THE BULLYING ACADEMY

Conceptual Framework

As a social agent for change, Students In The Know is offering a self-paced curriculum, The
Bullying Academy, for students enrolled in the fourth through the eighth grades. Building
upon the social-emotional learning platform (SEL) advocated by Dr. Daniel Goleman, this
curriculum is part of a three-pronged, proven strategy for a systemic paradigm shift targeting the
issues of bullying and cyberbullying. The required components for systemic change are:
1. Commitments from schools and communities to create caring school environments and
Stop Bullying Now!
2. Teacher and parent education
3. Comprehensive student education and redirection
Bullying and cyberbullying have reached epidemic proportions. As a bully, a victim, or a
bystander, the bullying phenomena has touched nearly every student today, at times with fatal
consequences. Texting, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter have exacerbated the
problem, providing anonymity and the potential for viral episodes. Research has confirmed that
the circuitry for impulse control is the last to mature in the developing brain, which explains the
particular vulnerability this population possesses in dealing with this problem. However, the
neuroplasticity of the pre-teen brain provides a unique opportunity for The Bullying Academys
curriculum to take root and change behaviors. Using a Blooms Taxonomy for Affective
Domain educational model, provocative videos, vignettes, and developmentally appropriate
contextual deconstruction modules leads the student to learn strategies to combat bullying and
enhance empathetic response. The curriculum is delivered on-line, with accompanying study

guides and an engaging scavenger hunt process where students discover videos, websites,
and content that teaches how to recognize, respond to, and even prevent bullying episodes.
Assessments built into the process help students and educators gauge effective subject matter
learning. Further, each grade level has been scored for lexile level correspondence.
The Bullying Academy also provides a teacher and parent education component to ensure
alignment with student learning. This component increases adult awareness and alignment of
intervention strategies.
Fortified with these on-line curricular tools that are rooted in education and brain research,
schools and communities are empowered to champion caring school environments and
successfully navigate the paradigm shift toward a bully-free childhood for all.

References
David, R., Bloom, Benjamin, Masia, Bertram, and Krathwohl, B. (1970). Taxonomy of
educational objectives: The classification of educational goals, handbook II: Affective
domain. New York, NY: David McKay Company Publishers
Goleman, Daniel, (2011), The brain and emotional intelligence: New insights. Florence, MA:
More Than Sound Publishers
Kohn, Alfie (2000). The schools our children deserve: Moving beyond traditional classrooms
and tougher standards. New York, NY: Mariner Publishers
Kuhn, Thomas, S., (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions, (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: The
University of Chicago Press.
Schnick, Thomas, (2000). The lexile framework: An introduction for educators. Durham, NC:
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