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FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Safety at School

I was reading Julie's post about the safety issue at her school. There have been a few times when I was fearful at my school too. Seems like the violence is worse and the frequency of violence is more often.

When I was a kid in high school, this type of behvior would never have been tolerated. I realize that was a 1000 years ago, but why have we allowed this kind of behavior and disrespect in our schools?

By not demanding and enforcing the rules, we are doing a disservice to our kids. They will never be able to function in the world. They will think they can do as they please because that is how they did it in school and they got away with it. Yet, our administrators can only do so much. Parents usually defend the child and think little Johnny or little Suzy would NEVER behave that way. Or it must have been someone else's fault to cause little Johnny or little Suzy to say and do the bad thing.

All of this violence and unrest is clearly a loud statement of our times. Public schools have become a battleground some days. Not a whole lot of learning or teaching can go on when students and teachers are fearful.

Are parents doing all they can at home to instill morals and values in their children? Is the home the root of all the problems we are seeing in schools today? Is the situation going to continue to get worse before it gets better? Other than trying to be a good example and trying to maintain order in our own classrooms, what else can individual teachers do to prevent the violence?

I guess I'm just a left-over hippie. I want people to love one another. I hate violence in any form. I just want Peace! And it is sad to me that our young people are so full of hatred and meanness. Peace.... And Love.... That's what the world needs now.... And we need it right now!

5 comments:

Corey C said...

CONNIE! I'm right there with you on your thoughts! I have a "hippy heart" as well ma'am and I too often feel bleak or even jaded when it comes to where our society and it's youth are headed. Honestly though, it is THAT mentality that you have that will silently change some of these kids who might otherwise be completely removed from positive adults....except for you!! And your contact is daily; that can be powerful!

steve said...

one word ,LAWYERS

Perry said...

i was gonna say it but steve beat me to it...administrators are too afraid that someone will complain about the way their poor little kid was treated..the adults need to get a backbone, do the right thing, and the SCHOOL BOARD needs to back their staff and the parents that if their little precious angel cannot abide by the rules, dont let the door hit them on the way out....i dread the day a kid legitimately makes a threat at me...im pretty sure ill a relapse from my police days...steve i guess we are a different breed

Jessie H said...

During my middle/high school years, I attended some pretty rough schools. I had my life threatened on several occasions by classmates. My middle school was the absolute worst school I ever attended. It was such a scary place that I never used the restrooms there for fear of being beat up by the "mean girls" who hung out in the girls' bathrooms to smoke marijuana. I guess what I'm trying to say is that school violence and schools that tolerate violence create feelings of stress, anxiety, and disillusionment in teachers AND students. The only remedy is a tough administration that carries out a policy of no tolerance for dangerous student behavior. I think students' also need training in how to solve conflict non-violently.

Connie said...

I guess Steve's right. The administrators are all afraid of law suits. But the violence keeps escalating.

Yes, our administrators have got to get a backbone or we will carry the blood on our hands for contributing to our violent society for the next generation.

Jessie, that is just horrible that you were so afraid in middle school that you couldn't go to the girl's restroom. No child should have to be that fearful. And middle schoolers are only 11-12-13 yr olds.

Yes, Corey, maybe just having a hippie heart will help! :)