Know Bullying: Communication Strategies to Empower Kids Online and in the Classroom

Hamilton, Jaime

Three communication scripts children can use to defuse bullying immediately

Bullying thrives on power imbalances, yet most interventions require lengthy training that fails children in the moment they need help. Know Bullying: Communication Strategies to Empower Kids Online and in the Classroom presents the Three-Message Method, a framework built from communication theory and refined through twenty years of combined K-12 and higher-education teaching experiences by Jaime Hamilton, M.A. These three message types give children scripted language to neutralize aggression instantly.

Know Bullying centers on a communication tool called neutral messages. It highlights three helpful techniques (innocuous words, calm factual observations, and empathetic check-ins) to defuse power imbalances during bullying. Each technique is paired with step-by-step scripts that educators can teach and students can deploy during both in-person and online encounters. The book blends communication research with parent testimonials and addresses the well-documented overlap between schoolyard bullying and cyberbullying across grades K-12.

Readers will also find:

• Ready-to-use scripts that help children interrupt aggression without escalating conflict or losing confidence
• Strategies for building emotional regulation and resilience through practiced, repeatable communication responses in real time
• Guidance on recognizing and responding to cyberbullying that overlaps with in-person bullying situations at school
• Techniques grounded in rhetorical and communication research, not broad behavioral frameworks requiring weeks of training
• Tools parents can teach at home and educators can reinforce in the classroom for consistent anti-bullying language

Know Bullying is written for educators seeking research-grounded tools to address bullying in their classrooms and for parents who want concrete scripts to help their children respond to aggression—online and in person—with confidence rather than fear. It provides actionable language both audiences can teach immediately.

Details

Published by: Jossey-Bass

Publication Date: 2026-11-17

Format: Paperback

ISBN-13: 9781394397747

DOI:

Dimensions: cm xcm

Pages: