This lesson plan on cyberbullying focuses on two aspects: the bullied and the bully. For the first part, we talk about cyberbullying in general, how to spot if you\u2019re being bullied, what to do, and measures your students can take against cyberbullying.<\/p>\n
In the second part, we discuss what accounts as cyberbullying, when to know when your student is stepping over the line, and how to avoid cyberbullying others. This lesson plan is applicable to students of all ages, though some changes may be needed to adjust to your students\u2019 level of maturity and your own teaching style.<\/p>\n
Learning Objectives<\/strong><\/h2>\nThis is a cyberbullying resource meant to help teachers learn about cyberbullying and how to effectively teach their students about avoiding being a bully as well as knowing what to do should they face a cyberbully of their own. After educating your students in cyberbullying, your students should be able to:<\/p>\n
\n- Understand the characteristics of cyberbullying.<\/li>\n
- Recognize when they are being cyberbullied by their classmates.<\/li>\n
- Perform the appropriate action against cyberbullies.<\/li>\n
- Avoid cyberbullying their classmates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Background on Cyberbullying<\/strong><\/h2>\nBefore the internet became a ubiquitous part of students\u2019 lives, bullies from both male and female students have existed for a long time. From the stereotypical jocks who bully the less physically fit students, to the mean girls who look down on everyone outside their clique, bullies exist for a number of reasons, both having to do with internal and external factors of the bullies themselves.<\/p>\n
For bullying to occur, there has to be habitual and repeated actions against the victim. For example, let\u2019s take two students, Alex and Billy. If Alex bumps into Billy along a crowded hallway and Billy angrily pushes Alex so hard that Alex falls to the floor, then this isn\u2019t bullying. Billy may have difficulty controlling his temper and reacting to negative situations and may get into trouble for this if Alex is physically injured or if Billy refuses to apologize, but the fact that Billy wouldn\u2019t actively seek out Alex to hurt him another time makes this an example of non-bullying.<\/p>\n
But if Billy decides to tease, shove, and threaten Alex with physical violence if Alex doesn\u2019t give him money, then this is a form of bullying. Based on US legislation, regardless of which state the two live in, if Alex reports Billy to school authorities and Billy is found guilty of bullying, the school can use state legislation to punish Billy \u2013 often this leads to suspending kids like him. In worst cases, a bully may even be forced to leave the school permanently.<\/p>\n
Legislation on Bullying<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nAs of 2019, all 50 states have anti-bullying legislation. Georgia was the first state to create laws against school and workplace bullying in 1999, while Montana was the last state to implement laws in 2015. While all the laws generally ban bullying from schools, some legislations are stricter than others.<\/p>\n
New Jersey currently has the strictest bullying legislation in the country, as every case of bullying (from simple teasing to severe physical and emotional bullying) must be reported to the state authorities. These authorities grades every school in the state based on their anti-bullying policies, the number of bullying incidents that have occurred in the school, and how the school plans to effectively deal with each bullying case. All school faculty are required to treat every reported bullying case seriously, and bullies may be suspended or even expelled for cases ranging from minor to major.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying<\/strong><\/h2>\nAlso known as online bullying and cyber harassment, cyberbullying takes the verbal and emotional bullying and makes it easier for the bully to reach out to their victim because of the ease of communication provided by the internet. As such, it is arguably more dangerous as cyberbullying has the effects of traditional bullying but sometimes without the witnesses or jurisdiction provided by a student\u2019s home or school.<\/p>\n
If Alex were bullied in school, someone would be bound to see it or news would eventually make its way to a faculty member or school administrator. If someone were to bully Alex outside his home or inside by one of his siblings, all Alex would have to do is call for a parent who will diffuse the situation and protect Alex from the trauma of bullying.<\/p>\n
In cyberbullying, however, the forms of communication make it difficult for Alex to seek help. If someone sends him a hateful message, he may feel like his parents are powerless to stop it as they can\u2019t do anything about it. Since this is outside of school hours, he may also believe that the school has no power to do anything said to him online. It\u2019s even possible that Alex\u2019s bullies use anonymous accounts.<\/p>\n
![\"Effects](\"https:\/\/www.teachinctrl.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/2717345676_7aeffc2363_b.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Effects of Cyberbullying<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJust because it\u2019s happening online doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t have any effect on a student. In fact, it can have long-term consequences on the victim, including a lower self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies, and emotional damage.<\/p>\n
