In the Spotlight this week, we’re featuring a lesson on bullying from our Grammar School section. The subject of bullying is extremely important these days, especially now that kids have to deal with a new form of bullying: cyberbullying. After you try our featured lesson Being Brave: Gerunds and Infinitives and review these important rules about gerunds and infinitives, try the following activity.

What Is a Bully?

First, make sure your students understand what bullying really is. Many kids don’t realize that their mean behavior toward others can be classified as bullying. For example, my son and his friend were chanting “Do it! Do it! Do it!” to a neighborhood boy recently when he didn’t want to jump out of a tree in our park. When I told them that ganging up on the boy and chanting was a form of bullying, they felt terrible, and promised to never use that chant again. They’ve learned all about bullying at school, and never imagined themselves as bullies.

While a bully is someone who hurts someone intentionally and repeatedly, bullying can happen quite innocently on the playground or when kids get together for a party or event. Kids may need to be reminded that bullying can be verbal as well as physical.

Ask your students to help you define the word bully. Here is a definition in easy English:

A bully is a person who acts in a mean way towards another person. The bully scares, threatens, or hurts the other person. Bullies aren’t always bigger or stronger than their victims. A bully may use his or her age, strength, social status, or intelligence to make another person feel weaker. A bully isn’t always a kid. Adults are sometimes bullies to each other or to kids. Bullies don’t always work alone.

Is He/She a Bully?

Remind your kids that they should report bullies to teachers or parents. Here is a little checklist they can review.

Is he trying to hurt another person physically? (more…)