Character education attacks bullying. Why? Isn’t bullying just a part of growing up? Don’t you remember when you were a bully – or the victim of a bully? Bullying is commonplace. In the United States alone, statistics tell us that 16 percent of students are involved in bullying. Of that proportion, nine percent are victims and the other seven percent are bullies. Statistics also show that 60 percent of those bullies will have criminal records by the time they are 24 years old. Character educators know that they can make an enormous difference by attacking bullying with character.
Character education attacks bullying by immersing all students totally in an understanding of “courage”. When I say “courage”, I am referring to the courage of one’s convictions. Young people on both sides of the bullying equation need to develop the courage of their convictions. Young people who are on the sidelines, and not actively involved in bullying also need to build the courage of their convictions.
Character education attacks bullying with courage because young people who have convictions, and stand firm on those convictions, are far more likely to shun bullying. Young people with courage are far more likely to stand up to peer pressure that bolsters bullying actions.
Researchers tell us that bullies are children and teens who are aggressive in nature. They consider cruelty, fighting, and violence appropriate ways of relating to those around them. There are many ideas about why this is so, but we should focus on the fact that bullies hold this view.
The problem of aggression is usually rooted in a lack of moral convictions. If, therefore, we help all of our children and teens develop high quality convictions, and act on those convictions with courage, we will do much to conquer bullying.
Imagine that you are a parent or teacher of children in the preschool or lower elementary grades. You begin by reading your children a book such as Katie Kangaroo’s Leap of Courage. You discuss the meaning of courage as defined in the book: courage of convictions. You teach them to sing about courage. You do a craft – a take home reminder. You do activities that focus on courage. For a week or two – or even a month - you immerse those children in the character trait: “courage”. You marinate them in it. You model courage of convictions, and award children who model it. You talk about courage in relationship with bullying. You point out that bullies lack convictions, and lack courage. No bully wants to be thought of as lacking courage, so you make it clear that this is the case. You help the children list good convictions. You show them how to act on those. You motivate them to embrace courage.
Teachers and parents of upper elementary children can do much the same using the springboard of a book such as Surprise at Pearl Harbor. You give yourself totally and completely to making sure that these young people understand fully what courage of convictions means. You hang “courage posters” around the room and motivate students with “courage badges“. You make sure that at least once an hour, there is some clear mention of courage of convictions.
Teenagers can do much more on their own. I recommend the teen novel Passport to Courage to launch a study with teens. You might even couple it with the how-to book entitled Courage to be sure you hit every maturity level. Teens will readily recognize the bullying that forced Andrew to commit crime. They will jump into lively discussions about the bullying activity and its results. Teenagers can prepare skits that demonstrate courage attacking bullying – and coming out victorious.
Character education attacks bullying with courage of convictions first. Make sure every child or teenager with whom you work knows what it means to have convictions. Help them develop clear, topnotch convictions. Then help them build the courage of those convictions. You will find that many bullies will begin to turn aside from their aggressive ways. Many non-bullies will be less vulnerable.
In my next entry, we will look at a second character trait that attacks bullying.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?
I am stunned that the percentage of people involved in bullying is that low, even when only counting the bullies and the bullied. The truth is, as you mention in your post, that bullying is much more than a problem between two people. The reason bullying is successful is the people who stand around and let it happen. They give the audience that the bully requires. The simple courage to tell the bully that it’s not okay from a stranger in the crowd is often enough to stop the practice right there. This is the current method for dealing with bullying in the summer camp world - educating all the children that it is up to everyone to denounce bullying, not just those being bullied.