If Alex faces frequent cyberbullying, you may find that his demeanor at home and school can change drastically. He becomes more scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed, and because this is happening online, he might think he has no outlet to deal with his bully. Unlike a bully at school who can be reported and who Alex doesn\u2019t have to see outside of school hours, Alex can see the taunts of a cyberbully each time he opens his social media accounts.<\/p>\n
In worst cases, a victim of bullying may be driven to commit suicide. In 2012, a 15-year old girl named Amanda Todd was driven to kill herself due to the cyberbullying. Her bully followed her for years, sending compromising photos of her to everyone in her school and blackmailing her. Eventually, Todd was driven to kill herself by hanging after suffering anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Prior to her suicide, she practiced self-mutilation and tried to commit suicide once by drinking bleach, but was rescued.<\/p>\n
At this point, you\u2019ll want your students to understand the severity of cyberbullying. Those who are experiencing cyberbullying need to understand that this isn\u2019t just something they can continue to tolerate. On the other hand, those that are aware that they bully others need to understand how far the effects of their bullying can go.<\/p>\n
For the Bullied Students <\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
Why Do Cyberbullies Bully?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nYour lesson plan must start by answering with the \u201cwhy?\u201d portion, especially if you\u2019re teaching younger students. Often, we\u2019re told that people are supposed to be nice to each other, so you have to explain why some students in their school (or even in your very classroom) are being excessively mean.<\/p>\n
You have the free reigns of providing students with an answer you see fit. However, you must never answer in such a way that bullying is justified. If the victim is a girl and the bully is a boy, you can\u2019t just dismiss the boy\u2019s action and say \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d It\u2019s time to end the mindset that a boy\u2019s actions towards a girl should be accepted because \u201cthey secretly like her\u201d or because he\u2019s much rowdier than girls are.<\/p>\n
In general, bullies exist because of an imbalance of social or physical power, among other factors. A \u201cjock\u201d may have more physical strength, and his act of physically harming a weaker student asserts his dominance over students who relate more with the victim that the jock\u2019s own peers.<\/p>\n
One way of explaining bullies is using animal analogies. If you look at other animals like monkeys, you can see that there is a social hierarchy there. Monkeys fight for power or position, and for a monkey to assert their dominance, they have to appear more physically and verbally more intimidating than others around him.<\/p>\n
Some people seem to portray this behavior as well, even though it\u2019s not necessary in a civilized community. By asserting their dominance through their actions, they\u2019re getting the message that they\u2019re someone you shouldn\u2019t mess with. However, there are some people they cannot bully to assert their dominance \u2013 such as faculty, staff, and people within their circles \u2013 so to assert their dominance and avoid looking insecure, they find someone significantly weaker in terms of physical or social status.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying is just a byproduct of bullying throughout the years. Why stop in the playground when the internet now provides easy communication to anyone? Because of this, bullies can now bully even more efficiently any time of the day. They may even bully a victim anonymously, thus avoiding the consequences of getting caught all the while degrading their victim\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Cyberbullying Tactics\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\nYour students can find cyberbullying through texting, social media, gaming, or any virtual place where communication is possible. It\u2019s not always limited to the messages sent to your students, but also other people who send or write about nasty comments online about your student.<\/p>\n
There are times when your student may have a friend or acquaintance with just mean-spirited humor, but there\u2019s a fine line between joking around and cyberbullying. Make sure your student watches out for the following tactics and some examples:<\/p>\n
\n- When the bully post comments or rumors that are hurtful or embarrassing (e.g. Billy tells everyone that Alex can\u2019t afford to study because he\u2019s too poor)<\/li>\n
- Telling someone to kill themselves (Billy tells Alex he is a waste of space and should just die)<\/li>\n
- Posting mean pictures or videos (Billy uploads a photoshopped photo of Alex on a fat naked man\u2019s body)<\/li>\n
- Posting hateful names or content discriminating a person\u2019s identity (Billy making fun of Alex for being ugly)<\/li>\n
- Creating a webpage dedicated to mocking someone<\/li>\n
- Leaking a person\u2019s private information available to the public (Billy gives away Alex\u2019s phone number, credit card numbers, etc.)<\/li>\n
- Sharing compromising photos of any person (Billy sends a nude photo of his ex-girlfriend)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Background on Cyberbullying<\/strong><\/h2>\nBefore the internet became a ubiquitous part of students\u2019 lives, bullies from both male and female students have existed for a long time. From the stereotypical jocks who bully the less physically fit students, to the mean girls who look down on everyone outside their clique, bullies exist for a number of reasons, both having to do with internal and external factors of the bullies themselves.<\/p>\n
For bullying to occur, there has to be habitual and repeated actions against the victim. For example, let\u2019s take two students, Alex and Billy. If Alex bumps into Billy along a crowded hallway and Billy angrily pushes Alex so hard that Alex falls to the floor, then this isn\u2019t bullying. Billy may have difficulty controlling his temper and reacting to negative situations and may get into trouble for this if Alex is physically injured or if Billy refuses to apologize, but the fact that Billy wouldn\u2019t actively seek out Alex to hurt him another time makes this an example of non-bullying.<\/p>\n
But if Billy decides to tease, shove, and threaten Alex with physical violence if Alex doesn\u2019t give him money, then this is a form of bullying. Based on US legislation, regardless of which state the two live in, if Alex reports Billy to school authorities and Billy is found guilty of bullying, the school can use state legislation to punish Billy \u2013 often this leads to suspending kids like him. In worst cases, a bully may even be forced to leave the school permanently.<\/p>\n
Legislation on Bullying<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nAs of 2019, all 50 states have anti-bullying legislation. Georgia was the first state to create laws against school and workplace bullying in 1999, while Montana was the last state to implement laws in 2015. While all the laws generally ban bullying from schools, some legislations are stricter than others.<\/p>\n
New Jersey currently has the strictest bullying legislation in the country, as every case of bullying (from simple teasing to severe physical and emotional bullying) must be reported to the state authorities. These authorities grades every school in the state based on their anti-bullying policies, the number of bullying incidents that have occurred in the school, and how the school plans to effectively deal with each bullying case. All school faculty are required to treat every reported bullying case seriously, and bullies may be suspended or even expelled for cases ranging from minor to major.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying<\/strong><\/h2>\nAlso known as online bullying and cyber harassment, cyberbullying takes the verbal and emotional bullying and makes it easier for the bully to reach out to their victim because of the ease of communication provided by the internet. As such, it is arguably more dangerous as cyberbullying has the effects of traditional bullying but sometimes without the witnesses or jurisdiction provided by a student\u2019s home or school.<\/p>\n
If Alex were bullied in school, someone would be bound to see it or news would eventually make its way to a faculty member or school administrator. If someone were to bully Alex outside his home or inside by one of his siblings, all Alex would have to do is call for a parent who will diffuse the situation and protect Alex from the trauma of bullying.<\/p>\n
In cyberbullying, however, the forms of communication make it difficult for Alex to seek help. If someone sends him a hateful message, he may feel like his parents are powerless to stop it as they can\u2019t do anything about it. Since this is outside of school hours, he may also believe that the school has no power to do anything said to him online. It\u2019s even possible that Alex\u2019s bullies use anonymous accounts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Effects of Cyberbullying<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJust because it\u2019s happening online doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t have any effect on a student. In fact, it can have long-term consequences on the victim, including a lower self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies, and emotional damage.<\/p>\n
If Alex faces frequent cyberbullying, you may find that his demeanor at home and school can change drastically. He becomes more scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed, and because this is happening online, he might think he has no outlet to deal with his bully. Unlike a bully at school who can be reported and who Alex doesn\u2019t have to see outside of school hours, Alex can see the taunts of a cyberbully each time he opens his social media accounts.<\/p>\n
In worst cases, a victim of bullying may be driven to commit suicide. In 2012, a 15-year old girl named Amanda Todd was driven to kill herself due to the cyberbullying. Her bully followed her for years, sending compromising photos of her to everyone in her school and blackmailing her. Eventually, Todd was driven to kill herself by hanging after suffering anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Prior to her suicide, she practiced self-mutilation and tried to commit suicide once by drinking bleach, but was rescued.<\/p>\n
At this point, you\u2019ll want your students to understand the severity of cyberbullying. Those who are experiencing cyberbullying need to understand that this isn\u2019t just something they can continue to tolerate. On the other hand, those that are aware that they bully others need to understand how far the effects of their bullying can go.<\/p>\n
For the Bullied Students <\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
Why Do Cyberbullies Bully?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nYour lesson plan must start by answering with the \u201cwhy?\u201d portion, especially if you\u2019re teaching younger students. Often, we\u2019re told that people are supposed to be nice to each other, so you have to explain why some students in their school (or even in your very classroom) are being excessively mean.<\/p>\n
You have the free reigns of providing students with an answer you see fit. However, you must never answer in such a way that bullying is justified. If the victim is a girl and the bully is a boy, you can\u2019t just dismiss the boy\u2019s action and say \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d It\u2019s time to end the mindset that a boy\u2019s actions towards a girl should be accepted because \u201cthey secretly like her\u201d or because he\u2019s much rowdier than girls are.<\/p>\n
In general, bullies exist because of an imbalance of social or physical power, among other factors. A \u201cjock\u201d may have more physical strength, and his act of physically harming a weaker student asserts his dominance over students who relate more with the victim that the jock\u2019s own peers.<\/p>\n
One way of explaining bullies is using animal analogies. If you look at other animals like monkeys, you can see that there is a social hierarchy there. Monkeys fight for power or position, and for a monkey to assert their dominance, they have to appear more physically and verbally more intimidating than others around him.<\/p>\n
Some people seem to portray this behavior as well, even though it\u2019s not necessary in a civilized community. By asserting their dominance through their actions, they\u2019re getting the message that they\u2019re someone you shouldn\u2019t mess with. However, there are some people they cannot bully to assert their dominance \u2013 such as faculty, staff, and people within their circles \u2013 so to assert their dominance and avoid looking insecure, they find someone significantly weaker in terms of physical or social status.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying is just a byproduct of bullying throughout the years. Why stop in the playground when the internet now provides easy communication to anyone? Because of this, bullies can now bully even more efficiently any time of the day. They may even bully a victim anonymously, thus avoiding the consequences of getting caught all the while degrading their victim\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Cyberbullying Tactics\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\nYour students can find cyberbullying through texting, social media, gaming, or any virtual place where communication is possible. It\u2019s not always limited to the messages sent to your students, but also other people who send or write about nasty comments online about your student.<\/p>\n
There are times when your student may have a friend or acquaintance with just mean-spirited humor, but there\u2019s a fine line between joking around and cyberbullying. Make sure your student watches out for the following tactics and some examples:<\/p>\n
\n- When the bully post comments or rumors that are hurtful or embarrassing (e.g. Billy tells everyone that Alex can\u2019t afford to study because he\u2019s too poor)<\/li>\n
- Telling someone to kill themselves (Billy tells Alex he is a waste of space and should just die)<\/li>\n
- Posting mean pictures or videos (Billy uploads a photoshopped photo of Alex on a fat naked man\u2019s body)<\/li>\n
- Posting hateful names or content discriminating a person\u2019s identity (Billy making fun of Alex for being ugly)<\/li>\n
- Creating a webpage dedicated to mocking someone<\/li>\n
- Leaking a person\u2019s private information available to the public (Billy gives away Alex\u2019s phone number, credit card numbers, etc.)<\/li>\n
- Sharing compromising photos of any person (Billy sends a nude photo of his ex-girlfriend)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As of 2019, all 50 states have anti-bullying legislation. Georgia was the first state to create laws against school and workplace bullying in 1999, while Montana was the last state to implement laws in 2015. While all the laws generally ban bullying from schools, some legislations are stricter than others.<\/p>\n
