Friday 19 February, 2010
A Kiwi student who has won an international award for her positive and inspirational attitude towards her physical disabilities thinks studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma helps to stop students bullying.
Lydia Hoby-Sharpe, who is completing her IB diploma at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland this year, says she was a victim of bullying before she changed schools to attend the leading independent all-girls school in New Zealand’s largest city in early 2009.
Lydia says learning to deal with bullying and her positive experiences at her new school have empowered her to begin writing a book for students, teachers and parents about how to deal with bullying of people with disabilities.
“Studying the Theory of Knowledge as part of the IB encourages a more reflective attitude to life. I think it actually prevents bullying by giving students the skills to be more reflective in their attitudes to themselves, other people and life,” says Lydia.
The high-achieving 17-year-old was born with a major craniofacial anomaly which affects her breathing and means she has severe hearing loss. A speech impediment that gets worse when she has a cold or is tired makes it hard for people to understand her.
Lydia says that in her former school, she was mainly bullied when she was aged 11 by students who ignored her or made snide comments.
“My parents and teacher dealt with the bullying when I was 11 because I didn’t realise I was being ignored. When I was older, I dealt with it by telling the people involved that if they did not stop behaving stupidly we did not need to be friends.
“I have since realised that responding to bullying is a discipline issue that needs to be dealt with strongly and I think that every student should know they have a right to that.”
Diocesan School, which has offered the IB diploma since 2008 as part of a dual educational pathway, has a zero-tolerance policy on bullying.
Principal Heather McRae says Diocesan focuses on raising awareness so students feel comfortable and confident about speaking out in a “no-blame” atmosphere where the school hears all sides of the story.
“Any bullying is taken seriously, responded to immediately and we get parents involved. We would then hold an investigation if necessary and implement consequences where appropriate.”
Diocesan’s core values as a Christian school and the community service component of the curriculum emphasise honesty, respecting others and being aware of and respecting their cultural differences, says Ms McRae.
Lydia says staff and students at Diocesan have supported her by being warm, inclusive and friendly and she has not experienced bullying at the school where she has been recognised for her academic and musical achievements.
Last year she was awarded a Quota Community Champion Award which honours young women who have responded to challenges in their lives by meeting them head on and inspiring others to follow their example.
She says the award from Quota International Auckland encouraged her to keep going whatever the odds and to encourage others to do the same.
Lydia hopes to finish writing her book by this August. She says it will use a specific case study of one person’s experiences to illustrate how students, parents and teachers can deal with and prevent bullying.
After completing her IB Diploma, Lydia plans to study Classics and History, then Law. She is interested in a career in criminal or international law or as a diplomat.
Quota International was set up in the United States in 1919 to help disadvantaged women and children and all people with hearing and speech impediments and now has branches in several countries around the world.