Bullying the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others. Bullying is aggressive physical contact, words or actions to cause another person injury or discomfort. Bullying is an intentional behavior that hurts, harms, or humiliates a student, either physically or emotionally, and can happen while at school, in the community, or online.
This is serious business. And I have seen it, heard it, and been told about these things happening too often in not just my school, my grade level, but mostly my classroom. Many students from my room are the culprits behind these cruel acts of bullying.
I am at a loss for words. I have preached kindness, modeled kindness and respect, and have implemented team building relationship activities all school year long. In fact, the very first DAY of school we did one of these activities! Yet all year long, I have dealt with rudeness directed towards myself, other students, and other staff, verbal and physical assault, name calling, belittling, and threats.
With actions of violence in schools being on the rise, I call out to parents and the community for help. Talk with kids, model appropriate behavior, stress the importance of being a KIND human being and world citizen. I beg administration to implement consequences beyond loss of recess for students who behave in such a way, to push for staff to treat each other and students with the same respect we ask them to give us.
Changes need to be made to help our kids deal with the ever changing and complicated society that exists not just outside the doors of our front house, but also the world inside the technological devices that are glued in everyones hands. Its scary, its dangerous, and it has the potential to do more harm than good.
I am better than no one else and no one else is better than me.