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Replies to '10/12 Homecoming Shooting'
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October 20, 2007, 1:01 pm PDT
 Quote From: nmattingly Okay, we know families are splitting up at an incredibly rapid rate. This can leave children feeling guilty, lonely, not good enough, unworthy of happiness, etc., etc. Then there are environmental issues, such as a break-up, trouble fitting in in school, etc.
The kids now a days need support. Most schools have 1 or 2 school counselors. Well, from what I remember from school, is that it was not cool to talk to a counselor and sometimes it just feels needy and embarrasing at that age.
There nees to be classes offered, or even mandatory, that teach kids how to deal with sadness, anger, frustration,etc. Just like adults can go to anger management seminars, we need to make it available/mandatory for our kids to be taught constructive ways to deal with feelings. This could be coupled with other topics to just consider the class a 'Health' class. The classroom setting would allow kids to get the information without them having to go to someone one on one.
Also, the teachers of these classes could keep their eyes and ears open when touching on topics that can make us angry, etc. and see what kind of reaction they are getting from each of the students.
It might open the door to a student walking up to the teacher at the end of class saying "Can we talk??"
Just a thought........but a good one YES! THE KIDS NEED SUPPORT!
One father came to me Friday, wanting an "extra credit" assignment for his son, to raise his grade. My view on EXTRA credit is that it is above and beyond the assignments, not a traded piece of work.
I asked him: "What is the most important thing in the world, to your son, right now?" Dad: "Video games with his friends. That is all he does. I have already threatened to take them away."
I recalled that I taught his older sister, last year, a straight-A student. (And a hard act to follow.) I wondered if the son was being compared, and being punished for not being her clone.
"Well, if ALL the power is in a parent, and no power to self-regulate is in the student, you are setting things up for rebellion!"
Dad: "That has already happened."
I asked him to consider LISTENING to his son's ideas for raising his grades. Then I gave him an assignment for Spanish class. It was a father/son interview, where the student had to write how the father and son are different, similar, what interests/activities they are each good at, what activity they can do TOGETHER, and how the activity went over the weekend. Due: MONDAY.
The father's expression changed; and he stated that he saw he needed to spend more time having FUN with his son, instead of just laying out expectations and punishments. (Dad gets an "A.")
HAPPY KIDS DO NOT USE DRUGS, GET PREGNANT, OR KILL OTHER KIDS!!!! :)
Read Bill Cosby's new Book: "C'MON, PEOPLE!" It reminds us adults to get involved and stay involved.
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