Teaching kids to open their hearts: Part One
The documentary Children Full of Life tells the moving story of Toshiro Kanamori’s 4th grade class in Kanazawa, Japan. Mr. Kanamori teaches his students how to care for one another by having them write letters to their classmates and read them aloud.
America’s lying problem
We’re in the midst of a lying epidemic, according to James B. Stewart, author of Tangled Webs: How False Statements Are Undermining America: From Martha Stewart to Bernie Madoff.
Meaningful movement – not just for P.E. classes anymore
Because exercise boosts brainpower, students simply have to move to maximize their cognition. This month, Barbara Gruener explores ways you can infuse meaningful movement into your students’ day.
Give the Earth a break
Start your Earth Day celebration early by observing Earth Hour on Saturday, March 26, at 8:30 PM local time. Shut down the computer, unplug the TV and stereo, flip the switch on every light in the – no! – don’t touch that cell phone!
Bunking with bullies: how camps can keep kids safe
For many kids, this brief vacation away from home is a joyous time. For others, it can be more like an episode of “Survival” or a chapter from Lord of the Flies. That’s because bullies go to camp, too. And because anti-bullying training and prevention programs, which have become the “in” thing in schools, are […]
What of those who witness bullying at school?
Bullying on campuses not only affects immediate victims, but alters the entire school climate. Witnesses can suffer as well. A 2005 study by researchers Adrienne Nishina and Jaana Juvonen examined sixth-grade students’ perceptions of bullying. It affirmed that bullying affects not just the victim, but all bystanders, regardless of their role. “Anxious feelings increased regardless […]
Who are the victims of bullying?
Bullying victims tend to be polar opposites of bullies. They are often shy and quiet, with few friends and little social support at school. They may be physically weak or lack confidence in their strength. Hence, they rarely stand up to bullies. Victims often have poor social skills. One study showed that students and teachers […]
Who are the bullies?
There are many myths about bullies. For one, they don’t appear spontaneously. Individual, family, and school factors all combine to produce them. Another myth is that they are loners. In fact, most bullies are not socially isolated and report having an easier time making friends than non-bullies. Their social network is often their key source […]
Study: Social and emotional learning yields academic gains
It seems logical to think that teaching good character to kids would improve their academic performance. After all, a trustworthy, responsible, and respectful student attends class, pays attention, completes work on time, and makes good decisions. But it’s always nice to get some hard data agreeing with that assumption.
Decrease bullying by increasing empathy
Is bullying like a disease? For which the only antidote is a little taste of social exclusion? The findings of a recent study at Northwestern University suggest that those who haven’t been bullied underestimate its effects.