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I believe there is space for social media in the lives of children and teenagers, but I do not think it belongs in a school. Cellphones can be fun, and provide entertainment for children, but there are serious mental health risks that come with them. According to NPR, “Young people who report spending the most time on smartphones — five to seven hours a day — are twice as likely to report being depressed as those who use their phones for one to two hours a day” (Kamenetz, 2019). The severe risks that come with extensive technology use are too powerful to ignore. What students do outside of the school is up to their parents and them, but in a school, there is no way to control what they are seeing and doing, and how it affects them. 

Aside from the passive risks of social media causing depression and anxiety, it is also likely to introduce students to the world of cyberbullying. An example is Ronan Parke, the runner-up on Britain’s Got Talent. When exposed to the media at age, he began to be cyberbullied really bad by fans of the show. It got to the point that he had to get off social media and have a group of people run his accounts for him (Willett, 2019). He was one of the lucky ones, however. Many children who experience cyberbullying don’t have someone to turn to who can help or are afraid to seek it out, so they suffer in silence. It used to be that children who were bullied in school could get away from it at home, but now with social media, it can follow them. Cyberbullying can lead to less attendance, struggles with classwork and attention, and problems arising between students or even teachers (Likes vs. Learning: The Real Cost of Social Media for Schools, 2023) In some extreme cases, cyberbullying can lead to suicide. 

While I see the argument that cell phones can bring students fun and calm them down, from personal experience, that is simply a disguise. In reality, cell phones and social media cause a dissociative effect, disconnecting their users from reality and forcing emotions to go blank, repressing them (McQuate, 2022). It’s not calming, it’s harmful. While there is a time and place for this, it is not in a school. It can be good for a brain break after school, or while winding down for the night, but during school, students should be focused and on top of their work, not floating in their own minds.

Resources

Kamenetz, A. (2019, August 27). NPR’s The Scientific Debate over Teens, Screens, and Mental Health. National Public Radio. Link

Likes vs. Learning: The Real Cost of Social Media for Schools. (2023). American Federation of Teachers. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2023/LikesVSLearning_Report.pdf

McQuate, S. (2022, May 23). “I don’t even remember what I read”: People enter a “dissociative state” when using social media. UW News. https://www.washington.edu/news/2022/05/23/people-enter-a-dissociative-state-when-using-social-media/ 

Willett, R. (Director). (2019). Plugged-In: The Toxicity of Social Media Revealed. [YouTube Video]. Brick in the Wall Media.

https://med.stanford.edu/halpern-felsher-reach-lab/preventions-interventions/Safety-First/safety-first-lesson-10.html

For this blog post, I reviewed “Lesson Number 10: Halucinigens” from Stamford Medicine, Safety First. In this lesson, the instructor can cover known Hallucinogens and their effects, talk about why people use these drugs, and discuss certain harm reduction activities that can be done if the drug is in use. It is a Canva PowerPoint slide covering all these topics, as well as a pre-made Kahoot, talking points, and guided discussion. The lesson is strong in delivering information. It covers in-depth explanations of different drugs. It contains strong descriptions of risk factors which can be useful for students to know to deter them from trying the drug out. It is a well-put-together lesson with clear guidelines for teaching. I would say its weakness is that it would not be a good lesson for grades K through 8. It is geared more towards a secondary school level, but it would have been nice for the language to be simplified for a younger grade level, or a modified version for them could have been a possibility. There is alot of higher-level reading knowledge needed to understand this lesson. One way I would improve on this lesson may be in a culturally responsive way. There is only one short slide explaining why hallucinogens may be used in cultural or religious ways. I would go into a bit more detail. Students may be confused about the WHY of different groups assuming the risks for religious reasons, and I would not be afraid to go into this. Not only does it encourage education about different cultures, but it also may answer their unanswered questions. 

References 

Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab. (n.d.). Safety First – Lesson 10. Stanford Medicine. https://med.stanford.edu/halpern-felsher-reach-lab/preventions-interventions/Safety-First/safety-first-lesson-10.html

Image created by Bassey, A. using wordclouds.com

 

 

Resources

Linehan, M. (2015). DBT skills training handouts and worksheets (Second). The Guilford Press. 

Long, R. (director/ producer). (2012) Room To Breathe [film]. ZAP Zoetrope Aubry Productions.

