Cyberbullying Prevention and Internet Safety
Social Media and Cyberbullying
Social media use has become so pervasive in the lives of American teens that having a presence on a social network site is almost synonymous with being online. Fully 95% of all teens ages 12-17 are now online and 80% of those online teens are users of social media sites. Many log on daily to their social network pages and these have become spaces where much of the social activity of teen life is echoed and amplified—in both good and bad ways.
-The Pew Research Center (2014)
Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person. Additionally, cyberbullying can occur 24X7, victims have a hard time getting away from the unwanted behavior.
- Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. It can happen any time of the day or night.
- Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.
- Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent.
Online Safety/Cyberbullying Curriculum
The elementary online safety/cyberbullying curriculum is taught at all grade levels (K-4). We teach approximately 3 specific lessons throughout the year as well as quick refresher mini lessons covered during other computer lessons. We use the following online resources based on grade level:
Questions related to Online Safety and Cyberbullying are included in our DDM’s (district-determined measures).
Our curriculum objectives are as follows:
- Students will understand the meaning of cyberbullying.
- Students will learn to recognize different forms of cyberbullying.
- Students will learn different strategies for dealing with a cyberbully.
- Students will learn the importance of enlisting the help of a trusted adult when cyberbullied.
- Students will learn how to use the Internet safely and effectively.
- Students will understand that people online are not always who they say they are.
- Students will learn that they should never give out personal information without a trusted adult’s permission, especially if it conveys where they can be found at a particular time.
- Students should understand that predators are always present on the Internet.
