This week has been anti-bullying week, where we take the opportunity to have conversations about what bullying is and what we should do if we are being bullied or if we see bullying happening. The week started with an assembly and a live lesson on BBC all about what to do if you see bullying happening. We addressed the myth that the situation gets worse if you tell an adult because actually the opposite is true: telling a trusted to adult who can help, is essential for putting a stop to the bullying.
We learned about different roles in the context of bullying: the ringleader, the assistant, the reinforcer, the observer, the defender and the target. We discussed what each role meant: for example, the assistant helps the ringleader and sometimes joins in, while the reinforcer encourages the ringleader and laughs, encouraging others to watch. We discussed the fact that those people with roles in the bullying are just as bad as the ringleader but it’s never too late to change and do the right thing! We looked at different examples of bullying and came to realise that bullying isn’t only physical (pushing and shoving etc.) but can also be verbal as long as at least one person is intended to be hurt.
It was important to look at different examples of bullying and try to work out which characters in the scenario have each of the roles. Why do we think the reinforces and assistants support the ringleader? Could they be scared of him/her? Could they be afraid that they might get bullied too? What should each person do in the scenario? In small groups, the children rehearsed and acted out a bullying scenario inspired by a picture. Each member of the group had a different role and performed a freeze frame before telling us what their character should do next.
Anti-bullying week is very important but it’s also important that these conversations are not just confined to one week but are addressed throughout the year and the children must remember to tell a trusted adult if they ever think they might have witnessed or been a victim of bullying.
