Laughing Leopard Blog

October- Bats, Brooms, and Bullying

10/10/2016

Fear

It drives us; drives us to succeed, drives us to fail, drives us to run, and drives us to stay. Fear can be our best friend, prompting us to flee when we sense danger, or our greatest enemy, paralyzing us into a state of helplessness. Fear can inspire us to work harder than we ever thought we could, and it can cause us to act against our own self interest and even the interests of others.

It is this dichotomy that has inspired society’s fascination with the topic. Strangely, the same biological response which causes us to shake in our boots also provides a sort of high, and countless TV shows, films, and books have been created to draw out and exploit that shivery feeling. There is, perhaps, no better example of this than the month of October and its 30 day fear fest leading up to Halloween. During this season, we not only enjoy being afraid—we actually pay for it!

Fittingly, October—a month that is all about fear—is also National Bullying Prevention Month, a time when awareness is brought to a very frightening topic. There are myriad causes of bullying behavior—lack of empathy, pain, a need for attention, a power struggle—the list goes on. However, when examined more closely, many of these motivations can be boiled down to one root: fear.

Photo via http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/unity-day.asp

You see, fear is a master of disguise. It hides behind bravado, prejudice, and violence, fueling these harmful actions so quietly that it is often ignored and thus allowed to fester.

From bully to victim and everyone in between, bullying is riddled with fear. The children who are bullied are afraid of harm, their parents are afraid of doing the wrong thing and seeing their child hurt, bystanders are afraid of becoming outcasts or being bullied in return, and children who bully act largely out of underlying fear. While it may express itself in many ways, it is indeed fear which often drives bullying scenarios.

But why does any of this matter?

Until we recognize the root cause of bullying, we will continue to simply treat symptoms, never truly eradicating the problem.

Giving children bullying-solving skills may work for a while, but when fear crops up, if they don’t have the tools to properly recognize and address that fear, they will very likely succumb to it. Fear is designed to keep us safe so, unless we understand where it is coming from, we will have a difficult time turning it off.

While rationalizing through fear is difficult for anyone, it is especially difficult for children. One portion of the brain which plays a significant role in our bodies’ response to fear is the prefrontal cortex. It is this part which interprets the event we are experiencing and compares it to past experiences, helping you decide the level of threat and appropriate response. However, many studies have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the rationalizing part of our brain, doesn’t fully form until age 25.

This means that an elementary aged child is going to have greater difficulty rationalizing the reasoning behind and consequences of his bullying behavior. One way you can help create context for your students is through reading. Studies show reading fiction helps develop empathy, which is recognized as a core life skill and the foundation for sound relationships and classroom climate. Additionally, books provide entertaining and safe ways for children to explore emotions and consequences, storing these lessons away for a later time.

Picture books, such as The Weird Series, by Erin Frankel and This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos, are excellent examples of books that help students identify and work through the fear behind bullying and standing up to bullying. By reading why these characters might be bullying or why other students are standing by, students are given a framework of reasoning on which they can later build using their own experiences.

Another way to help your students recognize the fear driving their bullying is to provide a visual aid that helps them walk through the steps we take mentally when dealing with fear. On a sheet of paper, have your students draw a picture of a bullying scenario. Ask the students to create a general caption written in the first person, such as "I pushed Jane".

Next to the picture’s caption, write “I did this because…”. With the students, look at the drawings and talk about what that “because” might be. Maybe the answer is “I didn’t like her”. Draw this out, as well. Next to the new caption write”…because…” again, prompting the child to explain why he or she doesn’t like the other child. Perhaps it is because she is new. From there, write “I didn’t like that she was new because…” And onward until the true reason, “I was afraid she would take away all my friends. I was afraid I would be all alone”, comes out. Now that the root fear has been identified, you can begin to discuss solutions to the fear.

Coping With Fear

In addition to helping children recognize their fear, it’s important to provide coping skills to deal with those fears in a healthy way as well as work to create an environment of safety.

Let your students know that they can talk to you about anything without fear of punishment. If you are able, set aside time to check in with each child for a minute or two each week to talk through any issues they might be having or to offer some words of encouragement. Even taking the time to write a small positive word for each child on his or her desk daily can have an enormous impact on the classroom climate. When students feel accepted and important, they will be less likely to feel the fears that lead to bullying.

Establishing a classroom routine can go a long way towards creating an environment that feels safe and comfortable, as well. Edutopia.com suggests posting student work throughout the classroom. This provides a sense of ownership of the space as well as pride in the work they have accomplished.

Finally, one of the best ways to cope with fear is to talk about it. Talk with your students about why they find the situation frightening. What is being done to prevent it from happening? What steps can be taken to bring about a solution if the frightening situation does occur? This helps students take control of their fear and provides positive tools for confronting it.

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Bullying is a complex issue. Not only do factors outside of fear contribute to bullying, overcoming fear is a process that will not happen overnight. These are simply suggestions to help you begin searching beyond the surface of bullying and bystander behavior to heal the root of the problem rather than the visible weed of actions it produces.

