This week's discussion on cyberbullying was a real eye-opener. I've been a classroom teacher in elementary schools for 12 years. To my knowledge, that hasn't been a major problem. (Then again I've been in a primary age bubble.) There have been various and disturbing other incidents that come to mind, but not this one. Perhaps that happens once the children are older, literate and tech savvy. Until then, there's traditional bullying, unfortunately.
I now see that primary grades are a great place to be proactive and open the door to communication about cyberbullying. We talk about (traditional) bullies and what it does to people. Why not cyberbullies? In early childhood, students mainly pretend not to listen...but they do hear us.
4 comments:
I was wondering what grades your school goes up to. Last year I speaking with my 5th graders and they were already on the social networking sites like my space. You be surprised if you asked what sites your kids surf on.
I agree that our students do hear us so we should make our voices loud and clear out bullying in any form.
Hi Robin,
My school goes up to grade five. Truthfully, I know more about what goes on in my grade than any others. Likely, I would be surprised or even shocked to find out where the kids surf. I can't believe some of the things that come from of my first-graders!
You're so right... we should make ourselves heard about any form of bullying.
Hi Stacy,
I dont know much about first graders but what I do know is that the middle school is infested with cyberbullying.
They crave the computer like it was food and it is certainly not to do research ...it is for Myspace or Mycrib or Bebo.
AS you said, and I agree with you we just cant predict or assume how much they know or what they will do because for them it is FUN ! and they think we want to stop them from enjoying themselves.
The future is in our hands.
Thanks for your valuable insight,
Gloria. How sad is it that they just think we have nothing better to do than want to stop them from playing. Were we so egocentric when we were young? I can't remember; it was too long ago!
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