Bullying: The Remedy Lies Within

By Lynn M M Bastoni

An innovative guide to purposeful strategies for understanding and transforming bullying.

Many educators and parents today find themselves at a loss when confronted with bullying among their students and children. Whether it takes the form of social exclusion, rumors, stereotyping or cyberbullying, it can be challenging to help our youth navigate these difficult peer interactions. “Bullying: The Remedy Lies Within” is a timely and meaningful new tool for teachers seeking compassionate approaches in their classrooms; parents seeking ways to discuss bullying with their children; the children who are hurt, and those seeking to help.

Written by a life-long middle school educator and veteran collaborator on effective anti-bully campaigns, this unique book tackles the topic of bullying in a creative and thought-provoking way. Placing an emphasis on kindness and empathy as antidotes to hurtful behavior, “Bullying: The Remedy Lies Within” employs a heart-felt blend of poetry, descriptive illustrations and interactive lessons designed to guide children to transformative solutions.

A springboard for self-reflection and discussion, “Bullying: The Remedy Lies Within” integrates nicely with social emotional learning (SEL) and wellness programs. Gentle in approach, the supportive, read-together content makes a persuasive case for our collective power to stop bullying—that it lies in our hearts and in our hands.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645441984

Book preview

Exclusion—Alone

Bullying Fact: Social exclusion is one of the most devastating forms of psychological bullying. Purposeful and repetitive exclusion of a peer has been linked to low self-esteem, depression, suicidal ideation, and social maladjustment.

Alone

A small boy sits alone

No friends to call his own

Laughing, jeering other kids walk by

He stifles his tears but wants to cry

Taunting, pointing, calling him names

Why must they make him feel such shame?

Sitting there gripped with fear

Wishing he could disappear

How can they be so cruel?

He doesn’t want to come to school

Heart pounding in his chest

All he wants to be is like the rest

He can’t help it if he’s small

And can’t slam a basketball

Alone he stands while they pick teams

How can they be so mean?

They thought it was fun

To push him down and run

As he lay sprawled on the floor

He whispered, I don’t want to be here anymore

Then that day someone took a stand

He looked up to see an outstretched hand

Come sit with us, the boy said

There’s a place at our table instead

From this one moment, everything changed

The hurtful memories began to fade

Eased was his loneliness and strife

This one moment saved his life

So, before you act, before you choose

Put yourself in someone else’s