Focus on Bullying: A Prevention Program for Elementary - Education

We’re going to practise ignoring teasing by saying aloud what our thoughts might
be that will help us ignore the teasing or put-downs.
� Model the process, such as: I will stay calm and concentrate on what I’m doing.
I will breathe slowly so that I don’t get mad.” When someone says to me, “You
look funny.” I’ll think, “I like the way I look.”
� Choose 3 or 4 situations from the following list; or have students choose.
Brainstorm put-ups for each situation and record the students’ ideas on the
board.
• Someone says you smell funny .
• A classmate calls you sissy .
• A student on the playground says your clothes are funny .
• Someone makes weird faces at you.
• A boy calls you stupid.
• A girl calls you a scaredy cat.
• Someone says that your new glasses look weird.
• A classmate says that your writing is terrible.
• Your sister calls you lazy .
• Some kids mak e hissing noises as you walk by .
� Choose one of the “put-ups” and model it for the class using a “thought bubble.”
A “thought bubble” is made from a piece of card stock, mounted on a stick,
held beside the head to indicate that what the person says is thoughts, rather
than speech.
Additional Activities
❑ Have students make comic strips to illustrate “bubble thinking” as
individuals use put-ups to help them ignore bullying situations. Each
comic could include a person who is bullying by making a put-down
statement and the person being bullied ignoring and thinking a put-up.
❑ Ask students to write about a time they were able to ignore teasing
or bullying and explain what the result was.
Assessment Strategy
❑ Collect students’ comic strips and look for evidence that students
understand the concept of put-ups to counter bullying.
❑ Have students use their journals to write about how ignoring bullying
and using put-ups would make them feel. Look for evidence that
they are able to articulate their feelings.
Module C: Dealing With Bullying 297