Fear isn’t all bad. In fact, it can be very good and even entertaining. That’s what Halloween is all about, right? So, this October, this month in which we recognize fear, both good and bad, let’s try to build environments in which everyone feels safe and cared for and may the scariest thing in your classroom be the ghost on the door!

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chocolate covered bullying, pretzel treats to accompany picture book This is A. Blob, L.A. Kefalos, blog cover

When the mask won't come off, blog cover

This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos picture book cover

Books are excellent tools for helping children build empathy and become upstanders! This is A. Blob is a masterfully illustrated picture book suitable for children ages 4-8. Written by Lori Kefalos, author of several award-nominated animated shorts, This is A. Blob is the first of a series following this bully. This first installment follows the antics of A. Blob, a slimy, purple, blob-like creature who wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that there might be more to A. Blob than meets the eye. Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another. The book demonstrates that a bully can come in any shape, size, or color and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.

A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos picture book cover

BOOK 2 NOW AVAILABLE!
A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand.

Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series!

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When the Mask Won't Come Off...Mask Craft and Lesson

11/5/2015

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It is now November, which means that Halloween, along with its candy, costumes, and masks, is officially over.

But when the candy is eaten and the costumes exchanged for pajamas, do the masks really come off?

Yes, the physical ones, the ones we can see, come off, but what about the ones we can’t see? The smiles and the toughness that hide pain and fear? Sadly, these masks do not go away when Halloween is over. Instead, they are worn on the faces of children throughout the school year as they deal with bullying, troubles at home, and other difficult issues...

While children can typically identify when someone is angry or upset, they may find it difficult to understand that the emotion one is displaying may not be the emotion one is feeling and may in fact be the result of a different emotion. Victims of bullying often fake smiles, and bullies themselves wear masks of toughness to cover their pain and confusion. Helping our children understand this is a big step towards ending bullying. When kids grasp that problems have roots and that there may be more to a person or situation than meets the eye, then they are in a better position to begin identifying and working through those issues and understanding their peers.

Because this is such a vital lesson, the earlier it is taught, the better. To help children learn that sometimes one emotion or attitude is hiding another, we have created a fun mask-making craft! This craft has been designed to go along with the reading of the picture book This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos, however, it can be modified to fit with your current lesson. This is A. Blob follows a sticky, purple blob named A. Blob, that wreaks havoc on the playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, readers learn there may be more to A. Blob than first meets the eye. Not only does the book show bullying from the perspective of both bully and victim, it was written specifically for younger children, making it a perfect intro to the topic of bullying and emotional masks. To read a longer review, check out our previous blog, In a New Light.

Let’s get started!

Materials

I chose fairly basic materials so that this craft could be easily mastered by young children, but feel free to adapt to your tastes and the needs of your classroom!

You'll need:

A copy of This is A. Blob
Paper Plates
Markers
Popsicle sticks
Any other decorations you would like (feathers, glitter, buttons, googly eyes, etc.)

Instructions

The kids won’t be making their masks until later, but this lesson calls for yours to be made at the beginning, so I’ll go ahead and insert instructions here:

You will be making an additional mask to help start the lesson:

Print off a picture of A. Blob when it is angry, and another when it is sad (Angry/Sad A. Blob Picture)
Glue one picture to the front of a paper plate and another to the back of the plate
Glue/tape a popsicle stick to your plate to give the mask a handle

Now the instructions for the regular masks:
On each side of a paper plate, draw a face featuring the emotions of your choice. For the purpose of this activity, I would suggest using opposite emotions, such as happy and sad, or angry and sad.

Decorate the plate/mask to your taste
Tape, glue, or hot glue a popsicle stick to the bottom of the plate to give your mask a handle

That’s it!

The Lesson

First, read This is A. Blob out loud to the class. Discuss what it means to be a bully and why they think A. Blob is a bully. Encourage the students to connect A. Blob and its story to real-life people and situations.

Introduce the idea of emotional masks to the children. Bring out the mask with A. Blob on it. Hold up the side with the angry face and have the students describe you: what are you feeling? What assumptions might be made about your personality? Then flip the mask around and ask the same question. Remind the students that both faces are part of the same mask and the same character.

book art found at http://hubpages.com/art/altered-books-inspiration-and-ideas

Next, explain how we all sometimes wear emotional masks because we are too afraid or hurt to show our real emotions. Explain how we must be careful not to judge a book by its cover, or a face by its mask.

To illustrate further, have the students make their own masks. On one side, show an emotion such as a smile or anger and on the other side, show the emotion that is being masked. Have students show their masks to the class and explain why they chose these emotions and these masks. Talk about what situations might cause a person to use an emotional mask. To help drive these ideas home, have the students do some role play.

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This is the basic outline of the craft and lesson. The wonderful thing about this craft is that it can take so many different directions and can be used with just about any age. The masks can be as simple or as complex as you would like, the role playing can span one day or multiple days, and the masks themselves can be utilized as a tool to help students sort through their emotions and the emotions of others throughout the school year.

