Roberta Dupont (Bobby Hawley)

What  Is Bullying?

Intimidation, Threats, Taunting, Violence

Bullying is the general term applied to a pattern of behaviour.  It is a person with a lot of pent up anger, resentment, aggression and a lack of interpersonal skills.  Benny, in my book- "Benny The Bullybeastie" is a prime example of this.  A bully is quick to size up another child and assess their vulnerabilities.  These vulnerabilities could be social, emotional, a physical handicap or being mentally challenged.  The bullying might take the form of, criticism, exclusion from the group, teasing with verbal, psychological, emotional or physical violence. 

When caught the bully often pleads self defence or is prepared to give a reason for his/her unacceptable behaviour.  He or she can be very deceptive and manipulative so watch them carefully.

In the story "By Golly, Molly, You're Right" Jessica is vicious in her daily attacks on Molly.  She pretends she is only teasing.  She is the leader of the most important girls in grade five.  You have to be cool to belong so of course Molly is left out by Jessica's criteria.  She made Molly's life at school a living hell.   No one stood up to Jessica for fear of what she would do.

We have so many students from diverse cultural, social and intellectual backgrounds that we are always, as teachers, looking for some common ground for these students.  I personally think that folk fairy tales are the answer.  They can help students come to terms with the many fears and challenges they experience in their day to day life.

Children like to hear about conflicts being solved, justice being served and everyone living happily ever after.  Children have a strong sense of justice.  Fairy tales supply us, always, with the protagonist and the antagonist, the problem and the solution.  They can see there are solutions to pressing difficulties and realize that the problems they are encountering in their everyday lives can be solved as well.    

Every child has a dream to become someone special.  The fairy tale shows an upward development of the person.  From Pauper to King, from the lowly cinder girl to a Queen.  It is important to provide the child with images of heroes who have to go out into the world all by themselves to obtain their ideal.  To become their own hero, which is the ideal, they must learn to conquer their fears, which are acting as restraints and holding them back from leading a full and rewarding life.  Fear diminishes their ability to act independently thereby making the child a target for the predators.

In "By Golly, Molly, You're Right," Molly's hero was none other than Dora The Explorer.  For most young kids Dora's spirit is felt everywhere.  All young children go through this infatuation of Dora and I think it makes them feel safe.  I think Molly loved Dora for her optimism and ability to spread happiness.  Dora could always make matters right and after she did just that everyone would sing, "WE DID IT!!"  It is a surreal world just made for Molly to escape into.  The theme put forth by Dora is truly false but since Molly experiences so much trauma in her school life she likes to escape to the sunshine and rainbows of Dora's world.  For Molly this was not an upward development it was a regression.  In the end though Molly gained confidence and inspiration from the spirited Dora which allowed her to break free from her fears and become her own hero.

Hansel And Gretel

READ

1. Why were Hansel and Gretel led into the woods by their father and stepmother?

2. What was the Stepmothers reason for trying to lose the children?

3. Do you consider this as a solution to the family problem? Explain your answer.

4. Who was cast as the evil person in this story?

5. What about this story makes you fearful?

6. Who had the stronger character of the two children?  Give reasons for your answer.

Snow White

READ

1. What role does Snow White play in this story?

2. Usually we acquaint ugliness with the evil person.  Is this true in Snow White?  Explain.  What lesson does this teach us?

3. Did the Queen ever show her true personality?

4.  What character traits would you attribute to the Queen or Snow White's Stepmother?

5. What is the significance of the mirror image?

6. Who were the heroes in this story?

What actions makes us feel welcome in the classroom or on the playground.?

What actions make us feel unwelcome in the classroom or on the playground?

How do other children or teachers make us feel safe or unsafe within the school environment?

How does your teacher make you feel welcome when you first start school in the fall?

Making Observations

Looking for similarities and differences.

Look around the classroom .  How are each of you different?  Hair, size, color of skin, color of eyes, glasses,genre, clothes, adornments etc.

How are we the same?  We are all human beings.  Each one of us is a unique individual. ( even identical twins have a difference--different finger prints)

Don't judge people by what they wear, their size, their color, their religion, their culture or ethnicity but by their actions and what's in their heart.

#  #  #  #

EMPATHY

 This story is about, Leo, a young lion whose father died and he was next in line to the throne. His father had ruled this kingdom long and wisely and was loved by all his followers. 

 When Leo sat on the throne with the crown on his head he did nothing but give orders to all the other animals;  get me food, get me drink, shine my crown, run my bath and so on, and so on.  He never did anything for himself nor for anyone else for that matter.  Orders, orders, orders.  The other animals soon got fed up with him and told him they wanted him to go.  "But I am your King!  You must obey me!  You are only my servants!  How dare you talk to your leader like that!"  Immediately his subjects grabbed his crown, then his throne and booted him out of the jungle. 

