Bullying Awareness Script

Teacher: Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something that affects us all, directly or indirectly: bullying. Our goal is to understand what it is, how it impacts us, and what we can do to stop it.

First, let's start with a quick warm-up. I've placed a short activity on your desks/displayed on the screen. Take a few moments, about 2-3 minutes, to silently think about and write down what you believe bullying is and how it makes people feel. There are no wrong answers, just your initial thoughts.

(Allow 2-3 minutes for students to write.)

Teacher: Alright, let's hear a few thoughts. Can anyone share one word or a short phrase that describes bullying to them? Or how it feels?

(Listen to a few responses, affirming their input.)

Teacher: Excellent. You've hit on some key ideas. Bullying isn't always easy to define, but it's crucial that we understand its different forms and its power to harm.

What is Bullying?

(Transition to Slide Deck: Beyond Bystanders - Slide 2: What is Bullying?)

Teacher: Look at this slide. We define bullying as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and is repeated over time. This means it's not a one-time disagreement; it's a pattern where one person tries to exert power over another.

There are different types:

• Physical Bullying: This is when someone hurts another person's body or destroys their belongings. Think hitting, kicking, pushing, or even tripping someone.
• Verbal Bullying: This involves using words to harm. Name-calling, teasing, making threats, or spreading rumors are all examples.
• Social or Relational Bullying: This is about hurting someone's reputation or relationships. Excluding someone, spreading lies, or embarrassing them in front of others fits here.
• Cyberbullying: With technology, bullying can happen online. This includes sending hurtful texts, posting embarrassing photos, or spreading rumors on social media.

Can anyone think of an example of cyberbullying you might have seen or heard about, without naming names, of course?

(Allow for a few examples and clarify as needed.)

The Impact of Bullying

(Transition to Slide Deck: Beyond Bystanders - Slide 3: The Impact of Bullying)

Teacher: Bullying isn't just unpleasant; it has serious consequences for everyone involved. Let's look at the different roles and how they are affected.

• The Target: The person being bullied can experience anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating in school, and even physical health problems. Their sense of safety and self-worth can be deeply damaged.
• The Bully: It might seem like bullies are powerful, but often they are struggling themselves. They might have their own issues, use bullying to fit in, or have learned this behavior from others. However, bullying has negative long-term consequences for them too, including difficulties with relationships and sometimes even legal trouble.
• The Bystander: That's us, the people who witness bullying. We might think we're not involved, but simply watching can make the situation worse. It can make the target feel more alone and empower the bully. Bystanders can also experience guilt, fear, or helplessness.

Think for a moment: How does seeing someone else get bullied make you feel? What emotions come up?

(Allow for a few quick responses.)

Teacher: So, we can see that bullying creates a negative ripple effect, impacting the entire school community. But here's the good news: we all have the power to change this.

Bystander Intervention: Be a Solution!

(Transition to Slide Deck: Beyond Bystanders - Slide 4: Bystander Intervention: Be a Solution!)

Teacher: This brings us to bystander intervention. You, as a bystander, are not powerless. You have the power to make a difference. Let's explore some strategies.

These are often called the '5 Ds':

• Direct: If it's safe to do so, you can directly tell the bully to stop. Keep your voice calm but firm. Sometimes, a simple 'Hey, that's not cool' or 'Leave them alone' can be enough.
• Distract: Create a diversion to shift attention away from the situation. Maybe spill something (accidentally!), ask the target a question, or change the subject. Anything to disrupt the bullying.
• Delegate: If you don't feel safe or comfortable intervening directly, or if the bullying is serious, get help from an adult or someone in authority. This could be a teacher, counselor, coach, or parent. Reporting is not tattling; it's seeking help for someone who needs it.
• Delay: If you can't intervene in the moment, check in with the target later. Offer support, a listening ear, or help them report the incident. Let them know they're not alone.
• Document: Especially with cyberbullying or physical bullying, if it's safe and appropriate, try to document the incident. This could be taking a screenshot, saving messages, or making a note of what happened, when, and where. This evidence can be very helpful if the situation needs to be reported.

Remember, your safety is always the priority. Choose the strategy that feels safest and most appropriate for the situation.

Taking Action: Discussion

(Transition to Slide Deck: Beyond Bystanders - Slide 5: Taking Action: Discussion)

Teacher: Now, let's put these strategies into practice. I'm going to present a couple of hypothetical scenarios. We'll use our Discussion Guide: Taking Action for this.

(Present the first scenario from the discussion guide.)

Teacher: In this situation, what strategies might you consider using? Why? And what might be some challenges?

(Facilitate discussion, encouraging students to explain their reasoning and consider different perspectives. Repeat with a second scenario if time permits.)

Teacher: Great discussion, everyone. It's clear that thinking through these situations beforehand can help us act more effectively when they happen.

My Pledge: A Call to Action

(Transition to Slide Deck: Beyond Bystanders - Slide 6: My Pledge: A Call to Action)

Teacher: To wrap things up, I want us to reflect on our own commitment. I'm handing out a quick 'Cool Down' activity called Cool Down: My Pledge.

(Distribute or display the cool-down.)

Teacher: On this, I want you to write down one specific action you can commit to taking to help prevent bullying or support a peer. It could be something small, like saying hello to someone who looks lonely, or something bigger, like speaking up if you witness bullying (when it's safe to do so).

(Allow 2-3 minutes for students to write.)

Teacher: Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for making these pledges. Remember, every single one of you has the power to create a more positive, respectful, and safe environment for yourselves and your peers. It starts with awareness, and it continues with action. Let's all be 'Beyond Bystanders' and work towards ending bullying together. Class dismissed!

What's Bullying? Warm Up

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about the following questions and write down your honest thoughts.

1. In your own words, how would you define "bullying"?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. How do you think bullying makes people feel? (Consider the person being bullied, the person doing the bullying, and people who witness it.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Discussion Guide: Taking Action Against Bullying

Instructions: Read each scenario and discuss with your group or class. Use the bystander intervention strategies (Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, Document) to plan your response.

Scenario 1: The Online Exclusion

You notice a group chat with several classmates where one student, Alex, is being consistently left out and subtly mocked. People are posting inside jokes they know Alex isn't privy to, and when Alex tries to join the conversation, their messages are ignored or met with sarcastic replies. This has been happening for a few days.

Discussion Questions:

1. What type of bullying is this? How do you know?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What are some immediate actions you could take using the bystander intervention strategies?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What are the potential challenges or risks of intervening in this situation?
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. If you choose to "Delay," what specific actions would you take to support Alex later?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 2: The Hallway Taunts

During passing period, you see a couple of students repeatedly bumping into a smaller student, Sam, in the hallway and making fun of their clothes. Sam looks visibly uncomfortable and tries to avoid them, but the students continue to follow and whisper insults. A teacher is nearby, but doesn't seem to notice.

Discussion Questions:

1. What types of bullying are present in this scenario?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Which intervention strategy (or combination of strategies) do you think would be most effective here? Why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. How might you "Distract" the situation to help Sam?
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. If you decide to "Delegate," how would you approach the teacher or another adult?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

My Pledge: A Call to Action

Instructions: Reflect on today's lesson. What is one specific action you can commit to taking to help prevent bullying or support a peer in our school community? This could be a small action or a larger one.

My pledge to help end bullying is:

I will take this action because: