Identify and End Bullying

By Kelvin Edwards, Brandman University

Everyone has a role in bullying.  The purpose of this discussion is to identify the three main roles in bullying: the bully, the bully victim and the witnesses.  Students will be able to define what bullying is and to be able to identify it.  Everyone will have a understanding of why individuals bully other people and be able to identify the victims.  Finally, individuals will know what to do if they are a victim or they witness bullying taken place.   

Stopbully.gov defines bullying as:

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. 

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. 

One new way of bullying is cyberbullying.  With just a few keystrokes on a computer, a bully can ruin someone’s reputation—or even his life. It sounds like an overstatement, but it can happen! Cyberbullying also includes sending harmful photos or text messages using a cell phone. 

Three reason someone bullyies others.  They were bullyied themselves. They have poor role models. Many times young bullies treat other people . . . the way they see their parents, older brothers and sisters, or other family members treat others.  They act as if they are superior—and yet they’re insecure. Kids who bully have an air of superiority that is often a mask to cover up deep hurt and a feeling of inadequacy.

Individuals are targeted by bullies because:  They are loners. Some young people who lack social skills isolate themselves from others and become easy marks for bullies.  Bullies target some youths because of their appearance, race, or religion or even because they have a disability, anything the bully can pick on.  Youths who lack self-confidence are also targeted. Bullies can detect those who think negatively of themselves. These are often the easiest targets, since they are not likely to fight back.

Things individual's can do if they are bullied.  Don't react.  Bullies like reaction.  Do not react then they may get bored.  Do not fight back it will only add to problem.  Try to avoid the bullying.  Try just walking away or use humor when dealing with bullies.  Tell someone that your are being bullied either a parent or a school official.  If individuals observe bullying taken place tell someone in authority position.  Just about everyone will experience bullying in one fashion or another in their lives whether they are the bully, the bullied, or the witness.  It is everyone role to end bullying. 

[video:http://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/family/teenagers/whiteboard-animat…]

Remember, bullying is more common than people realize and must be stopped. Too many kids suffer from this and it ruins and scars lives. It is our duty to help educate people on bullying so we can put a stop to it, or at least minimize it.

The class will divide into group of four.  As a group decide on doing a group project on bullying.  This could be a power-point, video, play, or a poster board.  The group will demonstrate a form of bullying.  They will then demonstate the proper way of handleing a bully as a victim or as a witness.  After all the group presentation each individual will define what bullying is in their own words and discuss each responsibility in putting an end to bullying. 

1.  Discussion:

• Define bullying. 
• Identify what is bully is.
• List why do people bully others.
• Identify who is most likely to be a target.
• Things individual's can do if they are bullied.

2.  Review the short video.

3.  Divide into groups of four and come up with presentation:

• Video
• Play / Skit
• Music / Song
• Power-point presentation
• Collage or an other approved project

4.  The group project will incorporate what they have learned about bullying.  Demonstration of bully act and how to handle it.  One member being a bully, one person bullied individual, third person witness and the four individual being either, teacher, parent, another bully or another witness.  Then they will give presentation to class at the end of the week.

5.  Sources for information: 

• http://www.antibullying.net/youngpeople.htm 
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/bully-proof.html#cat145
• http://www.kidpower.org/bullying/
• http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying
• http://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html
• http://www.thebullyproject.com/
• http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullying-tips-students

6.  Finally, each individual will turn in a 150-250 word reflection on bullying.  Give definition in their own words. Describe what they can do if they are a bully or a witness. 

It is everyone responsibility to end bullying.  Do not wait until its to late to put an end to it.  If you are a bully, stop it.  If you are being bullied tell someone or just ignore them.  If you witness bullying make a stand tell someone.  Make school a safe place free from bullying.  Bullying is becoming a huge problem throughout our country and affecting the lives of children everywhere.  From Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, texting and playground bullying its becoming harder and harder to put a stop to this monster. Schools serve as a breeding ground for such behaviors, and teachers are its greatest defense.  As educators, we have an obligation to show children the proper ways to express emotion and appropriate behaviors.  Teaching children the proper way to handle a bully.  Be a leader and a positive role model for your students and help put an end to bullying.

Author Biography

Kelvin Edwards I am a student at Brandman University

Permissions We all benefit by being generous with our work.  Permission is granted for others to use and modify this WebQuest for educational, non-commercial purposes as long as the original authorship is credited. The modified WebQuest may be shared only under the same conditions. See the Creative Commons Attribution • Non-Commercial• Share-Alike license for details.

By Kelvin Edwards

I created this WebQuest to help student understand about bullying.  I hope they learn from it and help put an end to it.  Bullying been around a long time.  With everyone effort we can put an end to it.  Take the challenge and do your part to end bullying.