Life Online

"As a result, when inappropriate sharing or relational aggression happens on Facebook and Myspace, its impact can reverberate across many aspects of school life" (Hobbs 124).

This quote highlights a major issue we are facing today in terms of social networking. Cyber bullying, sexting, pedophilia, etc. are all made possible though social networking, and most of it stems from children using the Internet but not knowing how to do so safely or appropriately. The problem is that kids are kids. Just today, I had one student call another student and idiot. While I spoke to him privately about this, he realized that he shouldn't have said it, felt bad, and apologized. The problem is that when this same thing is done online, it is not as easy to "take back". Students don't realize the consequences f posting things or texting things. They don't grasp the concept that once it is out there, it is never truly gone or deleted.

"Don't screen a video in a classroom that you haven't previewed first outside of class." (Hobbs 129)

Unfortunately, I learned this lesson the hard way. I purchased the video Cyberbully to show my 8th grade students during our school's Anti-Bullying Week. This was my first year of teaching. I thought the video would be a great addition and means of discussion. I knew it was shown on ABC Family and a popular video. However, watching it in the class with my first class, I instantly regretted not watching it myself, first. The words used were way too much for 8th graders to be hearing. I had to eventually turn it off and tell the students we would have to come up with something else. Even though several students told me that they watched it at home, I felt it was not appropriate for me to be showing in class.

"Psychologically, this German term is often used in the English language without translation to describe the emotional response generated in feeling pleasure at another person's misfortune or suffering" (Hobbs 134).

This concept is so relevant in today's media. Shows like Ridiculousness, videos on social media like Vines, and images of people dressed awkwardly at Walmart...these are all popular examples of the term schadenfreude. We (and when I say we, I mean kids and adults alike) love viewing these shows, videos, and images because we find it hilarious. The problem is, though, that we would not enjoy this as much if we were the ones subjected to the suffering or misfortune.