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While teaching middle school students, I observed that much of the conflict brought into the classroom stemmed from communication that occurred outside of school, often through digital media. The anonymity students experienced behind a computer screen—without having to look their peers in the eyes—gave them a heightened sense of courage and, at times, carelessness in what they posted or shared online. Students’ emotional responses to these situations varied widely. While some comments initially provided a false sense of power, the resulting conflicts often left students feeling betrayed, unsafe, embarrassed, and upset. In response, teachers began incorporating discussions of digital citizenship into mediation meetings in hopes of preventing future conflicts. These experiences highlighted the need for conversations about digital citizenship to begin at the start of the school year and continue consistently throughout it.
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