Jargon Free Forum

The Issue- Bullying

Bullying is an aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Typically, it is repeated over time. A child who is being bullied, has a hard time defending him or herself. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting or punching (physical bullying); teasing or name calling (verbal bullying); intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying); and sending insulting messages by e-mail (cyber bullying).

• Stresses of being bullied can interfere with student's engagement and learning in school. 
• Children and youth who are bullied are more likely than other children to be depressed, lonely, anxious, have low self-esteem, feel unwell and think about suicide.
• Students who are bullied may fear going to school, using the bathroom, and riding on the school bus. 
• Research shows that bullying can be a sign of other serious antisocial or violent behavior. Children and youth who frequently bully their peers are more likely than others to get into frequent fights, be injured in a fight, vandalize or steal property, drink alcohol, smoke, be truant from school, drop out of school, and carry a weapon. 
• Bullying also has an impact on other students at school who are bystanders to bullying. Bullying creates a climate of fear and disrespect in schools and has a negative impact on student learning.

Pre-session assessment

Questions for the individual:

Do you feel safe coming to school? - The student answered "Yes, I feel safe coming to school." Have you received any comments on your looks that you don't like? - The student replied "No, I have never received any comments on my looks that can hurt me." Has anyone teased you for being financially unstable? - The student replied "No, nobody has teased me for my financial condition." Do you like to tease your younger ones? - The student answered "Yes, I tease my younger ones for fun." Do your friends make fun of you because of your choices and likings? - The student answered "Yes, my friends make fun of me because I give them a lot of knowledge." Has anyone spread any rumors about you? - The student replied "Yes, my friends have spread rumors about my bad habits in school, which I don't like." Have you been teased because of your name? - The student replied "No, nobody has teased me by my name 'Soniya', but my friends tease me with names like 'Moti' etc." Do you feel protected in the classroom? - The student replied "Yes, I feel protected in the classroom." Have you been teased on social media? - The student answered "Yes, my friends tease me on social media about the photos I have uploaded and calling them odd."

Questions with all Students: 

What is your understanding of the term "bully”? A few students responded that "bully" refers to intentionally or unintentionally hurting and irritating people with one's actions and words. What forms of bullying are you aware of? Some students replied that they are not aware of the different forms of bullying, while others replied that they are aware of four forms, but cannot recall their names. What is the difference between bullying and just joking around? Students replied that bullying involves consistently irritating someone through the same actions and jokes that hurt them, whereas just joking around is simply entertaining with friends. What are your thoughts on kids who bully others? According to your perception, some students answered that these kids are naughty, fashionable, use bad language, have big hair, engage in bad activities, lack interest in studies, fearless, have anger issues, are spoiled, and trouble others. Other students replied that anyone can bully others and there are no specific characteristics. What are your thoughts on why some kids are bullied, according to your perception? Students answered that these kids are shy, intelligent, simple, studious, always do good things, don't interrupt others, are good-natured, engage in good activities, don't hurt others, are weak, fearful, help others, and don't bother others. Why do you think you would join a bullying group? Some students replied that they would join a bullying group to have power and enjoy making fun of others, or to avoid being in a group where they can be bullied. Other students replied that they cannot be part of this group because they cannot bully others. If bullying does not stop, what do you think the victim or kid should do? Students responded that the victim may resort to suicide, become depressed, stressed, sad, want to be alone, stop talking to others, lose trust in others, only think about things that upset them greatly, and even drop out of school. Have you considered how your actions or words may hurt other people's feelings? Students replied that they do care about others' feelings and always remain mindful of their actions and words. Is bullying different for boys and girls? Students responded that "yes," there is a difference between bullying for girls and boys, with girls typically facing verbal and cyber bullying, and boys facing more physical bullying. Some students also noted that girls are more likely to be bullied than boys.

Activity/Games/Documentary screening

Pictures Analysis Activity

Photo No. 1 and its analysis written by students: The students replied that the girl in the photo appears to be alone and disturbed. They said she might not have friends or might have been excluded from her group. It could be that her parents are pushing her to study, or she might just want to focus on her exams. Photo No. 2 and its analysis by students: The students replied that the photo depicts three college students, with one boy being weaker. The two stronger boys are taking advantage of the weaker boy's weakness and bullying him. The weaker boy is in fear. The two boys are bullying him just for fun and showing their power. They don't care about his feelings and enjoy seeing him afraid. Photo No. 3 and its analysis by students: The students replied that the photo shows a girl who might be crying due to various reasons. Some of the reasons mentioned include blackmailing, a breakup with a boyfriend, rumors spread about her, an expired internet pack, stress about an exam, scolding from parents, a damaged phone, or crying while looking at a photo. Photo No. 4 and its analysis by students: The students replied that the photo depicts two girls, with one girl teasing the other because she is black and not as beautiful. The black girl is crying and feeling embarrassed. Photo No. 5 and its analysis by students: The students replied that the photo shows a group of four students initially, but later three of them started discussing among themselves and excluding one member from the discussion. The excluded student is wondering what they are discussing and is starting to feel self-conscious. One of the girls in the group of three whispered something to the other two members about the excluded student, making him feel sad.

Movie screening: 

Aasha - An Anti-Bullying Film - https://youtu.be/F2aKZgGqeHw This silent movie portrays the story of students who were friends but start bullying one of their friends in various ways, causing the boy to become depressed and sad. Stop Cyber Bullying - https://youtu.be/hk3LCAfq330 Cyber bullying is the use of technology, such as cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms, or social networking sites, to harass, threaten, or intimidate someone. Children are often the perpetrators of cyber bullying, as they have early access to these technologies. The anonymity provided by using pseudonyms makes it difficult to trace the source and can lead to more aggressive behavior. Strain - An Anti-Bullying Short Film - https://youtu.be/tXI79v0l-QE This 11-minute silent video is a powerful representation of the fallout between two best friends when one of them joins a dangerous clique. The childhood friends (played by Michelle Page and Cali Fredrich) face an emotional turning point when only one is selected to join the popular clique in high school (played by Francia Raisa). The friendship tries to survive in secret, but on the night of the big Spring Formal, loyalties are tested and ties are severed, leading to devastating consequences. Anti-Bullying Animated Movie - https://youtu.be/YyDJafzuUK4This video was created by a student at Veterans Memorial High School. It showcases the message that bullying can be stopped.

Post session assessment 

What do you think is the reason that most students don't complain about bullying? - Some students replied that they may have fear and believe that nobody will listen to their problems. Some students said that they lack confidence to speak up and others replied that if they tell someone, the bullies may become more aggressive. Are you aware that the suicide rate among high school students is high and that many teens take their own lives due to bullying? - The students replied unanimously that they were not aware of this. How many types of bullying are you aware of now? - Students responded that they now know that bullying can take four forms: verbal, social, physical, and cyber bullying. What do you think is the impact of bullying on those who are victims of it? - Some students replied that they may face depression, stress, sadness, and low self-confidence. Some students said that they tend to avoid others and become reclusive. How can bullying be prevented? - Some students replied that the victims can confide in close family members or friends. Others said that bullies could be confronted. Some students suggested that victims must stand up to their bullies. What are the most common things that we ignore and hurt others? - Some students replied that they make fun of others and neglect their feelings just to show their power and dominance. In the movie "Strain," do you think the friend was wrong? - As the students didn't fully understand the movie, they could not answer this question. What have you learned from these movies? - Some students replied that they have learned to be mindful of their actions and words and to ensure that nobody is being bullied.