Bullying

Risk Factors of Bullying in Adolescence and the Effects of Abuse on Student Behavior and
Achievement

EDPS 251, Section 2

Peyton Barr
Major: Spanish Education

Bullying

Risk Factors of Bullying in Adolescence and the Effects of Abuse on Student Behavior and
Achievement
The teacher understands how children learn and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning
and development may vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social,
emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and
challenging learning experiences.

~INTASC Principle 1

Through this paper, I demonstrate my understanding of bullying and how it can impact
the learning and development of my future adolescent students. After thoroughly studying and
discussing the relationships between bullying and race, gender, sexuality, and age, I then provide
my own thoughts on how I can use this understanding to create a safe space in my own
classroom. After completing this paper, I will have shown my understanding of several
developmental concepts, with an emphasis on how adolescents biological dispositions and
environmental factors come together to influence the likelihood of either bullying others or being
bullied by others, which will help me prevent such instances within the classroom.
Many studies have shown that individuals belonging to a minority group in a community
are more likely to be subjected to bullying. More specifically, bullying is a series of actions
between peers that is accompanied by an intention to harm whether verbally, or physically.
Adolescents who experience these harmful actions are more likely to possess poorer
psychosocial and academic functioning, which has the potential to hinder their growth in the
academic setting altogether (Schumann, Craig, & Rosu, 2013).
Factors that Increase Likelihood of Being Bullied

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While bullying can have devastating effects on an adolescent overall, especially in the
school environment, racial bullying has the potential to erase an adolescents sense of belonging
in his or her community (SS2.8). Children who are victimized due to their race have decreased
ethnic self-esteem and global self-worth (SS1.3). In other words, these bullied individuals feel as
though they do not belong anywhere. Research has shown that Black students and those with an
East or South-East Asian background are at higher risk of experiencing bullying as a result of
their ethnic background (Larochette, Murphy, & Craig, 2010).
Although it is beneficial to know which types of races are most commonly targeted, it is
also important to realize that racial bullying differs depending on the make-up of the school
population. It is a common pattern that individuals who are in the minority in any environment
are more likely to experience racial bullying, which is a direct result of intergroup conflict
theory. Intergroup conflict theory explains the idea that groups are consistently formed based on
characteristics such as race or ethnicity, and individuals in the in-group, or majority, are more
likely to favor members of that same group. This desire to be a part of and favor ones own group
pushes individuals to act in a preferential way towards their own group, and in a discriminative
way towards the out-group, or minority, in a given setting (Schumann, Craig, & Rosu, 2013). For
example, Caucasian children at a predominately African American school would be considered
members of the out-group, and African American children would be considered members of the
in-group. Consequently, it is extremely important that educational professionals be aware of their
environment in order to provide extra assistance to those who may have a harder time fitting in
because of their ethnic or racial background.
As an educator, I must understand that I will be teaching students who come from all
walks of life and in order to be prepared for this, I need to either take part in or create a diversity

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program at the school where I will be teaching. If I am to be a part of a diversity organization, I

will be capable of furthering my knowledge and respect towards other cultures around the world,
and I will be able to pass this knowledge on to my own students. This will allow me to treat all of
my students with the upmost respect, and even provide me with a way to connect with them, and
encourage them to connect with each other. Facilitating this connection will push students to
overcome the challenges they may face when it comes to peer interactions, and help increase
their confidence in group activities, due to the fact that students will become more comfortable
around each other. In order to apply the information that I have learned from being a part of this
type of organization, I can have my students complete a Family Project during the first week of
school. This project would require that the students present to both the class and myself about
where they are from, what languages they speak, and the different customs that they practice at
home. After every student presents, the class will be able to reflect upon each presentation and
have a discussion about our commonalities, which will emphasize the fact that although we have
diverse backgrounds, we still have interests and aspects of our lives that relate to one another
(SS2.5). With these commonalities comes a sense of mutual respect, and out of that respect
evolves a classroom with a sense of community, and a lack of discrimination.
Another factor that plays an important role in the likelihood of bullying is an adolescents
sexuality. Recently, the media is full of stories linking suicide to bullying especially among
LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) youth. The implications and seriousness of suicide
among the youth population helps to emphasize just how important it is to make sure that these
individuals feel safe in the classroom, because it truly is a life or death situation. Not only is it a
dangerous issue, but the bullying of LGBT adolescents is prevalent as well. Among students
from the National School Climate Survey of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network,

