To increase our awareness of bullying and its effects, Mothecombe class did a reading comprehension with a difference. The text we read wasn’t a book… We read a film! Instead of watching a film just for enjoyment, we watched one to discuss hidden meanings or allegories. It provoked a deep discussion about bullying and the impact it has on people. We shared ideas about what bullying is and some children (and adults) who felt comfortable enough to do so, shared their personal experiences of bullying.

We watched a South African film called Khumba: a story that follows a zebra that was born with only half of its stripes. Bullied and rejected by his superstitious herd, he embarks on a quest to a mythical watering hole that will give him his stripes and make him fit in with the rest of the herd. Along the way, he runs into an ostracised ostrich and a free-spirited wildebeest and they all learn that difference can be a strength.

Film can be a really powerful medium and is a very accessible way to open up discussion with your children about sensitive issues. If you’d like to explore these concepts further, then there are more films that could be used to open up a discussion about bullying and its effects such as,

• The Ant Bully
• Matilda
• Eleanor’s Secret
• Bridge to Terabithia
• Back to the Future
• Kes