Recently I was riding my bicycle near my home; coming toward me on a bicycle was a middle school boy. He was about 150 feet from me when this event happened. In a flash he kicked over a garbage can. I admonished him when he was next to me. Only about 2 seconds had pasted between the kick and my reaction. His response was, “What’s the problem?”
Boys like him are in your school, possible even in you classroom. Similar events will happen in your school and the only way you will be able to prove to a parent that it did happen is with a camera.
Such nefarious events that take only a fraction of a second will only be seen if you are looking and you cannot prove it happened without an image of the event. Such events have many factors. Here are some of them.
1. If you student is aware that you saw the event and you don’t respond then they may think that you are weak, you don’t care or they can get away with a similar event later regardless of your presence.
2. If you fail to respond, a similar event may follow.
3. If you do respond, then your must anticipate an escalation.
4. If the student’s behavior has been practiced by him for many years. He knows how to respond and can potentially be a major problem for you.
If the student is from your classroom, then be prepared to ask that the student be removed from your classroom. If you don’t, then potentially there will be further problems. A student should not be allowed to destroy your school year and possibly even your career.
Ask yourself this question. Why is this male behavior?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday, August 01, 2008
Children have lost touch with the natural world.
Children have lost touch with the natural world and are unable to identify common animals and plants, according to a survey.
Half of youngsters aged nine to 11 were unable to identify a daddy-long-legs, oak tree, blue tit or bluebell, in the poll by BBC Wildlife Magazine. The study also found that playing in the countryside was children's least popular way of spending their spare time, and that they would rather see friends or play on their computer than go for a walk or play outdoors.
The survey asked 700 children to identify pictured flora and fauna. Just over half could name bluebells, 54 per cent knew what blue tits were and 45 per cent could identify an oak. Less than two-thirds (62 per cent) identified frogs and 12 per cent knew what a primrose was.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/attenborough-alarmed-as-children-are-left-flummoxed-by-test-on-the-natural-world-882624.html
Half of youngsters aged nine to 11 were unable to identify a daddy-long-legs, oak tree, blue tit or bluebell, in the poll by BBC Wildlife Magazine. The study also found that playing in the countryside was children's least popular way of spending their spare time, and that they would rather see friends or play on their computer than go for a walk or play outdoors.
The survey asked 700 children to identify pictured flora and fauna. Just over half could name bluebells, 54 per cent knew what blue tits were and 45 per cent could identify an oak. Less than two-thirds (62 per cent) identified frogs and 12 per cent knew what a primrose was.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/attenborough-alarmed-as-children-are-left-flummoxed-by-test-on-the-natural-world-882624.html