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between 80% and 91% reported experiencing verbal harassment in the school environment and
40% reported being victims of physical abuse (Mueller, James, Abrutyn, & Levin, 2015).
Therefore, it is easily recognizable that sexuality differing from heterosexuality increases the
likelihood of bullying, which can be explained again using intergroup conflict theory. LGBT
youth are considered members of the out-group when placing them in the school environment,
because the student population is viewed as heteronormative, or promoting heterosexuality as the
preferred sexual orientation. Therefore, LGBT adolescents are looked down upon by certain
members of the heterosexual in-group, because their differing sexualities do not fit the norm.
As a result of their status in society, LGBT out-group members often lack social support and
acknowledgment, and this lack of social support and reassurance is often what pushes them to
seek dangerous solutions to their problems. (Mueller, James, Aburtyn, & Levin, 2015).
In addition to sexuality and ethnicity, gender plays a huge role in the likelihood and
outcomes of bullying in the school environment. Studies show that bullied girls have poorer selfesteem than bullied boys, and are more likely to develop serious eating disorders as a result of
this lack of self-worth (Farrow & Fox, 2010). These increasingly detrimental outcomes are a
result of girls tendency to attack one anothers appearance through the utilization of verbal
bullying, which can lead to an increase in bodily dissatisfaction amongst the targeted group of
adolescent girls. Consequently, bullied adolescent girls begin to view an eating disorder, or the
loss of weight, as a way to increase their overall attractiveness, thus, ending or preventing
bullying as a whole. On the other hand, adolescent boys tend to gravitate more towards physical
and social bullying, which does not necessarily attack appearance (Farrow & Fox, 2010). This
difference in the way that males and females bully provides an explanation as to why girls are
more likely to develop eating disorders in these cases. While girls are more likely to develop

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eating disorders, it is important to recognize that both girls and boys can experience them as a
result of bullying. Eating disorders and bullying are not concepts that only affect one type of
person, but can affect any adolescent depending on his or her environment (SS1.4).
As an educator, I can not expect that my students deal with the psychological effects of
any type of bullying on their own. In order to assist them, I can help to minimize the occurrences
of any type of bullying in my classroom by making it clear that there is a no tolerance policy
towards bullying (SS5.1). One strategy I can use to prevent any type of harassment in my
classroom includes weekly prevention activities. For example, I could have my students
participate in an activity where they are given the name of another student in the class, and are to
come up with one nice and appropriate thing to say about this person. I feel as if activities like
this would create both a strong bond between fellow students and a more comfortable classroom
environment. By creating a more comfortable environment where students get along and are
willing to share their own ideas and feelings of the topics at hand, I will be able to get to know
my students better, which will allow me to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. With these
strengths and weaknesses, I will be able to adapt my curriculum and activities in a way that
sufficiently meets my students needs (SS5.3). For example, I will be able to pick out the leaders
of the class, and give them extra responsibility in order to help them to continue to develop their
leadership skills. This type of extra responsibility could include a student-leader organizing
group thoughts and presenting it to the class during an activity, or even allowing a leader to make
tiny decisions for the class after deliberating with other students (SS5.2).
Another aspect that has been proven to increase the likelihood of bullying includes poor
motor skills among adolescents (SS1.1). The connection between bullying and poor motor skills
is made by examining the cerebellum, which is the region of the brain that aids in motor control

