This guide is usable for teachers and students alike. It explains what Sexual Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying looks like. This is a great way for teachers to start a discussion with their students on the topic. It also fits in with the culture of our world today as this issue seems to be in the news on a daily basis. It is truly instructive and preventative.
I look for articles on bullying all the time on the internet and keep my ear to the ground for current events on the topic. My hope is that I find human interest stories that have a happy ending. I typed in bullying in the news today and was shocked by the number of events that have gone on during the last month or so. Stories I am not even sure if everyone is aware of. What’s even more alarming is the number of suicides that were reported. I am including the link here, not to distress my readers but to make everyone aware that this problem is not going away. For every warm and fuzzy story that we read or hear about there are dozens of other stories about bullying events. This does not include the unreported events that are less headline grabbing. Click the link for more information.
Why Anxiety Might Increase During Adolescence, and What Parents Can Do
During adolescence the brain goes through a massive and magnificent redesign.This is to give children the neural firepower to make the transition from dependent little people to independent, productive, happy adults.It’s an exciting time, but it doesn’t always feel this way.Adolescence can be punctuated by entirely wonderful highs that come bundled in new discoveries and flourishing independence, as well as gut-wrenching lows.
Part of walking the path to adulthood means that our children might sometimes feel as though they are falling through the cracks of the smaller, safer, more predictable world they have known as children, and the bigger, more demanding, noisier world of adulthood.Until they have both feet firmly on adult ground – which will be sometime in their early 20s – the ground beneath them might feel shaky, or barely there some days.
A great article that really covers all the bases when dealing with teen anxiety. One piece I would like to add though. Anxiety is uncomfortable and at times can be mystery to many young people. All they know is that they have a knot in the middle of their stomach during certain situations. This can lend itself to the possibility of self medicating with opioids or other illegal drugs. Keep your antennas up for any behavior that could indicate substance abuse or addiction. These would include, behaviors such as irresponsibility, crankiness, disrespect, lying, moodiness, stealing, and a change in friendships or a disinterest in activities that were in the past something that was enjoyable for them; to name a few. My recommendation: Pay Attention! Don’t fall into the trap of denial.
The legend has it that a posse of six members of the Texas Ranger Division pursuing a band of outlaws led by Bartholomew “Butch” Cavendish is betrayed by a civilian guide named Collins and is ambushed in a canyon named Bryant’s Gap. Later, an Indian stumbles onto the scene and discovers one ranger is barely alive, and he nurses the man back to health. The Indian recognizes the lone survivor as the man who saved his life when they both were children. The Indian gave the man named Reid a ring and the name Kemo Sabe,which means “trusty scout”.
Among the Rangers killed was the survivor’s older brother, Daniel Reid, who was a captain in the Texas Rangers and the leader of the ambushed group. To conceal his identity and honor his fallen brother, Reid fashions a black domino mask using cloth from his late brother’s vest. To aid in the deception, the Indian digs a sixth grave and places at its head a cross bearing Reid’s name so that Cavendish and his gang would believe that all of the Rangers had been killed. The Indian’s name was Tonto and Reid the lone surviving ranger from the ambush became The Lone Ranger.
Why is this story so important today? A radio and television series that ran in the late 1940’s through the mid 50’s that I didn’t even have an opportunity to watch, and really didn’t understand what the Lone Ranger represented until very recently while watching retro television. It’s fiction, but as I watched it I came to realize that this show was not just for its entertainment qualities but how it depicted what was right with the world and how one man could make a difference.
The Lone Ranger lived by a certain moral code. He was consistent, never changed, and even when he had to use his gun he never shot to kill but rather to disarm. He had the ability to disarm the perpetrator using both physical and verbal means.
He believed:
That to have a friend, a man must be one
that all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world
that God put the firewood there but that every man must gather and light it himself
in being prepared physically, mentally, and morally and to fight when necessary for what is right
that a man should make the most of what equipment he has
that ‘this government, of the people, by the people and for the people’ shall live always
that men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number
that sooner or later …somewhere…somehow…we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken
that all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever
in his Creator, his country, and his fellow man.
We live in a world today that is so filled with intolerance, disrespect, irresponsibility and at times hatred that one may ask: why bother trying to use his standard to live by? I ask why not ? Remember his name, The Lone Ranger, one man who was trying to make the world a better place. We need to teach our kids some of the qualities of the Lone Ranger and help them begin to believe that they have the ability to make changes in this world. The key to the 99 is the 1. One person can make a difference in this world and slowly but surely the tide begins to change. First in one circle and then in others until the masses believe that they all have the ability to make a difference.
Where do we start? Well let’s see what we can begin to do to change ourselves first, then how we can help others by using some of The Lone Ranger’s moral code.
The spreading of rumors and gossip is something that starts when kids are young. As an administrator at a high school most of my problems with students was because of the spreading of gossip. Fights and arguments would erupt that involved only part of a story with the fuse being lit by someone who wasn’t even involved. The student who didn’t even have a dog in the fight would just sit back and watch the fireworks. This behavior is learned from parents and other adults as they communicate with each other about their own drama driven life.
My point here to adults is watch what you say and who you say it to. Don’t talk about others. Don’t share sensitive information about yourself. Even if you have an understanding with someone that the information is sensitive don’t take for granted that it won’t be shared. Be a good example and a positive role model to your children and students. Don’t cast judgement on others by spreading rumors or gossiping about circumstances of which the outcome has nothing to do with you.
Parents who are angry and irate can wreak havoc in a school and can be intimidating. Learn how to defuse power struggles and maintain your dignity, and the dignity of the parent as you handle planned and unplanned parent /teacher conferences.This is a 5 hour self study course. The participants may be eligible for 5 hours of professional development credit.
