This is my second post-revised
After reading Thirteen Reasons Why, I reflected upon my teaching and my high school students. I felt that I could use the story’s message best by maintaining class rules about how students treat each other. Within the classroom, and school area in general, it’s important for teachers to be clear about what’s acceptable peer interaction versus what’s not. That can be difficult as sometimes students who aren’t in my class and don’t know me, will give me a Who Are You Even To Comment? look when I give them feedback about behavior and peer interaction in the hallways or cafeteria. Direct instruction and scenarios should be used when teaching about anti-bullying. Several activities can be found on http://www.eyesonbullying.org/activities.html. Students with iphones could also download the BOB (back off bully) app to assist with reporting bullying behavior. One activity I had my students do was to identify bullying types of behaviors with the characters in the play A Raisin in the Sun. The results were very interesting in that some behaviors shown by Walter towards his wife, mother, and even friend Bobo were not seen as 'bullying' by some students. In the ensuing discussion, students used their critical thinking skills to distiguish between words that were 'just playing around' vs 'I said it in anger and frustration' and 'bullying'. The students collaborated and created behavior goals for Walter. The next step would be to create an online poster for the class blog.
This story reminded me of a phenomenal speaker who came to our school to share his story about how peers treated him during middle and high school because of his cleft palate. The story about his surgeries kept the entire freshman class absolutely silent. His primary message was to be aware of how your words and behavior affect others around you. He had felt so angry and insecure that he assumed almost every whisper was about him. To see him, you wouldn’t know that he had a lot of emotional buildup. He looked fine, normal. After all, the surgeries had fixed his disfigurement. But, he said that he had such a difficult time with peer relationships that he just didn’t know how to get outside of his own head. Suicide had been a thought, but he finally sought counseling which helped him. He admits he still struggles daily. Speakers like this command respect. He doesn’t even charge the school; he sees it as his opportunity to reach just one person who could be having hardship. He wants to make people aware that there are others who care. Young people should be made aware of the impact of words and behaviors, whether in person or on line. Adults should be role models for them. There are so many teachable moments! I think that programs should be available in school to help students before they are in crisis. I think that our school has many staff who fulfill this need, including counselors and school psychologists. Connections groups are also a way for students to have another adult available in addition to their primary teachers. Keeping programs like these embedded as part of PBIS has been extremely beneficial to students at my school.
In making the connection to the common core standards, I felt Thirteen Reasons Why fit into the literacy standard RI.9-10 best. It relates to analysis of various accounts of a subject told in different mediums such as a person's life story, determining which details are emphasized in each account. That is just what Hannah Baker did-took aspects of her life that she felt contributed to her ultimate suicide, in a macabre way. Her format kept the reader engaged because you couldn't help wonder who was on her list and what the person did to make it. I liked the one teacher's idea of sharing compliments; it's something I've used in the past with my students with behavioral issues. Being in a 'regular' classroom now, I find that several students have a set of 'fallback' behaviors that they do before they begin following class directions. I think that incorporating structured positive interaction with peer groups can lead to more successful relationships. How many times are young students told to 'use their words'? High schoolers have a better vocabulary, but because of their hyper awareness of their social network (or lack of), they don't communicate well at all. I think having structured discussions can bring better awareness. Recently, my intervention class has been reading about assimilation. Students have been able to better understand why younger generations feel the need for social acceptance, sometimes having to assimilate. I have a great group for this type of discussion because they are socially aware. I was somewhat shocked at how Hannah's teachers/guidance counselor naively responded to her cries for help.
This story reminded me of a phenomenal speaker who came to our school to share his story about how peers treated him during middle and high school because of his cleft palate. The story about his surgeries kept the entire freshman class absolutely silent. His primary message was to be aware of how your words and behavior affect others around you. He had felt so angry and insecure that he assumed almost every whisper was about him. To see him, you wouldn’t know that he had a lot of emotional buildup. He looked fine, normal. After all, the surgeries had fixed his disfigurement. But, he said that he had such a difficult time with peer relationships that he just didn’t know how to get outside of his own head. Suicide had been a thought, but he finally sought counseling which helped him. He admits he still struggles daily. Speakers like this command respect. He doesn’t even charge the school; he sees it as his opportunity to reach just one person who could be having hardship. He wants to make people aware that there are others who care. Young people should be made aware of the impact of words and behaviors, whether in person or on line. Adults should be role models for them. There are so many teachable moments! I think that programs should be available in school to help students before they are in crisis. I think that our school has many staff who fulfill this need, including counselors and school psychologists. Connections groups are also a way for students to have another adult available in addition to their primary teachers. Keeping programs like these embedded as part of PBIS has been extremely beneficial to students at my school.
In making the connection to the common core standards, I felt Thirteen Reasons Why fit into the literacy standard RI.9-10 best. It relates to analysis of various accounts of a subject told in different mediums such as a person's life story, determining which details are emphasized in each account. That is just what Hannah Baker did-took aspects of her life that she felt contributed to her ultimate suicide, in a macabre way. Her format kept the reader engaged because you couldn't help wonder who was on her list and what the person did to make it. I liked the one teacher's idea of sharing compliments; it's something I've used in the past with my students with behavioral issues. Being in a 'regular' classroom now, I find that several students have a set of 'fallback' behaviors that they do before they begin following class directions. I think that incorporating structured positive interaction with peer groups can lead to more successful relationships. How many times are young students told to 'use their words'? High schoolers have a better vocabulary, but because of their hyper awareness of their social network (or lack of), they don't communicate well at all. I think having structured discussions can bring better awareness. Recently, my intervention class has been reading about assimilation. Students have been able to better understand why younger generations feel the need for social acceptance, sometimes having to assimilate. I have a great group for this type of discussion because they are socially aware. I was somewhat shocked at how Hannah's teachers/guidance counselor naively responded to her cries for help.
1 comments:
Alicia- I see your point about maintaining class rules and enforcing positive classroom and building interactions. It sounds like such a simple procedure to follow, but as teachers, are we as aware of what goes on as we think? Do we do or say something about each incident we see or comment we hear? I would like to say yes, but then I think about comments I have heard in the hallway that in that moment I interpreted as teasing or playful joking around. Who am I to make that call though? For all I know, the student who the "playful joke" was aimed at may not have thought it a joke, and let's face it, in high school, a lot of kids do not want to say something or appear babyish and get their teachers or parents involved. I need to make sure I am more proactive and aware of what goes on in my classroom and building hallways.
It is great that your school had that speaker come in. My school is having John Halligan come in to speak next week. John Halligan's son, Ryan, was bullied and tormented by his classmates both in school and online and committed suicide in 2003. John is coming in to share his son's story and inform students of the effects of bullying. I am truly looking forward to the presentation and hope this helps raise bullying awareness at my school.
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