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and function. This part of the brain is in charge of coordination, exactness, timing, and
calibration of sensorimotor information. While motor skills are significant when it comes to
physical aspects, they also serve an important function in proper social skills, which include
knowing how to effectively time conversation and take turns when talking. An adolescent who
falls short in this area might frequently interrupt others, or take too long to get his or her point
across during a conversation. In addition, it is known that a large portion of communication is
body-language, and having poor motor skills can push others to view an individual as socially
awkward after trying to have a conversation with him or her. An adolescent that demonstrates
socially awkward body-language may make inappropriate facial gestures, or hold an
uncomfortable gaze. Those who are deemed as socially awkward usually face rejection and
ridicule from their peers, because of their inability to appropriately hold a conversation with
other individuals. More specifically, studies show that males rather than females are more likely
to experience harassment because of these differences, which is a result of male tendency to
bully in a physical manner as opposed to a verbal manner. While it is imperative to know that
males may experience bullying because of poor motor skills more often than females, it is still
important to recognize that females can experience bullying because of this as well (Bejerot,
Plenty, Humble, & Humble, 2013).
As an educator, it is important that I realize that individuals with poor motor skills may
have a harder time adjusting to group work and communication activities in the classroom,
because it is harder for them to effectively socialize with peers. In order to help these type of
students improve their communication skills, I plan on utilizing small groups throughout the
school year consisting of three to four students. This will prevent students struggling in the
communication area from feeling extreme pressure when talking, because they will be in smaller,

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more intimate groups for the majority of activities. The idea is that students will feel more
relaxed when sharing their ideas, and sociable individuals will encourage those who may not be
to speak up, and think in new ways. For example, small group work may ask that one student is
nominated to share the group thoughts at the end of the activity, and this person cannot be the
same individual every time. In other words, the individual who may struggle in this area will
have a chance to improve upon their communication skills by sharing group thoughts with the
class, but they will not be overwhelmed by having to take this role each day. I believe that this
type of classroom interaction would help the struggling student to improve communication skills
in a way that does not put too much pressure on him or her (SS2.3).
Factor That Increases Likelihood of Being a Bully
While there are many factors that increase the likelihood of being bullied, there are also
multiple factors that increase the possibility of an adolescent becoming a bully. One of these
factors is hostile attribution bias, which is seen in individuals who tend to interpret others
behaviors as hostile in most situations. Hostile attribution bias is associated with aggression,
especially reactive aggression, which is almost always the result of a perceived threat. In other
words, hostile attribution bias often increases reactively aggressive behaviors in individuals,
because they perceive an abnormal amount of situations as threatening. An example of a
reactively aggressive behavior of an individual who exhibits hostile attribution bias would
include an adolescent who becomes aggressive with another student in the hallway because he or
she believes that this student bumped into him or her on purpose even though it was truly an
accident. The adolescent may continue to believe that this person is a threat, and consequently,
the adolescents aggressive behavior will most likely continue. The aggressive behavior that
these adolescents display is often a result of their upbringing in abusive homes where aggression

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is modeled as normal behavior. As a result, adolescents who are more likely to bully have been
predisposed to aggressive behavior as a solution to ones problems. While hostile attribution bias
is a factor that increases the likelihood of bullying, it is imperative to understand that not every
student who faces this bias is a bully, which means that they should not be treated as one
(Ragatz, Anderson, Fremouw, & Schwartz, 2011).
Different Types of Bullying
While there are many factors that influence the likelihood of bullying, there are also
many types or ways in which bullying can be carried out. One of these types that has become
increasingly utilized over the years as technology becomes progressively available is
cyberbullying. Cyberbullying, or the use of electronic communication to harass a person, is
known to lead to social anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and low self-esteem (Dredge,
Gleeson, & de la Piedad, 2014). Researchers have shown that the effects of cyberbullying can be
more detrimental than the effects of traditional bullying, because cyberbullying is seen as more
public, and is available to a wider audience. In addition, the phrase, once its on the internet its
out there forever, applies, and with this concept, children who have experienced cyberbullying
feel as if they will never be able to escape this humiliation and mistreatment. Another factor that
makes cyberbullying harder to control and prevent is the role of anonymity (Dredge, Gleeson, &
de la Piedad, 2014). In other words, the identity of the perpetrator is not always known, and this
can increase the feelings of fear, worry, and loneliness among those who are being bullied. The
anonymity factor also makes it more difficult for administrators to stop the bullying, due to the
fact that they do not know who the bully is (Dredge, Gleeson, & de la Piedad, 2014). Overall, as
technology becomes more and more important for the functioning of society, cyberbullying and

