Our topic on Wednesday, Thursday, and part of Friday was bullying. The kids were skeptical when I initially presented the topic because they feel like they are bombarded with anti-bullying messages. However, we took the time to dissect the reasons for bullying and the ramifications of this type of behavior. The most impactful exercise was called "Crumpled Hearts." There are 3 steps to completing this activity:
First, we drew a heart and wrote words we'd use to describe an innocent, sleeping baby.Next, the scholars found partners who would write things that we had heard said about ourselves (these tended to be rather negative) and crumple the heart.
Finally, students identified "shields" that adolescents might use to protect their sensitive hearts.
By the end of this process, each student had a crumpled, ripped, damaged heart. The message, of course, is that we are capable of learning how to deal with hurtful things, but our hearts will never be as pure and unharmed as when we were babies. Additionally, we never know the condition of someone else's heart. We must use caution when interacting with other humans.
This led to some really neat discussions about personal identities and how to intervene when witnessing bullying behavior. Most YESS students have been told to simply call the bully out on their behavior, but that's really difficult! So, we watched a short video (click here) about other ways to assist a victim. We did some role-playing, during which I transformed into my evil twin, Sherri, and bullied volunteers while their classmates practiced intervening. Big fun!Friday, we finished our bullying activities and performed team builders in the gym. I had as much fun bouncing balloons as the kids!
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