- Dec 17, 2009
- 19,377
- 3,398
- 183
There’s a brand new-phenomenon teachers should add to their “beware of” lists. It’s called cyberbaiting, and while the verb hasn’t yet made it into the dictionary, or even onto Wikipedia, the growing trend has already been documented by the Norton Online Family Report.
According to the study, cyberbaiting “is when students irritate or ‘bait’ a teacher until the teacher gets so frustrated they yell or have a breakdown. Students are ready for the teacher to crack and film the incident on cell phones so they can later post the footage online, causing further shame or trouble for the teacher or school.”
Cyberbaiting: a New Teen Trend That Humiliates Teachers | TakePart - News, Culture, Videos and Photos That Make the World Better
I have never been provoked enough to lose my cool, but that is simply because we have a supportive discipline policy, where disruptive students can be kicked out of class. Many schools do not have this, and all discipline issues must be handled exclusively by the teacher. You can imagine that kind of stress.
Cell phones in schools have changed the nature of teaching and learning - for the worse. What should be done, if anything?
I am confused. Are you saying that the brats are texting the teachers, trying to piss them off? It's too bad that wooden paddle isn't still hanging next to the door, like it was in my classrooms.
I'm not usually a big fan of corporal punshiment, but somehow, these kids need to understand that teachers are to be RESPECTED! Now, I understand that not all teachers are "good". In my school system, we have two teachers in prison for life: one for molesting over 30 boys, and another for murdering our assistant principal. Another was caught having sex with a 17-year old boy, and yet another had a relationship with a teenaged girl.
BUT...most teachers actually care about what they do, and they care about their students. Yes....cell-phones need to be banned at the beginning of class. Have them place their names on them, and place them all in one location to be redistributed at the end of class. This is sickening, and I hate that teachers are having to deal with this.
They are provoking the teachers and then recording them with the cameras on their cell phones. But teachers don't have to let them get the upper hand. I don't know why they do.
I learned when I was teaching that cheating is very high tech and sophisticated. Some mechanical pencils actually have the capability of photographing a test. We used to give out wooden pencils to the students and did not allow them to have anything on their desk but that and the test. Not even a bottle of water. We also didn't allow them to wear hats or caps as cheat notes can be tucked away in them. They had to leave everything in their cars or lockers and bring nothing to class but their bodies on test day.
I have had students try to provoke me. But as I said earlier when they did that I would just say, 'I see you are having difficulty with this material. Come to my office after class and I will help you individually.' That worked like a charm.
Last edited: