Erase Meanness in School

Have you ever been teased at school or picked on by a bully? It’s NOT a good feeling. Help end mean behaviors by starting a campaign to erase meanness.

• 1.

  Bullies are usually mean because teasing and namecalling (or worse) makes them feel more important. Students form cliques so they have a place to fit in at school. Many children are picked on or feel left out every day. What rules does your school have about how students and staff are expected to treat each other?

• 2.

  You can do something more to stop the meanness! First, you can set a good example of how to treat others. You can also start a campaign to identify how to be kind to others and the best ways to react to bullies. Here’s one action you can take to help erase meanness. You and your classmates can generate many great ideas!

• 3.

  Choose a positive behavior, such as how to be a good friend, to illustrate on a poster. Use Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils on white paper to highlight your message. It is easy to erase color to create details and special effects, either with white space or by filling in with another color.

• 4.

  Make a border with vivid colors and erase out a design. Add a message to your poster using active, positive words that encourage kindness. Use your poster to start discussions with classmates on creating a friendlier atmosphere within your school.

Benefits

• Students feel safer when they express their feelings about bullying and realize that school staff are available to support them.
• Students identify social skills, such as conflict resolution techniques, that can help them be successful in their social relationships at school.
• Students creatively express their ideas with a miniposter that advocates ending meanness in school.

Adaptations

• Children with special needs may prefer to experiment with the eraser first. Try posterboard or other stiff, slick papers for easy erasing. They may also benefit by making lists together and then choosing a topic from the list to illustrate.
• In small groups, role play possible responses to acceptable and unacceptable behaviors so you can plan how to react in different situations.
• Identify hurtful situations, categorize them, and develop coping strategies for each situation. Develop a friendship contract for everyone in your class to sign.
• Assessment: Look for high levels of student participation in the discussion and poster to assess understanding of the issues and commitment to work toward more positive social behaviors.