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Bullying solutions

March 8, 2001
Web posted at: 5:27 PM EST (2227 GMT)

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Objectives

Students will be able to:

Identify examples of bullying.
Create and participate in skits that illustrate the disrespectfulness of bullying.
Develop an individual plan for how to handle a bullying situation.
Develop a plan for the school to inform students about bullying and how they can get help. (Challenge)

Standards

National Council for the Social Studies
II Civic Ideals and Practices

High school students should increasingly recognize the rights and responsibilities of citizens in identifying societal needs, setting directions for public policies and working to support individual dignity and the common good. They learn by experience how to participate in community service and political activities and how to use democratic process to influence public policy.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "Study: Kids rate bullying and teasing as 'big problem'"
Internet access

Suggested time

One class period

Procedure

1. Ask the students: What is bullying? Invite students to share what they feel about bullying and if they have had any experiences they would like to share.

2. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article, "Study: Kids rate bullying and teasing as 'big problem'" and ask the following:

According to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, bullying and teasing top the list of children's troubles. Why do you think most students are concerned with bullying and teasing? The CNNfyi.com article references two students who were being teased at school. How did the students signal that they needed help? Why do you think no one helped?
According to the survey, what percentage of 8- to 11-year-olds get teased at school? What percentage of 12- to 15-year-olds are bullied at school? Why do you think the percentage increases by 22 percent as students get older? Why do you think this is such a large percentage?
According to the survey, how should the topic of bullying be addressed by parents with their children? Why do you think this topic needs to be continually discussed?

3. Brainstorm with the class different examples of bullying and have a student write them on the board. As a class, rate the examples from least to most severe.

4. Group students into pairs. Each pair should select one of the bullying examples from the board and create a short skit in which they role play the example of bullying they chose. Have the students discuss specific ways for the person being bullied to get help after presenting their skit to the class. NOTE: Be sure to explain the seriousness of the activity to your students by helping them realize that these acts of disrespect cause many students to feel alienated and depressed. The reason for this activity is to help them gain empathy, determine ways to reverse these disrespectful practices and help students who are teased or bullied to become empowered.

5. After all of the presentations, brainstorm with the class ways that people can get help. The ideas may be results of the students' work or ideas that have not yet been mentioned. Have a student write these on the board.

Assessment

After the class discussion, have each student develop an individual plan delineating steps they would take if they were being bullied.

Accommodations

Logical/mathematical
Students can choose one of the examples of bullying and create flowcharts: one of how the process causes mistreated students to feel lonely or sad; and a second of how empowering bullied students to get help can help the student's self-esteem and respect among his or her peers.

Challenge

Students may want to refine their skits to present to younger students. Direct them to create presentations that teach the younger students the importance of respecting one another and methods they can use if they are being teased or bullied by classmates.