Cyberbullying: 10 Myths Debunked

There are obviously many pieces to the complex puzzle of bullying, but developing a greater understanding of the issue provides a solid foundation to initiate meaningful and much needed change. Enduring myths about bullying however continue to be accepted as truths by adults as well as youth, who look to the adults for guidance on how to respond in bullying situations. The following myths must be debunked in order for additional progress to be made in reducing bullying behaviors, with the caveat that the “truths” offered below in response to each of the myths are not absolute. In reality bullying is a complex social problem made worse by virtue of capabilities now provided as a result of the Internet and technological devices. No single myth or suggested truth is likely to sum up every bullying situation encountered by youth.

Myth #1: Bullying helps victims “toughen up,” and only makes them stronger in the long run.

Truth: Bullying generally does not help victims toughen up—it causes substantial pain. Left unchecked continued bullying causes more pain.

Myth #2: Bullying is a “normal” part of childhood development. Get over it.
Truth: Being repeatedly subjected to cruel and abusive treatment is not a normal part of childhood development or acceptable in civil societies as a matter of law.

Myth #3: Bullying is sometimes just “playing or goofing around” so what’s the big deal?
Truth: Bullying is not playing around unless everyone involved is having a good time.

Myth #4: When bullying becomes serious enough, kids will tell an adult.
Truth: Youth rarely tell parents or other adults about being bullied. This is especially true if their friends are the bullies. Instead they live by a code of silence with “no snitching” allowed.

Myth #5: Parents of students who bully or are bullied, are usually aware of the problem and will intercede if they deem it necessary.
Truth: Because bullying victims rarely tell parents or other adults what is happening in their online world, grownups are often unaware of the warning signs.

Myth #6: Most bullying occurs outside of school or on the way to and from school.
Truth: Although schools usually provide for very safe computing environments, most physical and verbal bullying occurs within schools or in connection with school activities. Cyber bullying however, can occur at any time, while a victim is interacting with bullies online or not, and from any location in which portable computing devices make it possible for bullies and/or victims to connect to the Internet.

Myth #7: Physical bullying is the most common form of bullying among boys and girls.
Truth: Verbal bullying is the most common form.

Myth #8: Bullies suffer from insecurity and low self-esteem.
Truth: While some bullies are insecure or have low self-esteem, many bullies are not suffering in these ways. For whatever other reason(s) they can be just mean!

Myth #9: Bullying and conflict mean the same thing.
Truth: Bullying involves a perpetrator holding power over and dominating a victim in some way usually over an extended period of time. Conflict however, involves mutual disagreements. Whereas two or more parties involved in conflicts may perceive themselves as being “the victim” who needs to stand up for their rights, bullies originate and perpetuate one-way aggression directed toward the victim(s).

Myth #10: Bullying affects only a small number of students.
Truth: Bullying affects a large number of students as victims or witnesses in direct or indirect ways. Spin-off effects of bullying can disrupt families, school environments, neighborhoods, and even entire communities.

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Adapted from Chapter 2: Characteristics and Causes of Bullying Among Individuals and Groups (Pgs. 29-36) of Cyber Bullying: Protecting Kids and Adults from Online Bullies (Praeger, 2009) by Samuel C. McQuade, III, James P. Colt, and Nancy B. B. Meyer.

This volume details the extent and types of cyber bullying and offers practical advice for combating the problem from a variety of approaches.

Nobel Peace Prize: The Controversy

The countdown clock at NobelPrize.org is ticking away the final hours (14 and some change) until the announcement of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. You can watch the live webcast here from the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway, on Friday, October, 8, at 11:00 a.m. CET, 9:00 a.m. GMT.

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. In 1901, these became known as the Nobel Prizes. (In 1968, Economic Sciences was added to the list.)

Since 1901, 97 individuals have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Most recently in 2009, President Barack Obama was bestowed the honor. But the Nobel Prize announcements do not come sans controversy. 

In Nobel's will, the Peace recipients are characterized as "the champions of peace". Further, he or she is "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Henry Kissinger, Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat, and even President Barack Obama have been scrutinized and their being worthy of the honor contested for a number of reasons. [You can read about all the past winners here.] Kissinger was awarded the Prize in 1973 for his work on the Vietnam Peace Accords, despite playing a central role in the bombing of Cambodia. The words "Yasser Arafat" and "modern terrorism" find themselves paired often. And many wonder if President Obama was awarded the Prize much too early in his presidential career (only 9 months into his term), being lauded for his ambitions for peace rather than end results. More shocking, Mahatma Ghandi, a symbol of nonviolence and peace for years, never was recognized with this honor. Though, in Ghandi's words, "Peace is its own reward."

