Last week, we completed our fifth unit of Cyber Civics digital citizenship lessons which covered cyberbullying and “digital drama.” According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, approximately 34% of students report being the target of cyberbullying at some point. While this is troubling in itself, what is particularly disturbing is what NoBullying.com reports: 95% of teens who have witnessed bullying on social media have ignored the behavior. This is largely because we have not equipped students with strategies to effectively deal with cyberbullying. The goal of this unit was to teach students how to be empowered “upstanders” who know how to stand up to cruelty of any kind.
Here are some suggested at-home activities that will support what your children are learning in school. I hope your families are able to make time for these activities to strengthen the messages as conduct that is valued and encouraged from both school and home.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
Your children just learned that sometimes people use “avatars” to represent themselves online and to “try on” different personas. Ask them to tell you why someone might do this and how it makes it easier for some to say and do things online they wouldn’t say or do in real life.
Your children learned that behind every online interaction lies a real person with real feelings and emotions. Talk to them about incidences of cruel or insensitive behavior you’ve witnessed online and discuss how those involved—the target and the perpetrator of online cruelty—might be feeling.
Here’s a topic for your dinner table: There are many similarities, and differences, between online and offline bullying, talk to your children about them (did you know research shows that usually those who bully offline, are bullies online too?). Additionally, many people confuse cyberbullying with “digital drama.” Ask your children to give you an example of “digital drama.”
One of the most important skills your children will learn this year is how to be an “upstander.” Have them tell you what an upstander is, and to give you examples of what an “upstander” might do if they witness cruelty online.
Your children learned a three-step strategy they can use should they ever become the target of cyberbullying. Ask them to tell you what it is, and suggest they write and post it somewhere in your home.
End-of-year Projects
My check-ins with students on how their projects are coming indicate that they are moving along. I hope that is the case! The students set their timelines and most of them set a goal of having their research paper completed by today. This week they should be wrapping up their oral presentations and display component and next week we will present our projects to the class.
As always, please reach out if you have any questions or your child is feeling stressed out by assignments. We're all still working to manage expectations in this environment, and I'm sensitive to the varying levels of stress amongst households.