And fear is what teachers must address first. Encumbered with the fear is a sense of self-blame, the notion that If I do what the bully asks, he won t pick on me. It s not your responsibility to make this kid happy. Teachers can then enlist other students to help support a victim on the playground or when he s walking to and from school. They respond positively to such requests.
Victims are often loners, unsure of ways they can surround themselves with children to stay safe.
First I talk about what a bully is. Then I ask what they can do when they are bullied. I want them to come up with choices. I teach them to ignore, to break eye contact, turn their bodies and walk away. Or I teach them to ask the bully to stop.