Write the following
phrases on the board:
• I was just kidding• I didn’t mean anything by it
• Can’t you take a joke?
Ask students if they
have ever had their feelings hurt or been talked to disrespectfully only to
hear one of the above expressions in response to their disapproval. Invite a
couple of volunteers to share an incident and to describe how it felt. Ask if,
in retrospect, they were overly sensitive or if the comments “crossed the
line.”
Challenge students to
articulate how they know when a comment is mean or offensive rather than funny.
List these measures or standards on a sheet of chart paper and discuss for a
few minutes.
1.
Sonia recently moved to Lincoln Heights and just finished her first week at the
local middle school. At 5 feet 8 inches, she towered over most of the students
in her seventh grade class. While looking for a place to sit during lunch, another
student called to her, “Hey, shorty, there’s a spot over here!” Sonia paused
for a moment and another girl from the group waved her over. “Don’t pay
attention to her,” she told Sonia. “That’s just the way we talk to each other.
They call me Einstein because I got all C’s on my last report card.” Is this harmless
teasing or hurtful language? Why?
2.
For years, Angel has made fun of his best friend, Dave’s, peanut butter
obsession. “You’d eat my gym sock if it was covered in peanut butter,” he once
told Dave. One day in science lab, the students designed mazes to test the
intelligence of white mice. When the teacher told the class that they would be
baiting the mazes with peanut butter, Angel called out, “Better be careful—Dave
might get to the end of the maze before the mice!” The other students broke out
in laughter. Is this harmless teasing or
hurtful language? Why?
3.
On Monday afternoon, Rob used his recess time to hang campaign posters around
the school, which read, “Vote Rob for Student Council President.” On Tuesday
morning in homeroom, Rob found one of his posters taped to the blackboard in
the front of the classroom. Someone had crossed out the word, “President,” and
replaced it with “First Lady.” One of Rob’s classmates pointed to a girl in the
first row, indicating that Maria had altered the poster. Rob glared at her as he
tore down the poster. “It’s just a joke,” Maria laughed. “Lighten up—I’m gonna
vote for you.”
Harmless
teasing or hurtful language? Why?
Based
on your conversation, list three ways to complete the following sentence.
Teasing
has crossed the line to become hurtful when…1.
2.
3.
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