You’d think, after all these years, it would have faded.

But there I was. 21 years old, getting my hair done for a wedding. 

I sat down. They draped the cape over me. I looked in the mirror.

And there she was.

The girl who bullied me all through high school. Standing right behind me, about to do my hair.

I froze.

My whole body flushed with heat. My chest felt tight. But I just… sat there and let her do my hair, what else was I to do? I made small talk. Smiled politely. Pretended my stomach wasn’t flipping over itself.

Then I left the salon, walked straight into a public bathroom… and spewed.

It hit me hard because she was acting like nothing ever happened. Friendly. Chatty. Like we were old schoolmates catching up.

But I still felt like the kid in Year 7 who hoped every damn day that I could fly under the radar. Invisible. Unnoticed. 

She didn’t even freaking remember. But even now, as a confident 35 year old woman... a mumma, a teacher, an author… I’ll simply never forget what it felt like to be that scared, lost, and alone 12 year old girl. 

THAT is why Bullying No Way Week feels so personal and so important to me.

Why I have poured so much time into developing strategies to support my own students in ways that will actually make an impact, build empathy, start the conversation. And that’s why, for Bullying No Way Week, I’ve pulled together a handful of empathy-based, practical activities you can use in your classroom.

3 ways we can bring anti-bullying into the limelight this Bullying No Way Week (or any day of the year!)

We need to teach it in a way that sticks. That feels real. That doesn’t make kids roll their eyes or regurgitate a definition, but understand it.

Here are 3 ways to make that happen in a classroom that’s already packed and chaotic:

1. Teach students what bullying actually is (and isn't)

Let’s be honest, kids have a tendency to lump everything into the “bullying” bucket.

• “He looked at me funny. Bullying!”

• “She called me annoying. Bullying!”

• “We had an argument. Bullying!”

But not all conflict is bullying.
Not all meanness is bullying.
And students recognising this can be a powerful anti-bullying move!

Teach the 3 P’s of Bullying:

• Power imbalance (one person has more power—physical, social, emotional)

• Purpose to cause harm (intentional, not accidental)

• Pattern over time (it happens more than once)

Use real scenarios. Let them sort them into categories:

• Bullying

• Conflict

• Mean moment

If students can’t define bullying properly, they can’t feel empowered to recognise and report it. And if they can’t report it properly, we can’t support them properly. It can be incredibly insidious and hard to pick if it's well-hidden.

2. Teach students about the real impact of bullying

You’ve probably seen the scrunched-up paper metaphor.
Once it’s crushed, it never smooths out completely again. 

But here’s another activity I love (especially with upper primary and secondary kids):

The “Erase It” Challenge

• Ask students to write down hurtful things they’ve been told, or things they’ve said to others.

• Don’t tell them why yet. Just get the page filled.

• Then prompt them: “Now erase every word until it’s like it was never there.”

They’ll try. They’ll scrub. But the page will still have marks. This is a powerful visual metaphor that once we say something to somebody, we can't take them back, they will always leave a mark.

Then you can flip it! Ask students:

• What kind words could you write over those marks?
• How could you be the person that helps rewrite someone else’s page?

This activity gives students something tangible.
It’s not just “don’t bully.”
It’s “you have a huge responsibility. Your words can harm or heal.”

3. Use starters to create opportunities for authentic empathy-boosting discussions

You don’t need a full unit of work or a 60-minute lesson.
A few minutes here and there can spark powerful shifts.

Here are 3 simple empathy starters I use in class:

🎒 The Invisible Backpack

“Everyone carries things we can’t see.
What might be in the backpack of someone who bullies others?
What might be in the backpack of someone being bullied?”

Visual. Reflective. Nuanced.
Helps students see beyond the behaviour.

👟 If It Were Me…

“Imagine you were being excluded or laughed at.
How would you want others to respond?”

Suddenly, that bystander decision becomes personal.

🫣 The Bystander Dilemma

“Is watching bullying and doing nothing just as bad as bullying?”
Why or why not?

This one usually opens the floodgates.
Debates, disagreements, reflection—it gets them thinking.

And that’s the goal.
Because when students start thinking about bullying with depth—not just as a school rule, but as a human experience—they start showing up differently.

I love using this escape room to help introduce the concept of 'bystanders' and open up crucial conversations with my students in a way that is super engaging and gets buy-in!

If you do nothing else for Bullying. No Way! Week…

Just try these three things:

👉 Define what bullying actually is (power, purpose, pattern)
👉 Do the eraser or scrunched paper metaphor
👉 Use one empathy starter each week (takes just 5 mins)

That’s it. Just small moments that build a big understanding around bullying.

Because the truth is… we don’t need students to know the definition of bullying.
We need them to see it.
To empathise with it.
To feel empowered to make real change.

Want to Make It Even Easier?

If you're a member of The Behaviour Club, I’ve uploaded a full set of anti-bullying starters, printables, and visual prompts you can grab right now.
Not a member yet? Head here to join or get on the waitlist.