Cyberbullying - 17

Bullying.

What is there to say about it that hasn't already been said?
Not trying to be brash or rude.
But quite frankly... I'm tired of hearing about bullying.
Not because I don't care.
Not because I'm heartless.
And while bullying will always exist because cruel people will never cease to exist, it has become more prevalent than ever.
You would think...
That with all of the social networks and technology that we have, we'd use those tools to raise MORE awareness and build people up...
But instead... it's being used to tear kids down.

Hence -
Cyberbullying.

As a human being and future educator, I feel as if it is my responsibility to recognize possible signs of bullying within and without the four walls of my classroom. And while I cannot be everywhere my students are, I can only hope that I would do everything in my power to stop the bully and provide support for the victim. While I may be able to stop a bully from throwing a physical or verbal punch at his/her victim in the hallways or bathrooms, I cannot stop the emotional and mental toll it takes on the victim. That is something that stays with a child for a long time, no matter where they go.

That is what scares me about cyberbullying. There are not always visible, clear signs that it is happening. It can be the most subtle thing. The Internet is a big, big place. Bigger than a classroom, bigger than a hallway, bigger than a playground, bigger than a bus stop. A bully has an unlimited amount of space to prey on his/her victims.
The worst part?
Anonymity.
Which is just a bully's way of being a coward.
They can say whatever they want all while hiding behind a screen. Talking the talking.
And when it comes down to it, they're too cowardly to walk the walk.
This messes with the victim psychologically. They're being tormented; half the time, they don't even know why.
And the next thing you know - another suicide is being reported on the news.

I could go on and on and on and on and on about bullying and cyberbullying.
I could pour my heart out onto this blog post about how my friends have been affected by it, how I have been affected by it, and so forth... and the post would go on for days.
Maybe another time.

But, here is my awareness, for everyone, but mainly to you, present and future educators -

Look for it... even if it's not there.
Get to know your students. Get involved in their lives. Know what's going on. Because sometimes... you just never, ever know.

Another thing -
Technology.
We all know it's becoming a big asset in the classroom, especially with CCSS requiring more use of the Internet.
Teach your students EVERYTHING you possibly can about being a good digital citizen.
This means how to appropriately search for things; how to politely and respectfully communicate with peers on social networking sites or any website where kids can engage in conversations and discussions.


That's why I'm tired of hearing about bullying.
Adults. Role models. Parents. Teachers. Siblings.
We all have the power to make an impact and yet sometimes... we just sit back and do nothing.

While you can't control everything, you still have a good bit of the reigns.
You have an opportunity every day to impact your students.
Not just the victims.
But the bullies as well.