Behavior Problems

If we want to end bullying we need to understand it. Author Steve Almond found the boy that bullied him in eighth grade and asked him why. Their conversation helped me appreciate the complexity of bullying from the unusual point of view; that of the bully; Sean Lynden (the bully): ” One other thing I should mention, there are different kinds of bullying and harassment at every different age. But you would not be the first person to accuse me of verbal or mental bullying....

Adolescence is an often difficult, unstable time and adolescents tend towards actions and attitudes that we find upsetting. Recent research points out that much of the chaos of adolescence is owing to a period physical brain development we are only now beginning to understand. One can draw the reasonable conclusion that people in their adolescence are not willfully refusing to act on more mature and reasoned thinking but that they are actually physically incapable of doing so at times....

Unpredictable sometimes difficult Scout behavior is part of adolescence so it is a part of Scouting. Scouting responds with a program who’s intrinsic design is a response to this and the other vagaries of being a Scout-aged boy. Boys naturally form groups within groups and institute traditions and practices like initiations, pecking orders and all other forms of regimentation. They are more likely to create their own version of ‘The Lord of the Flies’ than the ‘Hardy Boys’....

How do we maintain discipline, require accountability and promote responsibility without resorting to shame or allowing our anger to take over. My answer is twofold – be an adult and be kind. Scouters are supposed to be exemplary adults. We are to bring our experience and compassion to bear on the lives of our Scouts to help them through adolescence into adulthood. We are supposed to rise above pettiness, bickering and anger by using mature, fair and evenhanded judgment....

Two Scout-related stories of the application of zero tolerance policies (here and here) have been making the rounds of late so I am taking the opportunity to comment on the concept of zero tolerance. ‘Zero tolerance’ became a familiar term in the 1990’s as an outgrowth of a belief that the inflexible enforcement of minor laws would prevent the commission of major crimes. While this theory of law enforcement has been largely discredited the remnants remain in our school systems and in the wider society....

Scoutmasters see a lot of adolescent angst in our role as Scouters and parents. We need all the help we can get You may recall the episode of the original Star Trek series entitled ‘Amok Time’. It occurs to me that the story line has interesting parallels to how boys experience adolescence. Spock’s behavior has become irrational and inexplicably emotional. He reveals to Captain Kirk that he must return to Vulcan and initially refuses to explain why....

The more rules you have in the classroom, the more time you’ll spend enforcing them. Cookie Ohlson, teacher, Prospect Park Middle School, Pennsylvania Scouters can be tempted to make troop rules, the kind of rules that end with Scouts looking for and exploiting flaws in the rule making like so many lawyers. It’s not too long before the tipping point is reached and we spend more time policing rules than pursuing our true mission....

Almost all of us have either had the personal experience of working with someone who displayed bad apple behaviors … When this process starts to unfold at work, it consumes inordinate amounts of time, psychological resources, and emotional energy. … such circumstances underlie many people’s reluctance to fully commit to teams… they offend us, reduce our enthusiasm, change our mood and may ultimately lead us to personally de-identify or leave the group, with a high likelihood that the group itself will perform poorly, fail, or disband....

Amanda Baggs is an autistic adult who has very eloquently opened the door to her life at Ballstexistenz writes; When I was very young, I didn’€™t perceive the world the same way other people do, but I did not have a terror of people. My terror of people emerged as bullying got worse and worse. The thing I most learned from school was to fear people and to think of myself as stupid and worthless....

Recently I have come across a couple of instances of rule making that have rubbed me the wrong way. You know what I am talking about – long lists of dos and don’t s with associated penalties and even a place for a signature. Basically a behavior contract. Rules and contracts can stifle the spirit of Scouting. As soon as a contract is drawn or a rule is established a compelling reason will arise to make an exception because Scouts are individuals and have individual needs....

During a visit from a Webelos Den at our last Troop meeting one of my Scouts was available to speak with the parents of the visiting boys. We were in our second week of disabilities awareness merit badge; the older scouts were leading a discussion with our younger scouts about the badge. One of the parents was impressed that the older boys were leading discussions on the subject and asked the older scout: “How do you get the older Scouts to lead a discussion with the younger ones on such an important subject?...

Bullying is a tough nut to crack. Bullying behavior satisfies a bully’s needs on a primal, instinctual level; a level so basic that they often do not realize they are bullying. Bullies can’t necessarily be talked or shamed out of bullying, may not respond for long to regular disciplinary measures (denial of privileges or activities); in fact adult intervention can lead to even more bullying. What, then, is an appropriate response to bullying?...

Haze \Haze, v. t. To harass by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work. To harass or annoy by playing abusive or shameful tricks upon; to humiliate by practical jokes; — used esp. of college students; as, the sophomores hazed a freshman A Scoutmaster will do no greater service to his troop than to drive out every vestige of hazing. This includes initiations, teasing, compelling Scouts to humiliate themselves in any way....