Schwartz, K. (2019). Nine ways to ensure your mindfulness teaching is trauma informed. KQED Mindshift. Link

​​Why is Mindfulness Needed in Education. (n.d.). Mindful Schools. Link

Data Points	Massapequa	Freeport
Number of Students *	6477	6342
Chronic Absenteeism	Grades 1-8: 12% High School: 19.3%	Grades 1-8: 23.8% High School: 21.1%
English Language Proficiency	0.4% ELL	17.8% ELL
4 Year Graduation Rate *	98%	82%
Standardized Test Scores * (ELA and Math, include % taking the tests)	%students who scored at a proficient level in ELA and Math, respectively  Grade 3- 46%, 68% Grade 4- 54%, 74% Grade 5- 44%, 70% Grade 6- 61%, 72% Grade 7- 73%, 81% Grade 8- 75%, 67%	%students who scored at a proficient level in ELA and Math, respectively  Grade 3- 43%, 59% Grade 4- 42%, 63% Grade 5- 25%, 36% Grade 6- 46%, 43% Grade 7- 28%, 31% Grade 8- 45%, 17%
Accountability Status*	Local Support and Improvement	Local Support and Improvement
% Inexperienced Teachers	13%	17%
Ethnicity *	86% White Students 9% Hispanic/Latino Students 3% Multiracial Students 2% Asian/Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Students 1% African American Students 0% Naive American Students	4% White Students 71% Hispanic/Latino Students 2% Multiracial Students 1% Asian/Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Students 21% African American Students 0% Naive American Students
Median Household Income	$148,295	$109,390
Average Property/School Taxes	2.2%	2.2%
Average Home Price	$740,000	$510,000

 

I was not surprised to see the ethnic differences between Massapequa and Freeport’s school districts. However, what surprised me the most was the average test scores being significantly lower in Freeport. I tried to see why that is by comparing the amount of inexperienced teachers, but the statistics were fairly similar. I feel like I already knew houses cost less in Freeport, but I did not know how drastic the difference was.

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One theme I identified from the documentary was the extreme loneliness homeless students can go through. I saw it in Roque. He said that he experiences extreme loneliness and that he doesn’t need to rely on anybody else, because he has himself (DeMare, Kelly, and Taber, 2014). This was seen with many other homeless students in the film, such as a lesbian student who was kicked out and mistreated by her family. This serious self-reliance can lead to anxiety, depression, or thoughts of self-harm or suicide. According to the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, “more than half of people experiencing homelessness have had thoughts of suicide or have attempted suicide” (Suicide and Homelessness, 2018). A book for young children that may help broach this topic is called “When Sadness is at Your Door”. It is a book that personifies sadness and explains ways to tackle it in simple terms, like coloring, taking time for yourself, and engaging with people who care about you (Eland, 2019). This book can be helpful for homeless children who are experiencing loneliness and sadness. 

Another theme I identified in the reading is that the definition for students who are homeless is those who do not have “a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence”  (Mc-Kinney Vento Homeless Education, 2021). This includes such a wide group of students, including those who live with another family, in a shelter, in a vehicle, or on the streets. Additionally, a large majority of these students are disabled or are English Language Learners, making it even more difficult for students to learn. There is a song called “The A-Team” by Ed Sheeran. It was written about a girl in a homeless shelter struggling to make ends meet (Sheeran, 2010). It shows that there are so many different situations for homeless youth to be in, that we as teachers need to be aware and observant of. 

 

Resources

De Mare, A., Kelly, K., & Taber, K. (Producers), & De Mare, A., & Kelly, K. (Directors). (2014). The homestretch [Streaming video]. United States: Bullfrog Films.

Eland, E. (2019). When sadness is at your door. Random House Children’s Books. 

Mc-Kinney Vento Homeless Education. (2021). New York State Education Department. http://www.nysed.gov/essa/mckinney-vento-homeless-education

Sheeran, E. (2010, April 22). Ed Sheeran – the A team [official music video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWcs5H-qgQ 

Suicide and homelessness. National Healthcare for the Homeless Council. (2018, May). https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/suicide-fact-sheet.pdf

 

I debated writing this a lot. BPD is one of, if not the most, highly stigmatized illnesses, both physical and mental. However, I feel it will only enhance people’s understanding and acceptance of it if I tell my story, so I will. I have Borderline Personality Disorder, and it makes my day-to-day life very different from other people’s. I am often told I am being too dramatic, or that I am blowing things out of proportion. The truth of it is, I have very big feelings that go from 0 to 100 very quickly. My emotions come on faster than others, and it takes much longer for them to go away. Additionally, my emotions are often wildly larger than a situation warrants, making the feelings worse. Finally, I am more likely to act on my emotions impulsively than wait and think it out. I experience these symptoms mostly through anxiety and depression. I am grateful to have been enrolled in a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy course which taught me how to safely manage my symptoms and control them, rather than let them control me. 

