Each month, I get to go into classrooms for a lesson. I love this part of my job for many reasons, but one is that I get to interact with each student monthly.
Throughout first semester, we use the Second Step bullying curriculum for our lessons. So far, all grade levels have had a lesson on what bullying is and what to do if you see bullying. We consider bullying to be more than just someone being mean or arguing with someone else. For it to be considered bullying, it needs to happen more than once and be one-sided. Thus, two students would not “bully each other” because the implication is that both are being unkind. Rather that would be an argument/problem/conflict that needs to be resolved. Bullying is when one student continues to be unkind to another.
We discuss that you need to report bullying to an adult whether it happens to you or you are a bystander and see it happen to someone else. We have identified who those adults are that we could report to as well as practiced how to report bullying if we see it. Kindergarten through 2nd grade will be practicing how to refuse bullying during this month. Third through fifth grade, instead, will discuss and practice how to be a helpful, supportive bystander. As always, look for handouts to come home this month.