Submitted by Hillel Weintraub (not verified) on November 1, 2007 - 05:42.
Dana, I think you've hit upon a basic element about what our schools are really teaching, and it ain't math (or grammer) (or spelling!)(sic-sick!) You know, we talk about bullying and we try to get kids to stop it, but how can kids grow up to be something other than bullies when they're being bullied at home and school, most of the time? Simply put, as Dana did, if we don't respect kid and give them a voice in their lives, they will grow up learning that lesson - if you got power from your age, sex, position, wealth, race, country, use to keep others in control. That's what bullying is and there's no bigger bully in the world right now than - well, let's avoid politics and stick to education, as though education is not a political issue!
So Dana, are you a parent, a student, a teacher - or some combination? Can you find ways to empower young people in whatever contact you have with them, and treat them like real human beings? I think we all have many opportunities to do this, and each chance is important. I tried to do this for nearly 40 years in the classroom, with still-growing awareness of my own bullying of students, and I'm trying in my everyday encounters with kids that come into the gallery I'm running.
yes!
Submitted by Hillel Weintraub (not verified) on November 1, 2007 - 05:42.
Dana, I think you've hit upon a basic element about what our schools are really teaching, and it ain't math (or grammer) (or spelling!)(sic-sick!) You know, we talk about bullying and we try to get kids to stop it, but how can kids grow up to be something other than bullies when they're being bullied at home and school, most of the time? Simply put, as Dana did, if we don't respect kid and give them a voice in their lives, they will grow up learning that lesson - if you got power from your age, sex, position, wealth, race, country, use to keep others in control. That's what bullying is and there's no bigger bully in the world right now than - well, let's avoid politics and stick to education, as though education is not a political issue!
So Dana, are you a parent, a student, a teacher - or some combination? Can you find ways to empower young people in whatever contact you have with them, and treat them like real human beings? I think we all have many opportunities to do this, and each chance is important. I tried to do this for nearly 40 years in the classroom, with still-growing awareness of my own bullying of students, and I'm trying in my everyday encounters with kids that come into the gallery I'm running.
with at least al modicum of hope, Hillel