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Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Kids and Aggression: Popularity Matters
Bullying is all too common, with studies showing as many as 160,000 students skip school every weekday to avoid the torment, the National Education Association has found.
"They have much more to gain by being nice when they’re up at that level than by being cruel," theorized lead author Robert Faris, assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis. Alternatively, it could be that the most popular kids are "simply different and incredibly nice people."
The study, appearing in the journal American Sociological Review, also found that kids who are the least popular are also among the least likely to torment others.
Researchers used data from nearly 4,000 ninth- and 10th-graders who participated in The Context of Adolescent Substance Use study, which is a long-term project that surveyed students in three counties in North Carolina in public schools. This new study on popularity and aggression followed the kids for the 2004 to 2005 school year. A limitation is that the authors did not interview the participants to get further context about the students' thoughts and feelings.
The research looked at physical, verbal and indirect aggression, which includes spreading rumors or ostracizing others. Study authors asked participants to name everyone they had been mean to, and everyone who had picked on them. They also had to state the nature of the unkindness, whether it be physical violence or name-calling or gossiping.
It appears that it didn't matter what kind of aggression was involved – the popular (but not most popular) kids are more likely to be perpetrators, and it gets worse as you climb the social ladder (until you hit the highest rung).
"We can conclude that rates of aggression generally increase as kids gain status," Faris said.
At the core of bullying is a relationship issue, said Michele Borba, author of "The Big Book of Parenting Solutions," who was not involved in the study. Kids are craving to fit in and be included, but don't know how. Those at the second tier of popularity don't have a platform of security, and use bullying as a way of gaining influence.
Researchers do not know whether young people see their aggression as a means to an end, but this is one theory the results support.
Given that the kids who are picking on one another are getting influence from others, an appropriate intervention would be to focus on the kids who aren't involved in aggressive behavior, Faris said
"If you target the bystanders that might have stronger effects on school climate than focusing on particular bullies and victims," he said.
It's crucial to create a school culture where bullying is not acceptable, Borba agreed.
Promoting that attitude to the bystanders will help undermine the power of the kid trying to be the bully, she said.
Source: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/08/kids-and-aggression-popularity-matters/?hpt=Sbin
Monday, February 7, 2011
These kids are why we collect for Pasta for Pennies :)
Fayetteville, N.C. — Kathleen Henry's family has been touched by cancer twice.
The painful journey began two years ago just after her son, Collin, turned 2.
“He had no energy and then he started getting nose bleeds,” Henry said about her son, Collin. "Then, he started having blood on his lip all the time.”The Fayetteville mother took him to the hospital and doctors conducted tests. Henry and Collin were at home when the doctor called...
Continue reading here:
Fayetteville Brothers Fight Cancer
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Cyberbullying is no joke.
Read below about two teenagers in the Triangle who have been charged with cyberbullying.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9048228/
We constantly talk about bullying and its negative effects. Why do people still continue to do it? Is the internet making it easier for kids and adults to bully because they can choose to be anonymous?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Lord Loss by Darren Shan
One of the best books that I have ever read was Lord Loss, the first book in the series "The Demonata" by Darren Shan. If you enjoy reading horror books or any books about magic and fighting, this is the book for you.
Ever since I first started to read it, I couldn't put the book down. Before this book, I rarely read; but this book just wouldn't allow me to stop! It was as if the book was possessing and wouldn't let me stop reading it. Hopefully, you too decide to read this book and enjoy it as much as I did.
-Jacob
The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
I loved the book. I started reading it because it was very popular and many people recommended it to me so I decided to give it a whirl. The author is also one of my most favorite authors, Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan has really put a lot of thought into this book. I mean who would think of a book only about clues? Some people might, but I surely wouldn't be able to think of something like that. When I picked it up I just couldn't put it down. It was intense!Personally, I was fascinated by the book. If you like adventure and mystery, this is the book for you. This book will pull you into it, you will be roaring with laughter at times, and at others you will be shouting out in frustration. These characters will take you on journeys!
Pooja
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