This week I have dealt with so many incidence of bullying. I don’t know if the extended winter weather which has contributed to the lack of outside time has contributed to this rise of mean-ness or if there is something “in the water”.
I am the type of person to confront a problem head-on. I refuse to skirt around the issue and whisper about it or, like some refuse to even acknowledge its existence. I chose several pieces throughout literature and social studies that highlight “hate” to get the students to talking about where hate comes from and what will or how can we put an end to it.
A couple of the things we analyzed in class this week were “Mean” by Taylor Swift, “A Place at the Table” by Teaching Tolerance, and “The Boy in Striped Pajamas”. We also looked at events that have taken place recently involving a student in Asheville which gained national attention and a student from Forsyth County, North Carolina who attempted suicide because of the bullying he endured. Our school also had a special assembly on Friday afternoon which was presented by the GNCC racers. The message delivered by the GNCC racers to the students revolved around getting along and working together as opposed to working against one another.
So, with all the programs that we offer and all the anti-bullying messages that we send out to our students’ everyday one must ask where is it coming from. The answer is fairly simple I am afraid, this week two teachers were verbally assaulted by parents for enforcing the rules. We now live in a society where police officers are constantly under attack for enforcing the law and teachers are under attack for enforcing the rules, however both are blamed when the impending offender crosses the line into someone else’s personal space causing harm. Such actions could cause one to become cynical especially considering I was one of the teachers who came under attack for enforcing the rules. However, I have faith in humanity and the actions of the people that followed only solidified my faith.
So, where does it end? How do we break this cycle of hatred and violence? Simple, show acts of kindness. Instead of retaliating (a.k.a. Returning one act of hate with another) return it with an act of kindness. Let children see you model appropriate behavior; be an example. Many children in today's world do not have positive examples in their life. Let's face it, there are fewer and fewer to be found in mass media today, fewer acts of kindness and bravery and perseverance make the news while more and more acts of selflessness are displayed.
You have the option to choose how you respond to adversity. You can choose to respond with grace or you can choose to respond in alternate methods. The same day I came under fire by a parent I had already been the target of an angry student who told me, "Mrs. Bradshaw, your mean and I don't like you anymore." I nodded, walked to my desk, sat down and penned this not. "Yes, I am M-aking E-xcellence A N-ecessity, but I still love you." I walked over to the angry students desk laid the note down, smiled and walked away. The young man immediately began to soften his anger and by the end of the day his anger was gone. On Monday, this same young man wrote the best thing he has written for me all year, a poem about his deceased grandmother. I have never seen him more focused and dedicated to his work. I don't know if it was our encounter that prompted his newfound interest or if it was the lesson on imagery, maybe I will never know.
Be the change that you want to see in the world today. It starts with you!
I am the type of person to confront a problem head-on. I refuse to skirt around the issue and whisper about it or, like some refuse to even acknowledge its existence. I chose several pieces throughout literature and social studies that highlight “hate” to get the students to talking about where hate comes from and what will or how can we put an end to it.
A couple of the things we analyzed in class this week were “Mean” by Taylor Swift, “A Place at the Table” by Teaching Tolerance, and “The Boy in Striped Pajamas”. We also looked at events that have taken place recently involving a student in Asheville which gained national attention and a student from Forsyth County, North Carolina who attempted suicide because of the bullying he endured. Our school also had a special assembly on Friday afternoon which was presented by the GNCC racers. The message delivered by the GNCC racers to the students revolved around getting along and working together as opposed to working against one another.
So, with all the programs that we offer and all the anti-bullying messages that we send out to our students’ everyday one must ask where is it coming from. The answer is fairly simple I am afraid, this week two teachers were verbally assaulted by parents for enforcing the rules. We now live in a society where police officers are constantly under attack for enforcing the law and teachers are under attack for enforcing the rules, however both are blamed when the impending offender crosses the line into someone else’s personal space causing harm. Such actions could cause one to become cynical especially considering I was one of the teachers who came under attack for enforcing the rules. However, I have faith in humanity and the actions of the people that followed only solidified my faith.
So, where does it end? How do we break this cycle of hatred and violence? Simple, show acts of kindness. Instead of retaliating (a.k.a. Returning one act of hate with another) return it with an act of kindness. Let children see you model appropriate behavior; be an example. Many children in today's world do not have positive examples in their life. Let's face it, there are fewer and fewer to be found in mass media today, fewer acts of kindness and bravery and perseverance make the news while more and more acts of selflessness are displayed.
You have the option to choose how you respond to adversity. You can choose to respond with grace or you can choose to respond in alternate methods. The same day I came under fire by a parent I had already been the target of an angry student who told me, "Mrs. Bradshaw, your mean and I don't like you anymore." I nodded, walked to my desk, sat down and penned this not. "Yes, I am M-aking E-xcellence A N-ecessity, but I still love you." I walked over to the angry students desk laid the note down, smiled and walked away. The young man immediately began to soften his anger and by the end of the day his anger was gone. On Monday, this same young man wrote the best thing he has written for me all year, a poem about his deceased grandmother. I have never seen him more focused and dedicated to his work. I don't know if it was our encounter that prompted his newfound interest or if it was the lesson on imagery, maybe I will never know.
Be the change that you want to see in the world today. It starts with you!