This week, I experienced cyber bullying happening in my classroom. Though bullying has been around forever, the internet has provided a means for instant and viral attacks, insults, or harassment. The internet also removes the school day time restraints of traditional bullying, as it is available around the clock. Additionally, the bully doesn't even have to have a face-to-face interaction with the victim, meaning that it may be easier to act as a bully or that the bully can remain anonymous. The problem of cyber bullying is widespread and extremely detrimental.So, how can we help ensure that the internet and all of the technological tools that we give our kids are being used safely? In a school with 1:1 iPads, concerns around online safety and responsibility are constant. I think there needs to be more teaching around bullying and the power of our words, in person or through technology. Check out Common Sense Media for more information about how to teach digital citizenship. The site includes videos, curriculum, lessons, and age-specific teaching tools.
Thanks for the website, Callie! You bring up a great point about cyber bullying -- many kids find it easier to bully 'anonymously' and outside of school, making it that much more prevalent in today's society. Taking a proactive approach in teaching children about digital citizenship is a great way to decrease cyber bullying.
ReplyDeleteThere was an incident of cyber-bullying at the school I am at also. I completely agree that we need to provide more proactive measures to inform students about the effects and consequences associated with cyber-bullying. Thanks for the insight!
ReplyDeleteCallie,
ReplyDeleteI just read Kitri's post about character education as a way of running a classroom, and I think it applies to all issues of cybersafety as well. As the Internet becomes more ubiquitous, we need to focus on responsibility and safety, not simply avoiding the issue. Google puts out a book called A Google a Day that teaches kids how to be better searchers on the Internet. Wouldn't it be cool if you could use something like that or like The Book of Questions to have a mini lesson every day, perhaps a journal topic, where kids can not only discuss the problems, but offer solutions or ways of dealing with these issues. If possible, they could also produce videos in the form of PSA (Public Service Announcement) dealing with the issue.
jeff