Students may not know what to do when they observe a classmate being bullied or experience such victimization themselves. Classroom discussions and activities may help students develop a variety of appropriate actions that they can take in such situations. For instance, depending on the specific circumstances and their own level of comfort, students can do the following:

• Seek immediate help from an adult

• Report bullying/victimization incidents to school personnel

• Speak up and/or offer support to the victim when they see him/her being bullied -- for example, picking up the victim's books and handing them to him or her

• Privately support those being hurt with words of kindness or condolence

• Express disapproval of bullying behavior by not joining in the laughter, teasing, or spreading of rumors or gossip

• Attempt to defuse problem situations either single-handedly or in a group -- for example, by taking the bully aside and asking him/her to "cool it"