An interactive group presentation designed to help children develop the appropriate vocabulary to understand and deal with bullying and other social issues. Children are introduced to roles and emotional responses associated with bullying and offered appropriate and compassionate ways to deal with bullying. Students will have an opportunity to role play and share their ideas and strategies. There is also a discussion of the difference between accidents that may happen and bullying.

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*Kindergarten presentation is NOT available in virtual format

During this interactive group assembly, students are introduced to key ideas, terms, and concepts associated with bullying. We start with defining bullying and explaining how it is different than other social problems because it: involves a power imbalance, is repetitive, and intentional. We then use
scenarios to practice identifying these characteristics and ensure they understand and can explain them. The different roles students play in bullying are discussed and the inadvertent support students provide bullies by laughing along, spreading rumors, and joining in are considered.
Basic information about cyberbullying was presented, such as the concept that using disrespectful language toward others online can be very damaging and hurtful and others can see what you do online. The presentation concluds with ideas of how they can get or offer help if they or someone they know is struggling. We offer compassionate strategies for coping with social problems and offering support to friends and classmates and encourage students to talk about bullying and other problems because that is the only way they can get help.

This assembly is designed to help students define and understand bullying, cyberbullying, and relational aggression (aka the "little stuff"). Students learn about the differences between conflict, drama, and bullying and are given language to receive and offer help when needed. The challenges of online communication are explored and online safety is discussed. Students are educated about the dangers of disclosing too much online, e.g. sending or posting inappropriate photos, and the concept of a digital footprint is introduced. Students will gain awareness about how serious and hurtful words and actions online can be. We talk about gaming, social media, and the impacts of technology on their behaviors and relationships and they are given practical advice for avoiding and/or deescalating problems online. Concrete tools and tips for dealing with bullies and other social problems in school and online are presented.

This assembly addresses issues of bullying, cyberbullying, and relational aggression. The differences between bullying/cyberbullying and other social problems are discussed. We explain how communication online is different than in person and how that can make it easier for small problems to escalate. Students gain awareness of how social cruelty can negatively impact the school environment and their social lives. Digital communications and behaviors are also discussed in detail including topics such as: the absence of privacy online, how digital communications can increase the likelihood of miscommunications and often lead to the escalation of social problems, and the potential consequences of sharing photos online. Practical tools and tips for interacting online and concrete strategies for how to best deal with bullying, cyberbullying, and conflict are provided to students.

Our research indicates that by the late middle school years, most bullying has an online component, and this assembly focuses on the impacts of social media and technology in students’ social lives. We explain the difference between bullying, fighting, and other social issues. The challenges of communicating online are discussed in detail. We focus on: miscommunications, the escalation of problems online, the lack of privacy in digital spaces, the ways that technology can “trick us” into spending time online, and how social media can lead to negative social comparisons and unrealistic expectations. We also discuss the pressures that can be felt around sharing photos (aka sexting) and engaging in damaging online behaviors. This presentation leaves students with practical tools and tips for interacting online as well as concrete strategies for how to best deal with bullying and cyberbullying situations.

This assembly discusses cyberbullying and the safe use of technology in greater detail than the other student assemblies. There is a growing trend among older students to use technology as a way to bully. The assembly is designed to educate students about the potential consequences of their online behavior on themselves, their families, and their communities. Students are asked to begin thinking about the impression they leave with others based on their profiles, words, and behavior online. An especially important point for this age group is to discuss how their online choices can impact their future (i.e. college acceptance, job opportunities) and their friendships. There are many misconceptions among this age group about online “privacy.” Privacy issues are explored in detail, with an emphasis on social networking sites and sexting. Students are offered advice on how to handle bullying and cyberbullying situations for themselves, their friends, and their classmates.