Cyberbullying is using the Internet, email, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and cell phones to harass or bully another person. It often involves texting nasty messages to another person or posting photos or negative comments about someone on Facebook. It can also be pretending to be someone else through fake emails. Cyberbullying often takes place at online gaming sites. This form of bullying is prevalent in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. Both boys and girls can be cyberbullies. You need to learn how to prevent Cyberbullying in School!
What can schools do about this serious problem? First meet with the teacher, technology staff, parents, and students to discuss how to survey the problem. You may want to have a board that meets to deal with ways to address the problem. The board can have lawyers, teachers, administrators, students, librarians and other staff. Talking with kids and teachers may give you a good idea of the scope of the problem.
Cyberbullying in School
Create a campaign that spreads awareness of the issue. You can have a school-wide assembly and talk to all the kids and staff about the problem. During the assembly kids and staff should be encouraged to report incidents of cyberbullying. Encourage kids not to keep the problem to themselves. Discuss types of cyberbullying and where it takes place. Tell them to stand up and take a stand against this behaviour.
Cyberbullying in School: Take it to School …
Have children and staff create some posters or written pieces on the subject. You can have a poster contest for the student that designs the best poster and gets an award. Children can write short radio promotions or essays about the subject. The winning poster can be made and circulated around the community to libraries, supermarkets, and community centres. The students should clearly know what constitutes cyberbullying before tackling this project.
In the classroom teachers have a few sessions or classes on cyberbullying. They should teach kids what defines cyberbullying and discuss how to report the problem when it occurs. Students should be taught not to give out personal information online like passwords or discuss anything they would not want to be made public. The consequences of cyberbullying on the victims should be discussed like depression, poor concentration, and health issues.
Students should learn the consequences of cyberbullying which are school litigation and criminal prosecution. Counselling staff can help victims with the problem by talking with them and giving them tips on coping with the problem. The school effort can be coordinated with the community by having a qualified staff member go out and speak on the subject. They can speak at civic organizations, other schools, meetings, and libraries. Educators that take a stand are the hero helping children.
Cyberbullying in School: Take it to School …
A relationship with local law enforcement can be established. You can have police officers come to your school to talk about the subject. Even local internet providers can explain their policies against cyberbullying. Have the PTA have a seminar to explain cyberbullying to parents and how to safely use the internet at school.
These are some ways schools can address the growing issue of cyberbullying. This form of bullying is the newest and most prevalent due to computers, mobile, and smartphones. Sometimes other kids send messages to each other that they think are funny but to the other person, it is a hurtful message. A continual stream of messages is not an accident it needs to be addressed. Teaching kids to report these incidents is an important step.