Literacy and Bullying

Teaching children to be respectful and caring citizens is one of my passions. Character education is not just part of the curriculum in my classroom, rather it is the curriculum. I strive to build a classroom community where students are aware that they are part of something bigger than themselves. These are the ideas that led me to my original blogging platform. My goal is to tie in my love of literacy to the need to grow responsible and compassionate future citizens.

In New Jersey, bullying has been in the spotlight as the new Harrassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) mandates and policies need to be in place by September. (Overview of NJ's HIB Requirements) Although this brings the issue of bullying to the attention of the public, I believe there is much more that needs to be addressed in the classroom. Literacy can be a starting point for discussions about bullying.

During the next few weeks, I will be exploring books that can be used in the classroom to teach about bullying. Some will be familiar, but hopefully, there will be some new ideas and books to spark your thinking and discussions with your students.

Next Up: The Fat Boy Chronicles by Diane Lang and Michael Buchanan