If you try this out in your classroom, share pictures of your masks and let us know how you used them in your lesson!

Bullying: October's Other Scary Theme, blog cover

11 easy ways to make labor day, neighbor day; blog day

A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand.

Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series

Before it was on a bus, A. Blob was on the playground. This first installment of The Blob Series follows the antics of A. Blob, as it wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that A. Blob may have more than meets the eye.

Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help

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Bullying: October’s Other Scary Theme

10/7/2015

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Photo credit: Craig Dingle

When most people think of October, Halloween and scary masks are some of the first things that come to mind. However, October is also a month to recognize a far more frightening reality: Bullying. October 1st marks the beginning of National Bully Prevention Month, a campaign started in 2006 by the PACER’s National Bully Prevention Center to bring awareness to the issue of bullying and bully prevention. Throughout the month of October, communities all over the country unite to educate those around them about what bullying looks like, the long term effects of bullying, and what can be done to prevent this epidemic from spreading.

Photo found on Pacer.org/bullying

National Bully Prevention Month is only a piece of PACER’s National Bully Prevention Center, which is a branch of the PACER Center, an advocacy and resource center for parents of children with disabilities. In 2000, the PACER Center began receiving more and more calls from parents whose children were being bullied as a result of their disabilities. These parents felt at a loss and were desperate for resources to guide them through this difficult situation. In response, the PACER center began creating curriculum and guides to help parents and children with disabilities respond to bullying situations. By 2005, the center could see the positive impact their work was having and decided that these resources needed to be available to all children, not just those with disabilities. In 2006, PACER’s National Bully Prevention Center was born. Today, the center is a hub of resources and a leader in bully prevention, partnering with individuals and organizations such as Bethany Mota, Disney, Green Giant, and Frito-Lay to bring an end to bullying.

Photo found on pacerteensagainstbullying.org

Photo found on pacer.org/bullying

Photo found on girlsontherunlv.com

One question you may be asking: “is it really necessary to have an entire center dedicated to bully prevention? Is bullying really that big of a problem?” Sadly, yes. Recent studies report that 1 in 4 children experience bullying in the U.S. and 30% of young people admit to having acted as a bully. Perhaps more frightening is the fact that this behavior has been reported among children as young as 3. From poor grades, depression, dysfunctional future relationships, anxiety, heart issues, weight difficulties, and even a higher tendency toward criminal activity, the effects of bullying, on both victims and bullies, can be far reaching and can last a lifetime.

The numbers aren’t all bad, though. It has also been shown that in 57% of cases, bullying stops when a peer intervenes and school based prevention programs have decreased bullying incidents by 25%.

Change is happening.

The best part of all: you can be a part of that change! PACER’s National Bully Prevention Center provides a wide variety of ways you can get involved in National Bully Prevention Month and join with thousands of other throughout the country to end bullying and bring help to those who have been bullies or who are bullies themselves. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

Go Orange! This is one of the easiest ways to show your support and raise awareness. While the entire month of October is set aside to bring awareness to the issue of bullying, October 21st is a special day within National Bully Prevention Month called Unity Day. On this day, people everywhere are encouraged to wear orange, decorate their cars, trees, and classrooms in orange, cook orange food, and anything else they can think of to do that involves orange. Orange is the color of bully prevention, so bedecking yourself and your belongings in the bright color will provide an easy opening to begin talking about this vital topic.

Participate in, sponsor, or organize a Run, Walk, Roll Against Bullying in your community. These are family friendly events that bring the entire community together to stand against bullying. They can be as simple as a short course walked or run in unity, or they can involve concerts, games, and other activities that support the cause of bully prevention! These events are a wonderful way to visually show those who have been bullied in the community that they are not alone.

Unity Day Celebrations; Images found on pacer.org/bullying

Photo found on pacer.org/bullying

Create posters informing others about the reality of bullying and its affects and post them throughout your community. Often, people are simply unaware that a problem exists. Help spread the word and practice your creativity all at the same time!

Practice kindness in your own life. This may seem like a trivial task, but studies reveal that kindness is catching. Additionally, children learn by example. If we are name calling and not practicing empathy, how can we expect the children around us to do so? It is one thing to tell someone to stop bullying, but we must also provide an alternative form of behavior. Start making kindness a priority in your life and I can guarantee you will see a change for the better.

Photo found on pacer.org/bullying

These are just a few of nearly limitless options for raising awareness about bullying. Find a way to use your gifts and talents like these kids did! The important thing is to spread the word. What ideas do you have for ways to celebrate National Bully Prevention Month this year? Let us know in the comments!

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In celebration of National Bully Prevention Month, we will be highlighting a different bully prevention organization, author, or individual working towards bringing bullying to an end each week this month on Laughing Leopard Blog! Our first feature will be an interview with L.A. Kefalos, author of This is A. Blob, a picture book featuring a sticky, purple bully named A. Blob, who may have more to him than first meets the eye. Check back here next week for exclusive insights into what inspired L.A. to write This is A. Blob and what message she would like to convey to her readers!