Take a Stand Against Bullying
I had noticed lately that some of my students were not being very kind to each other, and without realizing it, they were exhibiting some bullying behaviors. I’m sure most of them never thought what they were doing as bullying, so it was time for a reality check. I find that it is often time for a tune-up in the discipline plan about mid-year, so this fit in perfectly, while allowing students to contemplate their own behavior and who they want to be.
We started with a discussion of what bullying means, and I found that most of them felt it was much bigger than the every day incidents I was seeing. They considered stealing, punching, name calling, and physical harm bullying, but not the little things that can be just as hurtful. We discussed the types of behaviors that could be bullying, such as poking, tripping, getting in someone’s personal space, excluding others, etc. Then we discussed what they could do that would be the opposite of bullying. What kind of person did they want to be? How did they want others to think of them? Students traced their hands and wrote at least one way they could NOT be a bully. In the time since then, students have been more aware of their behavior and how it affects others. We continue to have discussions on how it may be hard to include others and say kind words, but it will pay off in the long run. Hopefully these kiddos learn an important life lesson to think before they react!
