"People were incredibly supportive," she said.

Tynes said she has learned from experience that opening the lines of communication between teachers and students' parents can prevent teacher victimization by students -- and by their parents. The 2011 study found that 37% of teachers who reported they'd been victimized felt that way because of a student's parent.

Keeping pupils engaged will also prevent an imbalance of power between teacher and student, she said. When a teacher constantly hands out work sheets and offers little support, she added, it can make students feel like the teacher doesn't care, and that's when they disconnect.

The cyberbullying experience fueled a desire to understand better how bullying affects young people. Through her research, she's found that young victims of cyberbullying often experience depressive symptoms and anxiety, just as she did once.

Despite the struggles, there's no better time than now to be a teacher, she said.

"We have so many technological tools and new media at our disposal," she said. "We can really enhance and promote learning in more ways than we could in the past."

Have you experienced bullying, threats or violence in the classroom? Share your story in the comments, or tweet us @CNNSchools.