Response 7: Online Writing and Social Responsibility

Response 7: Online Writing and Social Responsibility

Module 8: Writing Part 2

When I read Armstrong’s (2011) module notes on cyber bullying it immediately made me want to explore online writing from this perspective. Writing is how we express and communicate, from Facebook to UBC courses to preschool immunizations- my life is framed by writing for various reasons. Examining how our written communications impact generations in social context is very empowering for educators.  

 In 2004 I was involved in teaching a grade 6/7 class that was writing and performing in a play that explored cyber bullying. The script was written by the students and pieced together by a professional director and it was powerful. Writer's Workshop was conducted with four grade 6/7 classes and the director read all of the journal articles and writing responses and pieced together a script for the play "The War Within". The Vancouver Foundation had provided a large grant to cover the cost of this. I was not involved in the planning or preparation of this project, however I was involved with the execution of it.  Loneliness, anger, sadness, embarrassment, hurt were all underlying feelings of the main “bully” characters and though artistic scenes, that were framed around monologues, our students were exposed to many issues. I saw that group support each other as they explored obesity, cancer, bullying, language, poverty and transportation barriers.

“Cyber bullying has moved bullying from the schoolyard to a worldwide audience” (Frieschele et al., 2008, p. 30) and as learners adopt more online forms of technology educators need to be equipped with the knowledge to support and prevent bullying. According to this article children are primarily bullied via phones through texting and email. Students experience instant harassment and it is a viscous circle in which there is little accountability. Students can be anyone they want through words, there is no visual cueing system or body language to read. It is a one sided dialogue and once words are written there is no retracting them. 

Frieschele et al., (2008) writes that perpetrators are either “social climbers” and/or “aggressive harassers”. As a teacher you see the kids in the class who are in need or socially striving to fit in;  it makes me wonder if I have ignored cyber bullying and could have created in class opportunities to create dialogue around these issues. Technology does allow them to be anyone they want and perhaps they are not fully aware of the impact these horrible messages have on their peers.  I like many of the ideas suggested for educators and I will try to bring in books that look at real social issues for students. In primary I love to read the Recess Queen and talk about social responsibility. 


For students in grade 4-7 Eric Walters weaves together tales that promote empathy and adventure. He begins with real world events or topics such as an earthquake, a tsunami, war, obesity, bullying etc. and writes stories about children and families. My students love his books. 


I Am A Taxi by Deborah Ellis is a powerful book I read that made me look beyond the drug trafficking trade to think about some of the reasons children get involved. Children living in prison cells who are promised a better life.... I wonder how many of my own students live in situations with parents who have taken “easy” money opportunities and are now living with the consequences.  Parvannah's Journey, also by Deborah Ellis is another story that looks at a family living in Afghanistan that must make decisions to leave a war torn city. Many students I taught were refugees and these issues were real to them. Many of their peers lived above Choices Market in beautiful apartments beside the social housing complex, sat beside these children in class and did not understand why they didn't do their homework. Literature is a powerful bridge for children. 

Some of the following strategies were suggested by Frieschele et al., (2008) for identifying and preventing social bullying:

•        Permitting students to access internet sites using software blockers, keep parents updated and educated about teen access sites and ensure students are accountable by using identification codes. 
•         Classroom and social skill building through empathy programs. This was glossed over in the article and I think that you can suggest teachers include this in their programs but you can not mandate. In B.C. we are so fortunate to have the social responsibility performance standards. In our school district,  Burnaby,  we have over 50 Literature Circle kits for K-12 at our district library resource centre. These kits include 3-4 picture books and 5-7 novel sets of 5 copies grouped together on strand of the performance standards. For example, under the strand "Solving problems in peaceful ways" there would be a K-3, 4-7, 6-8, 8-10, 10-12 kit for each category with books, summaries and suggested teaching strategies all grouped togther. We had curriculum consultants put these together before all of the cuts to education five years ago. 
•       Fiction was mentioned (I think there is a wonderful connection and opportunity as a librarian) and some suggested strategies for asking students to think about the characters actions and intentions through "stop and pause and respond" prompting. The literature circle kits I mentioned earlier are a wonderful tool for classroom teachers. As a teacher librarian I work mostly with picture books when I am trying to work on character because of the limited time I have with the students. 
•          Involve community partners and law enforcement personnel in education endeavors. Students don’t realize the dangers associated with posting information. 
•         School wide programs that create a climate that does not accept online bullying. Educate students about the definition and encourage “mainstream” students to reject these behaviors, add in components for peer pressure. I thought the "mainstream" comment was a good point. If the bulk of students deem something unacceptable there is more general consensus of what is right and wrong. 
•        “Role plays have been found to offer a safe atmosphere to practice responses intended to dissuade cyber bullying “ (p. 33). 
•         Mentors and school counsellors can get involved with students and have a tremendous impact on shaping a child's emotional intelligence. Sadly, many children do not have appropriate role models. 
•         School projects that promote cooperation rather than competition are ways that a teacher can support this in the classroom. 
•         Mirrors that show what is on the computer screen around the library is a suggestion and one that I really like.   

Overall, I thought this article was a very comprehensive and that it included some valuable information about the victims, perpetrators and school wide suggestions and programs that might make a difference. The connection with literacy is timely. As we move into a visual era where everything is instant gratification we must find ways to spark our students interest and teach them these powerful life lessons. I see writing as the tool for expression.


 References

Froeschle, J.G.; Mayorga, M.; Castillo, Y.; & Hargrove, T. (2008). Strategies to prevent and heal the mental anguish caused by cyberbullying. Middle School Journal, March, 30-35.