Being a kid isn’t easy, especially if you experience bullying at school. Fortunately, there are many parents, teachers, and community members who are trying to put a stop to this epidemic.
When one teacher passed out index cards to her fifth grade class, no one guessed that she had a very brilliant plan in mind…
Beloved teacher Kathy Pitt has been practicing an effective anti-bullying method since 1999. Kathy’s method for preventing bulling in her classroom starts with cards being passed around the room. Kathy instructs that her students write the names of students they’d like to sit with the following week, or nominate someone who has been a good friend, all by secret ballot.
In the end, it’s the names that haven’t been chosen that Kathy’s most looking for. After all, these are the kids that are more than likely not being included, or are at higher risk of being bullied.
The fifth grade teacher told TODAY:
“When I came up with the idea of simply distributing the cards, it really was to find out which children were belonging and which children were not.”
Writer and Mom of three Glennon Doyle Melton was the one who discovered Kathy’s method, and wanted to tell the world about it. Glennon came in to see Kathy to get help for her son’s math homework. Glennon confesses that she didn’t understand how to do the homework, and says that while she was in the classroom, she discovered that Kathy was teaching her students more than just academics.
Kathy’s method is now a tried-and-true way to identify which kids might be lonely, and is able to then help prevent bullying from happening in the first place. It’s a remarkable method that’s gaining in popularity. Kathy is teaching inclusion and kindness, along with her math lessons.
Glennon has since shared Kathy’s anti-bullying method on her blog, and as it turns out, moms everywhere think it’s just as amazing. In fact, Glennon’s blog featuring Kathy has been shared over 4 million times.
The mom explained to TODAY:
“This story isn’t just about teachers and kids. This story is about the beauty that happens when we go through our day and we notice people who might not get noticed.”
The genius method has been a staple in Kathy’s classroom for over 15 years, and is now being used by other teachers. Her end goal she says is for her students to “care about each other.”
Watch the video to see more about Kathy’s revolutionary anti-bullying method:
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