The Friendship Project

Shawna Fisher

Bullying is a problem that teachers and students face on a daily basis. The purpose of creating a friendship class at Central Point Elementary was to bring the focus back on friendships and how to treat each other. Over the period of eight weeks, I created and taught lessons to a kindergarten class on how to become friends, take turns, celebrate their differences, and take a stand against bullying. During this project, I learned that bringing the importance of friendships into the classroom resulted in less tension and fighting on the playground and students who began to use kind words with each other. By teaching this friendship unit, these kindergarten students have been given the tools and strategies to create friendships and how to make sure their voices are heard. The implication of this project is that every teacher and student would benefit by having a unit in their class on friendships and bullying.