Submitted by Robin Kennedy (not verified) on September 7, 2006 - 00:02.
Our coed, independent day school, grades 6-12, experiences relational aggression (group exclusion, rumor mongering, verbal cruelty) in Middle School primarily and seems to fade away by 10th grade or so. We have an advising/mentoring (upper school mentors) program in place to raise awareness of the problem and teach communication skills and as well as a parent program that does the same. When we began our program a few years ago, we asked the school community (students, parents, faculty) to come up with what we called Norms (values) that we would all support (respect for others, honesty, tolerance). It all looks good on paper but kids are very good at operating below the radar so I can't say it's over. With each new group of kids who arrive on campus, there is a new dynamic each year who need to learn new skills and have their awareness raised. That's the meaning of working in a school, I think - teaching kids what is appropriate, valued, important, and some skills for getting along in a way that creates real friendships and promotes kindness in our community. It's never-ending, and necessary for faculty and parents, as well as students.
Our coed, independent day
Submitted by Robin Kennedy (not verified) on September 7, 2006 - 00:02.
Our coed, independent day school, grades 6-12, experiences relational aggression (group exclusion, rumor mongering, verbal cruelty) in Middle School primarily and seems to fade away by 10th grade or so. We have an advising/mentoring (upper school mentors) program in place to raise awareness of the problem and teach communication skills and as well as a parent program that does the same. When we began our program a few years ago, we asked the school community (students, parents, faculty) to come up with what we called Norms (values) that we would all support (respect for others, honesty, tolerance). It all looks good on paper but kids are very good at operating below the radar so I can't say it's over. With each new group of kids who arrive on campus, there is a new dynamic each year who need to learn new skills and have their awareness raised. That's the meaning of working in a school, I think - teaching kids what is appropriate, valued, important, and some skills for getting along in a way that creates real friendships and promotes kindness in our community. It's never-ending, and necessary for faculty and parents, as well as students.