Cyberbullying: Our topic in September
What 20-year-old Marco Ribeiro told our author is hard to bear. «I was insulted, humiliated, bullied. From year 1 to year 3 of secondary school. First on the playground, then on the internet. I was close to taking my own life three times.»
This dossier by my colleague Mirjam Oertli is about cyberbullying. Bullying and cyberbullying are often inseparable. If a young person is beaten up on the way to school and filmed, the video later ends up on Tiktok or Snapchat. «Those who are «only» bullied offline at least have a break in the safety of their own home,» writes Oertli. «Cyberbullying, on the other hand, means constant exposure and constant stress for 24 hours.»
Studies show: Bullying among children and young people usually takes place in the school environment or begins there - in other words, in a real place. A place where people come together in groups that are not voluntarily chosen. This makes it all the more important to have an intact classroom community in which conflicts are dealt with openly and confidently.
«There is less bullying in a well-managed class,» writes Joachim Bauer, psychotherapist and author («Lob der Schule»), in a text for Klicksafe.de, a platform that works on behalf of the EU to promote media literacy. But what is good classroom management? And what does it mean for teachers?
What is forbidden offline is also forbidden online. This includes harsh insults, threats, blackmail and the spreading of falsehoods.
Joachim Zahn, media educator from Zischtig.ch
«The secret of good education - and therefore also good classroom management - is a both/and: the balance between empathy and leadership forms the centrepiece of the educational relationship. In order to be able to lead adolescents, teachers need a good understanding of the world in which children and young people live. They need competences in conducting conversations and knowledge on topics such as bonding, motivation and empathy. And they need intelligent conflict management that ensures professional handling of bullying.»
How do parents react correctly if their child is being bullied online? Is cyberbullying a criminal offence? What are the health consequences and where can I get advice and help? Find out in our dossier.
Somehow, Marco Ribeiro made it through this difficult time and finished school. «What I experienced afterwards was a culture shock. It scared me that everyone was so nice during my apprenticeship. It was only with time that I was able to accept that people seemed to like me.» Read here what the man from Graubünden experienced when he wanted to report his tormentors to the police.
I wish you an insightful read - and that your child is not marginalised.
Yours sincerely
Nik Niethammer
