From: Mati Palm-Leis (mpalm@merr.com)
Date: Wed Jul 16 2003 - 04:16:39 BST
Hi DMB and GJ
I also work in school on the high school level. I also noted the
Celebrity issue that Gert-Jan sees. I think part of the problem has two
major parts first is the issue of self worth. Students throughout their
school career students try to reflect their own worth based on the
social approval. Because of the wonderful diversity individual
students, students need to recognize that if one student is popular that
it doesn't reflect that another student self value decreases. This is
one of the many social myths that need to be rectified. My job for the
last six years has been Assistant Principal and I have had to deal with
the messes of the social codes that kids create for their realities. The
most effective method of dealing with these issues is helping them
reason beyond the social myths and at the same time maintain the
students self worth. To some degree it is the beginning of
intellectualization of their social world and for my style of dealing
with students it's worked really well.
DMB says: I'd guess a teacher's role here would be to assist the kids in
the process of mastering these social skills and social rules, how to
cope with those who violate these rules and all that sort of thing. Its
not that you'll get any say about who is popular or who is ranked where
in their little hierarchy of "coolness", but you can teach them to be
fair and civilized about
Mati: Yep, civility is an important part of the process but students
need to understand the rationalization of why it works to make them a
"higher quality person" to make it stick.
Gert-Jan says:
But there are children that don't enter this celebrity-arena and are
winners
because of that.. I tell them this. But I don't know if they feel the
same.
Can someone stand above the celebrity-game?
Mati says: Most of those kids will survive their childhood and most
likely be ok. Just keep on providing that much needed social support. :)
Take care,
Mati
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