Anti-Bullying / Anti-Cyberbullying Lesson Plan For K-12 Schools (Essay Sample)

Anti-Bullying / anti-Cyberbullying lesson plan for k-12 schools
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Anti-Bullying / anti-Cyberbullying lesson plan for k-12 schools
Bullying in general has been a serious problem in any sector of the society. However, bullying in K–12 (primary and secondary education) is highly deleterious to victims especially with regards to their academic performance. Minor, Smith & Brashen (2013) defined traditional bullying as exposing a person over time and repeatedly to negative actions of at least one other person and the victim is unable to defend him/herself. Therefore, definition of bullying has three components: it is an aggressive behavior which involves negative unwanted actions; it involves a behavior pattern repeated over time; and it involves imbalance of strength or power. However, cyberbullying is the use of cell phones, internet, video game systems, and any other electronic device to post or sent text messages, videos or images intended to embarrass or hurt another person. Therefore, cyberbullying phenomenon can entails unwanted sharing of personal or private information online or even the unsolicited spread of worrying contents (such as pornography or human tragedy images); and threatening letters or any other spam (p.16).
Therefore, the major difference between traditional bullying and cyberbullying is the bullying platform. Cyberbullying occur online on platforms such as online social media sites through use of technological devices like cellphone and computer while traditional bullying occur offline verbally or physically. Traditional bullying can involve physical contact meaning that the bully and the victim must be within a given short distance. However, cyberbullying occurs virtually hence the bully and the victim can be separated by large geographical area. Hinduja & Patchin (2014) added that cyberbully can hide his/her identity behind phone or computer by using pseudonymous screen names or anonymous email addresses. However, a traditional bully cannot hide his/her identity. More so, the bullying actions of cyberbully are viral meaning that they can reach a large number of people within a short distance irrespective of the physical distance (p.3).
Bullying prevalence and its effects on k-12 school children
About one in four students (22%) have been bullied during their school years (Lessne & Cidade, 2015). Modecki et al (2014) conducted analysis of 80 studies about prevalence of bullying among students. The study found that students aged 12-18 year old reported a prevalence rate of 15% of cyberbullying and 35% for traditional bullying. This was also supported by Center for Disease Control (2016) which found that 16% of high school students are cyberbullied while 20.2% are traditionally bullied in school properties. More so 24% of middle school students are cyberbullied while 45% are traditionally bullied in school properties. Patchin & Hinduja (2016) found that the number of k-12 school children who have experienced cyberbullying has double from 2007 to 2016 (18% to 34%). Petrosino et al (2010) also found that 64% of bullied school children do not report the incidence.
Konishi et al. (2010) conducted a study about the link between academic bullying and academic performance among children in Canadian schools. The study examined 28, 0000 students aged 15-years old participating in a school program. The study found that students who have been bullied performed poorly in their academics compared to those who did not experience bullying. This is because bullying affects students psychologically hence they find it difficult to pay attention and concentrate in class because of fears associated with bullying (Konishi et al. 2010). School children who experience bullying are vulnerable to sleep difficulties, anxiety, depression, and poor school adjustment (Center for Disease Control, 2016).
Students who also engage in bullying activities are at risk of violent behavior later in their adulthood and adolescence stage, poor academic performance and substance use. Students who are bullied, bully others, or just witness bullying have higher likelihood to report suicide-related behavior compared to students who had not been involved in bullying (Center for Disease Control, 2014). Therefore, bullying in schools affects victims, perpetrators and bystanders. Gini & Espelage (2014) conducted a meta-analysis research which found that students who face bullying are 2.6 and 2.2 times more likely to attempt suicide and have suicide ideation respectively that students not facing any bullying. From these studies, it is clear that bullying is highly prevalence among school children and its effects are adverse and cover the victims, perpetrators and bystanders. Therefore, necessary prevention and mitigation mechanism should be developed by designing a lesson for addressing both traditional bullying and cyberbullying:
Bullying and cyberbullying prevention lesson
* Learning objectives of the lesson
1 To improve students’ awareness about bullying and cyberbulying
2 To inform the students about the effects of bullying on victims, perpetrators and bystanders.
3 To provide students with techniques of preventing bullying and cyberbullying of their peers.
* Learning and lesson effectiveness Measurement method(s)
Measuring the effectiveness of the learning and lesson outcome of the lesson will be conducted using four methods. The first method will be the survey about students’ perception about bullying prevalence in school, days after the lesson is complete. The effectiveness of learning will be shown by comparing bullying incidences during and after the lesson. The second method will be analysis of student practical work products. This will be measured by the number of bullying incidences prevented by students through their intervention. If the number of bullying incidences prevented by students increased, it means the learning was effective. Another method is standardized test. This will entail giving students a test about what have learned in class about bullying and cyberbullying. Their score in the test determine the effectiveness of the lesson and learning. The last method will be observations of the students performing bullying prevention tasks. If they perform the tasks aggressively and accurately, then the learning and lesson is effective.
* Description of lesson type
The lesson type that will be used is majorly peer learning activities. Studies show that peer intervention is the best way to reduce or stop bullying. Hawkins, Pepler, & Craig (2001) found that over half (57%) of students bullying situations stop through peer intervention on behalf of the bullying victim. Thornberg et al. (2012) found that bystanders have belief in their social self-efficacy which is positively correlated to defending behavior. This means that if a student believes that he/she can make a difference, he/she is likely to act to stop bullying. Davis & Nixon (2010) through their primary research found that students who had experience bullying reported that supportive and allaying actions from their peers (like talking to the victim, spending time with the victims, giving advice or helping student get away) are most helpful actions a bystander should take. Additionally, peer action is more helpful than self-action or educator intervention to students who experience bullying (Davis & Nixon, 2010). Therefore, school-based bullying prevention programs are necessary because they decrease bullying by 25% (McCallion & Feder, 2013).
Peer learning activity will be basically group experience using Buzz Groups. In this method, students will be put into three groups. The lesson is basically about peer intervention because it is the most effective method of preventing bullying. Therefore, one group will be the victims, the other will be the bystanders and the third group will be the perpetrators. The perpetrators will physically but mockingly assault or abuse the victims, use phone to send threatening abuses to the victims. The members of the victim group will share their experience especially the text message with bystanders who will then intervene by telling the perpetrators to stop their actions. The bystanders will also intervene when they witness the physical assault or abuse.
However, peer learning activity will be supplemented with interactive learning in which students will interact with the teacher, technology, and among themselves. Davis & Nixon (2010) noted that a teacher can still play the most helpful role to prevent bullying are: check in with students afterwards to find if bullying stopped, giving the student advice, and listen to the student (Davis & Nixon, 2010). In this interactive method, the teacher will create a classroom where discussions and simulation will be used to train students about bullying and cyberbullying. In discussion, the teacher will bring a topic about these two issues (e.g. asking students what they can do when they experience bullying). The teacher will then discuss this issue/topic with students and make recommendations to be followed. In simulation, a teacher will use a simulator to explain to students about an issue concerning bullying such as how a student should defend him/herself when bullied.
* Materials needed for the lesson
The lesson will target both traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Therefore, materials required must support both types of bullying. In this lesson, cyberbullying will be done via text message on cellphone or Whatsapp. Online social media sites are avoided because of its viral nature because the content can spill outside classroom. Therefore, the materials required for cyberbullying lesson are three cellphones with active SIM cards and Whatsapp software installed, and anti-cyberbullying simulator. Tools required for ...