Taken From Anti Bullying 101

The sources of the most painful offenses are not usually actions, but attitudes. People who offend others unintentionally are judged with less severity than those who intend to hurt. Even in law, the intent behind a crime is a factor in assessing the guilt of the one who stands before the judge.

This is one area that is the most difficult to change in ourselves or in our students. We ask our students to do things all the time and they should comply with our request. But really, it’s not completely about the compliance but more about the attitude when they comply. Are they resentful and angry and is it like pulling teeth to get them to cooperate with even the smallest task?

Character is truly what a person does when no one is looking. A bully will always act when no one is looking. They will deny their hurtful actions and blame others for their behavior. Begin correcting the attitudes of your students, by doing so you will prepare them for a better future. But, more importantly you will help them to evaluate the intent of their actions.

Bench Notice

The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is a rare ability. Our desire to get what we want when we want it is an attitude that can get us in trouble; either financially, behaviorally, or in terms of our relationship with others. Even adults ask for things and when they don’t get them have a difficult time understanding the word “No” and can go on a rant or just refuse to go away until they change the mind of the person they are arguing with. This has become an inter-generational problem with the intensity increasing with every passing year. It’s time to learn to debate issues with the right attitude, and when i’ts all said and done begin to understand the position of another person. “Seek First To Understand Then To Be Understood.”