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Discussion on: Video Game- Crazed Kids Reach New Levels of Violence []

When I first read the title of this blog I assumed that it would be another article about how playing video games is poisoning the minds of America’s youth. After reading it I was surprised to find that it was more about violence in schools then video games. In Deerfield Beach, Florida 15 year old Michael Brewer was set on fire by a number of his classmates because he owed them $40 for a video game. However, the crimes didn't start with violence. The crimes had started when Mathew Bent, one of the other students involved, stole Brewer's father’s bike. In reaction to the stolen bike the police were called.

I can't believe all of this happened over a video game. What kind of morals are schools and parents teaching children? It is becoming more apparent that children should not be trusted to act responsibly in areas of conflict. As the years go on children want more and more independence. I feel that the reason many children, like these boys from Florida, have bad judgment and lack good morals are due to the fact that they are given this independence too early. Parents and teachers alike need to start focusing on developing good morals in our youth.

Discussion on: It's a Fork, It's a Spoon, It's a... Weapon? []

In the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware six year old Zachary Christie has been suspended for bringing a camping utensil including a knife to class. The reason for this harsh behavior was due to the schools zero-tolerance policies on the possession of weapons on the school’s grounds. Although many school officials agree that Zachary should not have been suspended they had to suspend him because knifes are banned regardless of possessor’s intent. While many school officers see this as unfair punishment it is argued that “it is difficult to distinguish innocent pranks and mistakes from more serious threats”. Zachary is not the only student to have problems with schools zero-tolerance policies on weapons. A third grade girl was expelled in the past year for being sent to school with a cake along with a knife to cut it. Because of this case lawmakers tried to make rules more flexible by giving local authorities the power to decide what are fair punishments for negligent acts. People argue that due to the increase in suspensions and expulsions children’s behavior often becomes worse. There is also zero evidence that zero-tolerance policies make schools safer. I fully disagree with the schools actions towards disciplining Zachary Christie. The situation should have been taken into consideration before giving him a set punishment. In order for the zero-tolerance policies to be affective school must e sure that there is intent to hurt or put students in danger. Although some people may think by doing this there will be more danger in the schools I disagree. Even when children act out I do not believe that expulsion and suspension are the answer. Instead of ignoring our students’ needs we should work with our students to build better character and develop better morals. We should also stress the development of good social skills and morals at a young age to prevent these problems before they even start. Hopefully by doing this schools will be able to eliminate problems with violence altogether.

Discussion on: Bully Law Takes Effect []

On October first the law about bullying that 44 states passed will be in effect. This law is called the Student Harassment Prevention Act. The law states that if bullying is a offence that can now be punishable by law. Nearly a third of students ages 12 to 18 reported having been bullied during the school year in 2007. That’s more than 15 million students in the United States alone. One of the main reasons that schools passed this law was due to student shootings and suicides. At first this law was only directed towards students from sixth to twelfth grade. This was changed when a fifth grader, Jaheem Herrera, committed suicide as a result of constant bullying at school. Even though it may seem that this law was made just to help those who are vitims but it is also helping the bullies. By giving them disciplinary action these bullies may stop behaving in such a destructive way. This will make them less likely to grow up as harmful individuals. In my opinion I believe that ever state should pass the Student Harassment Prevention Act. As a high school student I see bullying happen every day. This article is right in saying that a bullies success is partially because no one speaks up about their problems. As the president of my schools Gay Straight Alliance (G.S.A.) I try and make our school aware of the effects that bullying has on students. It is important that our school recognize how traumatizing bullying can truly be. We as not only a school but a community need to recognize, prevent, and end bullying.

Discussion on:In First Year and Off the Rails []

I chose this article for a very specific reason. I have seen many of my friends become in danger of failing out of their colleges due to “over doing it” their first year. In the article “In First Year and Off the Rails” by Jenny Mitchell, Mitchell focuses on ways to stay on top of your game the first year in college. Being a second year student Mitchell has already been through all the stress and excitement of being a first year student. Reading the material is a big part in being successful your first year in college. Reading and good study habits are a crucial part of every class you will take and also will certainly be on all the tests, including the mid-term and final. Organizing your time will also help you to achieve success your first year in college. When you put aside specific time to study you are more likely to learn the material. A third point that Mitchell stressed was finding a study topic that works for you. Not everyone learns or studies the same way, so you need to try different strategies to find the one that is the most accurate for you. I think that all first year college students should read this article. Mitchell makes a lot of good points and also offers a solution to many of the problems most first year students face. I believe that you can also use most of these strategies in high school. Finding the best way for you to study and making time in your schedule to study are both very important in high school as well. I think that Mitchell should have also included tips on how to regulate the “party lifestyle” that a lot of students come across in college. Not keeping up with school work is a major problem but a major cause of that is partying. If you can stop falling behind before it starts chances are you will do better in college.

