Understanding Bullying
Understand what bullying is — repeated behaviour intended to hurt someone, including physical, verbal, social (exclusion, spreading rumours), and cyberbullying — and know that it is always wrong and what to do if they experience or witness it
What a learner can do afterwards
- Define bullying and distinguish it from a one-off conflict
- Name at least three forms of bullying including cyberbullying
- Describe the steps they should take if they experience or witness bullying
The lesson
Bullying is when someone hurts another person on purpose, again and again. It is different from a one-time argument or a bad day. If two friends disagree once and then make up, that is not bullying. Bullying keeps happening, and it is meant to hurt.
There are several forms of bullying. Physical bullying is hitting, kicking, or taking things without permission. Verbal bullying is name-calling or cruel teasing. Social bullying is leaving someone out on purpose or spreading rumours about them. Cyberbullying is sending mean messages, photos, or comments through phones, apps, or games.
Every day, a group of kids leaves Sam out of games at recess and sends mean messages about him in a class chat. Diego notices it keeps happening, not just once. That is bullying: it is on purpose, it is repeated, and it hurts Sam both in person and online.
Bullying is never the target's fault, and telling an adult is not tattling, it is asking for help. You deserve to feel safe, and so does everyone else.
Bullying is behaviour that keeps happening on purpose to hurt someone, in person or online, and if you see it or experience it, you tell a trusted adult.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.