It's good to talk

To help children understand that people who bully are often unhappy people (SEAL theme 3: Say no to bullying).

by Please would the author of this assembly contact us?

Suitable for Key Stage 2

Aims

To help children understand that people who bully are often unhappy people (SEAL theme 3: Say no to bullying).

Preparation and materials

• A football (ideally a soft foam ball or at least not a very hard leather one).
• A Bible; the Golden Rule is in Matthew 7.12.

Assembly

1. (As you speak, bounce the ball: practise speaking and bouncing at the same time first!)
   I wonder whether there is anyone in this school who has ever been really mean to someone, and not just once but keeps on being mean.
   
   Maybe this person finds ways to be mean at times when no one else is around or when no one else will see. Perhaps this person encourages others to be mean as well, maybe calling someone names or doing nasty things or pulling faces and making that person pretty unhappy.
   
   I hope that this would never happen at this school. I know your teachers would be very disappointed if any students behaved in this way.
2. Just imagine that this has happened in this school. Why do you think someone would behave like that? (Hands up, and throw the ball to choose someone. Get the answers and ask for the ball to be thrown back to you. Choose a few different people.)
3. (Stop bouncing.) Explain that often people who behave like this are described as bullies. Say that we need to be careful with that word because it doesn’t mean someone doing something mean once.
   
   Often people behave like bullies because they are very unhappy about something in their own lives. Sometimes they think they will feel better if they make someone else sad.
4. The Bible gives examples of people being kind and being mean.
   
   In the Bible, Jesus says we should treat others as we would like them to treat us. In fact, this idea is so important that you find it in all the world’s major religions – it’s even got a name: ‘the Golden Rule’!
   
   If we find that we can’t keep the Golden Rule. If we can’t treat other people as we would like them to treat us, because we are sad about something in our own life, then we need to find someone to talk to about it. Someone we trust. Maybe someone at home or someone at school, maybe our teacher or some other member of staff.
   
   If you find that someone is treating you in a mean and unkind way, you must talk to someone else about it rather than trying to deal with it on your own.
   
   It is always good to talk because then people can help you.

Time for reflection

Think about Jesus’ words that we should treat other people in the way that we want them to treat us. Think about how you could be kind today.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
that you know everything in our lives.
Thank you that you know all about the things that make us happy
and the things that make us sad.
Please help us to be kind to other people
just as we like them to be kind to us.
Amen.

Song/music

‘When a knight won his spurs’ (Come and Praise, 50)