THEME: CHOOSE RESPECT
Join us for Anti-Bullying Week 2024, themed “Choose Respect”. This planner is for school students in key stages 3 and 4, and it guides you through daily assemblies, lessons, and activities to help students interact with the term bullying, celebrate diversity, and learn conflict-resolution skills. It is a helpful resource to build a respectful, inclusive school community where everyone feels safe and valued.
Monday: Defining Bullying and Its Impacts
- Assembly: Introduction to Anti-Bullying Week
- Focus on types of bullying, statistics, and the effects on mental health and self-esteem.
- Short video or guest speaker sharing real-life experiences.
- Classroom Lesson: What is Bullying?
- Definitions, types of bullying, and common misconceptions.
- Discussion: What constitutes Bullying? How does Choosing Respect reduce Bullying?
- Activity: Antibullying Wall/Corner
- Children set up an Antibullying wall or corner in the classroom. Ask them to include images, key messages, and a clear definition for what constitutes bullying in the classroom and school.
Tuesday: Odd Socks Day Celebrate Uniqueness
- Assembly: “Uniqueness Makes Us Stronger”
- Have everyone come to school in different colours of socks. Display a slideshow of various celebrities, leaders, and characters with unique styles or backgrounds, then discuss how their differences contribute to their impact.
- Ask a student panel to share their experiences of being different from others and if this caused them to be treated differently.
- End with a message about how everyone deserves to be treated with respect regardless of their differences.
- Classroom Lesson: Diversity & Respect
- What is diversity? What is respect? How do these factors weigh in on bullying? How are we all different? How does this affect relationships and communication?
- Students share what makes them unique, followed by a group discussion on how these differences should be respected.
- Activity: Sock Photo Booth/Stand
- Set up a photo booth/stand to showcase the different pairs of socks (no faces included)that children wore to school.
- Print these and have them put up in classrooms or hallways
Wednesday: Communication & Conflict Resolution: Using Words Wisely
- Assembly: The Power of Words
- Discuss the role of communication in either building up or tearing down individuals.
- Role-play demonstration: Hurtful vs. respectful communication.
- Classroom Lesson: Conflict Resolution Skills
- Teach basic conflict resolution strategies (e.g., “I” statements, listening techniques).
- Small group practice: Students role-play common conflicts and practice respectful ways to resolve them (eg Active listening, use “I” statements, stay calm and take breaks, focus on behaviour not character, seek common ground, agree to disagree, don’t make things personal, reflect and learn).
- Activity: Choose Your Words
- Use any of the scenarios below as a worksheet for each group of students in the class.
- Divide students into groups and have them discuss how they would handle three different scenarios to prevent disrespect.
- Identify the point where things went wrong in each scenario and explore how to challenge respectfully.
- Encourage students to use their words and use tips from the classroom lesson for staying respectful during disagreements as a guide.
- Afterward, bring everyone back to share their insights on each scenario.
- Scenario 1: Classroom Participation Dispute: During a class discussion, Leah feels that Tom is monopolizing the conversation and not giving others a chance to speak. Leah raises her hand and waits to be called on, but Tom continues talking over her. Feeling frustrated, Leah says, “Tom, why do you always think you know everything?”
- Scenario 2: Group Study Miscommunication: Sarah and Alex are studying for a group project. Alex prefers working in silence, while Sarah likes discussing topics out loud. As they work, Sarah starts explaining concepts aloud, and Alex gets frustrated, saying, “Can you stop talking for once? You are so distracting!”
- Scenario 3: Friendship Misunderstanding: During lunch, Maya tells Jess about a personal problem, expecting support. Jess, who is distracted by her phone, replies with a casual comment. Maya feels hurt and says, “You never care about what I’m going through!”
Thursday : Allies, Bystanders, and Upstanders
- Assembly: Briefly define bystander, ally, and upstander. Share quick stories showing positive upstander behaviour. Invite three students to role-play a bullying situation; pause to discuss what each role can do. The key message should be: “You have the power to make a difference.” Encourage students to practise being an ally or upstander.
- Classroom Lesson – Learning to be an Ally and Upstander. Explain what it means to be an Ally, and Upstander. Share quick examples of bullying situations; ask students, “What would an ally or upstander do here?”. Groups suggest at least 5 bullying scenarios and brainstorm ways to respond as an ally or upstander. Each group shares their responses with the class. Students write down one way they will be an ally or upstander.
- Hands-On Activity: Create “Ally Action Cards.” Students write one thing they could say or do to support someone being bullied. Examples include: “Invite them to sit with you,” “Tell a teacher,” or “Say, ‘That’s not okay.’ Post these action cards around the room or on a “Support Wall” as a reminder for everyone.
Friday: Cyberbullying. Safe and Respectful Online Interactions
- Assembly: Define cyberbullying and share a quick statistic on its impact. Share a brief story of cyberbullying (anonymised) and its consequences. Present a scenario where a student experiences cyberbullying. Ask students what they would do to help or stop it. Emphasise respect online and encourage reporting or supporting those affected. Encourage students to share positive messages online or in person to support each other.
- Classroom Lesson: Introduce cyberbullying examples: mean comments, sharing private images, spreading rumours, etc. Ask, “What would you do in these situations?”. Groups discuss ways to protect themselves and others from cyberbullying, including safe online habits (like privacy settings and not sharing personal information). In pairs, students practise responses to cyberbullying (e.g., how to block/report or support a friend being bullied online). Students write down one online behaviour change they will make to promote kindness and safety.
- Hands-On Activity: Cyber Pledge Poster. Each student writes a personal pledge to prevent or stand up to cyberbullying. Examples: “I will not share hurtful messages,” “I will report bullying if I see it,” or “I will support friends affected by bullying.” Pledges are displayed on a “Cyber Pledge Wall” or shared in a digital class chat group.
End of Week Event. Activities that can be assigned a week prior to be presented at an after-school Anti-Bullying Week event on Friday:
- Review the week’s theme, “Choose Respect,” and the importance of a supportive school community.
- Each class has 5-10 minutes to present their unique anti-bullying project. Projects can range from skits, songs, panel discussions, painted murals, spoken word, or video presentations, all centred around respect and anti-bullying.
- School leadership presents “Anti-Bullying Champion” certificates to outstanding antibullying students.
- End with a Q and A session, and ask students to share one thing they will commit to doing differently after Anti-Bullying Week.
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