School Isolation: What Is It And How Can It Be Avoided
Today bullying is a hot topic in any media. The campaigns to end this scourge are focused on preventing the minor’s physical integrity from being endangered, from being subjected to attacks, humiliation and ridicule. Despite this, there is little emphasis on avoiding school isolation, considered something banal.
Through recent studies conducted by the University of Michigan, the vast majority of parents consider it imperative to end bullying and violence in the classroom. This fact would not be so appealing if there was one 56% believing that prevent school isolation is unnecessary.
According to their perspective, only attacks or teasing constitute a greater evil for the little ones. Spreading harmful rumors about other children, isolating them or making them feel invisible does not seem to be remarkable for them, more focused on the physical suffering of children.
What is school isolation?
School isolation consists of socially excluding a child voluntarily. Many times these behaviors are not detected with the naked eye. There are times when it may seem that it is the minor himself who is distancing himself from others, which is almost always far from reality.
When one group of children excludes another, it destroys the affected person’s self-esteem. They make him feel that he is worthless, that there is something wrong inside him and that he even deserves to be alone. These feelings of abandonment end up causing the child to have adjustment problems in the future.
Relationships with others can be affected in the following stages. This will seriously infer your personality development. Avoiding social isolation is one of the ways to end this invisible bullying. We must not forget that emotional wounds can be even more painful than physical ones or those caused by mockery.
The isolated person feels helpless in these situations. He may sense that others are talking about him behind his back, spreading made-up rumors, or addressing him in a hypocritical way.
How to avoid school isolation?
Parents and teachers should be the ones to take appropriate action. The behavior of a child who feels isolated is quite specific, and he may even feel embarrassed to talk to his parents.
Talk to the minor
If we believe that a child in our environment may be experiencing isolation, we should speak with him. It may be difficult for you to open up at first, but you need to do so. So that it does not feel forced, we must be understanding and empathetic.
Games, riddles or jokes can be used to make him lose his shyness and decide to speak. You should feel that you are in a safe environment, where it is impossible for anything to happen to you. It is necessary to emphasize that isolation can be the beginning of a probable future case of bullying.
Don’t underestimate your feelings
There are adults who believe that by minimizing the child’s impression what they are doing is helping him. What they don’t know is that phrases like “that’s nothing” or “come on, it’s not that bad” do more harm than good. Underestimating your feelings will lead to mistrust of adults, making the task more difficult.
A child who is suffering needs to know that their pain is being taken into account. That it is not his fault and much less is it nonsense. If the older people you know don’t protect you or offer solutions, the consequences could be dramatic.
Analyze if something has happened with the other children
It may be that some particular action or behavior has generated some misunderstanding between them. If so, it is best for teachers to organize a meeting with those affected and express their opinions. Being children, problems are solved much faster than in adulthood.
Do not forget that avoiding school isolation is in the hands of adults. If the exclusion of the minor is not due to any just cause, action should be taken on the matter. No child deserves to be treated that way, much less for no apparent reason.
