For middle school teachers & principles dealing with adolecent girls...?

Question

Two K-8 school teachers (both teach 6th) presented with the same issue responded differently:
A 6th grade girl was being ostracized by the other girls and the teacher noticed falling grades and change in demeanor.
The teacher from the inner-city school made time to address the situation, had a mediation with all the girls and involved the other teachers (not to say that everyone suddenly became best friends) and followed-up.
The teacher from the suburbs made a phone call to the girl's parents, suggested counseling outside of school, did not question the girls that were doing the bullying and did not follow up for several weeks.

Did the inner-city school teacher go above and beyond? Was she wasting time/coddling student?
Was the suburban teacher negligent? Too busy? Over-worked?

This REALLY happened and I'm wondering why their approach was so different.
Do you think that the socio-economic status of the student population is a factor?

Answer 1

I think peer mediation works. I've attended mostly inner-city schools, and most of them had it. It does something. Instead of running away from the problem, which you might wanna be tempted to do 'cause they're just "kids", they took the problem more seriously, realized it may affect any of the students and maybe eventually others, and dealt with it. Young folks need to know that they can't just do anything and get away with it. That's how you raise responsible adults.

I know my ex came from the suburbs, and he's told me, in his school, his teachers clothes their eyes to a lot of things going on with the students. In his opinion, he told me it's because they're all so rich, and the teachers don't wanna get on the bad side of the rich and politically powerful parents. So they just let stuff go. Also, he said the kids from where he comes from are all spoiled and in general get what they want. Now there is a huge drug problem over there with people he went to school with, but people are acting like it's such a big shock and they had no signs that anyone was struggling, needed attention, or anything like that. People he knows just pop up dead, overdosed in cars or elsewhere, and there's a large percentage of them from his highschool. It's very disturbing.

The schools in the innercity may, because of the conditions of the youth and the people working with them (who may or may not still be there themselves) feel more pressure to succeed.

That doesn't mean that's always what happens, we're dealing with some issues with our school district right now, trust me. The Board of Education is not really thinking in our best interest lately.

So in the end, I think it's the individual. Not that all responsibility should ride on one teacher or principal but, when you know that the conflict won't end tomorow, you need to care, and put your foot down. The school is for the kids' future, or else, why are you there? Right?

Answer 2

I think each teacher approached the situation in a way that was probably considered "appropriate" in their school districts. Perhaps there was more background then we know on and in each situation. It is difficult to second -guess what a teacher does in each situtation. Many school districts have taught their staff and students the process of peer mediation but some schools have not seen that as an appropriate or relevant method. It is extremely time consuming, and some students may see it as choosing favorites. Parents may see peer meditation as a teacher not doing their job.

Personally, I believe the teacher from the burbs took the cheap/easy way out. It's ALWAYS easier to let someone else fix the problem....but as educators we should be taking care to nurture the WHOLE child, and not just be involved in the education process. Bullying is a learned behavior and it is usually learned from an adult....sometimes even teachers. Calling home to get the problem fixed probably would never fix the situation because that is where the behavior began.

Answer 3

You cannot compare the two situations unless you look at the years of experience each teacher has.

A newer teacher is less likely to hold a council with all of the girls involved. They are taught to inform that parents of the behavior and let the parents deal with it in their own way.

An experienced teacher knows that parents don't always understand the entire situation. Parents are more likely to jump in to protect their child when it isn't really necessary. A veteran teacher knows that a few well-spoken words to the correct people will accomplish a lot more than months of counseling.

I do not believe it is a matter of inner school vs suburbs. I think it sounds more like an experienced teacher and an inexperienced teacher.

Answer 4

School Administrator here.... Um. I would like to believe that the teacher's response was based partially upon their interaction with the girls at that particular school. Moreso that whether the girls were in an inner city school or suburbs, the individual girls played the most vital factor in determining how to deal with the situation.

Answer 5

You make a fallacious conclusion regarding the locations of the two teachers. I think their approaches were different because they are two different people, and while there are probably many factors contributing to how they handle situations, you cannot attribute their reactions to the girls' behavior solely to their socioeconomic locations. Suffice it to say -- one teacher handled it much better than the other, and perhaps all teachers should learn from her example.

Answer 6

thats really horrible. I think the first teacher got too involved, but the second teacher should have been more involved.
If the first teacher put some of her excitedness on the subject into the second teachers brain, it would have been perfect.
If that makes sense at all..

Answer 7

I was made fun of and picked on all the time since I was in elementary school. I'm in college now and I have threatened to kill everyone who pisses me off now. I even scare my co-workers and they voted me to be the one to come in and kill them all.

Relevance? Yes, there is, once people get picked on in school, they turn satanic and become mini-Hitlers.

I've also lost contact with people from school and everytime I see them, I want to kill them. I hope they all burn in hell!

Answer 8

I think Sting wrote a song about not standing so close