This begs the questions, and I'd love to hear your thoughts: Is the Nobel Peace Prize Committee selecting recipients to promote their own political and personal interests, rather than adhering to Nobel's original definition of a Peace Prize candidate? Should the definition change as the times have changed? Is the Prize losing its renown? Or has it already lost it? Is the process corrupt?

---Rachel Neal, ABC-CLIO Publicity Assistant and strong advocate of "giving peace a chance"

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The Nobel Peace Prize: What Nobel Really Wanted

By Fredrik S. Heffermehl

Praeger, 8/2010

In this groundbreaking and controversial critique of the selections of Nobel Peace Prize winners, an eminent Norwegian lawyer and peace activist calls for its return to legal and moral compliance with the will of Alfred Nobel who wished to support disarmament to prevent war.

"The prize was important in Nobel's day, today disarmament has become a matter of life and death, of whether humanity's future in a world threatened with nuclear extinction. Nobel was visionary, he gave, in 1895, a key response to many of the pressing global emergencies we are facing today, where military means are not the answer, but instead severely aggravate the problems" - Fredrik Heffermehl on the Nobel Prizes, October 7, 2010.

LMC@The Forefront Professional Development Webinars

ABC-CLIO is proud to be a sponsor of LMC@The Forefront for the Fall 2010 season. The popular live, web-delivered professional development workshops provide an excellent and affordable opportunity to explore and strengthen skills in school library and education practices with esteemed authors and education practice innovators. Each one-hour Webinar will include ample time for questions and exchanging thoughts during the Q&A.

Visit www.librarymediaconnection.com for a list of upcoming Webinars and a registration form.

Grant Writing Tips from Valerie Mann, Author of "Getting Your Share of the Pie"

"I saw this book as a way to help people 'work smarter instead of harder'. I wrote it in such a way that it could take the place of a course in grant writing... It represents a unique approach to the grants field, discussing every step of the process, and will be especially useful to the novice. It is comprehensive and thorough and gives specific resources for the reader to follow up to search for grant funds. The inclusion of real 'news you can use' and specific examples makes it unique as a learning tool and reference book."

Anyone reading my book, Getting Your Share of the Pie: The Complete Guide to Finding Grants, should be able to go out and immediately start seeing results in the form of increased funding. (I hope that it will also relieve some of the angst that I see among those in the grant profession.) The results of our work will be known once the award decisions are handed down. The tendency here is to see one’s work in terms of either success or failure, which does nothing for one’s self-confidence. This book can help the grant writer to overcome some of the natural anxieties of the profession--I will be very happy if I can make the readers feel more self-confident!

Persons who are currently in the grant writing profession working for local governments, public and private institutions, non-profits and other organizations such as fire departments will benefit most from reading my book. It will also be helpful to those who wish to enter the grant writing field. 

5 Need-to-Know Tips for Grant Seekers: 

1. Look at the project from the ground up without any preconceived ideas about how it should be designed. Consider all the alternatives before choosing a specific activity.
2. Look closely at resources before committing to do a major project--you might need to spend some more time building your organization first.
3. Always give the true picture in a grant application. Exaggerating will make the application lose points in the rating.
4. Search as many resources as possible. Don’t stop when you identify one or two promising sources.
5. Realize that the skills of the grant writer are only one of many factors playing into the success or failure of an application. Don’t take it personally if an application gets turned down.

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About the Author:

Valerie Mann has been working in the field of community development for 32 years. From July of 1977 through December of 1985, she was employed as a Grants Writer at the Salisbury, Maryland Mayor's office. Since that time, she has operated her own successful community development business. Ms. Mann is a graduate of the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. She lives in Fruitland, Maryland, with her son and several rescued pets.

Connect with Valerie:

Website: www.gettingyourshareofthepie.com

Facebook: Getting Your Share of the Pie 

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Getting Your Share of the Pie: The Complete Guide to Finding Grants

Valerie J. Mann

Praeger, 2010

An expert in securing grant money provides a clear, step-by-step course in grant writing that readers can "attend" from the comfort of their home or office—and proceed with at their own pace.

