Banish Bullying!
How Teachers Can Make a Difference
Create a safe environment for your students and create awareness of school bullying. Bullying has become increasingly prevalent due to the increase of technology and the use of social
media. As a teacher, it is important to recognize what bullying looks like in
the classroom, how to handle it, and end it.
Because October is National
Bullying Prevention Month; read on to learn about how to banish bullying by
some tips and tricks you can try today in your classroom.
1. Promote Positive Behavior - Be a Role Model
Bullying feeds off of negativity. When you have a positive
classroom environment, you are less likely to encourage or encounter put downs.
Rather than focus on negative behavior, promote the positive. Use lots of
verbal praise, send happy notes home, and even establish a positive reward
system for students. You can issue coupons to students who act selflessly,
compassionately, respectfully, and responsibly. Students can trade them in for
prizes, enter them in a weekly raffle, or even use them to purchase positive
incentives that you offer (Lunch in the Classroom with a Friend, Line leader
for a week, Teacher’s Assistant for a Day, etc.).
2. Establish Examples
of Bullying
Many children can recognize when bullying occurs, but many
don’t realize they are sometimes indirectly a part of it and the overall
problem. Conduct an activity in your classroom called, “Stand up to Bullies.”
Go through practice scenarios with the class. If they think bullying is occurring,
they should stand up and say, “Stand up to Bullies.” Students often don’t
realize that even though they are not doing the bullying themselves; it is
possible to still be a bully. Explain that laughing at what the bully is doing
or passing on a rumor is adding to the problem and is considered being a bully.
They also don’t realize that not reporting bullying situations is
irresponsible. So have an honest and open discussion after each scenario you
present to the class. Students will learn that all scenarios you are presenting
to them are examples of bullying and they should be standing for each one and
stating, “Stand up to Bullies.” You can then spend time talking about how to
report bullying, adults students can talk to if they are being bullied, and
consequences for being a bully.
3. Host a Getting to
Know You Lunch
After observing students interacting with one another in
your class, pair up two students who have difficulty working together in group settings. Eat lunch with them in the classroom. Guide them to answer questions about
themselves so they can get to know each other’s likes, background, and
interests. The pair may be surprised to learn that they have more in common
than they think. Or they will learn that they can respect each other and their
differences because they both have feelings and are in class together.
As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety
and well-being of all students. These simple tips and activities will ensure
student acceptance and will help promote compassion for all.
Students will
learn that bullying can stop with them and that everyone deserves the right to
an education free from those who put others down!
Here are "Kindness in the Classroom" Task Cards! This resource is designed to promote kindness and awareness to help prevent all forms of bullying in the classroom. This resource includes 20 free task cards and a jar label. Place the task cards inside the jar and display it somewhere in your classroom where student can easily access. Encourage your students to read the task cards when they have free time or when a misbehavior occurs.
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