Combating Bullying

October is National Bullying Prevention Month! You can find more information about this effort online on a variety of web sites, including http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t need a web site to tell us about the realities of bullying; how common it is, and how devastating its effects can be. Many of us have been targets of bullying ourselves, or have watched our loved ones suffer from unkind words and actions. Advanced technology, for all the ways it has benefited our lives, has worsened the problem of bullying. People have greater access to others, and more anonymity, encouraging many to say or post something hurtful without thinking, and often without consequences.

A great first step to preventing bullying is modeling acceptance, tolerance, and appreciation for the people around us. We can avoid overly-critical comments, both in person, or behind others’ backs. Through our words and actions, we can teach and inspire others to be kind and helpful. As Aesop once said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” 

A second step to preventing bullying is to be proactive in teaching people how to be kind and helpful, and to also teach them to be aware of bullying attempts, and equipped to step in and deal with them as they occur. It’s the bystanders who often are in a position to stop bullying!

To help you teach these important skills to your students, we have several resources in our bookstore, including:

-       The beautiful hardcover picture books by Trudy Ludwig, including, Trouble Talk, Just Kidding, and My Secret Bully.

-       No Fishing Allowed; the curriculum (DVD and booklets) developed by Carol Gray

-       Carol Gray’s New Social Story Book: Anniversary Edition, which contains a great section on bullying, and how to develop a plan to avoid and/or respond to bullying attempts

-       Others, including, Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain…Cyber-Safe Kids…Girl Wars…The Bully, The Bullied, and the Bystander…The New Bully-Free Classroom…click here to view the selection

Best wishes as you do your part—in your own corner of the world—to spread kindness and prevent bullying!