Cyberbullying

For the Cyberbullying task, we were presented with a hypothetical (but realistic) scenario involving a student who was a victim of Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying, an issue still unknown to many, occurs when a student or students attack another via the Internet, texting, or by using another "cyber" format. These attacks can range from a simple "I don't like you" all the way to spreading rumors, which not only can hurt the victim, but can spread with remarkable speed to other students - thus making the attack more effective, and in turn more hurtful and damaging. Prior to this assignment, I had an understanding of Cyberbullying, as I had done research on the topic for another class; however, one can never get too much information on such a topic, as it is not only the fastest-growing form of bullying, but also has extremely negative effects - and is the hardest form of bullying to trace. It is beyond unfortunate that young people have taken such a gift as technology and found ways to use it for harm; but the sad fact remains that it happens every single day, and as teachers and adults, it is our responsibility to not only be as aware as possible, but also to know how to recognize, react to, and prevent it. Responding to this hypothetical situation was very good practice for the future, as it will without a doubt be a challenge I will have to face. Having a better understanding, even in only a practice scenario, will certainly benefit me as a future teacher; I can take the knowledge I have gained here, continue to add to it, and will be better prepared because of it. --- If a scenario such as the one James finds himself in were to occur, there are a number of steps to take even before disciplinary action. Firstly, as a teacher, it is my responsibility to be as aware as possible of the things happening both in my classroom, and in regard to my students. If I am not directly approached by a student who is being cyberbullied, it can often be very difficult to detect; but if I were able to recognize that happening, or if the student were brave enough to step forward and seek help, my immediate action would be to do what I could to comfort the student in question. Of course, I would want to involve school administration – specifically the principal, and preferably not too many other faculty members* (the child’s privacy is still at stake) – and then, with their guidance and support, reach out to the student’s parents. Efforts would have to be made to obtain from the student any information regarding who was doing the bullying, as well as anything else they might know that could help stop the problem, and also to prevent it from happening again. Next, the students committing the act would themselves have to be confronted. In private, I myself – again with the assistance and guidance of school administration – would sit with the students, one by one, and explain to them the weight of what they did, the effect it could and does have on the student(s) being targeted, and, finally, the disciplinary measures that would be taken. As with the affected student, the parents/guardians of those responsible would also have to be involved; disciplinary action would have to come from both school authorities (myself, the principal, etc.) and the parents/guardians at home. As well, to prevent future happenings such as this, the parents/guardians would have to continue to be involved in that aspect of the child’s life in order to provide proper guidance and understanding. Finally, if it were not already in the school’s policy, I would recommend to the administration that measures to address the entire school must be taken. Assemblies held in order to speak to the entire student body on a broad scale would be efficient, but I would also strongly advise that all teachers address the students in their classroom. On such a smaller, more personal scale, the lessons might be better received; also, in such a setting, activities and open discussions could be effectively utilized in order to really help the ideas and thoughts sink in. After all was said and done, the other important part of the entire process would be to check in with the targeted student often, as well as those responsible for the incident, both to offer support in overcoming the harrassment, and also to ensure that it did not continue.

*While the student’s security and privacy is important, it would still be of great importance to alert the other teachers and faculty members to the situation; they, too, are vital to the stopping and prevention of cyberbullying. Therefore, I am not suggesting they be left out of the situation entirely; simply that the particular student involved may not need to be revealed publicly.

- Elizabeth Croswhite, 2/20/2012