Chapter 6: Social Context of Schools

My artifact is a visual presentation that I am going to do with the class to demonstrate the idea that bullying leaves scars and hurt that can never be taken away.

Are these actually the same?

            For my project, I decided to do a demonstration about bullying in general. Bullying affects many people, and at some point in our lives, I am sure that we have felt bullied or picked on in one way or another. I did not devise this activity however, I read about it online at http://tomrimington.blogspot.com/2011/11/bullying-and-crumpled-paper-story-view.html .

            Each person will be given two pieces of crisp paper, whether it is notebook paper or computer paper. Everyone in the class will be instructed to take of the pieces of paper and crumble it, stomp on it, fold it, and throw it. The only thing they cannot do is rip the paper. After a few minutes, all the children will take the “beat up” paper, and flatten in back out again, and apologize to it. Now, the children will compare the two pieces of paper. Although they are both paper and appear to have the same looks, meaning they are both flat and not ripped, are they truly the same? The “beat up” paper resembles a student that has been bullied. Although they appear to be okay and the student said they were sorry, the scars and hurt still remains, and stays with them forever. They will never be the same fresh face that they once were. We all start out as a blank, crisp piece of paper, and I believe that we should all finish as one too.
           This activity relates to all the groups of people who can be bullied, not just one. Although in the book Hall, Quinn, and Gollnick focus on certain groups of potential victims of bullying, the truth is that anyone can be a victim. I believe that all bullying is wrong, and this activity works to suppress bullying of anyone. Pointing out specific types of bullying brings more unwanted attention to those who suffer from it, whereas activities such as this, work to stop all forms of bullying without putting one group of people into the spotlight.

SOURCE:

Rimington, Tom. "My New Life: Bullying and the Crumpled Paper Lesson... The View...." My New Life. N.p., 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. <http://tomrimington.blogspot.com/2011/11/bullying-and-crumpled-paper-story-view.html>.