The other day I asked Doug Brown, Principal at W. T. Chipman, to identify for me the areas in which middle school children have the hardest time doing the right thing. He didn’t hesitate. He described two issues:
1. Bullying and
2. Speaking appropriately to the opposite sex
Bullying has been around for a long time, but only in the past few decades have we begun to understand the potential damage. School shooters and other criminals who have acted in revenge have claimed to be victims of bullying.
Middle school kids are the worst for being mean to each other. What might begin as light hearted teasing can turn into mean spirited bashing. Children are very sensitive at this age. Big boys physically, might still be little boys emotionally. If they cry when they get upset, their peers can be merciless. Any child who is a little different can become a target to everyone.
A bully is not necessarily big and strong. A bully is simply someone who makes fun or picks on those who are not like him or her. If they’re not in your group, you might make fun of them. As Mr. Brown says, “They believe they’re not hurting someone because they’re not hitting.” But they do hurt each. The hurt goes deep and can leave scars.
The inappropriate relating to the opposite sex is closely related to the bullying.
Remember when you were that age? It is awkward.
Girls start to mature physically before the boys and things start to blossom. Boys notice and before you know it, they’re making some sort of observation out loud. They may make fun of what their seeing. They may try to touch. This is demeaning and hurtful to the girls. Of course, all such behavior is inappropriate and school officials do apply consequences.
Today’s media exposes children to a lot of interplay and social intercourse that most adults would not engage in. Songs refer to women in derogatory terms, music videos are full of sexy scenes and dances appear to be similar to the act of procreation except the clothes are left on. Clothing styles are often skin tight with lots of cleavage. In spite of the fact that most children do not live in homes where that behavior is celebrated, they often attempt to act that way when they are with each other.
As parents, it is important to be cognizant of the fact that children learn how men and women should relate to each other from the role models around them. Please keep that in mind next time you disagree or the next time one of you messes up. The children are always watching and they learn how to handle life from your example.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Why Alternative Schools?
Every year, as part of our United Way promotion, we put the names of all of our United Way donors into a hat and draw out a name. The winner gets a free day off with me as the substitute. This year’s winner is John Crockett who teaches the Twilight Program at Lake Forest High School. I’ll be filling that order soon.
Twilight is what we call an “alternative” to regular school. When Twilight was first created under the guidance of retired Principal, Dr. Betty Wyatt-Dix, it ran from 2:30 to 6pm each day. The room is set up like a computer lab. Students assigned to that program have available to them the entire high school curriculum on the computers in that classroom. That program has received several awards.
Over the years students have been assigned to that program during the regular school day as well. Some are there to retake a class they failed. Others are there for remediation. I am sure that Twilight has saved many a student from dropping out.
PEAK is another alternative for our high school kids. PEAK is operated for all Kent County and serves many of our discipline problems. Unfortunately they won’t take a student who has brought a weapon or drugs to school. There is limited capacity there and when we send them to PEAK, we lose contact with them. Unfortunately, I wish we had more. Not more Twilight and PEAK programs, more alternative programs.
High school today looks a lot like it did 50-70 years ago. Bells ring and students take classes that the community feels are important to future careers. Kids play sports, sing in the choir or build things in the shop. Sure there’s more technology and more choices, but it’s still much the same as most of us remember it.
Thing is, there are children who don’t do well in that environment. For some it is too crowded. For others, demands at home prevent them from having any interest in the social aspects of school. Some have got in trouble and PEAK won’t take them. Some just can’t seem to get out of bed. Others might need to work for self support or to support a family that has begun way to soon. Yes, some have babies.
That’s why I’d like to see the state someday invest in more alternatives. Some need a boot camp environment. Some need a small, sensitive environment. Some need a part time schedule and some need a full time schedule that starts at noon. The one thing they all have in common – they want to know that there is someone who cares about them. Some find that out easily enough.
But for others, we have to hope that we find them and let them know we care for them, long before they drop out. Because if we don’t. We’ll be caring for them the rest of their lives.
Twilight is what we call an “alternative” to regular school. When Twilight was first created under the guidance of retired Principal, Dr. Betty Wyatt-Dix, it ran from 2:30 to 6pm each day. The room is set up like a computer lab. Students assigned to that program have available to them the entire high school curriculum on the computers in that classroom. That program has received several awards.
Over the years students have been assigned to that program during the regular school day as well. Some are there to retake a class they failed. Others are there for remediation. I am sure that Twilight has saved many a student from dropping out.
PEAK is another alternative for our high school kids. PEAK is operated for all Kent County and serves many of our discipline problems. Unfortunately they won’t take a student who has brought a weapon or drugs to school. There is limited capacity there and when we send them to PEAK, we lose contact with them. Unfortunately, I wish we had more. Not more Twilight and PEAK programs, more alternative programs.