Discussion on: Educators Deal with the Growing Problem of Autism [] Accommodating for autism in the classroom has always been a struggle for school districts. It is required by law that a school district must provide a free and appropriate education to every student. This law includes those children with special needs. One of the reasons schools struggle with finding a way to help children with autism is that experts disagree on which methods of teaching children with autism are most effective. One in every one-hundred and fifty children in the United States is affected by autism. Autism varies by child, this complex collection of behaviors are somewhat unpredictable. This is yet another challenge the schools must overcome when accommodating for autistic children. As the years go by we have developed a broader definition and a better way to detect autism. I agree that to truly help a child with autism there must be a strong partnership between the child’s school life and home life. Many children are not getting the proper care that they deserve because the cost of facilities for autism can cost an average of nearly 19,000 dollars a year. Parents are constantly challenging their child’s individualized education plan in regular schools. Due to this parents may choose other method s to make sure their children receive the proper care such as homeschooling or out-of-district placements. I also agree that a major part of accommodating for a child with autism relies on the teacher and how effective they are with teaching their students. I believe that students with autism should receive special schooling beginning at an early age. If a student is put into a small class the method known as applied behavior analysis is more effective. At this time I believe this is the most effective way of teaching autistic children. I do not think schools should continue using a mixture of methods. Autistic children are in need of consistency not chaos.

Will the Kindle Change Education? []

As the owner of an electronic book similar to the kindle I think that it is a great idea to supply students with this piece of equipment. Even though schools need to consider aspects of the kindle such durability and price I see the positives out weighing the negatives in this situation. If kindles are kept in good condition they will end up staving schools mass amounts of money that they would be spending on books. A kindle reader has the ability to hold multiple works of literature such as novels, plays, or even text books. I think that schools and the companies that provide the electronic versions of these books should work out a deal where the school pays a set price to but text books and required reading onto the kindles for all students. This may seem like I want to bring technology too much into schools, but this day and age technology is only growing more common in schools. Another positive point made about kindles is that they help reduce the back problems students have from carrying multiple heavy text books. The effects these textbooks can have on students can affect them later and life and lead to more intense health problems. Kindles will also cut the costs of text books in college and help maintain the quality of the text. Over all I believe that kindles are the future books of schools of all grades.

New York City Schools and Muslim Holidays []

A New York City resolution was passed to bring attention to the idea of closing schools on Muslim holidays. If this resolution is approved New York City public schools will close on two different Muslim holidays. Even though public schools close on both Jewish and Catholic holidays I disagree with closing schools for Muslim holidays. This may seem like an unfair statement but why does the city feel the need to make these changes now after years of the public school system working this way. If we begin to give days off for more and more holidays our students will barely spend any time in schools. If public schools are to give off for all different religious holidays their summer vacations will be diminished. Schools might as well become year round schools with multiple small breaks rather than a long summer vacation. If the city gives in to these holidays soon the rest of the state and in turn the rest of the country will be faced with people wanting more holidays for more religions. It only takes one person in one school to create a change throughout the nation. This change could cause multiple issues to arise. In my opinion all of this is just not worth the trouble. If a student celebrates a certain religious holiday that is scheduled on a school day then they should be given a legal absence instead of causing the whole school to miss a day.