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the advantages that come with its degree of anonymity and publicity become more appealing to
those individuals who bully others.
As an educator, there are many steps that I can take to make sure that cyberbullying does
not occur in my classroom. In order to prevent this, I plan on implementing a strict no social
media policy during class time, which means that technology will only be utilized in the
classroom for academic activities that have been verified by me first. Banning social media and
supporting technology for classroom activities only will prevent students from having the chance
to bully others, which will help maintain a class that is conducive to learning. For example, I will
allow my students to use their electronic devices during Kahoot quizzes, which utilize cell
phones in an academic manner. These quizzes are beneficial in the way that they provide a great
review of content, while using technology in a way that motivates students to learn (SS5.4).
Students that fail to abide by the no social media rule will have to turn in their electronic
devices to me during class time in order to ensure that they are not using them in an unsuitable
way (SS2.9).
When considering bullying it is important to examine and comprehend how teachers react
to the differing types, which include physical, verbal, and relational. Studies have shown that
teachers view relational bullying, or aggression in which harm is caused through the destruction
of someones social status or personal relationships, as less serious than the other categories of
bullying. Consequently, these teachers were less likely to intervene, or take action to stop
relational bullying from occurring, especially as compared to physical or verbal harassment.
These results come as a surprise, due to the fact that there are no studies, or cases where the
consequences of relational bullying were any less severe than that of physical and verbal
harassment. Not only do the teachers fail to take action against relational bullying, but schools

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are less likely to discipline bullies who utilize it, because direct bullying (verbal and physical) is
seen as more of a priority. The prioritization of physical and verbal bullying is most likely due to
the fact that teachers often witness or overhear this type of bullying occurring, while it is
increasingly difficult to realize that relational bullying is happening. Teachers also have an easier
time dealing with physical and verbal bullying, because most schools have clear policies on how
to deal with individuals who partake in these types of bullying. On the other hand, relational
harassment is more ambiguous, and is rarely forbidden word-for-word in school policy.
Nonetheless, when schools fail to punish individuals for indirect, or relational bullying, more
bullies are likely to resort to harassing others in an indirect way, because they believe it will
prevent them from facing school consequences. As a result, relational bullying is more likely to
become popular throughout schools, because individuals believe that they will be able to do so
unscathed, and it seems that they might be right if schools continue to deal with relational
bullying in the same way that they are now (Bauman & Del Rio, 2006).
As an educator, I believe that any type of bullying, including relational bullying, is
extremely detrimental, and it must be prevented as much as possible. In addition to preventing
bullying, relational bullying should be handled like any other type of harassment, because its
consequences are just as harmful. In my own classroom, I plan on implementing a gossip-free
environment. While I will promote friendly and positive social interaction, I will not stand for
gossip, or rumor-spreading. This type of social interaction is not conducive to creating a
comfortable and safe class environment. In order to maintain this gossip-free environment, I
will encourage each of my classes to create a classroom mission statement on how students want
to be treated by others both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. After each of my
classes complete a mission statement, I plan on weaving all of them together and posting the

