Cyberbullying

            What is Cyber bullying? Is it the same as bullying?  Cyber bullying is a particular type of bullying that spreads faster and further to more people than traditional forms of bully because it involves the use of technology devices. It can occur any time during the day or night, whenever people are connected online. Despite its difference from traditional bullying, cyber bullying can make students feel the same as if they have been bullied: uncomfortable, sad, angry, helpless and embarrassed.   

Bullying occurs in a face-to-face situation with another student from the same school. In contrast, cyber bullying can occur online with many students from the same or different school. Cyberbullying happens even if a student posts a negative picture or a comment about another student only once. Even though it’s the first offense, because so many people see it, the potential for humiliating the target of the cyberbullying is very great. 

It’s important for parents, staff members and students to be aware of the consequences of cyberbullying and how positive approaches towards cyber bullying can be effectively used. When students know how to positively interact with each other on a social media site, through a text messaging and any other technology device, they are more likely to use it appropriately, thus reducing the potential for cyber bullying to occur.

The use of peer mediators at a school can reduce the number of bullying situations. Students will listen better to their own peers than their parents, teachers or other adults. They want approval and acceptance from their peers. Students think adults find technology frightening and not safe and tend to not listen to their point of view on issues.

I found the Cyber Savvy Survey and the Commonsense Media cyberbulling materials to be extremely helpful on understanding what cyberbullying is and how to create a prevention program in a school. I do not have an issue with cyberbullying at my school. However, it is not the best approach to wait until something happens to talk about an issue. I plan on sharing the survey from the Cyber Savvy Program with my colleagues and administrator. I would hope we would give the survey to the students and analyze the data. From the data we would decide on our next steps of training. I would like to see older youth come and present to the younger youth about cyberbullying. The students would learn from the older youth, how cyberbullying is the same than bullying as well as steps they can take to reduce cyberbullying in their lives.

I also plan on sharing the question and answer survey on cyberbullying from the commonsense media website with parents, students and staff members who don’t understand what cyberbullying is. These questions and answers inform what is crossing the line towards cyberbullying. The questions also gives suggestions about how to analyze and develop solutions to cyberbullying if you are a parent and your child is being bullied or they are initiating the bullying.