First of all.. late reaction, I sometimes respond right away but yours was something I had to think about. I'm really sorry to hear all this and I think it's a good thing that you decided to come forward with this. Maybe talking can help.
So, my main question here is: what do you perceive as bullying? Sorry if I'm addressing topics you don't want to talk about in such detail but I'm honestly trying to understand what exactly it is we're dealing with here. There is a difference between people calling you names or them physically assaulting you. Both could easily be described as bullying but I'd describe the latter as plain out harassment if not assault.
Then there's also the possibility (note: I am NOT saying that this is so, I simply don't know and I'm trying to go over the options) that people behave in a way which you consider insulting (or worse) while they may not even realize that they're hurting you. I kind of doubt this scenario but I had to include it.
Alas, what to do..
Talk to a teacher? I'm not too sure to be honest...
Now, this may not be a popular response but assuming we're talking about bullying in the way where some punks apparently feel better ("superior") to you and will express that every moment they can then I don't think teachers are going to help. Because by doing so and getting them to intervene you're basically also showing that the whole thing actually affects you. And that can sometimes work against you.
Which is basically what most bullies thrive on: dominance and control.
During my school years I also had to cope with some bullies but it didn't really last very long because I defied them. As in ignored 'm. They usually pick on you because you stand out in some way. So I tried to blend in just a little bit more, but not enough to go out of my ways.
My preferred day at school at that time: Come in, don't talk to people, follow lessons, go home. Homework, and then my own personal time.
What I started doing: Come in, chat a bit, follow lessons, chat a bit, try to detect people having issues with lessons, offer (some!) help, go home. Homework & personal time.
So one time I found my bicycle tires slashed and it was made quite obvious who had done that. By that time I had also made some more friends and decided I was not going to cave in. SO, uhm, I "did" something and I don't think this is good advice at all but boy did it help me out...
Of course I complained to a teacher about my tires and that I had an idea who did it but it didn't really help too much. So the next week I learned that a random other teacher (it was a rather big school) parked their bicycle in the same parking area as mine. So I slashed their tires, and started spreading the rumor that my bully did it in, but a very subtle way. And it caught on, even escalated.
So here we were: the bully, some teachers and me in the same room and their question to me: did I really saw him slash the tires. It was a defining moment for me because that was pretty much the beginning when I started really playing with words and context and stuff.
I didn't lie. Technically. But I sure as heck knew what I was doing, and it wasn't very nice but... So I basically said that: "I'm not sure anymore, you're putting too much stress on me. When my tires got slashed by that <censored> no one cared and now this?". knowing exactly what I was doing. But yes, it was important and all. So then I said: "I'm sure it had to be him, who else slashed tires in the past month?".
I was sure it had to be him I never said it actually was him though.
Bottom line: most bullies thrive on control, control and power over you. If you can turn that around then that might sent out a strong enough signal to make them stop.
The only problem: there is no "one size fits all" solution here. It can easily backfire or worse: catch on and suddenly you'll be the bully, maybe without realizing it.
Even so... most people who got bullied ended it by standing up for themselves in a way which the bully could no longer deny.
Sorry for a bit of a ramble, I stil hope you can put this to some use.
For the record: I'm talking about my childhood here, now 30 or so years ago. Some things were probably different back then.