High school today looks a lot like it did 50-70 years ago. Bells ring and students take classes that the community feels are important to future careers. Kids play sports, sing in the choir or build things in the shop. Sure there’s more technology and more choices, but it’s still much the same as most of us remember it.
Thing is, there are children who don’t do well in that environment. For some it is too crowded. For others, demands at home prevent them from having any interest in the social aspects of school. Some have got in trouble and PEAK won’t take them. Some just can’t seem to get out of bed. Others might need to work for self support or to support a family that has begun way to soon. Yes, some have babies.
That’s why I’d like to see the state someday invest in more alternatives. Some need a boot camp environment. Some need a small, sensitive environment. Some need a part time schedule and some need a full time schedule that starts at noon. The one thing they all have in common – they want to know that there is someone who cares about them. Some find that out easily enough.
But for others, we have to hope that we find them and let them know we care for them, long before they drop out. Because if we don’t. We’ll be caring for them the rest of their lives.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
What the heck is social media?
I just completed a survey on behalf of the American Association of School Administrators that was all about how we use social media at school. Social media, as this survey was designed, appears to be such things as Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Newspapers, local TV news and local radio are considered traditional media.
Recently I started writing again, primarily to try my hand at blogging. So every time I make a blog entry I send it on to The Journal and it gets used in both “traditional media” and “social media”. I’ve been a superintendent since 1987 and I’ve frequently written regular columns for local papers wherever I lived.
I like to write and try to both inform and entertain in my stories, but I’ll be honest, I’m not sure who reads papers anymore. I’m equally not sure who reads blogs, especially my blog.
I’ve been a newspaper reader since way back when I had a rural paper route after school that consisted of 18 papers on a 3 mile route. I made 2 ½ cents per paper and on Sundays I had maybe 25 papers over a five mile route. This generated around $12 a month that kept me in pop and peanuts. I also sold the Grit. Anyone out there remember the Grit?
I read both of the Delaware dailies each morning by 6:30a.m. and The Journal each week. That’s where I get most of my Delaware news. I can unscientifically confirm that I don’t think more than 20% of the people in my neighborhood get a newspaper subscription at home.
So, where do they get local news? Local TV? You won’t see any news of Felton, Harrington or Frederica on local TV unless there is a major crime involved. I do not regularly watch local news on TV.
Apparently, in some communities, bloggers are beginning to have a significant impact on community attitudes toward schools. In those communities, people fire up their computers and go to certain blogs to find out the latest, bypassing the traditional media. So, apparently I'm supposed to be kissing up to bloggers and providing them with information so they can be accurate in what they say.
I know there are some community forums available on websites, especially those affiliated with newspapers. If something scandalous happens I’m sure it might be commented on in the public forum, but I am unaware of anyone else blogging on local education issues on a regular basis.
I guess it’s just a matter of time. We're on the cutting edge with blog but as for this other stuff... As a district I’m not sure how we might benefit from having a Facebook or My Space page, but apparently it’s the thing to do. I know some colleges are starting to do that sort of thing.
Twitter? I don’t think so.
Recently I started writing again, primarily to try my hand at blogging. So every time I make a blog entry I send it on to The Journal and it gets used in both “traditional media” and “social media”. I’ve been a superintendent since 1987 and I’ve frequently written regular columns for local papers wherever I lived.
I like to write and try to both inform and entertain in my stories, but I’ll be honest, I’m not sure who reads papers anymore. I’m equally not sure who reads blogs, especially my blog.
I’ve been a newspaper reader since way back when I had a rural paper route after school that consisted of 18 papers on a 3 mile route. I made 2 ½ cents per paper and on Sundays I had maybe 25 papers over a five mile route. This generated around $12 a month that kept me in pop and peanuts. I also sold the Grit. Anyone out there remember the Grit?
I read both of the Delaware dailies each morning by 6:30a.m. and The Journal each week. That’s where I get most of my Delaware news. I can unscientifically confirm that I don’t think more than 20% of the people in my neighborhood get a newspaper subscription at home.
So, where do they get local news? Local TV? You won’t see any news of Felton, Harrington or Frederica on local TV unless there is a major crime involved. I do not regularly watch local news on TV.
Apparently, in some communities, bloggers are beginning to have a significant impact on community attitudes toward schools. In those communities, people fire up their computers and go to certain blogs to find out the latest, bypassing the traditional media. So, apparently I'm supposed to be kissing up to bloggers and providing them with information so they can be accurate in what they say.
I know there are some community forums available on websites, especially those affiliated with newspapers. If something scandalous happens I’m sure it might be commented on in the public forum, but I am unaware of anyone else blogging on local education issues on a regular basis.
I guess it’s just a matter of time. We're on the cutting edge with blog but as for this other stuff... As a district I’m not sure how we might benefit from having a Facebook or My Space page, but apparently it’s the thing to do. I know some colleges are starting to do that sort of thing.
Twitter? I don’t think so.
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