What Can Schools Do to Help With Cyberbullying?

The average age of a child when they get their first cell phone is just eight years old. This means that many children are spending time on various sites as soon as they reach school age and are vulnerable to cyberbullying. This type of online harassment takes many forms, but no matter what the child is facing, schools should play a large role in eradicating the aggressive and damaging behavior.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment that takes place online or through text messages. It has become much more prevalent as the internet is used often for socialization, entertainment, and even schoolwork. No one should have to live in fear of being bullied either online or offline. The first step is to identify what cyberbullying is in order to figure out how schools can create solutions that stop it.

How Schools Can Help Protect Kids from Cyberbullies

In today's connected world, it is more difficult than ever before for children to escape the reach of malicious online bullies. One suggestion to help stop this issue from spreading is to teach kids how to protect themselves and others from these harmful abusers. Schools can teach children about cyberbullying and how to identify red flags for potential abuse. They can also train staff on how they should respond when learning about a case of online harassment or bullying. It can also help to educate parents about signs to look for and how they can monitor their children's online activities more effectively.

How to Protect Students From Cyberbullying – Tips for Teachers and Schools

Teachers and school administrators must educate themselves on the different types of cyberbullying so they can identify it when they see it and come up with viable responses that actually help students. These tips can help with the entire process:

1.     Take all signs and reports of cyberbullying seriously.

2.     Educate all students about the signs of cyberbullying and what it means on different platforms, apps, and online games.

3.     Create a safe space to report online instances to protect students experiencing horrible behaviors.

4.     Teach children how to document their activity and messages on popular websites and stress the importance of providing proof of cyberbullying.

5.     Always make sure that all students know it is not their fault and that there are ways to combat the harassment, trolling, and other bullying behaviors.

Schools Can Teach How to Create a Positive Online Presence

The concept of digital citizenship involves guidance to help young people become positive influences on the Internet. If started early enough and continued over the years, these programs may minimize the urge some students have to bully others and help non-bullies step in when they see something wrong happening. These lessons include information about what to look for and methods for working together cooperatively in all situations.

Although children gain access to the Internet and smartphones from the time they enter school, they do not have the ability to identify and avoid cyberbullying easily. Schools have a big responsibility for this type of guidance alongside Internet use and safety lessons.