Teachers’ perspectives on peer exclusion
- Doba řešení: 2018 – 2021
- Funding GA ČR: GA18-09443S
- Project status completed
- Definition of exclusion
- Evaluation of exclusion
- Reaction to exclusion
Abstract
The aim of the project was to describe and explain teachers’ perspectives on peer exclusion that meet the criteria of bullying. Specifically, we looked at how teachers define, evaluate, and respond to peer exclusion that meets criteria for bullying.
Main assumptions
The main premise of the project was that exclusionary bullying can be confusing and difficult to understand for teachers, and therefore hard to assess accurately. We examined the extent to which teachers are aware that exclusion can meet the criteria for bullying, and we also investigated whether the assessment of this type of bullying might be influenced by stereotypical gender or ethnic perceptions. We also assumed that the willingness to intervene in this type of bullying would be higher, particularly in schools where there is good cooperation among the teaching staff.
Data
The project included an online survey in which 740 teachers who teach adolescents participated. The teachers came from all over the Czech Republic. We also conducted interviews with 19 experienced teachers to gain insight into their perspectives on bullying in the form of peer exclusion.
Main findings
Definition of bullying by peer exclusion:
Teachers perceive bullying by peer exclusion as particularly difficult to define and capture. In this form of bullying, the hidden nature makes it difficult to capture the intent to harm and to distinguish this behavior from legitimate choices of friends (Janosova et al., 2021).
Evaluating bullying by peer exclusion:
A teacher’s willingness to actively intervene in bullying is also influenced by the extent to which the teacher believes that there is good collaboration and open communication between teachers in their school (Kollerova et al., 2021).
Responding to bullying by peer exclusion:
Although teachers generally express a high willingness to intervene proactively, their assessment of bullying may be slightly distorted due to gender and ethnic stereotypes (Kollerová & Killen, 2021).
Project publications
Kollerová, L., & Killen, M. (2021). An experimental study of teachers’ evaluations regarding peer exclusion in the classroom. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(1), 463-481. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12373
Kollerová, L., Soukup, P., Strohmeier, D., & Caravita, S. C. (2021). Teachers’ active responses to bullying: Does the school collegial climate make a difference?. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 18(6), 912-927. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2020.1865145
Mazzone, A., Kollerová, L., & O’Higgins Norman, J. (2021). Teachers’ attitudes toward bullying: What do we know, and where do we go from here? In P. K. Smith & J. O. Norman (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of bullying: A comprehensive and international review of research and intervention, Vol. 1. (pp. 139–157). Wiley Blackwell.
Janošová, P., Chrz, V., Kollerová, L., & Blažková, M. (2020). Vyčleňování ve školní třídě: pohled učitelů. Československá psychologie, 64, 5, 506-520.
