The topic this week was difficult in terms of emotions and hard truths. The fact that so many young people have taken their lives from bullying and cyberbullying is a hard pill to swallow. It is true that adolescents can be mean, but there has to be some sort of solution to end the horrible trend causing youth and people in general inflict harm on themselves and others. Honestly, I think learning how to behave in social situations and how to treat others with kindness and respect starts at home. Unfortunately, in schools students can deviate from kind behavior.
A pivotal part of our lives is when we are very young children who are unimpressionable, naïve, and oblivious. If I had unlimited resources I would promote kindness by investing in nurturing and developing social skills of children. Parents and teachers would play a major role in modeling, practicing, and educating students on kindness and empathy. As adults, I think it would be important to prioritize wellness programs through work. I read that in Sweden people are generally happier and more productive because they have shorter works days. I would use my unlimited resources to create work conditions that improve well-being rather than hinder it. Cyberbullying is bullying that transpires across digital mediums. With the use of devices such as cellphones, computer, and tablets, cyberbullying can happen through texts messaging, email, social media, and various other web forums. It often occurs by sending or sharing negative, harmful, false, and malicious information about someone else. The effects of cyberbullying can be devastating. Too often people have harmed themselves or committed suicide as a result of cyberbullying. It is a major responsibility of all humans to educate themselves and act against the destructive nature of bullying. Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that tends to largely affect school aged kids. We live in an era where the use of social media apps like Twitter, SnapChat, and Instagram are very popular and predominantly used by a younger generation. As an educator, I feel that I have a responsibility to model effective use of the apps and educate students on the serious repercussions that cyberbullying can cause. I would make students more aware of the issues and consequences of cyberbullying by showing or sharing real life situations of cyberbullying that ended in tragedy. I would also encourage students to make a habit out of making their first post of the day a positive one. Whether it is complementing a peer, sharing a helpful tip, or posting a positive image. In addition, I would also teach my students to celebrate diversity. It’s important for student to understand that it’s okay to have differences in opinion, culture, and customs. Lastly, students should be taught empathy and compassion. It’s important for teachers to model this behavior and talk about why it is crucial to behave in this manner. All in all, schools need to focus a large part of the curriculum not just on core subjects but also on social issues including mental health and social skills. Resources: Brewer, G., & Kerslake, J. (2015). Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 255-260. Brewer_Cyberbullying_Self-esteem_Empathy_Loneliness.pdf Essex, N. L. (2016). School law and the public school: A practical guide for educational leaders. (6th ed.) (pp. 107-110). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Essex_Bullying.pdf Essex, N. L. (2016). School law and the public school: A practical guide for educational leaders. (6th ed.) (pp.111-114). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Essex_Cyberbullying.pdf Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J.W. (2015). Developing a positive school climate: Top ten tips to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. Cyberbullying Research Center. Hinduja_Patchin_School-Climate-Top-Ten-Tips-To-Prevent-Cyberbullying.pdf Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Cyberbullying legislation and case law: Implications for school policy and practice. Cyberbullying Research Center. Cyberbullying Legislation and Case Law.pdf
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Aundrea
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September 2018
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