ADAM BOULT, THE TELEGRAPH, 23 JUNE 2016
Teacher's powerful lesson on the effects of bullying – using two apples – strikes a chord
Rosie Dutton from Tamworth in Birmingham teaches mindfulness and relaxation classes to children in her local area. Earlier this week she posted a summary of one of her lessons on Facebook, where it struck such a chord with readers that it's been shared more than 150,000 times in less than 48 hours.
"When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling."
Rosie Dutton
Rosie Dutton
Rosie Dutton from Tamworth in Birmingham teaches mindfulness and relaxation classes to children in her local area.
Earlier this week she posted a summary of one of her lessons on Facebook, where it struck such a chord with readers that it's been shared more than 150,000 times in less than 48 hours.
In order to illustrate the effects of bullying, brought two apples to her class - one of which she had bruised by gently tapping on the floor.
In her Facebook post she wrote: "I picked up the apple I'd dropped on the floor and started to tell the children how I disliked this apple, that I thought it was disgusting, it was a horrible colour and the stem was just too short. I told them that because I didn't like it, I didn't want them to like it either, so they should call it names too.
"Some children looked at me like I was insane, but we passed the apple around the circle calling it names, 'you're a smelly apple', 'I don't even know why you exist', 'you've probably got worms inside you' etc.
"We then passed another apple around and started to say kind words to it, 'You're a lovely apple', 'Your skin is beautiful', 'What a beautiful colour you are' etc.
"I then held up both apples, and again, we talked about the similarities and differences, there was no change, both apples still looked the same. "I then cut the apples open. The apple we'd been kind to was clear, fresh and juicy inside.
"The apple we'd said unkind words to was bruised and all mushy inside."
Ms Dutton says the lesson sparked a "lightbulb moment" for the children. "They really got it, what we saw inside that apple, the bruises, the mush and the broken bits is what is happening inside every one of us when someone mistreats us with their words or actions.
"When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling. If we hadn't have cut that apple open, we would never have known how much pain we had caused it."
As her post went viral, thousands of readers post appreciative comments. "Brilliant piece of teaching," said one. "Should be done in all first years as t hi is we're a lot of it starts."
"This is an inspired and impactful exercise that should be rolled out nationally," said another. "It will clearly have a far reaching and long lasting effect on those children and many more exposed to it. Excellent work!"
This article can be found online at the telegraph.co.uk.
Earlier this week she posted a summary of one of her lessons on Facebook, where it struck such a chord with readers that it's been shared more than 150,000 times in less than 48 hours.
In order to illustrate the effects of bullying, brought two apples to her class - one of which she had bruised by gently tapping on the floor.
In her Facebook post she wrote: "I picked up the apple I'd dropped on the floor and started to tell the children how I disliked this apple, that I thought it was disgusting, it was a horrible colour and the stem was just too short. I told them that because I didn't like it, I didn't want them to like it either, so they should call it names too.
"Some children looked at me like I was insane, but we passed the apple around the circle calling it names, 'you're a smelly apple', 'I don't even know why you exist', 'you've probably got worms inside you' etc.
"We then passed another apple around and started to say kind words to it, 'You're a lovely apple', 'Your skin is beautiful', 'What a beautiful colour you are' etc.
"I then held up both apples, and again, we talked about the similarities and differences, there was no change, both apples still looked the same. "I then cut the apples open. The apple we'd been kind to was clear, fresh and juicy inside.
"The apple we'd said unkind words to was bruised and all mushy inside."
Ms Dutton says the lesson sparked a "lightbulb moment" for the children. "They really got it, what we saw inside that apple, the bruises, the mush and the broken bits is what is happening inside every one of us when someone mistreats us with their words or actions.
"When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling. If we hadn't have cut that apple open, we would never have known how much pain we had caused it."
As her post went viral, thousands of readers post appreciative comments. "Brilliant piece of teaching," said one. "Should be done in all first years as t hi is we're a lot of it starts."
"This is an inspired and impactful exercise that should be rolled out nationally," said another. "It will clearly have a far reaching and long lasting effect on those children and many more exposed to it. Excellent work!"
This article can be found online at the telegraph.co.uk.
