Session 13

Learning Objectives:

In this session, participants will examine teen intimidation and bullying, what it is, why it’s a serious problem, and what they can do about it. The strategies they will explore will help them learn how to deal with bullies and help others who are being intimidated.

 Tips to Enhance Session 13:

• Use The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression (PDF) to teach children what to do in a bullying or bystander situation (to supplement Step D).
• Have students gather information about anti-bullying laws to supplement Step C. Direct teens to Bully Police USA to find out if their state has an anti-bullying law, and how the laws compare to those of other states. Ask students how they would amend their state’s anti-bullying legislation and make it stronger.
• Students can interview the principal to learn what the school’s anti-bullying policies entail.

 Web Resources:

• SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center, About Bullying: This comprehensive site provides information for educators, law enforcement, parents, children, and teens about bullying, warning signs, and prevention methods.
• Stop Bullying Now!: Provides information for youth and adults about bullying prevention and the effects of bullying. You can share this information with your students and their parents.
• National Crime Prevention Council, Bullying Prevention PSA: Includes public service announcements for youth and adults that you can share with students.
• Bully Police USA: This site details anti-bullying laws throughout the United States.

 Community Resource People:

• School counselor: Can speak with youth about bullying incidents, how to manage the conflict, and prevent bullying. The counselor can also help build youth empathy during his or her discussion. This community resource person will be helpful in debriefing the role-play in Step D, because he or she can help students dissect their feelings about acting the part of bullies, victims, bystanders, and adults.

Keep in mind that you should give the community resource person the session materials at least one week before he or she will participate in your class.

 Service-Learning Project Ideas:

• Short Project: Students can create posters and fliers of what teens can do to stop bullying, and display them throughout the school.
• Medium-Length Project: Students can order bullying trading cards and teach young kids at a nearby school about bullying and bullying prevention.
• Long Project: Students may want to create a survey about bullying for other students to complete. They can work with math teachers to administer the surveys and analyze the results. Depending on the results, students can advocate for anti-bullying school rules, request that a bullying prevention specialist speak in classrooms, have team and friendship-building exercises at school, and so forth.