Blow the Whistle on Name Calling

Every week should be “No Name Calling Week”, but the week of January 19^th is a great time to revisit this theme that was introduced in October during National Bullying Prevention Month. 

We will teach students to Blow  the Whistle on Name Calling.   Here are some ways to make this  theme come alive across the entire school.

Print Campaign: Use sports slogans to  help students learn strategies to think before they speak and stand up to name calling.   I used Staples  custom posters to create low-cost posters to plaster throughout the building.   Get creative-- the possibilities are  endless with this theme!

Swag: Teachers will wear whistles around their necks  throughout the week to further promote the theme,  blow the whistle  on name calling.  Oriental Trading has  whistles for  only $5.00 per dozen!   To  take this theme to the next level, teachers and/or  students can wear their favorite sports jersey or t-shirt on a designated day to  show their support for standing up to name calling.

Chat and Chew:  During lunches through the week, introduce prompts  for students to discuss  related to No  Name Calling Week.  For example, 

"No Take Backs" Demonstrations: Show students that they can't take  back or erase hurtful words. 

•           Give students a blank piece of paper and have them write down hurtful words  that have been said to them.  After a set period of  time, instruct students to take 30 seconds to erase everything they have written.   Does the paper look brand new again? 
•          Cut  out a red paper heart and read  one of the books below.  Each time something hurtful is said or done to  the character,  fold, crumple, or gently tear the heart. Discuss how the heart changed and teach students that  a wrinkled  heart is hard to fix.
•           Pass around a tube of toothpaste and a plate.  Have students share out times  that hurtful words have been said to them and squeeze a small amount of toothpaste on the plate.   Once  the students have shared,  have them try to put the toothpaste back into the tube.

Read Alouds:  There are great books on this topic to engage students in discussion and teach them new strategies.  Here are  some of my favorites:

·         No Bullies in the Huddle by DeSean Jackson: Cameron Matthews and his family relocate from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. He loves to play the game of football and his favorite player is Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, DeSean Jackson. Shortly after arriving at his new school, Cameron has a confrontation with an older student who is jealous of his football talents and threatens to take his position on the football field.

·         Don’t Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin: Don’t Laugh at Me is the anthem for a new bully-free world. The book also had a companion cd  with a song.

·         Bullies are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain: This book blends humor with serious, practical suggestions for coping with bullies. Trevor Romain reassures kids that they're not alone and it's not their fault if a bully decides to pick on them. He explains some people are bullies and describes realistic ways to become "Bully-Proof," stop bullies from hurting others, and get help in dangerous situations.

·         Bullies Never Win by Margery Cuyler: When the class bully, Brenda Bailey, makes fun of Jessica’s skinny legs and her boyish lunch box, Jessica doesn’t know what to do. She doesn't want to be a tattletale, but she also wants the bullying to stop. Can Jessica find the courage to stand up for herself?

·         Bully B.E.A.N.S. by Julia Cook: Bully B.E.A.N.S. is a story that teaches people to become proactive when it comes to bullying. This book can help children understand why bullying happens and what they can do to stop it.

Gay,  Lesbian & Straight Education Network resources: GLSEN has wonderful FREE lessons, activities, and posters for No Name Calling Week.  Here are some of my favorites from GLSEN.

·     Blow the Whistle on Name Calling: This lesson plan from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network encourages students to think about the importance of knowing and using proper names of classmates to create a safe and positive environment.
·         Poetic Reactions: This lesson plan from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network allows students to explore their feelings about name calling by reflecting on poems written by students across the country.
·         I was Just Kidding: This lesson plan from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network asks students to discuss the difference between teasing and bullying by examining  various scenarios.

Happy No  Name Calling Week!