I don't like the word 'bully'. It labels a kid as definitively bad and leaves no room for redemption. I prefer to consider bullying behaviors. Instead of the kid being bad, it's their behaviors educators and students need to look out for. Behaviors can be identified and altered. Behaviors can be addressed. And the student isn't walking around school with a giant "B" on their chest for the rest of their education. Another problem with using the label Bully is that some people may be behaving in hurtful ways, bu
t struggle to own it because they don't see themselves as a Bully. However, if we focus on the behaviors, instead of the concept of The Bully, then we have more room for self-reflection.
Same goes for cyberbullying. By teaching students about these behaviors they can identify when they are engaging in them. Now that children are growing up with constant internet access, bullying behaviors can be found online too. We teach even the youngest of our students how to be caring, empathetic, and kind in face-to-face interactions. Discuss online behaviors at the same age in the same way. The sooner we let kids know about cyberbullying behaviors the better internet users the kids will be.
Equally important to cyberbullying behaviors is how to respond to them. Specifically, how to help a student who is being bullied online. In that situation Common Craft suggests, publicly pointing out the bullying behavior for what it is, responding with positive posts that oppose the bullying messages, and contacting the student being bullied directly to offer support. Common Craft also stresses it is important to handle the situation calmly and to not make the situation worse with inflammatory rhetoric, insults, or threats.
Common Craft. (n.d.) Cyberbullying. Retrieved from https://www.commoncraft.com/video/cyberbullying
t struggle to own it because they don't see themselves as a Bully. However, if we focus on the behaviors, instead of the concept of The Bully, then we have more room for self-reflection.
Same goes for cyberbullying. By teaching students about these behaviors they can identify when they are engaging in them. Now that children are growing up with constant internet access, bullying behaviors can be found online too. We teach even the youngest of our students how to be caring, empathetic, and kind in face-to-face interactions. Discuss online behaviors at the same age in the same way. The sooner we let kids know about cyberbullying behaviors the better internet users the kids will be.Equally important to cyberbullying behaviors is how to respond to them. Specifically, how to help a student who is being bullied online. In that situation Common Craft suggests, publicly pointing out the bullying behavior for what it is, responding with positive posts that oppose the bullying messages, and contacting the student being bullied directly to offer support. Common Craft also stresses it is important to handle the situation calmly and to not make the situation worse with inflammatory rhetoric, insults, or threats.
References
Common Craft. (n.d.) Cyberbullying. Retrieved from https://www.commoncraft.com/video/cyberbullying
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