Preventing Cyberbullying Among Middle Schoolers

Online bullying and harassment is a very real problem, especially for young people. According to the United States government almost twenty percent of teens report being the target of some sort of online harassment or bullying. The graphic below outlines some of the issues that can result from online harassment. These issues have prompted law enforcement agencies, educational policymakers and parents to explore avenues that will help to prevent cyberbullying. Here are a few ways that adults help to ensure that cyberbullying doesn't happen.

Raise Awareness

One way to prevent cyberbullying amongst young people is by simply raising awareness about the issue. We often assume that students already have the tools that the need to successfully navigate online spaces. This is often a fallacy. Students need to be explicitly taught about online bullying and harassment. Educators and parents need to work together to ensure that students understand what is considered online bullying. Care should also be taken to make sure that students are well versed in online communication. Once students are aware of what is considered online harassment, they should be able identify, avoid and report it.

Set Clear Expectations

Another way that parents and educators can prevent online harassment is to set very clear expectations about children's online behavior. Before allowing students to interact with others in online spaces, parents need to tell their children exactly what is expected. Initial online interactions should be monitored in order to ensure that students understand what appropriate interaction looks like. Once you have established your expectations then you can move on to the next step.

Have Clear Consequences

Students need to know what the consequences will be when they do not meet the expectations set forth. Clear consequences should be set forth at the beginning all activities that involve online interactions. By putting these expectations in place at the beginning of a lesson or activity, you will alleviate students feelings about consequences being unfair.

Stay Aware

Parents and teachers need to make sure that they are monitoring their child's online activities. Parents should follow their teens activities on social media. It is also a good idea to know your child's passwords and to periodically check their social media platforms, especially if you suspect that there is a chance that they are having issues online.

Online spaces are becoming an important part of our everyday lives. This shift requires parents and teachers to explicitly teach students the skills necessary to navigate these spaces effectively.

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