A powerfully effective approach to the subject of bullying and taking personal responsibility for how you conduct yourself.
Award-winning children's music performer Eric Herman puts his immense talent for entertaining young audiences to great use in this anti bullying assembly program, which presents a powerfully effective approach to the subject of bullying and taking personal responsibility for how you conduct yourself. Bully Shmully brings an important message to students while keeping them engaged and excited!
Inspired by noted psychologist Izzy Kalman's acclaimed "Bullies 2 Buddies" method, Eric's Bully Shmully bullying presentation focuses on helping the victims of bullying by giving them the tools they need to approach and respond to situations of criticism and mockery with tact and humor. This not only empowers them to be more self-confident and diplomatic, but also deflates the would-be effect of the critic or bully.
Bursting with comedy, audience participation and outrageously fun songs, Bully Shmully brings an important life message to students that they can use right away and also take with them into adulthood.
The Izzy Kalman "Bullies 2 Buddies" method has been shown to be highly effective over many anti-bullying programs. It is important to note that this program focuses on the needs of potential bullying victims and helps to prepare them to deal with their situations head-on in a way that improves relations between everyone involved, wherever possible. Bully Shmully is not a punishment or tattling based program. It teaches kids the difference between teasing and abuse and how to handle teasing with grace and humor, while appropriately reporting abuse. If this program sounds like it may be in conflict with your school's specific anti-bullying approach, please note that it is not open for adjustment to conform to other programs.
Bully Shmully Set-up Datasheet
Audience: K-6 Capacity: 400
Presentation Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Set-Up Time: 30 minutes minimum; 45 to 60 minutes preferred.
Take-Down Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Arrival: 45 to 60 minutes before presentation time. No assistance is needed beyond accessibility to performance area.
Assembly Requirements: A portable whiteboard, blackboard, or easel with paper. One power outlet with reasonable range of performance area. A small table and chair. A bottle of water. Students should sit on the floor, with a center aisle between them. **Please provide a copy of your school’s official policy toward physical bullying, which Eric will refer to during the program.
Performer Provides: Eric will provide his own sound system and all related cords, microphones, etc. Eric will provide PDF copies of some support documents which can be distributed to the students prior to (or after) the assembly, which can help to reinforce the concepts presented in the program. A copy of Eric’s DVD for your school library will be sent ahead of time. If classrooms wish to show some of the videos from the DVD in anticipation of Eric’s assembly, that is encouraged and can be helpful for increasing the excitement about his arrival, but is not necessary.
Be prepared. Before it happens, know what you’re going to think, say, do and feel if you are being bullied.
Why this program? Bullying doesn’t just happen in school, or during the school years; it is something that can continue on throughout adulthood. It’s very important to learn at an early age how to act and react to create happiness in your own life, regardless of the actions of others.
YOU. It’s up to YOU to take responsibility for your life and your happiness. You cannot change how other people act, directly, but you have control over how you act and react, and that can influence others to change how they act towards you.
About physical bullying. This program emphasizes techniques to positively respond to verbal bullying. However, your school’s policy toward physical bullying will be addressed.
We can all bully. We can all be bullied. Don’t think of people as “bullies,” but as “people”; they’re your classmates, your neighbors, your teammates, your family, your friends, etc. How we act towards people can start with how we have labeled them. Use positive labels.
Friends or enemies? Would you rather have friends or enemies? How do you treat people who are friends? If someone is bullying you, does it help to respond to them with anger?
The Golden Rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. It’s easy to be nice to others when they are nice to you, but it’s especially important to be nice to others when they are not being nice to you. It makes it easier for them to be nice to you, because... it’s easy to be nice to others when they are nice to you. (see above)
Verbal Bullying Experiment. Students insult Eric (from an approved list of insults) to prove how his different reactions will produce different results.
Positive ways to react. Using self-deprecating humor. Giving honest compliments. Giving the benefit of the doubt. Extending an olive branch.
S.T.O.P. A method for thinking before you act or react to bullying, or to improve relationships.
S - Stop! Don’t react.
T - Think about it. Is it important to do anything or not? If so...
O - Outline a plan to solve the problem.
P - Put your plan into action. Repeat the process until desired outcome is achieved.