Some people experience the symptoms through anger, and that is part of the reason this illness is so stigmatized. Sometimes, people who suffer from this can have radical outbursts of anger, becoming a threat to themselves or others. While that is a reality of the disease, it is such a small percentage of people who experience it that way. We are called crazy, irrational, and violent for what makes up a very small minority of people. Most who have it have it the way I do, where the fear of abandonment is so great, it ends up pushing people away. Most suffer in silence, modulating their emotions to what may seem to others to be the “normal” amount, and as a result, end up repressing their emotions to a dangerous level. 

70% of people living with BPD will attempt suicide in their lifetime. 10% will succeed (2024) Such a high stigma means people are less likely to seek out help and can fall victim to themselves. As a teacher, it is so important to know the warning signs of suicide. A big part of BPD is being impulsive; these decisions can happen quickly. Intervening at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. 

 

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024, January 31). Borderline personality disorder. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20370237 

NYP-bpd-borderline personality disorder (bpd)-understanding BPD: NYP. NewYork-Presbyterian. (2024). https://www.nyp.org/bpdresourcecenter/borderline-personality-disorder/understanding-bpd#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20approximately%2070,disorder%20and%20the%20general%20population 

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https://flip.com/s/8y_QngvBWeRt

 

References:

• Dupej, H. & Embry, M. (2020). Dark cloud: The high cost of cyberbullying. TELUS Wise
• The power of words. Common Sense Education. (2018, August). https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/the-power-of-words?check_logged_in=1 
• Tips for Teachers: Warning Signs a Child is Being Cyberbullied or is Cyberbullying. (2021, May 21). stopbullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/tips-for-teachers
• Wilkey Oh, E. (2019, March 25). Teachers’ Essential Guide to Cyberbullying Prevention. Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-cyberbullying-prevention

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As a teacher, grappling with the idea of school violence is an unsettling reality that weighs heavily on my mind and impacts various aspects of my professional life. I do not want to be walking into a war zone every time I go to work, but I do it because I am passionate. There is a legitimate fear that came over me when I was watching the documentary, and a student admitted to making a 5-gallon bucket of napalm (Moore, 2002). It’s terrifying to me that people like that exist, and what’s more, he was mad he wasn’t the number one threat to the school; he was only number two. I could not imagine what number one did. The potential ramifications of school violence are profound and multifaceted, extending beyond mere physical safety to encompass emotional well-being, professional responsibilities, and the overall learning environment.

First and foremost, the safety and security of my students are paramount concerns. I would like to teach high school students, so they are old enough to understand the prevalence of this issue. That can make the situation heightened with emotion, creating a more dangerous issue. The thought of facing a crisis situation such as an active shooter scenario is a terrifying prospect that I must be prepared to confront but terrifies me to my core. In just the first four days of 2024, there were already 7 school shootings that resulted in people being killed or injured (School Shootings This Year?: How Many and Where?, 2024) Implementing safety protocols, participating in active shooter drills, and remaining constantly vigilant for signs of potential threats are all necessary precautions that I must take to protect my students and myself.

Moreover, the pervasive threat of school violence casts a shadow over the classroom environment, creating an atmosphere of fear and anxiety that can hinder the teaching and learning process. Nurturing a sense of trust and security among my students is essential for fostering a positive learning environment where they feel empowered to thrive academically and emotionally. Additionally, the emotional toll of school violence weighs heavily on me as an educator. The fear and trauma associated with incidents of violence can leave a lasting impact on students and staff alike, making it challenging to maintain a sense of normalcy in the aftermath. Providing emotional support and guidance to students who may be struggling to cope with feelings of fear or anxiety is a crucial aspect of my role as a teacher. Studies have shown that the use of social-emotional learning techniques not only can help after violence has happened but can prevent it from happening at all. A boy in Alaska turned in his own gun to a teacher after using SEL skills with a friend, preventing a tragedy (Vogel, 2008). As a teacher, I will absolutely be implementing SEL techniques in my classroom, especially knowing what they can do to prevent violence.

Furthermore, the prevalence of school violence necessitates ongoing dialogue and collaboration with colleagues, administrators, and community stakeholders to address underlying issues and implement effective prevention strategies. To quote from the CDC, “All students have the right to learn in a safe school environment…school violence can be prevented” (Preventing school violence, 2019) Engaging in discussions about school safety, advocating for policy changes on a local, state, and national level, and participating in professional development opportunities focused on crisis intervention are all ways in which I can contribute to efforts to mitigate the risk of violence in schools.