New Jersey currently has the strictest bullying legislation in the country, as every case of bullying (from simple teasing to severe physical and emotional bullying) must be reported to the state authorities. These authorities grades every school in the state based on their anti-bullying policies, the number of bullying incidents that have occurred in the school, and how the school plans to effectively deal with each bullying case. All school faculty are required to treat every reported bullying case seriously, and bullies may be suspended or even expelled for cases ranging from minor to major.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying<\/strong><\/h2>\nAlso known as online bullying and cyber harassment, cyberbullying takes the verbal and emotional bullying and makes it easier for the bully to reach out to their victim because of the ease of communication provided by the internet. As such, it is arguably more dangerous as cyberbullying has the effects of traditional bullying but sometimes without the witnesses or jurisdiction provided by a student\u2019s home or school.<\/p>\n
If Alex were bullied in school, someone would be bound to see it or news would eventually make its way to a faculty member or school administrator. If someone were to bully Alex outside his home or inside by one of his siblings, all Alex would have to do is call for a parent who will diffuse the situation and protect Alex from the trauma of bullying.<\/p>\n
In cyberbullying, however, the forms of communication make it difficult for Alex to seek help. If someone sends him a hateful message, he may feel like his parents are powerless to stop it as they can\u2019t do anything about it. Since this is outside of school hours, he may also believe that the school has no power to do anything said to him online. It\u2019s even possible that Alex\u2019s bullies use anonymous accounts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Effects of Cyberbullying<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJust because it\u2019s happening online doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t have any effect on a student. In fact, it can have long-term consequences on the victim, including a lower self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies, and emotional damage.<\/p>\n
If Alex faces frequent cyberbullying, you may find that his demeanor at home and school can change drastically. He becomes more scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed, and because this is happening online, he might think he has no outlet to deal with his bully. Unlike a bully at school who can be reported and who Alex doesn\u2019t have to see outside of school hours, Alex can see the taunts of a cyberbully each time he opens his social media accounts.<\/p>\n
In worst cases, a victim of bullying may be driven to commit suicide. In 2012, a 15-year old girl named Amanda Todd was driven to kill herself due to the cyberbullying. Her bully followed her for years, sending compromising photos of her to everyone in her school and blackmailing her. Eventually, Todd was driven to kill herself by hanging after suffering anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Prior to her suicide, she practiced self-mutilation and tried to commit suicide once by drinking bleach, but was rescued.<\/p>\n
At this point, you\u2019ll want your students to understand the severity of cyberbullying. Those who are experiencing cyberbullying need to understand that this isn\u2019t just something they can continue to tolerate. On the other hand, those that are aware that they bully others need to understand how far the effects of their bullying can go.<\/p>\n
For the Bullied Students <\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
Why Do Cyberbullies Bully?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nYour lesson plan must start by answering with the \u201cwhy?\u201d portion, especially if you\u2019re teaching younger students. Often, we\u2019re told that people are supposed to be nice to each other, so you have to explain why some students in their school (or even in your very classroom) are being excessively mean.<\/p>\n
You have the free reigns of providing students with an answer you see fit. However, you must never answer in such a way that bullying is justified. If the victim is a girl and the bully is a boy, you can\u2019t just dismiss the boy\u2019s action and say \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d It\u2019s time to end the mindset that a boy\u2019s actions towards a girl should be accepted because \u201cthey secretly like her\u201d or because he\u2019s much rowdier than girls are.<\/p>\n
In general, bullies exist because of an imbalance of social or physical power, among other factors. A \u201cjock\u201d may have more physical strength, and his act of physically harming a weaker student asserts his dominance over students who relate more with the victim that the jock\u2019s own peers.<\/p>\n
One way of explaining bullies is using animal analogies. If you look at other animals like monkeys, you can see that there is a social hierarchy there. Monkeys fight for power or position, and for a monkey to assert their dominance, they have to appear more physically and verbally more intimidating than others around him.<\/p>\n
Some people seem to portray this behavior as well, even though it\u2019s not necessary in a civilized community. By asserting their dominance through their actions, they\u2019re getting the message that they\u2019re someone you shouldn\u2019t mess with. However, there are some people they cannot bully to assert their dominance \u2013 such as faculty, staff, and people within their circles \u2013 so to assert their dominance and avoid looking insecure, they find someone significantly weaker in terms of physical or social status.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying is just a byproduct of bullying throughout the years. Why stop in the playground when the internet now provides easy communication to anyone? Because of this, bullies can now bully even more efficiently any time of the day. They may even bully a victim anonymously, thus avoiding the consequences of getting caught all the while degrading their victim\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Cyberbullying Tactics\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\nYour students can find cyberbullying through texting, social media, gaming, or any virtual place where communication is possible. It\u2019s not always limited to the messages sent to your students, but also other people who send or write about nasty comments online about your student.<\/p>\n
There are times when your student may have a friend or acquaintance with just mean-spirited humor, but there\u2019s a fine line between joking around and cyberbullying. Make sure your student watches out for the following tactics and some examples:<\/p>\n
\n- When the bully post comments or rumors that are hurtful or embarrassing (e.g. Billy tells everyone that Alex can\u2019t afford to study because he\u2019s too poor)<\/li>\n
- Telling someone to kill themselves (Billy tells Alex he is a waste of space and should just die)<\/li>\n
- Posting mean pictures or videos (Billy uploads a photoshopped photo of Alex on a fat naked man\u2019s body)<\/li>\n
- Posting hateful names or content discriminating a person\u2019s identity (Billy making fun of Alex for being ugly)<\/li>\n
- Creating a webpage dedicated to mocking someone<\/li>\n
- Leaking a person\u2019s private information available to the public (Billy gives away Alex\u2019s phone number, credit card numbers, etc.)<\/li>\n
- Sharing compromising photos of any person (Billy sends a nude photo of his ex-girlfriend)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\nJust because it\u2019s happening online doesn\u2019t mean it won\u2019t have any effect on a student. In fact, it can have long-term consequences on the victim, including a lower self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies, and emotional damage.<\/p>\n
If Alex faces frequent cyberbullying, you may find that his demeanor at home and school can change drastically. He becomes more scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed, and because this is happening online, he might think he has no outlet to deal with his bully. Unlike a bully at school who can be reported and who Alex doesn\u2019t have to see outside of school hours, Alex can see the taunts of a cyberbully each time he opens his social media accounts.<\/p>\n
In worst cases, a victim of bullying may be driven to commit suicide. In 2012, a 15-year old girl named Amanda Todd was driven to kill herself due to the cyberbullying. Her bully followed her for years, sending compromising photos of her to everyone in her school and blackmailing her. Eventually, Todd was driven to kill herself by hanging after suffering anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Prior to her suicide, she practiced self-mutilation and tried to commit suicide once by drinking bleach, but was rescued.<\/p>\n
At this point, you\u2019ll want your students to understand the severity of cyberbullying. Those who are experiencing cyberbullying need to understand that this isn\u2019t just something they can continue to tolerate. On the other hand, those that are aware that they bully others need to understand how far the effects of their bullying can go.<\/p>\n
For the Bullied Students <\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
Why Do Cyberbullies Bully?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nYour lesson plan must start by answering with the \u201cwhy?\u201d portion, especially if you\u2019re teaching younger students. Often, we\u2019re told that people are supposed to be nice to each other, so you have to explain why some students in their school (or even in your very classroom) are being excessively mean.<\/p>\n
You have the free reigns of providing students with an answer you see fit. However, you must never answer in such a way that bullying is justified. If the victim is a girl and the bully is a boy, you can\u2019t just dismiss the boy\u2019s action and say \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d It\u2019s time to end the mindset that a boy\u2019s actions towards a girl should be accepted because \u201cthey secretly like her\u201d or because he\u2019s much rowdier than girls are.<\/p>\n
In general, bullies exist because of an imbalance of social or physical power, among other factors. A \u201cjock\u201d may have more physical strength, and his act of physically harming a weaker student asserts his dominance over students who relate more with the victim that the jock\u2019s own peers.<\/p>\n
One way of explaining bullies is using animal analogies. If you look at other animals like monkeys, you can see that there is a social hierarchy there. Monkeys fight for power or position, and for a monkey to assert their dominance, they have to appear more physically and verbally more intimidating than others around him.<\/p>\n
Some people seem to portray this behavior as well, even though it\u2019s not necessary in a civilized community. By asserting their dominance through their actions, they\u2019re getting the message that they\u2019re someone you shouldn\u2019t mess with. However, there are some people they cannot bully to assert their dominance \u2013 such as faculty, staff, and people within their circles \u2013 so to assert their dominance and avoid looking insecure, they find someone significantly weaker in terms of physical or social status.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying is just a byproduct of bullying throughout the years. Why stop in the playground when the internet now provides easy communication to anyone? Because of this, bullies can now bully even more efficiently any time of the day. They may even bully a victim anonymously, thus avoiding the consequences of getting caught all the while degrading their victim\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Cyberbullying Tactics\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\nYour students can find cyberbullying through texting, social media, gaming, or any virtual place where communication is possible. It\u2019s not always limited to the messages sent to your students, but also other people who send or write about nasty comments online about your student.<\/p>\n
There are times when your student may have a friend or acquaintance with just mean-spirited humor, but there\u2019s a fine line between joking around and cyberbullying. Make sure your student watches out for the following tactics and some examples:<\/p>\n
\n- When the bully post comments or rumors that are hurtful or embarrassing (e.g. Billy tells everyone that Alex can\u2019t afford to study because he\u2019s too poor)<\/li>\n
- Telling someone to kill themselves (Billy tells Alex he is a waste of space and should just die)<\/li>\n
- Posting mean pictures or videos (Billy uploads a photoshopped photo of Alex on a fat naked man\u2019s body)<\/li>\n
- Posting hateful names or content discriminating a person\u2019s identity (Billy making fun of Alex for being ugly)<\/li>\n
- Creating a webpage dedicated to mocking someone<\/li>\n
- Leaking a person\u2019s private information available to the public (Billy gives away Alex\u2019s phone number, credit card numbers, etc.)<\/li>\n
- Sharing compromising photos of any person (Billy sends a nude photo of his ex-girlfriend)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Your lesson plan must start by answering with the \u201cwhy?\u201d portion, especially if you\u2019re teaching younger students. Often, we\u2019re told that people are supposed to be nice to each other, so you have to explain why some students in their school (or even in your very classroom) are being excessively mean.<\/p>\n
You have the free reigns of providing students with an answer you see fit. However, you must never answer in such a way that bullying is justified. If the victim is a girl and the bully is a boy, you can\u2019t just dismiss the boy\u2019s action and say \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d It\u2019s time to end the mindset that a boy\u2019s actions towards a girl should be accepted because \u201cthey secretly like her\u201d or because he\u2019s much rowdier than girls are.<\/p>\n
In general, bullies exist because of an imbalance of social or physical power, among other factors. A \u201cjock\u201d may have more physical strength, and his act of physically harming a weaker student asserts his dominance over students who relate more with the victim that the jock\u2019s own peers.<\/p>\n
One way of explaining bullies is using animal analogies. If you look at other animals like monkeys, you can see that there is a social hierarchy there. Monkeys fight for power or position, and for a monkey to assert their dominance, they have to appear more physically and verbally more intimidating than others around him.<\/p>\n
Some people seem to portray this behavior as well, even though it\u2019s not necessary in a civilized community. By asserting their dominance through their actions, they\u2019re getting the message that they\u2019re someone you shouldn\u2019t mess with. However, there are some people they cannot bully to assert their dominance \u2013 such as faculty, staff, and people within their circles \u2013 so to assert their dominance and avoid looking insecure, they find someone significantly weaker in terms of physical or social status.<\/p>\n
Cyberbullying is just a byproduct of bullying throughout the years. Why stop in the playground when the internet now provides easy communication to anyone? Because of this, bullies can now bully even more efficiently any time of the day. They may even bully a victim anonymously, thus avoiding the consequences of getting caught all the while degrading their victim\u2019s will.<\/p>\n
Recognizing Cyberbullying Tactics\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Your students can find cyberbullying through texting, social media, gaming, or any virtual place where communication is possible. It\u2019s not always limited to the messages sent to your students, but also other people who send or write about nasty comments online about your student.<\/p>\n There are times when your student may have a friend or acquaintance with just mean-spirited humor, but there\u2019s a fine line between joking around and cyberbullying. Make sure your student watches out for the following tactics and some examples:<\/p>\n\n
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