Available at ABC-CLIO.com, Amazon.com, and BarnesandNoble.com

Free Information Literacy Vodcast Series with Mike Eisenberg

We are excited to partner with Big6’s Mike Eisenberg to bring you an exclusive series of vodcasts. Each month we will release a new chapter in the Mike Eisenberg Information Literacy Series, so stay tuned for more! View these vodcasts completely free of charge, and please share them with your colleagues!

Vodcast #1 - What is Information Literacy?

In this vodcast, Mike answers a series of questions about the basics of information literacy that he has collected from students and colleagues around the country.

Mike Eisenberg is dean emeritus and professor at the Information School of the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Mike's current work focuses on information, communications, and technology (ICT) literacy, information credibility, and information science education K-20. Mike is co-author of the "Big6 approach to information problem-solving" -- the most widely used information literacy program in the world.

For more author videos, please visit our YouTube channel: ABCCLIOLive.

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Addition posted on January 27, 2011:

Quick links to the remaining parts of the series


Part 2: http://abcclio.blogspot.com/2010/10/mike-eisenberg-on-how-to-implement.html
Part 3: http://abcclio.blogspot.com/2010/11/mike-eisenberg-vodcast-3.html
Part 4: http://abcclio.blogspot.com/2010/12/free-information-literacy-vodcast.html

Why Should I Watch "The Social Network"?

Well, the highly anticipated movie "The Social Network" finally hits theaters tomorrow (Friday). I admit that I could be classified as a Facebook junkie, but why should I watch this movie? Times are tough, and I have Netflix. In all honesty, I'm not going to spend money on any movie right now unless it's a really special occasion. So, let's just say that it's months down the road, the "The Social Network" is available on Netflix, and I'm updating my queue. Should I add it? Here are the thoughts running through my head:
"No, just because you use Facebook, doesn't mean a movie about it will be interesting."
"Well, it was directed by David Fincher."
"They basically show the whole plot in the preview, so why go sit through it for 2 hours?
"Well, it was directed by David Fincher."

Obviously, I have this re-occurring thought that I should give the movie a chance because it was directed by, you guessed it, David Fincher. He is a very talented filmmaker. Do you recall the chills you felt during  Se7en as Brad Pitt's character is on the phone yelling, "What's in the box?" What about the last scene in Fight Club where Ed Norton and Helena Bonham Carter are holding hands and looking out the window as buildings come crashing down, all while the Pixies', "Where is my Mind?" plays. I mean, wow! I also heard that David Fincher is directing the English remake of the Swedish hit, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (Have you read that book yet? If not, you really need to.)

All these reasons to love David Fincher and yet I'm still not 100% sure about this movie. I'll probably wait until the hype fades and I hear what others have to say about it. What do you think? Are you excited about this movie? How do you feel about David Fincher and his films? What's your favorite Fincher film? We want to hear from you. Let's talk about it!

-- Elizabeth Millar, Senior Marketing Coordinator, ABC-CLIO, and former resident blogger for Pop Culture Universe.

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Learn more about David Fincher's films with the new Praeger book, David Fincher: Films That Scar by Mark Browning.

There is a growing critical consensus that David Fincher is one of the most talented filmmakers in contemporary Hollywood. He has reanimated the crime genre, created films that make audiences question the boundaries between art and reality, and challenged Hollywood's crushing commercial drive for narrative closure. What motivates this exceptionally talented stylist?

Film scholar Mark Browning offers the first detailed analysis of the work of David Fincher, director of the critically acclaimed films Se7en, Fight Club, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Toys and American Culture Author Video Goes Live!

Sharon Scott, toy enthusiast and author of Greenwood's Toys and American Culture: An Encyclopedia stopped by the ABC-CLIO booth at ALA Annual to give a sneak peek into her new book.

What the reviewers are saying about Toys and American Culture:

"...this entertaining guide to American culture will find an interested audience in school, public and academic libraries." - Lawrence Looks at Books, January 2010

"An excellent purchase for most public libraries and academic libraries with an emphasis on contemporary culture." - Booklist, May 2010

"A must-have volume for toy collectors, writers, and researchers, and an outstanding resource for anyone who ever played with toys..." - Midwest Book Review, June 2010

Visit the Toys and American Culture Facebook page here.

For more informative (and fun!) author videos, visit ABC-CLIO's YouTube channel: ABCCLIOLive