In conclusion, the specter of school violence looms large in my role as a teacher, impacting my sense of safety, the classroom environment, and my emotional well-being. By remaining vigilant, fostering a supportive learning environment, and actively participating in efforts to prevent violence, I strive to create a safer and more secure environment for my students and myself.

 

References

• Moore, M. (Producer & Director) (2002). Bowling for Columbine [Film]. United States: Dog Eat Dog Productions/ YouTube https://watchdocumentaries.com/bowling-for-columbine/
• Preventing school violence. (2019). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fyouthviolence%2Fschoolviolence%2Findex.html

• School Shootings This Year?: How Many and Where?. (2024, January 18). Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-shootings-this-year-how-many-and-where/2024/01

Vogel, T. (2008, February 26). Creating a safe place: Lessons on managing emotions pay off. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-across-curriculum

As humans, gender expression and identity create a complex and diverse narrative. To begin, I’d like to discuss my own experience with gender in a school setting. Going to a private catholic school my whole life, I’ve always felt stifled and forced into the traditional binary roles of a female. We had classes on the “sin” of gender identity and expression differing from the sex assigned at birth. However, I always felt like I was different from other students, and was afraid to express this outwardly. In my last college, I was actually able to be a part of the play “The Laramie Project” as a stage crew member. It is a moving, true story about the brutish murder of openly gay Matthew Shepard, as told in interviews. It exposes the homophobia of the town and shows what it can be like for a student with same-sex attraction (M. Kaufman, 2002). It can be very dangerous. The show opened my eyes and allowed me to begin exploring my own sexuality, and gender, in attraction, expression, and identity.

Gender expression and gender identity are distinctly different aspects that contribute to an individual’s understanding of their own gender. While gender identity refers to an internal sense of being, gender expression pertains to the external signs of this identity through various visible cues. Gender identity is deeply personal, representing an individual’s internal understanding of their gender, regardless of societal expectations or sex assigned at birth. On the other hand, gender expression involves the presentation of one’s gender identity, encompassing the choices individuals make in how they express themselves visually and behaviorally. For example, a school in New Jersey has declared that students who identify as transgender may now compete in accordance with their gender identities (Transgender athletes may now compete in line with Gender Identity in New Jersey 2023). A person who identifies as male would be able to participate on a male basketball team. In doing so, they are outwardly expressing their inward identity. It’s crucial to recognize that both of these aspects can align or differ, highlighting the diversity within the individual. Respecting both gender identity and expression is essential for fostering an inclusive and affirming environment where students can authentically navigate and express their gender while trying to learn. 

In a modern and diverse school setting, the concept of gender should be embraced with a commitment to inclusivity and respect for the multifaceted identities of its student body. Firstly, the school must be inclusive of all, not just of gender. There is a great resource called “Instutalized Racism; A Syllabus” that explains and provides outsourced resources on this difficult subject, and handles the delicate topic of race very well (Halley, 2020). Additionally, beyond traditional binary expectations, the educational environment should acknowledge and accommodate a spectrum of gender expressions and identities. Students should encouraged to express their gender authentically, without fear of repercussion. Inclusive policies surrounding dress codes and language should be established to ensure that all students, regardless of their gender identity, feel safe and supported. The curriculum should be designed to reflect diverse perspectives on gender, fostering understanding and empathy among students, and allowing students to see themselves in what they learn. 

Schools that actively engage in educating staff and students alike about the importance of respecting and affirming various gender identities and expressions are those that do right by their student body. A national survey performed by the Trevor Project shows that LGBTQ+ students have considered committing suicide (The Trevor Project, 2023). Often, that is because no one in their life can support them. By living a culture of acceptance and love, schools become safe spaces where every student can thrive academically and personally, irrespective of their gender background, and sometimes that is all they need.

 

Resources

Bassey, A. (2024, Feburary 3). Gender Word Cloud.

Halley, C. (2020, May 31). Institutionalized racism: A syllabus – JSTOR daily. Jstor Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/institutionalized-racism-a-syllabus/ 

Kaufman, M. (Director). (2002). The laramie project [film]. Good Machine, HBO Films.

The Associated Press. (2023, August 7). Transgender athletes may now compete in line with Gender Identity in New Jersey. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/transgender-athletes-may-now-compete-in-line-with-gender-identity-in-new-jersey/2017/11 

The Trevor Project. (2023). 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/