Erase meanness at your school

How do you teach kids to stand up against bullying behavior? One TED-Ed Innovative Educator wants to show you how.

In 2012, middle school teacher Eric Johnson grew concerned about a lack of kindness between students. To address the issue, he created a 5-day lesson plan to help kids erase meanness in their lives. Since then, Johnson’s antidote to bullying behavior has been adapted by individual teachers for classrooms around the world.

To download Johnson’s anti-bullying lesson plan, go to EraseMeanness.org.

The anti-bullying framework includes thoughtful class exercises, student reflection — and powerful prompts, such as: “How do you want to be remembered?”

Questions like this one can make it easier for kids to understand the consequences of their everyday actions, notes Johnson. The goal? To help students choose kindness over bullying — not just in school, but for the rest of their lives.

We believe in the power of the individual. Simple acts of kindness by individuals help eliminate behavior that reduces the spirit of others. Be kind. — EraseMeanness.org

Closing thoughts

Johnson says: “In the 10 months we spend together, teaching gives me a chance to make a child better than when they first stepped into our classroom. I like that. It is a role that constantly and consistently demands that you get better at what you do.”

This article is part of the TED-Ed Innovation Project series, which highlights 25+ TED-Ed Innovation Projects designed by educators, for educators, with the support and guidance of the TED-Ed Innovative Educator program. You are welcome to share, duplicate and modify projects under this Creative Commons license to meet the needs of students and teachers. Art credit: iStock.

via TED-Ed Blog http://blog.ed.ted.com/2016/10/26/erase-meanness-at-your-school/