Teen Sexting

New research shows that approximately twenty to thirty percent of teens have sent and/or received a sext. Teen who are sexting or propositioned to send a sext are more likely than their peers to have sexual intercourse. Sexting is sending, receiving, or forwarding sexual photos or sexually suggestive messages through text messages or email. This term have been around since 2005.Due to internet through electronic devices and social media outlets have changed the game of sexual exchanges. Researchers surveyed six hundred and six teens ages fourteen through eighteen found that approximately twenty percent of teens said they had sent a sexual image of themselves via cell phone. Twenty- five percent said that they had forwarded it to someone else. Teens are sexting because they may be curious, which leads to exploration and experimentation, they may not be thinking, they may be in love, or they may be pressured. Parents should spend time speaking with their teens about sex.

For more information on sexting please go to: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201207/the-dangers-teen-sexting

Bullying in Elementary Schools

Bullying is widespread and perhaps one of the most underreported safety problems in socials. Bullying is a serious problem in today’s schools and society. Bullying is known to have long lasting harmful effects for the victim and him bully. Bullying isn’t just physical it can be emotional or cyber bullying. The awareness of bullying in schools is increasing. In two-thirds of the recent school shootings, the attackers have been previous bullied. Bullying most occurs in elementary schools, it also occurs in middle and high school. High school high schoolers are especially vulnerable. Bullying includes assault, tripping, and intimidation, rumor spreading, demands for money, destruction of property, thief, name calling, and others. In order to stop bullying school districts need to establish strict policies regard the issue of bullying and the policies need to be consistently enforced in all schools. Ways to address bullying in schools is to assess bullying in your school, engage parents and youth, create policies and rules, build a safe environment, and educate students and school staff.

For more information go to this website: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/bullying/1

Common Core State Standards

Since it was first introduced Common Core State Standards has been a problem for many of the school districts that adapted it. One of the essential problem with Common Core was providing funding and the necessary resources to make every student college and career ready which is the goal for Common Core. It requires teachers to be well prepared safe and well equipped schools with reasonable class sizes and other supplemental services.  None of these accommodations were put in place prior to requiring schools to implement these standards.  Also many feel that the standards are lacking in some areas. A new teacher evaluation was implemented without the benefits of teachers receiving proper training to teach the new standards as a result some states have decided to pull out of using Common Core State Standards.  This issue is expected to be address in Congress in the near future.  Democrats and Republicans are alike divided over the issue.

 For information check out: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_02/28_02_karp.shtml

Health and Nutrition in Schools

Nutrition and health has been a big issue in the past decade. One of the main reasons why this is a big issue is because students aren’t getting the proper nutrients and more children are being classified as obese. As crazy as it may seem, eating is an important factor in a child’s school day. Without food children have problems focusing, may have headaches, or may feel fatigued. Another issue is that parents get off work late or parents have to take their children to extra-curricular activities so parents don’t have time to go home and cook so often they will stop at a fast food restaurants and pick up a quick dinner for the kids. There has been talk recently about taking physical education out of school but never came to an agreement on whether or not to do so.

Suggestions to promote healthy eating for children:

1.      Take a field  trip to a farm or a farmers market

2.      Turn healthy snacks into a learning experiences

3.      Encourage kids to keep food logs

4.      Host a nutrition night for parents, with activities for kids

5.      Start an after-school cooking club

6.      Offer healthy alternatives at events

7.      Plant a vegetable garden

For more information on healthy eat go to this website: https://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/895-10-ways-to-promote-healthy-eating

 

 

Strategies for Closing The Achievement Gaps

One of the main issues in schools today is closing the achievement gap. Closing achievement gaps is what separates low-income and minority youngsters from other young Americans.  Students from low-income families typically have access to fewer learning opportunities prior to entering school. Low income students often come from single family home where parents are absent from the home during critical times because they working. As a result, low-income/minority students enter school with a disadvantage. Also, the schools in poverty stricken areas are ill equipped. Supplies are scarce and usually out- dated. Many of the materials current and advanced teaching tools are not available due to the lack of funds. Expectation are lower for low income students and teachers are not as well prepared.  In order to increase these achievement levels we need to focus on high standards, challenging curriculum, and good teachers. Some strategies to improve this include enhanced cultural competence, comprehensive support for students, outreach to students’ families, extended learning opportunities, classrooms that support learning, supportive schools, adequate resources and funding, and access to qualified staff.

 

More information will be available at : www2.ed.gov/.../ctag_rpt.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

What Teachers Should Know About Dsylexia

Dyslexia is a common learning disability that can differ in each individual and can affect their reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Teachers may notice a child is dyslexic when a child is having difficulty memorizing, spelling, or thinking and understanding. In classroom today teacher witness different types of dyslexia such as, auditory dyslexia, visual dyslexia, attentional dyslexia, phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, deep dyslexia, developmental dyslexia, acquired Dyslexia, directional dyslexia, and math dyslexia Back when I was in elementary school there was a program call Hooked on Phonics which helped students with building systematically from letters to sounds, then to words and sentences, and ultimately to reading fluency. Depending on the type of dyslexia they may receive services from speech therapist, reading specialist, and math specialist. Teaching programs do not sufficiently prepare teacher to help remediate students with dyslexia. Although there may not be many programs to help parents can try these things at home read out loud every day, tap into your child’s interest, use audiobooks, look for apps that may help, observe and take notes, focus on effort not outcome, and boost confidence.

Please look at this webpage for more information: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia

Technology In The Classroom

Over the past two decade technology has tremendously affected classroom instruction. As technology becomes more in more important in society teachers are giving the task of not only teaching students how to use technology, but also having them practice it during lessons. When I was in elementary school we only use calculators, tape recorder, and rarely used dial-up computers. Classroom today computer are an essential part of instruction. Not only are computer important but also iPad, smartboards, ELMOs, scientific calculators, etc. Teacher have to be proficient enough in using this equipment in order to teacher their students so they can be able to use in the students future careers. As a result, teacher have hard time effectively incorporating the various types of technology into curriculum planning. Despite the challenges technology offers interactive engaging and promotes more practice and reviewing in different content areas. Technology also focus on the skills like problem solving, character development and critical thinking.

For more information please check out this web page: http://www.education.com/magazine/article/effective-technology-teaching-child/