Why Do Bullies Bully?

Gr 4—7—Bullying, a prevalent problem in schools, deserves guided, thoughtful discussions between teachers and students. This DVD may be a conversation-starter, but it is not a comprehensive resource on the topic. The narrator points out that teasing, name calling, and threatening are all forms of bullying. She states that most bullies "Pick on kids to feel powerful, get attention, or enjoy making people laugh at others' expense." The program features four scenarios—"What Bullies Do," "Why Kids Do It," "Don't Become One," and "Funny or Mean?"—followed by questions for viewers to brainstorm. The video clips depict realistic bullying incidents at home and at school, including at a sleepover, among siblings, on the school bus, and in the gym. However, no suggestions are given for dealing successfully with any of these disturbing situations. What does follow each of the vignettes after a few discussion questions is the producer's self-promotion of an endless list of their other health and guidance titles. The lesson plans are merely reiterations of the scripts and follow-up questions for each scenario, with multiple misspellings. The program lacks the content to deal with this important issue.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY