This week we were asked to focus on cyberbullying and positive online behavior. This topic is near and dear to my heart, and it is something that enters my classroom on a regular basis.
Each and every one of my students can and will tell you cyberbullying is bad if you ask them about cyberbullying. They have been conditioned to know it is one of those “evil” things out there. From my perspective as an educator, when cyberbullying rears its head within my classroom walls it is typically not via a computer. Most of the cases I’ve been asked to help with are through cell phone apps. Of course, cell phones are not allowed in school but trying to take a cell phone away from a teenager is like trying to put an elephant in a shoe box. Right now, Snapchat is probably the most popular vehicle for cyberbullying with my high schoolers, but I’m fully aware that by the time I finish this post the most popular vehicle will be a different app.
After having a few different students come to me in confidence about hurtful messages sent to them via Snapchat, I decided to come up with ways to casually talk about Snapchat and other cell phone apps that allow students to message each other. Instead of taking the route of “scary teacher”, I shared some stories of my friends who use Snapchat and how those messages that seem to disappear don’t always disappear. I told them about how one message meant as a joke caused a mini-friend war until it was sorted out. My goal of telling the story about a message gone wrong was meant to illustrate how a little joke might not been seen as a joke by the recipient, and I wanted to remind students that even though a message might disappear, all messages are archived somewhere.
I think most of my students don’t think through some of their messages before sending them. Many of the hurtful messages are meant as a joke, and the sender doesn’t even realize it will be hurtful. I think these types of cyberbullying can be prevented by working with students to help them realize they need to edit their work and think about their target audience…which is exactly the same message I give them when we are writing papers in English class. From my perspective as an educator, very few of my students send messages with the intent to hurt another student, which in my book is true cyberbullying.
One way I think schools could take a stronger stance against cyberbullying and promote positive online behavior would be to have all student athletes sign a Positive Online Behavior Agreement as part of their contract to be able to play sports. All students in Alaska must sign an agreement (TAD) to remain tobacco and drug free during the school year. This agreement means that if a student is caught using either tobacco or drugs, on school property or off school property, they face penalties that remove them from playing several games. Each time a student violates the agreement, the penalty increases eventually removing the student’s possibility of playing any sport for the school year. I think if a similar contract was applied to positive online behavior and sports, that many schools would see students taking a more active role to promote positive online use.
More than likely, the state would have to tie funding to this agreement like they do with the tobacco and drug agreement. Unfortunately or fortunately, money talks. If schools know they will receive more money for sports if students sign the agreement, more schools would support this agreement. I can’t see many educators not supporting the idea because it reinforces the message we have been trying to send to students for years. Furthermore, I think most students would say “where do I sign, this is something I already practice”.
Overall, I think cyberbullying is one of the most frustrating things to try to help students overcome. Like most things, educating to help prevent it in the first place is the first line of defense. Teaching positive online techniques and strategies helps students stop themselves before crossing the line into cyberbullying. I’ve spent a lot of time talking to my high schoolers about strategies on how to handle it if someone writes something negative about you. We’ve talked about how to respond to hurtful messages without causing more hurt, and when to share what is going on with a trusted adult. Hopefully having a toolbox of strategies and being mindful of what could be perceived as hurtful will help my students avoid the realm of cyberbullying. And, if someone is aiming cyberbullying at them, they know a few strategies for online self-defense.
Fingers crossed some of these strategies help them as they navigate the fun hormonal stage of being teenagers and begin their adult lives.
Each and every one of my students can and will tell you cyberbullying is bad if you ask them about cyberbullying. They have been conditioned to know it is one of those “evil” things out there. From my perspective as an educator, when cyberbullying rears its head within my classroom walls it is typically not via a computer. Most of the cases I’ve been asked to help with are through cell phone apps. Of course, cell phones are not allowed in school but trying to take a cell phone away from a teenager is like trying to put an elephant in a shoe box. Right now, Snapchat is probably the most popular vehicle for cyberbullying with my high schoolers, but I’m fully aware that by the time I finish this post the most popular vehicle will be a different app.
After having a few different students come to me in confidence about hurtful messages sent to them via Snapchat, I decided to come up with ways to casually talk about Snapchat and other cell phone apps that allow students to message each other. Instead of taking the route of “scary teacher”, I shared some stories of my friends who use Snapchat and how those messages that seem to disappear don’t always disappear. I told them about how one message meant as a joke caused a mini-friend war until it was sorted out. My goal of telling the story about a message gone wrong was meant to illustrate how a little joke might not been seen as a joke by the recipient, and I wanted to remind students that even though a message might disappear, all messages are archived somewhere.
I think most of my students don’t think through some of their messages before sending them. Many of the hurtful messages are meant as a joke, and the sender doesn’t even realize it will be hurtful. I think these types of cyberbullying can be prevented by working with students to help them realize they need to edit their work and think about their target audience…which is exactly the same message I give them when we are writing papers in English class. From my perspective as an educator, very few of my students send messages with the intent to hurt another student, which in my book is true cyberbullying.
One way I think schools could take a stronger stance against cyberbullying and promote positive online behavior would be to have all student athletes sign a Positive Online Behavior Agreement as part of their contract to be able to play sports. All students in Alaska must sign an agreement (TAD) to remain tobacco and drug free during the school year. This agreement means that if a student is caught using either tobacco or drugs, on school property or off school property, they face penalties that remove them from playing several games. Each time a student violates the agreement, the penalty increases eventually removing the student’s possibility of playing any sport for the school year. I think if a similar contract was applied to positive online behavior and sports, that many schools would see students taking a more active role to promote positive online use.
More than likely, the state would have to tie funding to this agreement like they do with the tobacco and drug agreement. Unfortunately or fortunately, money talks. If schools know they will receive more money for sports if students sign the agreement, more schools would support this agreement. I can’t see many educators not supporting the idea because it reinforces the message we have been trying to send to students for years. Furthermore, I think most students would say “where do I sign, this is something I already practice”.
Overall, I think cyberbullying is one of the most frustrating things to try to help students overcome. Like most things, educating to help prevent it in the first place is the first line of defense. Teaching positive online techniques and strategies helps students stop themselves before crossing the line into cyberbullying. I’ve spent a lot of time talking to my high schoolers about strategies on how to handle it if someone writes something negative about you. We’ve talked about how to respond to hurtful messages without causing more hurt, and when to share what is going on with a trusted adult. Hopefully having a toolbox of strategies and being mindful of what could be perceived as hurtful will help my students avoid the realm of cyberbullying. And, if someone is aiming cyberbullying at them, they know a few strategies for online self-defense.
Fingers crossed some of these strategies help them as they navigate the fun hormonal stage of being teenagers and begin their adult lives.