One teacher's message about bullying
A teacher had a brilliant idea that would encourage her students to think about what bullying truly means.
Since the teacher did not want to resort to heavy conversations and complicated philosophical thought she decided to bring two apples to the classroom.
How can two apples help children to understand the seriousness of bullying --- both being a bully and being bullied? Read what the teacher did and you will understand ...
Before entering the classroom, the teacher beat one of the two apples against a table, so as to bruise the apple but without it being noticeable from the outside.
The teacher showed her pupils the first apple, the one that had been beaten, and asked them to insult it using any words or expressions they liked. There was someone who called it a "worm"', those who instead kept calling it "ugly", and others who said that in the world "there should not even exist such an ugly and disgusting fruit".
Subsequently, the teacher took the second apple and asked the children to pay the apple compliments this time. Therefore, the class began to praise the apple for its shine, its size, and its sweet taste.
After the exercise was over, the teacher announced that she would now make the pupils understand the importance of words and how words can cause invisible wounds. In fact, she asked if the two apples had any differences in appearance and all answered no. Then, the teacher cut both apples in half and revealed their interior.
The apple that had received the insults, that is, the one she had previously beaten, was rotten inside, discolored and not at all appetizing. But the other apple was so wholesome and fresh that someone even asked if they could eat it.
Bullying, insults, verbal and physical assaults can cause serious wounds and profound pain to a child, even though nothing can be seen from the outside. It happens to everyone to keep their bad or negative feelings inside when they feel mistreated. But if we had never cut the apple, we would never have known it.
When some of the students said that they wanted to be like the beautiful apple and that everyone should be like this, the teacher knew that her simple example had communicated the message.
A great idea presented by a wonderful teacher, Rossie Dutton.
Share this article to let everyone know about this simple but powerful lesson.