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final statement in the classroom where each student is able to see it. If a person is to break the
mission statement after multiple warnings, I will ask them to write a detailed paper about why
the mission statement needs to be followed. I believe that the implementation of this would
prevent students from partaking in relational bullying, because no student wants to write a paper
which he or she would not have had to write if he or she had acted in a respectful manner
towards other classmates.
School Strategies for Handling/Preventing Bullying
After considering bullying and its negative outcomes, it is important to discuss some of
the ways in which schools deal with and prevent this problem. One way that is strongly
supported by guidance counsellors in middle schools and high schools is the enlist other adults
and discipline the bully strategy. The enlist other adults aspect of this strategy stresses the idea
that parental, administrative, teacher, and counsellor involvement is necessary in order to
effectively resolve and prevent issues that involve bullying. In other words, effectively fighting
and solving bullying issues is a process that takes the effort of multiple people in multiple
contexts. According to this strategy, it is necessary that teachers, counsellors, and administrators
do their part and know the signs of an individual who is bullying or being bullied as well as
model proper behavior for their children or students. On the other hand, the discipline the bully
aspect of this strategy emphasizes the need for bullies to be effectively reprimanded for their
behavior. It is necessary that each school develops classroom and school wide rules that clearly
define the consequences of bullying. A school that does not develop concrete rules and
consequences regarding bullying will most likely observe a reoccurrence of these behaviors by
the bully, which is not conducive to creating a safe and friendly environment. This aspect of the
strategy is seen as harder for teachers and counsellors, because they often disagree on how to

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properly discipline bullies. While the punishment of bullies may still be a controversial issue, it
is necessary to inform and educate adults about bullying, especially teachers and parents, due to
the fact that they have the most contact with at-risk adolescents each day (Power-Elliott &
Harris, 2012).
Long Term Implications of Bullying
While it is known that bullying has short-term impacts, it also can damage a students
academic and psychological functioning overtime. Studies have shown that individuals who were
victimized by a bully tend to experience adjustment difficulties in the academic setting,
especially if they were continuous victims. More specifically, the increased adjustment
difficulties faced by adolescents who were bully-victims are predominately worse for females.
According to researchers, this is due to the fact that girls tend to feel lonelier and more anxious
after experiencing the psychological distress of a continuous bully. Girls tendency to feel
lonelier and more anxious after bullying is often associated with the fact that self-esteem is lower
in girls than in boys throughout adolescence (SS1.2). Therefore, lower self-esteem among
adolescent girls leads to internalizing behaviors, like depression. In addition, bully-victims often
avoid school in order to prevent any type of encounter with their harasser, and as a result, a
significant decrease in GPA is common among these individuals. This drop in GPA is prevalent
among students who fail to attend school, because good grades are often associated with good
attendance in any academic setting. To make matters worse, adolescents who experience bullying
in high school may find it harder to be accepted into the college of their choice, because their
grades are no longer where they might like them to be. Consequently, it is vital that teachers and
administrators continue to take steps to prevent bullying, because it truly can follow an
adolescent for the rest of his or her life (Feldman, Ojanen, & Gesten, 2014).

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As an educator, I must realize that I will have students in my class throughout my career
that are experiencing academic decline because of bullying. In order to know who these
individuals are, I plan on paying special attention to individuals who constantly miss class, and
those individuals who seem to be putting less effort into my class than they were before. I am
glad that I am aware of these signs, because it will allow me to identify who may be
experiencing bullying in my classroom, and with this knowledge, I will be able to sit down and
talk to them about the issue at hand. I plan on approaching individuals who show these signs in a
very subtle and caring way, so that I do not discourage them further. For example, if a student in
my class has not been showing up to class for the past several weeks, I will ask him or her to stay
after class in order to talk with him or her privately. If the student is facing a bully, then I will be
able to take the issue to the office. If the student is having another type of problem, I will be able
to inform him or her about the resources in school counseling. Either way, I will have made life a
little bit easier for my students, and I believe that this is one of my duties as an educator. If I am
to approach students who I believe are being bullied by others, then I will prevent further
bullying, and find a solution to the problem as soon as possible. In conclusion, I plan to always
be proactive in my fight against bullying, because I am aware of just how detrimental it can be to
an adolescent life.
Reflection
Through completing this work, I have improved my own understanding of INTASC
Principle 1, specifically in regards to the topic of bullying throughout adolescence. Not only have
I improved my knowledge of this important standard, but I have described multiple different
ways in which I will be able to apply this knowledge in my own classroom. In order to be
successful as an educator, I must be aware of how my behavior and awareness can directly affect

