simply needs to be coupled with awareness as well as explicit training in evidence-based anti-bullying strategies. Mentoring should intentionally elicit and guide these reflections during teaching practice. Finally, schools should not place all the responsibility on novice teachers.
moeniera musaTeacher Education, University of the Witwatersrand