ISCI 761-Blog Post #7-Cyberbullying

Picture is an older boy holding up younger, smaller boy up against wall in school, taking his money. Picture from website

Bullying as a general term brings up the picture of the big kid in the playground who beats up the small kid to get his lunch money. The kid that was bullied went home and felt safe there because the bullying only happened in the school yard. Technology came and evolved, introducing cyberbullying. Cyberbullying encompasses all the same feelings of physical bullying but adds in another dimension. It never stops. It can follow you everywhere and the one being bullied cannot find a safe space to ever escape. It is always surprising on how far the cyberbullying can reach someone.

Photo is a cartoon of boy sitting on the floor crying with cell phone on floor and words in bubbles like they were texted. Words are Freak, Ugly, Loser, Nerd, and Stupid. Backpack on floor. Picture is from website.

Thinking of how I have had lessons for social emotional learning involving bullying before with middle school students, there is a delicate balance of how to approach it. In the actual lesson, starting with a video that involves students and not adults is always attention grabbing and gets the conversation flowing. The largest problem is that you must focus on reminding students not to bully anyone in any situation, but at the same time realize it takes place and you need to cover how to help those being bullied too. Most students that have a relationship with a teacher or staff member leading the lesson will talk about their experiences with bullying. Most students always have something to share. It is tricky with cyberbullying because it is harder to “catch” for the teachers or adults. It again comes down to relationships that have been built at the school or with other supportive adults. If a student is being bullied, they need to feel comfortable reporting the incident to an adult. The student needs to know they are not alone in their situation. This is one reason it is vital not to overwhelm teachers to the point they do not have the time to build the relationships with students so they can notice when someone is acting different than their normal. This week’s module is a reminder that bullying in any form can be a silent killer for students. Being attuned to watch any signs of one that is bullying as well as those being bullied become equally important to stop cyberbullying.

In the article, “From the Sandbox to the Inbox: Comparing the Acts, Impacts, and Solutions of Bullying in K-12, Higher Education, and the Workplace” it expands and relates bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment by looking closely at it from an early age to adult age, following the K-12 issues, college, and eventually the workplace. The anonymity that can exist with cyber bullying also puts a different spin on how to stop it when you do not have proof of who engages in it. Also relating bullying to all ages and situations helps shed light that it is a continuous problem, so punishments are tricky when it comes to prevention or stopping it from happening. Another article to highlight is, “What Parents Can Do to Prevent Cyberbullying: Students’ and Educators’ Perspectives” and how it promotes kindness as a weapon against bullying. I do think lessons in kindness with examples in “cyber-kindness” and having adults be a role model in showing kindness to all people is worth so much in the prevention or reduction of bullying at schools. These lessons can be embedded throughout the school year as well as a partner to any bullying lessons done.

There are not a lot of answers just yet of what exactly works to prevent or stop bullying, but the more everyone is aware of what to look for and on the same page that it is wrong and detrimental to someone now and in the future, the more we can move forward in our fight against bullying.

Here are a few takeaways from this week’s module:

• Videos that involve students in the making of them have a bigger impact on kids. However, if the video goes too far in the depiction, the message is lost as the students will only dwell on how shocking the video was to watch.

• Whether you are in kindergarten or in the workplace, bulling and harassment are harmful and unwarranted behaviors.

• Cyberbullying can be done via e-mail, chat rooms, online gaming communities, or social media. It is vital for parents/guardians to be aware of what their student is involved with online.

• Too many victims suffer in silence and bullying is underreported. It is important to encourage bravery in other students to speak out for people that are not able or afraid to speak out for themselves if they see bullying take place.

• Solutions are not simple nor are they one size fits all. Building relationships and promoting kindness, are some of the most important ways that might help prevent bullying from reaching a devastating outcome. 

Photo is off school supplies and a slogan of No More Bullying-Acceptance-Kindness-Respect-Friendship-Compassion. Also Alexa James Co. is creator and image can be found at this website

Resources:

Cassidy W, Faucher C, Jackson M. What parents can do to prevent cyberbullying: students’ and educators’ perspectives. Social Sciences. 2018; 7(12):251. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7120251

Faucher, C., Cassidy, W., & Jackson, M. (2015). From the sandbox to the inbox: Comparing the acts, impacts, and solutions of bullying in K-12, higher education, and the workplace. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(6), 111-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.11114/jets.v3i6.1033

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ISCI 761-Blog Post #7-Cyberbullying