Episode 4: BULLYING (Primary)

The aim of this resource is to motivate students to discuss and explore the dynamics of bullying and develop an understanding of what happens and why. In the process this episode addresses a number of factors, including:

• The critical role of bystanders in both perpetuating and resolving bullying
• How situations escalate
• Supportive and non-supportive friendship
• Group dynamics in bullying situations
• The experience of power and control by bullies, victims and bystanders
• Consequences of bullying
• Where to turn for support
• Options for dealing with typical bullying situations

This Stories of Us education resource is composed of a 40 page Teacher's Guide and a dramatised Video.

Audience

The Bullying (Primary) resource is designed for the upper primary years. At the discretion of their teacher, the resource may also be used with Year 4 students.

The Teacher's Guide

The Teacher's Guide outlines how the resource is used over a number of classes with step-by-step instructions, activities and discussion starters, summary notes and extensive teacher support material. At each stage the Guide clearly indicates the territory to be explored, and provides additional information for teachers should any details need clarification.

Because of their realism the videos also form an excellent basis for extension activities in English or Drama.

The Support & Research section lists a number of websites for teachers seeking further information on the issues (which are also available via the links on this site).

A preview of the Teacher's Guide can be downloaded here as a PDF document.

The Video

There are two versions of the program on the DVD/videotape.

• The Play Version is played without interruption, with a prompt at the end to refer to the Teacher's Guide to begin the discussion and activities. In this version the story is left intentionally unresolved to maximise student engagement in the discussion.
• The Segmented Version repeats the main program but with a series of pause points (with Teacher's Guide questions) for a more in-depth discussion. At the end the main characters tell us how they resolved their situations – with a positive outcome.

The duration the Play Version is 26 minutes 33 seconds and the Segmented Version is 28 minutes 24 seconds.

A preview of the video can be viewed online.

The Story

Kelly and Simon are two Year 6 students in the same class of an average public school. Kelly and her friends (Rebecca, Vanessa, Maria and Paula) are puzzled by the absence of the twins – who have been away for a week and haven’t answered their calls. Meanwhile Simon manages to provoke classmate Jimmy by standing up for a girl Jimmy has bullied. Simon does this in front of Rebecca, on whom Jimmy has a private crush... >More

Previews

A preview of the video can be viewed online.
A preview of the Teacher's Guide can be downloaded here as a PDF document.

Ordering

The Order Form and Pricing information are available here online.

Production Information

The primary Bullying episode was produced at Woodvile Primary School in Adelaide, South Australia. Over a two month period filmmaker Christopher Faull worked with thirty Year 5 and 6 students exploring the subject, developing characters, then workshopping the scripts. The students performed all the main acting roles in the dramatised videos, and fulfilled all of the secondary roles in supporting the professional film crew. Every detail of the story and its staging was approved by the students, and every word of dialogue is their own.

> Production photos