October 22, 2013
Anti-Bullying Awareness Month
Please watch the video below. Be prepared to discuss when finished.
Discussion of the Video
What kind of emotions do you feel when watching the video?
Have you ever felt like this before?
The Various Colors of Bullying
What does it feel like to be on the other side of bullying? What if you were the bully? Below is a commentary from the perspective of the bully.
Testimony of a Bully
Growing up as the youngest child always seems to be classified as you being spoiled. However, for me, it just meant being the target of the rest of my family's frustrations. As a child I was always the butt of their jokes. People always told me "Well that's what siblings do".
How many of you have felt like this towards a sibling, either as the younger sibling or older sibling?
Share out experiences.
Testimony continuted...
The majority of my memories within my household consist of constant yelling and banging and the fear and anger that built up inside of me. The reason why I am telling all of this prior to talking about my situations with bullying is that I want to paint a picture of how different someone's life at home can be when compared to how they are at school. What I mean is, in some cases I was bullied by other students and in other cases I was the one doing the bullying. I had inadvertently joined a group of bullies and when at school I would join in on their sessions of making other children feel like... well, you know. I realized how good I'd feel after doing it. For the first time, I felt above someone and not the person being kicked to the ground.
Reflect
- What other ways could this bully deal with his or her problems rather than join in with the other bullies?
- What could have been done at home?
- What could have been done at school?
- Think of multiple solutions, and share out when done.
Testimony continued...
Teachers wouldn't let me participate in some projects, and parents didn't want me near their kids. I'd go home after a long, rough day and be lectured by my parents about my grades then insulted by my siblings.
At around age 10, I first started getting real depression and had thoughts of suicide. I never turned for help or support because I thought no one would sympathize with me, plus, I still believed that I kind of deserved this.
High School
They had a horrible caste system that was advocated and nearly created by the faculty where freshmen and sophomores are pretty much allowed to be bullied by seniors with little to no repercussions which made the first year or two a miserable experience. By high school, I had actually started therapy and in the years to come realized I have an anxiety disorder, mostly social anxiety.
Reflect
- What kind of caste system happens in middle school, perhaps?
- Think of how you treat others younger than you. Is it nice?
- Think of how older students treat you. Is it nice?
- What ideas do you have that could eliminate this?
End of the Testimony
All these events have caused me a great deal of emotional pain and I have been working on fixing it for that last couple years. I am currently at a point in my life where I feel I am almost ready to truly move on I just need to push myself a little bit farther and I can make it.
If someone is sad, angry, depressed, etc... it shouldn't matter what YOUR perception of them is. We are all victims in our own tales and we could all use some real help. When things are ignored there is severe damage that can become long lasting and may be incapable of being fixed.
I hope people can find something to take from this and maybe even helps them.
Relect
On index card, take a pledge. You do not have to put your name on it.
What can you do to change some of the situations that may occur around you?
Take a stand on bullying.
Suggestions: Make a promise to stop bullying in their tracks. Make a promise to befriend a bully to find out their story. Make a promise to speak out about family problems.
Teachers can give the pledge cards to the advisory team when complete.