 Leo wandered, sad and lonely, throughout the world.   He came across many animals who were in distress and because he needed companionship and friends so badly he stopped to help them.  Leo soon realized that he felt very good helping others.  He was soon looking forward to each new day and each new problem.  Soon Leo got the reputation of being  a lion you could count on and was loved and respected by all who came to know him.  He performed so many good deeds that his name was put into the 'Animal's Book Of World Records.'  All of the animals from his Kingdom came to congratulate him and beg him to come home. 

 "We feel you have learned your lesson and are ready to take your father's place," they said surrounding Leo and singing,  'Long Live Our King'.

 Because of the great reputation he had earned in his travels for his kind and loving ways he was not only going to be made King of the jungle animals but he was going to be made 'King' of all the beasts in the world.  The animals brought back his throne and his crown and presented them to him at a big animal celebration.

"Thank you for asking me to be your leader again.  You don't know how happy this makes me. At first when I was kicked out of the forest and was on my own I was very lonely but I learned a great deal. I learned that to be a great leader you must be humble in order to have a true understanding of the needs of your subjects.  I don't blame you for kicking someone as vain as I was out of the Kingdom.  In my travels I made many friends because I was willing to stop and help anyone in need. Keep the throne and the crown as a reminder to me that being King is much more than the symbols.  I don't need a throne and a crown to be a good king." 

Leo was proclaimed the greatest king the animals of the world had ever had since the beginning of time.  He ruled for many years, mingling with his subjects and giving help where ever it was needed.

Questions

!.  What did this story teach you?

2. Do you have a hero?  Tell me about your hero.

3. What does it mean to be your own hero?                    

I made up this story for the Primary division.  I used it when we talked about Heroes.

When you overcome your fears and enter into the spirit and feelings of others you have become your own hero.

Discuss POSITIVE and NEGATIVE feelings, actions, attitudes and values.

Arrange the following groups of words into two columns,  POSITIVE  and  NEGATIVE.  After each word tell whether it is an action, a feeling,  an attitude or a value.

ENVY   HATE   GOSSIPY   DISLOYAL   TRUSTING   PUNCHING   RESPECTFUL   JEALOUSY   TEASING   FIGHTING   HAPPY   GREED   KINDNESS   GENEROSITY   TEASING   CONSIDERATE   LOVING   LOYAL   RUDE   ANGRY   EMPATHY

Can you think of more words you might add to this list.  Is there any word that you think is more important in dealing with the issue on bullying than any other.

EMPATHY

One definition for empathy is--"Empathy is the power to enter into the feelings and spirit of others."   Can you tell by watching the body language of another person how they are feeling?

What are some body languages that tell you right away how someone is feeling?

I collected several pictures of people in different situations and we discussed what feeling or emotion was  being portrayed by the body language

We became quite accomplished at reading non verbal messages such as---facial expressions--( pain, sad, tears, fear,joy, laughing)----Touch---gaze----physical appearance----vocal expression ( this would be through watching and listening to people or perhaps a video)

One of my favourite pictures was of the little Polish boy who had been captured in the April-May 1943 in the Warsaw Revolt.

The little boy is standing with his hands in the air surrounded by German soldiers with rifles aimed at him.  The boy is terrified.  The story is that this picture was taken to be presented to Hitler on his birthday to show him how the concentration camps were being handled.

Who are the bullies in the story? (German Soldiers)

Who is the victim in the story? (The little boy)

Who are the bystanders? ( The world)

There has been a poster made of 'The Little Polish Boy' and underneath there is a poem written by Peter Fischl.   This poem and numerous ideas that can be used in teaching,  related to this poster, can be found on the internet.

This is the picture of the little Polish Boy

Peter Fischel wrote a beautiful poem about the Little Polish Boy. 

 If you could speak to him what would you tell him?

Write a poem to him.

 The junior grades  liked the passage from Shakespeare's 'Merchant Of Venice" where Shylock is addressing Bassanio---

I am a jew.  Hath not a jew eyes, hath not a jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?  Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a christian is?  If you prick us do we not bleed?  If you tickle us do we not laugh?  If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?  If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.

I think this says it all for every group of people regardless of race, ethnicity or religion.

After introducing myself and using one of my motivations and introductions to the topic of bullying I would then begin my reading.  I would read "Benny The Bullybeastie"  to all grades from one to six.  My introduction to the reading would vary depending on the age.  The grade fives and sixes loved Benny as much as the younger children.  Benny stimulates a lot of discussion at any level and children always love a story told in rhyme. 

I may have to come up with a few different motivational stories or ideas for Molly since the main element in this story is FEAR and verbal and emotional bullying whereas Benny is about ANGER control and physical bullying.