25 Chicago Studdents Arrested for a Middle School Food Fight []

After reading more and more blogs about the ways schools discipline their students I am finding that many schools cross the line. A school should be able to find a just punishment within the school and not need any help from outside forces unless situations are in fact extreme. In a Chicago school 25 students were arrested because of a food fight. In my opinion food fights happen. Though they are preventable it is very likely that a school will encounter at least on every school year. It is the schools job to provide the supervision to prevent this disaster from happening. If a food fight does occur the school should re-evaluate the way they run their lunch rooms not send their students to jail. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that the students whom participated in the food fight should be punished in some way, I just don’t believe that way is sending them to jail. The punishment should fit the crime. A just punishment for this sort of behavior would be perhaps to clean the lunch room every day after school, a few days of suspension, or even community service. Schools need to start working on how the discipline their students more effectively and even work to prevent the situation in which students can get themselves into trouble.

New York Regents May Expand Ways to Certify Teachers []

With the education of New York state students at stake the state regents board is requiring more training for teachers. This proposal is not yet step in stone but it does suggest that teachers attend more seminars and workshops in addition to getting more training. The state has a new and brighter vision for the schools of New York to help our students reach their full potential. I believe that teachers should both be giving more training and teachers should be evaluated more frequently. Teachers should not only have to know the subject matter but also how to teach it. In classrooms today I have found myself not actually being taught but being given busy work and being made read out of a textbook on a regular basis. I was unable to learn because I wasn’t being taught anything by my teacher. To help prevent this from happening to other students workshops could teach teachers effective methods of teaching. Making workshops and seminars mandatory for teachers could be another way to increase a teacher’s effectiveness. I hope this proposal is taken seriously for the sake of students of New York.

Breaking The Silence Around Bullying []

As the founder and former president of Mahopac High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance I feel very strongly about the problems the world faces with bullying. It is not right that we live in a world where eleven year olds hang themselves because they are taunted so badly. No one should feel so unsafe in a school to the point where they feel the need to end their lives. A seventeen year old boy from Ohio ended his own life because of the constant harassment and name calling her received at school. In a study it was found that nearly one in three youths nationwide report being bullied. It is too common that we see bullying going on and brush it off as something normal. It is not right to treat others with disrespect or harass them. Bullying is such a huge problem that does not get the attention that in deserves. In Massachusetts legislators have filed fourteen bills that address the issue of bullying in schools. It is important that the community support the passing of these bulls in order to keep their children safer and to create and kinder more positive school environment.

When the Cool Get Hazed [] For many years bullying was seen as the popular kids picking on the less cool crowd. As times are changing so are bullying tactics. The so called cool kids are now becoming victims of bullying. In one school there is a “slut list” that has been going around for the past ten years. This list is the cool crowd’s way of telling who’s in and whose not. If you’re on it your in if you’re in and if you’re not you’re out. It is amazing how much peer pressure can lead to a lack of self respect. These girls have no problem with exploiting themselves to be popular. The work “slut” that was once used as a negative term is now determining the social pyramid in this high school. Parents and teachers have known about this list and have yet to try and stop it. Bullying and hazing is clearly not seen as the serious matter that it is.

Teaching Teenagers About Harassment @http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/business/media/27adco.html?pagewanted=print With technology changing from day to day it is important that teenagers are given rules that they need to follow. Freedom of speech is all well and good but it is sometimes abused. Teenagers are being charged with sending and receiving child pornography due to the new “sexting” craze. Digital dating violence is increasingly becoming a problem among teenagers. Many teenagers do not realize that sending non-stop text messages or even cruel comments on social networking sites can be considered digital dating violence. I believe that the reason why this happens so often is because teenagers aren’t aware of the problems with their actions. Many teenagers see it as “just messing around” or claim they were only joking. This sort of bullying can have a lasting effect. The media is now trying to raise awareness on this issue. I believe that this is a great way to get through to teenagers and show them that the consequences to their actions can be serious and long-term. Both the media and communities need to work together to stop digital abuse and bullying.

Gossip Girl and Boys Get Lessons and Empathy @http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/education/05empathy.html?pagewanted=print Many schools are now giving workshops on becoming more respectful and empathetic. These workshops encourage students to help out in their communities and become kinder to others. There are surveys given out about whether or not the students think it’s fair to not have wheel chair ramps. A “Mix-It-Up” day is organized to break up cafeteria cliques and get people to be kind to everyone. Through these workshops it would seem that they students are taking what they learn to heart but when school is over the students seem to forget all they learn. Some students are not happy that the school is trying to control their lives. The school shouldn’t tell their students who they can and can’t hang out with. I believe that the school should try and break up cliques but focus on getting rid of bullying. I also do not think that empathy and respect can be taught in a simple class. Empathy and respect have to e learned after years of experiences.

