This educator cleverly used apples to impart a vital lesson about bullying. While adults can clearly grasp the profound impact of bullying, children often take longer to internalize its meaning. That’s why one teacher from Birmingham, UK, came up with a creative way to illustrate the consequences of bullying through a simple apple demonstration. Her Facebook post detailing this experience has since gone viral, capturing the hearts and minds of many.
Meet Emma Collins
Emma Collins is a teacher who travels to local schools teaching kids about mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Recently, she shared on her Facebook page, Mindful Kids Birmingham, an engaging experiment aimed at showing what happens when someone is bullied.
Emma introduced two apples to her class—one pristine and untouched, and the other secretly bruised from a few taps on the floor. To the naked eye, both apples appeared identical, prompting her students to remark that “they’re both red, similar in size, and look juicy enough to munch on.”
Emma then picked up the battered apple, launching into a tirade about how much she disliked it. “I told the kids I thought it was disgusting, had a horrible color, and a short stem. Because I didn’t like it, I encouraged them to join me in hurling insults at it,” she recounted.
The class stared at her as if she had lost her marbles, but soon they were in on the act. They passed the apple around, throwing out names like “you’re a rotten apple” and “why do you even exist?” Emma admitted feeling a bit sorry for the poor fruit as they tore it apart with their words.
Next, she passed around the second apple—the untouched one. This time, she encouraged her students to shower it with compliments, saying things like “What a lovely apple!” and “Your skin is beautiful!” Despite their kind words, the apples still looked the same on the outside.
Then came the moment of truth. Emma sliced open the apples, revealing their insides. The apple that had suffered verbal abuse was bruised, brown, and mushy, while the one treated with kindness was crisp and juicy. “In that instant, I could see the light bulbs flickering on for the kids,” Emma explained. “The bruises and mush represent what happens inside us when we’re mistreated by words or actions.”
Emma emphasized that not everyone shows their pain, much like the bruised apple, but the damage is still real. This lesson serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of kindness in our words and actions.
Since her post, it has been shared over 200,000 times and accumulated more than 168,000 likes. Many commenters believe this experiment should be replicated in classrooms worldwide to help kids grasp the serious implications of bullying. Emma’s approach is refreshingly simple yet profoundly impactful, leaving a lasting impression even on adults.
She expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support, asserting that we all have the power to fight bullying. “Unlike an apple, we can put a stop to this behavior. We can teach children that it’s not acceptable to say hurtful things and encourage them to support one another,” she wrote. “Remember, the tongue has no bones, but it can break a heart, so let’s choose our words wisely.”
Summary
In a heartwarming and impactful lesson, teacher Emma Collins used two apples to demonstrate the emotional effects of bullying to her students. By contrasting the treatment of a bruised apple with that of a pristine one, she illustrated how unkind words can cause deep internal damage, even if it isn’t visible on the surface. Her viral post has inspired many to advocate for kindness and understanding in schools everywhere.