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my students learning experiences. Therefore, it is important that I am constantly doing all that I
can to improve myself in order to improve my students experiences in the classroom
environment that I create.
In order to improve myself as an educator, I have broadened my understanding of how
adolescents learn and develop, and the challenges they may face along the way, which include
bullying. After reading about the negative effects that bullying can have on both the bullied and
the bully in the school environment, I learned that I need to make a consistent effort to create a
safe and understanding environment in my future classroom. A safe and comforting environment
is necessary in order to prevent acts of bullying as much as possible. To help improve how
effective I am at creating a safe-zone in my own classroom, I plan on utilizing diversity resources
and bullying prevention teacher associations, which will allow me to discuss and learn about
different strategies for preventing bullying in the classroom. For example, the American
Federation of Teachers conducts professional development training to combat bullying in the
classroom and workplace. I plan on attending these anti-bullying workshops regularly in order to
master as many preventative strategies as I can, which will allow me to create a classroom that is
free of bullying and discrimination.
In addition, I realized the importance of parent-teacher relationships after completing this
project, and I was able to focus on how they can facilitate the prevention of bullying within my
classroom. While I am aware of the significance of strong parent-teacher relationships, I know
that I become very nervous when it comes to reaching out to new people, especially the parents
of my future students. Consequently, it is vital that I take steps towards increasing my confidence
and ability to make connections with parents. In order to improve upon these skills, I plan to
attend the annual National Parent Teacher Association Convention, which will allow me to

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connect with other parents and educators around the country. Not only will I be able to learn
important strategies from other individuals who are attending the conference, but I will be able to
improve my own communication skills by attending the multiple workshops and forums that this
convention provides. Besides the National Parent Teacher Association, I plan on joining the
Indiana Parent Teacher Association as well. By joining this association, I will be able to partake
in parent-teacher communication activities more than once a year, which is necessary if I want to
improve my relationships with my students parents as much as possible.
A final area in which I would like to improve as an educator involves proper classroom
management. As a young educator, I am aware that I will be fairly close to some of my students
in age, and I believe that this will make it harder for me to properly manage my classroom. In
other words, I feel as though I need to become increasingly comfortable with my authoritative
position, because when it comes to incidents of harassment or mistreatment, I need to be able to
sufficiently handle any situation that may threaten the anti-bullying environment that I have tried
to create. In order to improve my classroom management skills, I plan on attending the annual
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Conference and Exhibit Show. This
conference consists of multiple speakers and workshops regarding ways in which new educators
can develop effective classroom management skills. Developing these skills will allow me to
properly address any issues that may arise in the classroom environment, and as an educator, I
will feel greater confidence in my teaching abilities if I am able to minimize disruptions and
maintain an orderly and on-task classroom.

