Anti-Bullying Video

Caution:  The following video is a bit emotional...

We all know that words can hurt, that bullying can cause major emotional damage.   And yet it is continuing to become an increasingly serious problem in our schools!  Why are kids so mean?  How can we change this culture?  

Have we created a society where it is acceptable to laugh at other people's misery?  Why do bullies continue to have such a supportive audience?  And do the bullies even know they are bullies?  All too often students think they are just being funny, they are just teasing, it's not a big deal.  This video shows that it is a VERY big deal.

It is time to break this cycle.  Your challenge this week is to try your best to not say anything mean, to anyone.  Even if you're just kidding.  Even if it's your friend.  Eliminate the sarcastic, hurtful language.  Speak with kindness to everyone you see.  If you're up for it, encourage your friends to do the same.  If you have friends that tend to tease or bully others, ask them to watch this video with you.

It's time to start recognizing that every person you meet deserves your respect, compassion and kindness.  Even if they are different, especially if they are different...

Cell Phone Addiction

In class tomorrow we will read an excerpt from an article on cell phone addiction.  Following this reading the class engaged in a discussion.  We attempted to investigate the following questions:

• What percentage of teens carry cell phones?
• Almost all of the students have a cell phone with them.
• A few have a cell phone that is not with them. 
• How many times a day (or how often) do you use your cell phone?
• Outside of school, students check their phones at least once an hour. Some students check their phones every five minutes...
• When is it not okay to use a cell phone (and why)?
• Church
• At dinner
• When someone is having a serious conversation with you
• Many students thought it was fine to go through the checkout line while on the phone.  Others seemed to realize that completely ignoring the person helping you with your groceries or coffee order, deserve a little bit of your attention... 
• Has anyone tried to teach you cell phone etiquette? (Or telephone etiquette in general...)
• Do you think it is a legitimate addiction?
• Yes
• No
• Maybe
• :-)
• What are some of your pet-peeves regarding phone use?

According to the article, cell phone addiction is much like any other.  Texting creates chemical reactions in the brain, causing pleasure.  When we receive this chemical reaction on a regular basis - like every five minutes - we become addicted to that high.  Then when  teacher asks you to put it away for an hour, we become zombies because we are going through serotonin withdraws!!  This makes some students incapable of sitting through a lesson or an assignment - because they are SO BORED!!

So... are you a technology junkie?  Will this create negative consequences in your future?  Maybe you should think about it now before it's too late!  Try leaving your phone at home for a day...

 

Competition

Last week we watched a video of a basketball team/player making a scarifice...

"Watch this video to see an amazing example of self-sacrifice.  Would you have made the same call in that situation?"

After the video we had a great discussion in class about competition.  How would you feel as a member of a team who had worked hard all season to win games and play your best, only to find that your coach was willing to sacrifice the game for a single individual's moment in the spot light?

There was a pretty evenly split decision. 

Many students felt that the sacrifice, and the reward of giving another person that joyful experience would be more memorable and more important to them in the long run.  That trophies and ribbons should not be the emphasis of our lives.  Some people are willing and maybe even eager to let someone else win, to sacrifice your own pride for someone else's joy.

The other half of the class felt that it would be difficult and unfair to be expected to give up the win.  For many of us it would never occur to us to pass the ball to a member of the other team.  It goes against their nature.  They have a strong competitive nature and are very unwilling and maybe even unable to intentionally give up a competition.  There were many comments about the benefits of team competition.  We learn to cooperate, we learn to work hard and be diligent.  We learn to pick ourselves up and get back to work even after a loss.  These are all positive qualities that make us strong, independent people.  This competitive nature drives many people to do their best.


This balance is what makes our world interesting.  Most important is our willingness to discuss, respect and even embrace our differences.  Thanks for sharing...

I AM GOOD

[Copied from Facebook]
Passionate Parenting

I was recently told of an African tribe that does the most beautiful thing.

When someone does something hurtful and wrong, they take the person to the center of town, and the entire tribe comes and surrounds him. For two days they’ll tell the man every good thing he has ever done.

The tribe believes that every human being comes into the world as GOOD, each of us desiring safety, love, peace, happiness.

But sometimes in the pursuit of those things people make mistakes. The community sees misdeeds as a cry for help.

They band together for the sake of their fellow man to hold him up, to reconnect him with his true Nature, to remind him who he really is, until he fully remembers the truth from which he'd temporarily been disconnected: "I AM GOOD".

Please Share

www.facebook.com/PassionateParenting

Thoughts to ponder...

How does your community (or family) react when you make mistakes?  How does this impact affect you emotionally?  Does this reaction support positive changes?   Imagine how different our community (or society) would be if we all supported each other in this way - through good times and bad.  Our mistakes should not define us.  Let your strength and kindness overcome the mistakes and become your true nature.