Current Issues at School Flashcards
levels of smartphone restrictions/ bans
No rules at all
Limited phone use only for learning activities
Limited phone use during lunch/breaks
Phones are kept in backpacks and turned off
Hand in phone upon arrival for storage or keep in locker
100% phone-free zone
smartphone restrictions/ bans seek balance between:
Benefits of limiting phone usage
Benefits of using phones for learning activities
Benefits of limiting phone usage
Limiting usage minimizes distractions, makes students more productive, engaged, and focused. Reduces cheating. Results in better grades (for a subset of students, usually the lower performing students, and lower socioeconomic status).
Improves social interactions, reduce instances of in person and cyber bullying. More social interactions nad talking with each other
Promotes physical and mental health due to reduction in social media use
Improves physical safety due to less bullying and emotional safety because of reduction of emotional blackmail, privacy issues, etc
Benefits of using phones for learning activities
Can be a learning tool for students
Media and internet literacy
Watching educational videos, polls of class participation, research
Usually schools are providing the tech that students are using to access benefits without downsides
Can increase student engagement because it’s fun, more motivated, more participation, can improve grades
Tech is already around, might as well learn how to use it
halifax smartphone policy
No phone zone
Turn phones off and out of sight during class
Grades 7+ teachers can decide more specific rules and can use them for learning activities
Social dynamics for girls
Raising “includers” (McCrohan, 2024) main points
This is how we heal the ‘mean girls’ culture: we hold, we include, we love, we empower, and we regard our girls. And we model this in how we treat other women…
Can you imagine raising girls who ‘include’? Can you imagine all modeling how to be an ‘includer’? And resolving conflicts, hurts, or insecurities with regard and compassion?
Can you imagine how this would impact our world if we raise daughters who know how to name what is happening within them and a situation? Who know how to speak up in the face of injustice? Who believe in their innate goodness? And who include rather than exclude because they have an inner confidence and have been raised to listen to the wisdom of their inner voice?”
Raise girls to include and empower
creating space for adults and children to feel loved and included just as they are.
girls social groups, 7 roles
queen bee
sidekick
banker
floater
torn bystander
pleaser/wannabe/messenger
target
queen bee
Mean girl
Popularity is based on controlling others and operating using people’s fears and desire to be liked
Manipulative, charismatic to get what she wants, egocentric
Knows what she wants and makes sure she gets it no matter what
Thinks she’s better than others and sabotages others and friendships to become stronger or more powerful
Excludes others and doesn’t feel guilty for it
Has minions to imitate her to be like her and be cool like her
Seek revenge on those who wrong her (eye for an eye), but behaviour falls under the radar because they know how and when to be sweet
sidekick
Queen bee’s best friend
Imitates queen bee the most
Second in command
Joined at the hip to queen bee and go together to go and bully others
Queen bee doesn’t treat her good, but she deals with it to maintain status and popularity
banker
Banker of info
Gaining info from other social groups, holding on to it and spreading it when advantageous to them to advance themselves
Powerful because she’s in the know
Doesn’t work with the queen bee, wants to be popular
Friends with everyone to gain info, then manipulate to gain trust
Sweet and quiet and withdrawn, but still powerful
floater
Move freely between groups
Well liked, respected
Not conflict starters or mean
Reasonably attractive
Not loner
High self esteem
Don’t rely on external validation from the queen bee
Inner confidence
One of the few people who may stand up to the queen bee
torn bystander
Torn between doing the right thing and playing by rules, and being popular
Have to choose sides between different friends
Easily influenced
Feel helpless
Stuck in the middle of conflicts
Don’t like queen bee, but feel powerless to stop her
Seek external validation
insecure
pleaser/wannabe/messenger
Wanna be popular and liked by the queen bee and sidekick
Mimic queen bee and sidekick
Do queen bee dirty work, spread gossip to keep queen’s hands clean
Making sure to take into account and do things that are popular or cool
Find self in the middle of the conflict, can’t choose
Referee between two sides
Relay info
Desperate- if the queen bee detects they are TOO desperate, they get kicked out of the group
Target
Black sheep that gets picked on
Anyone who challenges or outwardly doesn’t like queen bee
No one stands up for them
Rejects people first so they con’t get hurt
Social Dynamics for Boys
Act like a man box (Wiseman, 2014) main points
We teach boys to value a boy who has more in-the-box characteristics and devalue a boy who doesn’t
10% fit in box the most
75% make upthe general population
10% at the bottom but have a strong group
5% float around the box
Social Dynamics for Boys
10 percenters requirements
Athletic
Social uniform
Parental support
Popularity matters
May initially have friends who don’t make the cut, but eventually the public nature of those relationships disappears
10 percenters: parental support
defends child
excuses bad behaviour
supportive parentinfs
10 percenters” athletic
Play a sport
Be on team
10 percenters: social uniform
dress the same
same mannerisms
boys social groups
Boys social structures are just as powerful and controlling as those of girls
For some people, by highschool, these roles become less rigid
First three are in the box
mastermind
associative
bouncer
entertainer
conscience
punching bag
fly
champion
10 percenters: popularity matters
Intense desire to be and stay popular and in inner circle
mastermind
10 percenter
Decides who or what is cool
Have power over boys
Can influence others
Often argue and put girls down
Males are superior mindset
Superficial relationships with other boys
Only have people be friends with them so they don’t get excluded
Gain power and control
Fear of losing his position
Weak relationships because his friend’s loyalty is based on fear and power
associate
Most like mastermind
Want to be well liked, may be even more well liked
Right hand man
Interested in other people’s business and what advantages he and the mastermind can get from it
Gain power by association
Lose any identity separate from the mastermind
bouncer
Buff, physically intimidating and strong
Ready to fight
Weak social skills
Can’t read people well
Quick to anger
Likes to defend their friends
Scapegoat
Loyal
Many people are physically afraid of them
Gains social status and power
Loses respect and ability to have healthy social relationships
Blind loyaly stops him from seeing he is being used
Other kids don’t like or feel comfortable around him