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References
Bauman, S., Del Rio, A., 2011. Preservice teachers responses to bullying scenarios: Comparing
physical, verbal, and relational bullying, Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1).
Bejerot, S., Plenty, S., Humble, A., Humble, M. Poor motor skills: A risk marker for bully
victimization, Psychological and Physical Disorders, 39(6).
Dredge, R., Gleeson, J., de la Piedad Garcia, X., 2014. Risk factors associated with impact
severity of cyberbullying victimization: A qualitative study of adolescent online social
networking, Journal of Cybertherapy and Rehabilitation, 17(5).
Farrow, C., Fox, C., 2011. Gender differences in the relationships between bullying at school and
unhealthy eating and shape-related attitudes and behaviours, British Journal of
Educational Psychology, 81(3).
Feldman, M., Ojanen, M., Ellis, G., 2014. The effects of middle school bullying and
victimization on adjustment through high school: Growth modeling of achievement,
school attendance, and disciplinary trajectories, Psychology in the Schools, 51(10).
Larochette, A., Murphy, A., & Craig, W., 2010. Racial bullying and victimization in Canadian
schoolaged children, School Psychology International, 31.
Mueller, S., James, W., Abrutyn, S., Levin, M., 2015. Suicide ideation and bullying among US
adolescents: Examining the intersections of sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity,
American Journal of Public Health, 105(5).
Power-Elliott, M., Harris, G., 2012. Guidance counsellor strategies for handling bullying, British
Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 40(1).

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Ragatz, L., Anderson, R., Fremouw, W., Schwartz, R., 2011. Criminal thinking patterns,
aggression styles, and the psychopathic traits of late high school bullies and bullyvictims, Aggressive Behavior, 37(2).
Schumann, L., Craig, W., Rosu, A., 2013. Minority in the majority: Community ethnicity as a
context for racial bullying and victimization, Journal of Community Psychology, 41(8).

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Secondary Education Developmental Standards

Standard 1: Student Development and Diversity

Teachers at the secondary level have a broad and comprehensive understanding of student
development and diversity and demonstrate the ability to provide instruction that is
responsive to student differences and that promotes development and learning for all
students, including:
1.1 major concepts, theories, and processes related to the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional,
physical, and moral development of students in grades 512, and factors in the home, school,
community, and broader environment that influence the development of students at this level
1.2 knowledge of developmental characteristics and developmental variation for students in
grades 512, and the ability to use this knowledge to inform instructional decision making
and promote student success
1.3 typical developmental challenges for students in grades 5-12 (e.g., in relation to peer
interactions, identity formation, self-esteem, risk taking, and educational decision making),
and the ability to help students address these challenges
1.4 knowledge of types of student diversity (e.g., cultural, economic, and linguistic background;
gender; religion; family structure), and the ability to use this knowledge to promote learning
and development for students with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and needs
Standard 2: Learning Processes
Teachers at the secondary level have a broad and comprehensive understanding of learning
processes and demonstrate the ability to facilitate student achievement, including:
2.3 knowledge of how student learning is influenced by different types of instructional practices
and teacher behaviors, and the ability to use this knowledge to promote learning for all students
2.5 strategies for promoting students independent thinking and learning, reflection, and higherorder thinking, and the ability to use these strategies to promote students growth as learners

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2.8 knowledge of how various factors (e.g., prior learning and experiences, interests, talents) and
factors in the home, school, and community influence learning processes, and the ability to use
this knowledge to improve teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes
2.9 knowledge of how digital-age tools and environments influence learning processes and
outcomes, and the ability to use this knowledge to improve teaching effectiveness and learning
outcomes
Standard 5: Learning Environment
Teachers at the secondary level have a broad and comprehensive understanding of student
learning environments and demonstrate the ability to establish positive, productive, wellmanaged, and safe learning environments for all students, including:
5.1 the ability to apply skills and strategies for creating a safe, healthy, supportive, and inclusive
learning environment that encourages all students engagement, collaboration, and sense of
belonging
5.2 the ability to apply skills and strategies for establishing a culture of learning that emphasizes
high expectations for all students, promotes self-motivation, and encourages students sense of
responsibility for their own learning
5.3 the ability to apply skills and strategies for planning and adapting learning environments that
reflect cultural competency; are responsive to the characteristics, strengths, experiences, and
needs of each student; and promote all students development and learning
5.4 knowledge of the characteristics and benefits of virtual learning environments, online
environments, face-to-face environments, and hybrid environments, and the ability to work
effectively in different types of environments to ensure student learning and growth

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