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Facebook Or Face To Face
"K." That is my daughter's response when I send her a request using a text message. I guess it
was too much of a strain on her index finger to type the "O". Adults are also getting into this
habit of truncation; things like "you are" are now "ur." Many years ago, the digital watch
came out and all you had to do was view the numbers on the face to be able to tell
someone what time it was. That was all well and good, provided you still knew how to tell
time by reading the hands on a clock. The same thing is true regarding the invention of
calculator. It should only be used for convenience, not to bypass a necessary life skill like
multiplication. In this digital age, our students are losing their communication skills. They
now interact with the use of Facebook and text messaging. Having an intelligent conversation
or writing a "thank you" note is considered old fashioned. Sending an email, a text, or a
Facebook post is now the preferred method. What does all this have to do with bullying?
Kids today no longer confront in a face to face manner. A healthy confrontation is necessary in
life to draw boundaries and express emotions in a constructive way. This is the skill that needs
to be taught first, before texting and Facebook-ing. Begin to focus on writing, speaking, and
communication as much as possible with your students. Make it a daily exercise. My fear is
that if we don't we will lose our students to the digital abyss.
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