Bullying in schools: Using drama as an alternate approach to bullying education

In recent years, bullying has become a serious problem in our schools. The consequences of these behaviors can be devastating for both the victim of bullying and the person who bullies. This study investigated programs implemented in Prince Edward Island Schools to help reduce the occurrence of bullying, with a focus on UPEI's Anti-bullying Drama Initiative. In analyzing the drama anti-bullying program and its effect on the elementary students who participated, many educational implications were identified. Throughout the study, students reported on: (1) What type of learning took place during the project. (2) What impact the project had on the feelings of the participants involved. (3) How students felt about the dramatic learning environment.

The results of the intensive three-week anti-bullying unit conducted in PEI elementary classrooms suggest that the interactive nature of drama was able to alter the student's perceptions of bullying. As well, the findings point to positive group relations among the students who participated.