Visual Example. A seemingly aggressive dog approaches a rabbit and barks. The rabbit runs and the dog chases after it. The dog approaches a kid with a stick. The kid gets scared and hits the dog with the stick, making the dog more aggressive. Alternately, the kid throws the stick for the dog, who chases it and returns, wagging its tail.
Making the show fun and memorable. Comedy bits, interactive segments and fun songs that assure the kids will take the concepts home with them. A light way to present a heavy subject.
An effective approach to the subject of bullying.
Award-winning children's music performer Eric Herman puts his immense talent for entertaining young audiences to great use in this anti-bullying assembly program, which presents a powerfully effective approach to the subject of bullying and taking personal responsibility for how you conduct yourself.
Teaches students an important life message they can use now and through adulthood.
Eric's Bully Shmully program focuses on helping the victims of bullying by giving them the tools they need to approach and respond to situations of criticism and mockery with tact and humor. This not only empowers them to be more self-confident and diplomatic, but also deflates the would-be effect of the critic or bully.
Inspired by Izzy Kalman’s “Bullies 2 Buddies”
The Izzy Kalman "Bullies 2 Buddies" method has been shown to be highly effective over many anti-bullying programs. It is important to note that this program focuses on the needs of potential bullying victims and helps to prepare them to deal with their situations head-on in a way that improves relations between everyone involved, wherever possible. Bully Shmully is not a punishment or tattling based program. It teaches kids the difference between teasing and abuse and how to handle teasing with grace and humor, while appropriately reporting abuse.
Eric was a very good presenter. His content was excellent, addressing the other side of bullying (i.e., coaching the recipent's responses to reduce the drama and reinforcement needed by the bully. Eric had high energy and performed well. Great feedback from staff.
Edy Ridge ES
Eric did a nice job. He took a different approach about bullying , focused on those being bullied. Had a nice way of explaining how to react to bullying. Teachers and students enjoyed the assembly.
John Partin - Principal
RJ Neutra School
That was a really great show! One of the best I've ever seen for learning about strategies to deal with bullying.
Daniel DiDesiderio - Principal
This program was absolutely perfect for our school and Eric Herman was tremendous! All of our Kindergarten through Fifth grade students were totally attentive and thoroughly entertained throughout the entire assembly. Eric's message was conveyed reaching each child, whether it was through song, joking or even math! The Golden Rule is what we teach and practice every day in our school so it was perfectly reinforced with Bully Shmully! I believe the emphasis that we are all friends in our school, and sometimes everyone makes bad decisions, but we are in control of how we react when something happens to us was ideal. We weren't "fighting back" against someone, instead we were trying to maintain an environment of respect, and when we are in conflict we have ways to handle it, so that we feel good in the end. I would recommend this program to everyone, but I sincerely believes it fits perfectly in a Catholic school! Thank you so much, we can't wait to have additional programs next year!!
Kelly Sloan - Principal
St. Madeleine Sophie School
Jennifer Crowe - Cultural Arts
Winthrop Avenue School
Eric provided an amazing show for the students, it was enjoyed by students and staff alike. He was able to talk about a very tough subject providing ways the student can work on helping themselves and others. It was great that he had a more mature show for the older students.
Samantha Olson - Counselor
Empower Possibilities International Charter (EPIC) School
West Sacramento, CA
The kids found the assembly very entertaining and informative.
Susan Lyon - PTSA VP of Enrichment
5 out of 5 for the Bully Shmully school assembly!
Jessica Butrico - PTO
S. Plainfield, NJ
Thanks so much for setting this up and for doing such an amazing job! The kids LOVED the Bully Shmully school show and the teachers said it was amazing! Your platform is super important to me and I am thankful to the PTO as well for making this happen!
Teryn Dalton - Principal
Indian Land, SC
Excellent show! Mr. Herman was fun and the kids were excited, energy filled and listened to the message with respect. I would highly recommend Mr. Herman to other school systems!
John Van Wyck - Director of Student Services
Page County Public Schools
It was a great show!
Diane Burkhart - Grantwriter
The performances were fun, engaging and well-received by the students and staff with whom I spoke. Bully Shmully had a great message about positive ways to stand up/against bullying, and I think it was a valuable experience for the kids.
Jonida Morelli - PTO
Shaker Heights, OH
The kids absolutely loved the high energy presentation. It fit in perfectly with our school-wide program on character/anti-bullying. Thanks so much for the hard work you put into that performance.
Peggy Swanson - Teacher