Bullying Youthwork Resources
Categories: Primary, Secondary, SEN, Lesson, Curricular, Lessons, Youthwork Magazine
How does it feel to be bullied?
Pupils are given a sheet with the outline of a person and asked to think about how a person might feel when they are being bullied. They have to fill in the outline with words, images or their own drawings that describe these feelings. Examples might include: lonely, scared, sad, angry. This activity works even better if pupils are given old magazines to cut out images and words. Scissors, glue etc need to be given out.
Behind the bullying
The class is divided into small groups and given a set of cards containing quotes from bullies about why they bully others. The cards are placed face down on the desk. Each member of the group takes it in turn to pick a card and say:
- do you think the bully’s reason is acceptable?
- do you think the bully is to blame for their actions?
- is there any way the bully could be helped to stop bullying?
How should we respond?
This poem was written by a 14 year old victim of bullying in a school in Birmingham. Read out the poem or hand out copies for the class to see.
Ask the class to think about
- how do they feel reading this poem… guilty? upset? nothing?
- does the victim have a point… do people in this school tend to be like this?
- why do some people do nothing when they see someone being bullied?
- what should you do when you see someone being bullied?
- what will you do when you see someone being bullied?
have been doing a series on bullying in three middle school clubs. We discussed what bullying is and how it was dealt with then we asked the kids to write anon questions about aspects of bullying then got the head or senior teacher in to answer them. Because it was anon the children asked searching questions and the teachers found it helpful in that it challenged their understanding of what the children saw as bullying and their [the teachers] lack of action. One interesting thing that came out of it was mediation is seen as an easy option for the bully and the bullied just go along with it because they feel they have no other option. They do not see it is as punishment nor does it seem to sort the underlying problems out.
Thanks for your help.
Ian Copeman.