Chapters 7, 8, & 9

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved as he who helps to perpetrate it." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

     So begins Chapter 7 of the "anti-bullying" book. In this passage, there is a lot of discussion about the role of the bystander. Life is so ironic sometimes as Morgan and I were discussing (Tuesday--she had reread Night by Elie Weisel) how the Germans and Poles stood by and did nothing while Hitler and his goons put to death 6,000,000 people. How did this happen? In the same way we inoculate ourselves to bullying today (remember the Nazis didn't begin with the Death Camps but they started out as a bunch of bullies). Now I'm not saying that every child who bullies will grow up and become a Nazi. I am saying we MUST model and teach our children (and ourselves) not to ignore bullying behavior (yes, I'm reading these posts Robbie, Macie, Jean! Plus nobody better cut in front of any of you in line when I'm there!!! I won't be silent on your behalf. LOL). I also love the place in the book where it states, "People don't get others in trouble. A person gets in trouble due to his/her own actions." And finally, the chapter ends with another quote from Dr. King, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." It is our bound duty to our KES children to create a culture of involvement and an environment of safety. That's why we must teach them to speak up and speak up correctly for one another. . . .

Finish reading chapters 7, 8, and 9. Feel free to utilize one (or more ) of the activities in the chapters in either your Morning Meeting or in some way throughout the school day. Blog about the experience (good or bad!). No bullying here!

Chapters 5 & 6

What is the most Powerful Practice out of Teaching Assertiveness and Responding to a Bully for your students? Why? Is there anything you think wouldn't work with your students in either chapter? Why/why not?

Chapters 3 & 4

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2095385_2096859,00.html

Read chapters 3 and 4 as well as the article above from Time magazine (it's short). I had someone I really admire say to me the other day that the "only reason KES is undertaking a study on bullying is for the PR it generates." While I never think positive PR is a bad thing, I think the quote on p. 62 is more to the point of why we are undertaking this study. "Sixty percent of those characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had at least ONE criminal conviction by age twenty-four." (Olweus, 1993) Wow, if that doesn't take your breath, nothing will. I believe it is our duty to teach our children they cannot, they must not bully one another. Combine what you learn from the article and the chapters and write a few sentences about your learning. Remember to respond to one another. What activities from the chapters did you try successfully/unsuccessfully with your class?

Chapters 1 & 2

Read Chapters 1 & 2 of the book. I am unwilling to try any of the scenarios with our children because of their ages (I can just hear, "Mrs. So-So almost hit Will in 1st grade today" YIKES! I understand that the author is trying to get us to build trust (chapter 1) but with the ages of our children, I'm unwilling to go there. Anyone think these situations are a good idea???? (Oh come on! Someone disagree, try it and tell me how wrong I am.) Did you try the 5 Steps to Conflict Resolution in your classroom/library/room? Why or why not? What else interesting came out of the chapters for you?

Remember to read and respond to what others are posting. . . .