Cyberbullying in Grades 6-8: A Professional Development Workshop for Teachers

Why Address It At School? • Technology adds value to students’ lives,

but the same characteristics that allow these benefits increase the likelihood that technology will be used to misbehave and mistreat others.

• It can negatively affect the school environment.

• Since we already have a captive audience, it is within our reach.

• The law mandates that we do.  

Cyberbullying Statistics • 93% of teens go online for two hours or

more per day • 1 in 5 teens have been cyberbullied • 73% of teens use social networking • 39% have been harassed on social

networking sites • Teens who have been cyberbullied are

twice as likely to commit suicide  

What Can You Do? • Devise, discuss and

disseminate response & prevention strategies

• Create and promote acceptable use policies that prohibit cyberbullying and promote responsible digital citizenship while respecting student’s rights.

• Incorporate into your lessons

• Create an anonymous reporting system

 

What is Cyberbullying? Willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices (Hinduja & Patchin, 2009)  

Colleen  Cerny  collcern@my.dom.edu  &  Melissa  Lambert  loydmeli@my.com.edu,  April  2013