【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2023 年2月 28 日法國格埃訊】 ─ 在法國，估計有逾700,000名兒童在學校受欺凌，其中12%為小學生，10%為初中生，4%為高中生。在鄰近格勒諾布爾，位於格埃的「鮑思高」中學，以正向心理學與慈幼教育法共同合作，應對這種禍害。
在這間慈系學校任職老師及圖書館管理員的Marie Sauzon，對欺凌現象尤其敏感。她發覺多年來，「很多學生充滿壓力，十分焦慮，自我感覺很差，欠缺自尊。相反，一些研究發現，開朗而有自尊的學生，學習情況較好。因此，我問自己如何幫助他們朝這個方向走？」
在里昂「若望鮑思高」中心一場有關情緒和學習的會議中，Marie發現正向心理學，並於2019年修讀格勒諾布爾大學正向心理學證書課程。她現時從事有關五年級生（約12歲）的防止欺凌計劃的工作。這項計劃包含對欺凌機制意識的提升，以及透過親身體驗的工作坊，處理網絡欺凌的問題。
作為計劃的一部份，她設計一項正向心理學實驗，以這兩條重要問題為基礎：「我們真需要什麼？」以及「如果欺凌消失了，有什麼現象會出現？」
對Marie來說，第二條問題的答案很明顯：共存。與其處理當前存在的問題，更重要的是防止並建立親社會的行為及心理社交技巧，應對欺凌事件。「這正是聖鮑思高教導我們的！慈幼教育法和他的預防教育法，均有同一目標：使我們正面面對逆境。讓我們更深入互相了解，使能創造一個正面的友好氛圍。」
在她的正向心理學課堂中，她使用馬丁•沙利文及克里斯•彼得森的「性格強項」工具，列出每人都擁有的24項正面性格特徵。這種工作坊讓他們以不同角度了解同學，促進課堂的內聚力。
此外，她與牧民經理Catherine Valente，主持有關情緒的課堂，教導如何分辨、了解及表達他們的情緒。她主導的另一項計劃，就是以學生為模特兒，製作海報及影片：她試圖透過這些方法，宣揚與學校裡其他階層人士一起共活！
她的計劃十分生動，尤其得到教師的欣賞。每個人都十分投入參與。此外，校內的教師同事及學生都表達出一分真正的需要，去返回鮑思高的基礎。教師總結時說：因此「去年六月，校內展開一場有關尊重、同情、仁愛、聆聽及體諒等價值的反思行動，這些都是鮑思高教育法的基礎要點。」
Marie進行計劃的成果，尚未具體衡量出來。然而，教師團隊已發現，一些班級已創造及傳達一種團結共融的精神。有賴她的課堂，避免了一些學生受排擠的情況。
Don Bosco’s Preventive System to counter school bullying
(ANS – France– Gières, 28 February 2023) – In France, it is estimated that more than 700,000 young people are bullied at school, i.e., 12 percent of elementary school pupils, 10 percent of secondary school pupils, and 4 percent of high school pupils. At the “Don Bosco” secondary school in Gières, near Grenoble, positive psychology and Salesian pedagogy are working together to prevent this scourge.
Marie Sauzon, a teacher and librarian at this Salesian network school, is especially sensitive to the phenomenon of bullying. She has noticed for some years that “many young people are stressed, anxious, feel bad about themselves, and have little self-respect. In contrast, several studies have shown that students who feel good and have higher self-esteem learn better. So, I asked myself, how can I help them find their way?”
During a conference on emotions and learning at the “Jean Bosco” Center in Lyon, Marie discovered positive psychology and in 2019 enrolled in the University Diploma in Positive Psychology at the University of Grenoble. She is now working on a bullying prevention project for the school’s fifth-grade students (about 12 years old). A project that consists of raising awareness of the mechanisms of bullying and addressing issues related to cyberbullying through hands-on workshops.
As part of the project, she designed a positive psychology experiment based on two key questions, “What do we really want?” and “If there were no bullying, what would be there instead?”
For Marie, the answer to the second question is obvious: coexistence. Instead of addressing the existing problem, it is necessary to prevent and develop pro-social behaviors and psychosocial skills that anticipate bullying. “This is what St. John Bosco teaches us! Salesian pedagogy and his Preventive System have the same goal: to position ourselves upstream. Let’s get to know each other better, then we can create a positive relational climate.”
During her positive psychology sessions, she uses Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson’s “character strengths” tool, which lists 24 positive character traits that everyone possesses. Such a workshop thus allows them to see their classmates differently and foster class cohesion.
In addition to this, together with Pastoral Care Manager Catherine Valente, she conducts sessions on emotions and teaches students how to identify, understand and express their emotions. Another project she is leading is the creation of posters and a video clip with students as models: through these means, she intends to promote good living together with the other levels of the school!
Her project has been particularly appreciated by the teaching staff, who are motivated and dynamic. Everyone contributes and feels involved. In addition, teaching colleagues and young people in the school have expressed a real need to return to the fundamentals of Don Bosco. That is why “last June in the institute a reflection was initiated on values such as respect, empathy, benevolence, listening and consideration which are fundamental points of Don Bosco’s pedagogy,” the teacher concludes.
The results of Marie’s project cannot yet be measured in concrete terms. However, the teaching team has noticed that some classes have created and propagated a team spirit and solidarity thanks to her sessions, thus preventing some pupils from being excluded.