How a 10-year-old sets an example of using their mic for good
Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.
Albert Mehrabian, a body language researcher, found that communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and only 7% words, making emojis a great way to convey how we feel when chatting. While emojis are a great way to share our thoughts and emotions, they can easily be misinterpreted. Teddy, a 10-year-old from Oxfordshire, England, recently was upset over the feelings a specific emoji conveyed. He took it upon himself to petition Apple for a significant change in its “nerd” emoji. Among many other students, Teddy wears glasses and finds that the emoji makes him feel bad about his appearance. His mission? To rename and recreate the emoji that currently carries the label “nerd” so that young students who wear glasses don’t become self-conscious about their looks. Teddy’s perspective highlights the power that symbols hold in shaping perceptions, especially among students.
Teddy’s initiative is more than just a call for a name change. He hopes his mission will create a more respectful and inclusive online environment. In texting, where symbols and emojis make up a large portion of how students communicate, understanding the impact of emojis in conveying our feelings is crucial for fostering a positive online environment. Teddy’s petition to change the “nerd” emoji highlights the powerful impact students can have when using their mic for good online. Let’s dive in!
Teddy’s impact on students
Teddy’s story resonates deeply with students worldwide who may have encountered emojis perpetuating stereotypes or reinforcing negative perceptions. Teddy first noticed the emoji when texting his cousin and reported feeling “angry” after seeing it for the first time. As a young student who wears glasses, Teddy mentioned how the “nerd” emoji is a face with glasses and “ugly rabbit teeth,” and he believes that it implies that if you wear glasses, you look like that. Teddy talked about the impact of the “nerd” emoji in an interview with BBC:
“They’re making people think we’re nerds, and it’s horrible. It’s making me sad and upset, and if I find it offensive, thousands of people around the world will find it offensive too.”
Emojis have become integral to communication, and their influence on shaping social norms is strong. In a survey of 2,000 adults conducted by Harris Poll and commissioned by GIF platform Tenor, almost 80% of respondents reported that emojis help convey thoughts and feelings more than words alone. For example, the ” nerd ” emoji strikes a chord for students like Teddy, eliciting sadness.
Teddy proposed that the emoji be called the “genius” emoji, which will have glasses with “thin lenses and frames, and a little smiley face.” In hopes that Apple will ultimately change the emoji name and appearance, Teddy’s petition to get the emoji changed into something positive reminds students everywhere that using your mic for good online can empower others to stand up for what you believe in, on and off social media.
How you can empower your students to use their mic for good
As educators have significant influence over students, they are in an ideal position to empower students to use their mics for good. In Teddy’s case, his teacher, Lisa Baillie, supported and empowered Teddy to use his mic for good and start the petition online– which, as of November 30th, 2023, has 387 signatures. By encouraging Teddy to use his voice on social media to create positive change, other students listened to him and aided in his effort to make emojis more inclusive. When educators empower students to use their mics for good online, they’re more likely to take action to make social media and their communities a more positive place.
Teddy’s strong stance on making the “nerd” emoji more inclusive demonstrates that even the youngest among us can initiate change. Here is how you can help your students use their mics for good, in the classroom and online:
- Encourage students to recognize their online influence: When students speak out on issues they care about, whether seen by a few or a lot of people, it influences positive change. Even one reshare can lead to awareness on an important topic and encourage people to take action and help.
- Foster a culture where students amplify positive narratives: In class, huddle with your students on stereotypes they’ve experienced, how it made them feel, and ways they can challenge them. Whether sharing their thoughts and feelings in class or online, they can inform students about how certain stereotypes are hurtful and contribute to creating online environments that reflect inclusivity and respect.
- Let Teddy’s story be a catalyst for discussions on the broader impact of symbols and body language: Urge students to be mindful of the messages they convey through their online interactions and not to use images, emojis, or GIFs that may portray the wrong message. Highlight just how much our body language influences our conversations and how using emojis reflects how we feel. We would never want to act or use symbols in a way that could hurt others’ feelings.
Teddy’s campaign to change the narrative behind the “nerd” emoji is a powerful reminder of how using your mic for good can create positive change and how much influence symbols have on shaping perceptions. To further encourage your students to stand up for what they believe in, run the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Being a change-maker: Making your voice heard by those in charge.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
Social media is not only a great place to connect with friends, but it’s also a great place to learn about what’s happening around the world and use your voice to spread awareness. Whether it’s raising awareness about a cause, or informing others about an important event that you care about, students have the power to use their mic for good to create positive social change. That being said, how have you recently used your mic for good on social media? Did you see any positive changes as a result?
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.