How To Stop A Bully (with lesson plan)

In this video lesson, the girl called me an idiot, and I initially got upset and responded with anger. We then reset and played the scenario again, but this time, when they called me an idiot, I remained calm and kind.

I demonstrated two ways to respond to an aggressor: the wrong way is to get upset, which gives the bully power. The right way is to stay calm and not let their words affect you, which takes away their power.

I explained Izzy Kalman's method to stop a bully by teaching students that bullying is about dominance and power imbalance. By not reacting emotionally, you win the game, and the aggressor loses interest. This approach is simple: don't get upset, and the dominance behavior (a.k.a. bothering) will eventually stop. However, I also clarified that physical violence is different and should be treated as a crime.

Lesson Plan: How To Stop A Bully

Duration: 1 hour

Objectives:

• Students will understand the concept of bullying as dominance behavior.
• Students will learn strategies to respond to verbal bullying.
• Students will be able to differentiate between bullying and criminal behavior.
• Students will develop mental resilience and understand the importance of not reacting emotionally to bullying.

Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector and screen
• Role-play scenario cards

Lesson Outline:

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Warm-up Activity: Start with a brief discussion about what bullying is. Ask students to share their own definitions and experiences.
2. Objective Overview: Explain the objectives of the lesson. Emphasize the focus on understanding bullying as dominance behavior and learning strategies to deal with it.

Video Viewing and Discussion (15 minutes)

1. Video Viewing: Show the video "How To Stop A Bully".
2. Class Discussion: Discuss the key points from the video.
   • What did they notice about the interactions?
   • How did the dominator try to gain power?
   • How did the target respond effectively?

Teaching the Concept (10 minutes)

1. Dominance Behavior Explanation: Explain that bullying is a form of dominance behavior, similar to the animal kingdom's alpha mentality.
2. Imbalance of Power: Discuss how bullying involves an imbalance of power where one person tries to dominate another.
3. Experts’ Agreement: Highlight that experts agree on this imbalance of power as a core component of bullying.

Role-Playing Activity (15 minutes)

1. Role-Play Setup: Divide the class into small groups. Provide each group with role-play scenario cards based on the video (e.g., verbal insults, responses).
2. Role-Play Execution: Have each group act out their scenario. Encourage students to practice staying calm and not getting upset.
3. Feedback Session: After each role-play, discuss as a class what strategies were used and how effective they were.

Mental Toughness Training (10 minutes)

1. Mental Resilience: Discuss the concept of mental toughness and how not reacting emotionally can disarm a dominator.
2. Strategies: Teach students specific phrases and behaviors to use when confronted with verbal bullying (e.g., “That’s nice,” "So," “Thanks for the information,” etc.).
3. Practice: Have students practice these responses in pairs.

Closing and Reflection (10 minutes)

1. Summary of Key Points: Recap the lesson’s main ideas:
   • Bullying is dominance behavior.
   • Responding calmly can disarm the dominator.
   • Physical violence is not bullying; it’s a crime and should be reported.
2. Reflection: Ask students to reflect on what they learned and how they can apply it in their own lives.
3. Q&A: Open the floor for any questions or additional discussion.

Assessment:

• Participation in Discussions and Activities: Evaluate students based on their engagement and contributions during discussions and role-plays.
• Reflection: Collect written reflections to assess their understanding of the concepts taught.

Extensions:

• Follow-Up Lessons: Consider follow-up lessons on empathy, kindness, and building supportive peer relationships.
• School-Wide Campaign: Initiate a school-wide anti-bullying campaign where students can create posters, skits, or presentations to spread awareness.

This lesson plan aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand and address bullying, fostering a safer and more supportive school environment.