Education News – Kristin Decarr
“According to a new report from Princeton University, the solution to reducing bullying at school could be found through a promotion of conflict resolution and students connecting with their peers. Researchers from Princeton, Rutgers University, and Yale University prompted groups of influential students from 56 middle schools in New Jersey to discuss the dangers of bullying and school conflict with their peers. Students were encouraged to do so through social media accounts, printing posters, and wearing wristbands, while suggesting positive ways to resolve issues in terms their peers can identify with. The research teams were determining whether or not certain students, who they called “social referents,” have an increased influence over school climate or the behavioral patterns seen at schools. These students may not necessarily be the most popular students in the school, but simply students who hold influence over smaller peer groups. Researchers were looking to see if these students could hold influence over their peers’ behaviors and social norms.”(more)