Winter 2007

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Bully Proofing

Beverly Brookman

Children need an opportunity to express what they already know. This gives them a sense of ownership and gives teachers a baseline for children’s understanding of the dynamics involved. It demonstrates a valuing of the children’s experience. In asking the question, “What do you already know?” we want to expand children’s repertoire of strategies to use to deal with a bullying situation. We reinforce the ways that children can be safe. Different strategies work for different situations.

Learning outcomes

Drawing on their prior experience, children will develop an understanding of:
what they already know about bullying;

• the strategies they use to deal with bullying;
• the value in having many strategies from which to choose.

Materials
• chart paper , markers, BLM

Procedure
1. Group younger children in pairs to discuss the following question and then develop a class chart by recording their responses on chart paper. Older children can break into small groups to discuss, record and then post and share their responses to the question:

What do you already know about bullying?

2. Record the question Where does the bullying happen around the school? on another sheet of chart paper. This is particularly important as a starting point to empower children to take action. List the places the children identify, e.g. behind the portable, in the bathrooms, between the two sets of swings.

3. Have children go up to the chart and vote, with checks or stickers, which places are the worst.

4. Have the children talk about what they think can be done. Ask: What do you need to feel safe? e.g. more “duties,” friends to be with me, grade fives to help.

We can begin to problem solve what you can do now, so that you will feel safer.

5. Begin making a class list that will be added to as the children think of new strategies to answer the question:

What do you do when someone bullies you?

Expect the following:
Tell the duty.
Tell them to stop.
Ignore them.
Laugh it off.
Stay away from bullies.
Don’t go where they are.
Walk away.
Have strong friends.
Ask for help.

The following script demonstrates key points to address as you develop the list.

We want you to have lots of choices for different situations.

Ignoring the person who bullies can work. What happens when you ignore someone who is bullying you? Does it stop? If it does, it’s a good strategy, but if it doesn’t, then we need another strategy. That is what I am going to teach you—a number of strategies so that you will have choices to help you deal with people who bully.

Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.

Is that true? No, it certainly isn’t. Names do hurt, and you have a right to be safe. That is what this class is about: having you be safe. But old people like me can’t do that alone. We need you to help. It is you who are out on the playground and you are the ones who really know what is going on. You have to help us to decide what needs to be done, because we can’t do it alone. You know it doesn’t work for us to follow along behind you and make sure that you do what is fair, so tell me. Remember, you have a right to ask for help. That’s why they keep us old people around; to help you stay safe.

6. This is a time to emphasize that the number one priority is to be safe. Print “run” as an option to make it clear that you always decide which strategy to use according to how safe you feel.

If you decide that running is your choice, what could you do while you run? Yes, you will probably be yelling for help. If you choose to leave because it is dangerous, what should you do next?

Always reinforce getting help and reporting. This is particularly important for older children and gang situations. Conflict can be managed by confronting, defusing, distracting, or distancing, but there is no disgrace in leaving when you are in danger.

7. Distribute copies of the blackline master (see example below) for your student’s journals. Have your students record strategies they can use if someone tries to bully them. Younger students can draw pictures of strategies.

Extension

Start your group making posters and charts to say they don’t want a school where people bully others.

This activity is from Names Will Never Hurt Me by Beverly Brookman. The worksheet, “If Someone Bullies Me I Can . . .” is available FREE online at <www.pacificedgepublishing.com/download.shtml> in pdf format in the Life Skills section.

Names Will Never Hurt Me is available from Pacific Edge Publishing at www.PacificEdgePublishing.com where you can download a copy of the resource in pdf format.