BULLYING
Each school day, 160.000 students in the United States stay home for fear of being bullied. They are scared to go to school. That means those students lose the opportunity to learn. It is every student’s right to feel safe –and to be safe- in school.
What is bullying?
How does bullying make you feel?
Why do people bully?
How is someone bullied?
Physical bullying: kicking, hitting, stealing or damaging their belongings.
Verbal bullying : name calling, taunting, threats and making offensive remarks.
Social bullying : spreading nasty stories about someone, gossiping and excluding people from social groups like games.
Cyber bullying : sending nasty emails, texts or making nasty phone calls, posting photos, videos, stories that ridicule someone or spreading rumors online
Bullies often think that bullying is a way to become popular. They usually look for someone's attention. They always want to make themselves very important.
They often say mean things about someone or leave someone out of the group on purpose.They make fun of others or call them names.
What can we do if we are bullied or if someone is being bullied?
BULLYING WHY ME?
Read the following extracts from a magazine problem page.
There’s a gang of kids at my school who are making my life hell. A few weeks ago they asked me for money. I
said No, but then they pushed me and hit me. Like a fool, I gave them my bus fare and so I had to walk home. But that was only the start of it. Every day after that they asked for more. I had to take money from my mum’s purse to pay them. Now I can’t face them anymore. I haven’t been to school for over a week. I’m so afraid of them! I’ve got fever and I throw up everything I eat. I just can’t stop wondering “why me”?! What should I do? I can´t talk to anyone else about my problem. Please help me.
Robert, Edinburgh
Some time ago I had an eating disorder and I put on a lot of weight. Since then my life has never been the same again. My schoolmates are always making nasty comments on my weight and some of their jokes are rather cruel. I feel helpless and lonely. I mean, I still have some of my old friends, but I feel that I am not as accepted as I was when I “looked good”.
Sometimes I’m just too embarrassed to be around people. Last month I asked this boy in my class to the dance. He said yes, but the next day he dumped me. I heard later that he had said it was because I was a fatso. What should I do? Please help me!
“Desperate”, Liverpool
Find evidence in Desperate’s text for the following:
1. Desperate’s life changed because of her weight problem. ____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
2. She hasn´t got any friends. ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
3. She doesn’t feel at ease when she is near other people. ______________________________________
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Reread both texts and answer these questions.
1. Why did the bullies hit Robert? _______________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do you think Robert wrote to this magazine instead of talking to his mom or his teacher? ______
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3. What type of bullying is Desperate victim of? Account for your answer. _______________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
4. How does she feel about it? ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________
5. What does Desperate mean by saying that she is not as accepted as she was when she “looked good”?
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6. Did she get to go to the dance with the boy she invited? Why/ Why not?
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Make a poster against bullying. Here are some examples:
