Teens, media and violence in schools

Over the past few decades, overall violence in the country has decreased. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, crime rates have fallen in our society, but school-based studies have revealed that many violent behaviors have increased among children and adolescents. One of the reasons is believed to be attributed to the internet. With the exploding popularity of Facebook, Twitter, usage of cell phones and other media sources, violence has increased in our schools. In addition, video games have become more advanced and violent as technology has increased.

So is there a connection? Does media influence the amount of violence or is it a coincidence? According to a study conducted by Ohio State University, "high school students who had more exposure to violent video games held "more pro-violent attitudes, had more hostile personalities, were less forgiving, believed violence to be more normal, and behaved more aggressively in their everyday lives."

The internet has become an amazing tool that has changed the way that we live. While it is mostly used for good, there is a darker side as well. Many teens have become the target of bullying and internet targeting. Predators can now stalk kids and pretend to be people they are not. With technology changing on a daily basis, educators need to stay on top of what is going on around us in order to protect our students.

Sources:
http://www.crf-usa.org/school-violence/causes-of-school-violence.html

http://www.nssc1.org/how-does-media-promote-violence-in-school.html

Teaching Philosophy of Montessori

I chose to research Maria Montessori's teaching methods. Dr. Maria Montessori lived from 1870 until 1952 and was instrumental in her educational philosophy. "Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development." She opened her first classroom, the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, in a tenement building in Rome. Montessori strongly believed in a model of human development, where children engage with their surroundings and interact with their environment. She believed that children should have the freedom to choose their path in learning and this would create optimal development.

I disagree.

I knew a little about the Montessori schools before doing any research because several children that I babysit for attend one of the charter schools. I can tell you that I was not a big fan of this particular teaching method. First of all, I do not like that the students call their teachers by their first names. I find this very disrespectful. Second, I do not agree with letting children choose what they are going to work on that day. I really believe in more structure and setting expectations for kids. Montessori schools very rarely assign homework and I find this to be a diservice to children. Most of the Montessori schools only go through 8th grade, which means that when a child gets to high school, they are going to be in shock with the amount of homework that they get. "Critics allege that a child who transfers to a traditional school and is required to do homework will have trouble adjusting, although research has shown the opposite" (http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms).

I find some problems with the teaching methods, especially with Math. Montessori emphasizes using materials when solving mathematical problems. I feel that this is having students rely too much on a crutch. When helping one of the children I babysit for with their homework, they said that they could not do their math because they did not have "materials" at their disposal. I feel this is just as bad a kids using calculators to solve math problems. In the United States, we are falling further behind in academics and suffering in math and science. I do not feel that the Montessori method is helping to educate kids in this particular area. It is not preparing them for the real world in which homework is a very important part of the learning process.

Regardless of how I feel, the Montessori teaching method is one of the most recognized in the field of education and there are definitely advantages to this type of education. In a 2006 study of Montessori students and public school children it was found that "On several dimensions, children at a public inner city Montessori school had superior outcomes relative to a sample of Montessori applicants who, because of a random lottery, attended other schools. By the end of kindergarten, the Montessori children performed better on standardized tests of reading and math, engaged in more positive interaction on the playground, and showed more advanced social cognition and executive control" (http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms).

In the end, it is the parent's decision on which education method they are most comfortable with and what is the best for their child. Whether they go to public school, private school, or are home schooled, education is the key to a child's success and becoming an educated individual.

Sources:

http://www.montessori.edu/

http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms

Social Justice in Education - What Makes a Family?

During the time that my parents were growing up in a school system, in greater Boston, they were used to going to class with other white, European descent, similar class students. It was rare to have a child that was very different from the other kids. In those days, everyone was alike. In my generation, I am much more used to being around other students who are very different from me. I went to school with kids from all different types of ethnic backgrounds, races, and family situations.

Now that we are in the year 2011, society has vastly changed. No longer are we expecting that a child comes from a family with a mother and father, most likely still married and living together. These days, there are all different kinds of families. Kids are coming from a home where the parents may be divorced, remarried, with a new girlfriend or boyfriend, or even with a member of the same sex.

According to the article "What Makes a Family" in Newsweek on September 30, 2010, the vast majority of Americans now view gay parents with children as "families". So why is it that so many people are dead set against educating children in school systems on these "types" of families. In Lexington, a father sued the school system when his child was read a book that featured a gay couple. If it is socially acceptable, why would so many people have such a problem with this type of education?

As teachers, we walk a fine line of what is acceptable and what is not when we are teaching America's youth. I personally think the more exposure the better. My best friend comes from a family where her dad is gay, and her brother is gay. Her niece and nephew know that they are both gay and it is completely acceptable and open to talk about. On the other end of the spectrum, my sister got upset with me for mentioning my "gay" friends in front of my two young nephews. She didn't want them exposed to that kind of lifestyle until they had to be. I was very upset by this, but I had to realize that this was her right to feel that way. To me, why not educate our youth on what is going on around us? I am not gay, but I have many friends who are, and I support them 100%. It upsets me when someone believes that they made a choice, or that they are abnormal because of their sexual orientation. I just know that is the way they were born. But so many people do not agree with that.

So my question is this - is it better to educate kids on what is going on in the world, or do we have to step around certain subjects? It does seem that it's a highly debated topic that doesn't have an answer. It will be interesting to see what happens years from now and if it is a subject that we can talk freely about in our schools.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/04/what-makes-a-family-more-americans-say-gays-count.html

Education is like a board game...

With twists and turns along the way. Sometimes you lose a turn, sometimes you have to repeat a mistake you made, other times you move right through with little struggle. When comparing Education to a game, I think of the game Chutes and Ladders. This was one of my absolute favorite games when I was younger. When thinking about school and learning, I think of moving forward and sometimes moving back a couple spaces. There are times that you win, and times that you struggle. In the end, you reach your goal, which is graduation. However, in education there is no clear finish line or definitive end. Education continues on. It is a life long process that never stops, and like Chutes and Ladders there will be bumps and bruises along the way. Sometimes we take a wrong turn, or fall down a long chute. Other times, we get ahead and climb up a long ladder of success. As educators, we need to constantly be educating ourselves as well as the children. Like a game, we face challenges as well as triumphs throughout life, and the more educated we are, the more chance of success we will have.