This week we had group presentations! One of my favourite presentations was the one that talked about cyber bullying. I think this is a super relevant topic in classrooms today that is seldom talked about. Cyber bullying is something that happens to a lot of students, but I think that some teachers stray away from talking about it in their class because it seems like something distant that is unattainable to monitor. However, I think that there are ways that teachers are able to talk about it in their classroom to make students more aware of its effects and how to deal with the problem if it happens in their own lives.

In a classroom, it is important for teachers to be aware of their students and any changes that might occur in their mood, motivation or energy. Things that indicate changes in students well-being such as self-harm, negative self-talk or changed social dynamics are all important to keep an eye on. All of these examples could indicate that there is bullying, cyber-bullying or at-home difficulties and that this student might need help in some way. This is where it is important for teachers to be mindful of resources within the school, such as school counsellors and to share these resources with students so that they are able to get the help they need.

As teachers, we can also be talking about internet safety and what digital citizenship means. If students are aware of the effects of putting personal information online and the importance of being mindful of who they talk to, they can be more easily prepared if they experience a case of cyber-bullying. I think that because the internet is so widely used these days, it is easy to assume that this is common knowledge for students, however, this could result in students having an inadequate amount of knowledge about internet safety.