Archive - October 2007

“Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.” So goes the old schoolyard saying.

Over the years our attitudes to name calling and teasing have changed and we now realise that persistent and cruel name calling can have damaging effects. We know that it’s not only ‘sticks and stones’ physical harm that can be detrimental to our wellbeing.

While we can’t shield our children from all unpleasant schoolyard behaviour, we generally understand that it’s not helpful for our kids to be picked on. Any of us who have suffered childhood taunts know that kids can be cruel and that bullying can make life almost unbearable when the teasing and name calling snowballs out of control.

Now comes a report stating that a British expert thinks children need to be teased and called names to toughen them up.

This story at News.com.au claims that former advisor to the British Government, Tim Gill, is calling on parents and teachers to stop over reacting to “unpleasant behaviour” which can help children develop their resilience.

A closer reading of the story suggests that Gill may not be promoting bullying but rather the over reaction to certain childhood behaviours that have attracted the bullying tag.

Simply redefining all unpleasant behaviour as bullying does not solve this problem, it merely brushes it under the carpet.

The unintended side-effect of such redefinition is that adults are likely to feel under growing pressure to step in whenever children fall out or argue with each other, causing confusion in the minds of children, parents and school staff.

In an atmosphere of heightened media and public awareness of the problem, there is a real danger that adults will overreact and suppress behaviour that, unlike bullying, has a key role in helping children to learn for themselves how to deal with difficult social situations.

I must admit that we need to be on guard to ensure that we don’t wrap our children in a cocoon to protect them but at the same time I can’t see how name calling and teasing can be helpful.

Surely our goal should be not only to stop our children from being the target of bullying or even teasing but to raise our children to have enough respect for themselves and others so that they don’t tease or bully others. Even more than that, we need to encourage our kids not only to avoid antisocial behaviour but to honour others and to threat others in the way they would desire to be treated.

What do you think? Were you teased as a child? Do you think it had a long term effect? Do you think that a certain amount of teasing and name calling is healthy for kids?

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Bullying – Teasing – School

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As I sit here typing it’s half past eight on Monday morning, but the government wants us to pretend that it’s half past nine.

Daylight Saving started yesterday morning. I have to admit that I’m not a big fan.

The extra daylight in the evening is a bonus but it’s going to take a while to adjust to the early mornings. I woke up to a fight between my bedside clock and my body clock today. The bedside clock told me it was time to get up. My body clock said, “Don’t be ridiculous, it’s still dark outside”. I lay there for a few more minutes and let them argue between themselves.

The fact that it was a cold start to the day made it even more difficult to throw back the covers this morning. I’m sure my body will work out what’s going on soon.

Sunrise is fairly early at the moment but the main problem for me is that later during the Daylight Saving period sunrise becomes later and later and I have to cycle in the dark if I want to get some extra kilometres in before work. I was too tired to do any extra this morning but I’m hoping I’ll get a few good rides in later this week.

Do you have Daylight Saving across the Summer months? Do you enjoy the extra daylight at the end of the day or does it rob you of your mornings?

We’re just at the start of a three year Daylight Saving trial. Once the trial’s over we get to decide if we want it permanently or not. I have a feeling that the referendum will deliver the same result that two previous Daylight Saving referendums have returned. Thanks but no thanks.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: Daylight Saving – Sunrise – Cycling

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Australia is celebrating World Teacher’s Day today.

Emily and James will be thanking their teachers for the great work they do. Both of them have got great teachers this year. It’s so good to know that we can send our kids into a supportive learning environment each day.

I was trying to remember some of my teachers this morning as I cycled the long way to work. I remember having Miss Van Kampen for the first two years of school back at Wembley Downs Primary School. If I remember correctly she drove a green VW Beetle. I think my Grade 3 teacher was Mrs McGrade. It all becomes a bit of a blur after that. I can’t think who I had in Grades 4 and 5. I think it was Mr Paganini for Grade 6 but I seem to remember he was also a Deputy Headmaster so he shared the teaching duties with another teacher.

I certainly remember my Grade 7 teacher. Richard Phillips was a very sporty kind of teacher. He coached the school’s football and cricket teams. I guess he didn’t like me much because I wasn’t a sporty kind of kid. I thought he was kind of cool until the day he yelled at me in front of the class that I was a drip who would never amount to anything in life. That seemed to take the shine off things for me.

I can remember a few teachers from my three years at Churchlands Senior High School but none that really stand out too much.

I’d love to get in touch with some of my old teachers but there are some that I could do without seeing again.

Are there any teachers that stick in your mind from your school days? Any that were particularly inspirational for you? Any that bring back good memories of your school days?

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: World Teacher’s Day – Teachers – School

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