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On Formspring, an E-Vite to Insults and Crude Queries – NYTimes.com

On Formspring, an E-Vite to Insults and Crude Queries – NYTimes.com.
Another Social networking site that invite anonymous users to post questions like, “Do you like Susan?”  0r “Is David the hottest boy in 7th grade?”
I love technology and can think of many ways to use Formspring in a productive educational manner.
My question do parents monitor closely [...]

Studies Reveal Why Kids Get Bullied and Rejected

I do not remember how I got this article nor could I confirm the link post below because it had expired. However, thought it was worth posting
Kids who get bullied and snubbed by peers may be more likely to have problems in other parts of their lives, past studies have shown. And now researchers [...]

Moral Dilemmas Part 2

I have been working with our 8th Grade Advisory Classes with decision making.  We are using different moral dilemmas as discussion starters.  I will continue to post different moral dilemmas here on my blog as we cover them in our classes.
A.  Three of your friends have created an offensive website that attacks a classmate and/or [...]

Are you promoting responsibility?

Responsibility is an important trait for middle schoolers to develop—both at home and in school. Answer the following questions yes or no to see if you are helping your child assume more responsibility.
___1. Do you encourage your child to think about what needs to be done, and then do it?
___2. Do you let [...]

An Outline for Discussing Moral Dilemmas with Students

I found this great resource for how to conduct a Moral Dilemmas lesson with your students.
Leading Values and Moral Dilemma Discussions
This material is from the Building Life Skills Curriculum Guide andis copyrighted by the Building Life Skills  Collaboration, 1995, Kansas City, MO. Building Life Skills is a consortium of the Heart of American  Council, Boy Scouts of America, Heartland Council of Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Mid?Continent Council  for Girl Scouts, YMCA of Greater Kansas City, YWCA of Kansas City, Kansas, and the YWCA of Kansas City,  Missouri.

Web Link Addition: NetSmartz

Netsmartz.org = great resource for talking to MS students about Cyberbullying and Online Profiles. Video cartoons are age appropriate and engaging.  Plenty of free teacher resources

“That’s so gay” – A PSN against offensive language

That’s So Gay – Wanda Sykes

“That’s so Gay” – Think Before You Speak

I was taking a look at the Ad Council Website today and noticed their latest campaign against verbally harassment in schools.  They mention, “Almost 90% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) students report being verbally harassed at school because of
their sexual orientation. LGBT teens experience homophobic
remarks and harassment throughout the school day, creating an
atmosphere where they [...]

Cheating – The Unspoken Rules

Another good article from Vanessa Van Petten’s blog.  This focuses on how cheating is perceived among teenagers.  A good read for counselors, teachers and parents.

Respect – The Golden Rule

While we have been talking about Respect for the month of October. A great topic when discussing this important character trait is “The Golden Rule.” The basic definition for the Golden Rule is, “Treat others only in ways that you’re willing to be treated in the same exact situation.” Here is a great [...]