Obama Wants Education Benchmarks to Meet Higher Standards [] President Obama has a plan to raise the country’s academic standards by raising benchmarks across the country. President Obama has been evolving a blueprint revising the No Child Left Behind law. This plan boosts a state led movement to raise standards. This new plan also focuses on getting students better prepared for college. I believe that college preparation is not taken as serious as it should be students are asked to apply to college without being properly prepared. President Obama also plans to help with the funding for families who need the financial aid. This plan is a great idea but I’m not sure if President Obama will follow through with it. President Obama does not have the best track record when it comes to keeping the promises he makes and sticking to the plans he starts. At least the issue of the poor education system in the United States is finally being addressed. Our level of education in the United States is increasingly becoming worse. We must raise our standards in order to catch up with the rest of the world.

Does Obesity Rehab Work? [] First lady, Michelle Obama launched her campaign against childhood obesity this year. In the past years childhood obesity rates have almost tripled what they once were. This campaign will help children to stay fit before they become overweight. But what about the children who already suffer from childhood obesity? Obesity rehab is one solution to this problem. Weight loss camps have been around for ages but now people are trying something new. The start of weight loss boarding schools is slowly becoming more common. Aside from normal academics the students are motivated to get fit and stay active. The food the students are fed is also healthy and full of nutrition. This program however does have a few down falls. For example these schools and cost a lot and many families can’t afford to send their child there. Also there is only a 70% success rate among the students who attend. In my opinion this type of school will help those children with severe cases of childhood obesity and should become easier to afford as years go on.

Thompson: "But I Was Doing My Work Too" [] In this day and age technology seems to be taking over the world. The true question in schools is, “is technology hurting or helping us”. In many schools when they switch to digital products they saw a raise in grade. But as with many students the students’ short attention span soon kicked in. This same technology that is helping the students also counts as a distraction. All students believe they can multitask. Studies show that this is not true. It is very rare that a student can effectively multitask. For example not many students can send a text message and pay attention to the teacher at the same time. Just because you are “doing” your work doesn’t mean you are putting forth the greatest effort to achieve success. Schools need to find a way to keep these distractions to a minimum before it takes a serious toll on the education of its students. Technology it seems is a bittersweet friend to all schools.

6 Teenagers Ar Charged After Classmate's Suicide http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/us/30bully.html? Bullying has always been a major problem in schools. How far are teachers, administrators, and peers allowing bullying to go? A freshman in South Hadley High School was taunted so much she committed suicide. There is a lot of focus being placed on how the students who were doing the bullying should be punished. The students involved are being charged with include statutory rape, violation of civil rights with bodily injury, harassment, stalking, and disturbing a school assembly. I believe that we should also be concerned about those who just stood by and just let this happen. A serious problem that I see with the way many schools deal with bullying is that they don’t give their students or teachers the proper direction when it comes to how to end and prevent it. Many schools are realizing this and beginning to send their staff to workshops on how to deal with bullying.

Thompson: "But I Was Doing My Work Too" http:/?scholasticadministrator.tvpepad.com/thisweekineducation/2010/02/....

In the PBS Frontline a Bronx middle school was showcased. This middle school used technology to help to get their students grades up by at least 30%. There is much debate on whether or not students whom multitask are helping or hurting their grades. Specialists explain that many students think they can multitask, when in reality they can’t. People seem to be pointing fingers at who they think is at fault whether it be parents, teachers, or the student themselves. I believe that as time goes on student’s attention spans are going to become shorter and shorter. This will create new challenges for teachers and students alike.

The Myth of Mean Girls []..

The media seems to love exploiting the world or girl bullying or in common terms “mean girls”. Research show that violence among girls has actually gone down compared to the past years. The rates of arrests, assaults, and violent crimes have all decreased from what they use to be. One must wonder are girls really becoming less violent or have their tactics for bullying just changing. Girls are known for their use of relational bullying. It is also known that many teachers and administrators let this sort of bullying go unpunished because it isn’t really disruptive. This leaves me asking should we begin to find a way to monitor the bullying that is harder to see but still there like relational bullying?