PSHE 11-14/KS3/Levels E&F
Pupils at a school in Greater Manchester are reporting bullying via text messages to teachers.
This activity encourages students to improve their school's communications.
What a bully, victim, and ally are
Ways of dealing with bullying
Reflect and evaluate on how their behaviour affects others
Read out this story to the class.
Ask students:Why do you think students don't feel they can talk to a teacher face to face or push a note under a door to tell them about bullying?
Would you be happier texting rather than talking to a teacher? Why?
Do you think this system would work well in your school?
What else would make it easier to tell a teacher?
Give the students some questions on bullying to research and discuss the answers. Here are some example questions:
How would you describe a bully, victim, and ally?
How widespread is bullying?
Why do people bully?
Why is bullying harmful to victims, bullies and the school community?
What can students, teachers and parents do to stop bullying?
Students critique your school's anti-bullying policy and suggest ways to improve it, if needed.
If your school does not have an anti-bullying policy, help your class draft one. There are some helpful guidelines on the Kidscape website. Click on the right hand link.
Students prepare a written report of their findings and recommendations and present it to the headteacher.
Discuss the following:What does it feel like to be bullied?
How would you feel if you were the bully?
Why is it important to listen to bullies as well as victims?
Summarise the students' findings and ask them this final question: Why should everyone be valued?
Have a look at our special section which contains a guide, quiz, vote, expert advice, children's reports and a video of a interactive bullying programme in which children's questions about bullying are answered.
Bullying is sometimes caused by an individual and sometimes by a group.
The most important factor is the effect on the victim.
Many famous people have been victims of bullying. Myleene Klass from Hear'Say was reportedly bullied at school.
School policies on bullying help when:everyone knows what the policy is
the policy is applied consistently
everyone believes in the policy
For hundreds more lessons, Click on Teachers on the left hand side of this page.