A quote that you find inspirational regarding the role that advocacy can have in the lives of young children and their families.
If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.
Mahatma Gandhi
I think by teaching children anti-bullying and how to deal with anger in a healthy way they will grow up to be healthier adults. Healthier is a physical and spiritual way.
I came across another quote years ago, I have it posted for my daughter, it is by Flavia;
If I could sit across the porch from God, I’d thank Him for the glory of morning, and for starry skies. I’d Thank Him for the magic of a child’s soft smile, for memories, and for this wonderful feeling we call love. I’d thank Him for the hopes and dreams of this sweet life. And most of all I’d thank Him for lending me you.
For me this is a good way of looking at the children in our care at day cares and schools. They are on loan to us (teachers). Their parents entrust us with their care. We need to keep them safe. We need to teach them skills that build them socially and emotionally.
Then, post responses to the following:
- What inspires and excites you most about your advocacy plan and being an advocate?
My students in school age day care inspire me to be an advocate. Accomplishing the advocacy plan is what excites me, the creation and the inception.
- What challenges and/or anxieties do you feel related to engaging in the advocacy efforts you have targeted?
Understand terms and definitions and applying these terms has been challenging.
- What do you believe will be most effective in helping you overcome any challenging emotions you may be feeling with regard to presenting and implementing your Advocacy Action Plan?
Time and a younger brain will help me overcome my feeling toward my Advocacy Action Plan.
- How can you encourage others in their advocacy efforts, and how can others encourage you?
I don’t know what I can do to encourage others. Though it is easier to encourage others than dragging yourself through the muck of my own work.
ritabarth 
Hi Rita,
Thank you for sharing your second quote. It is so easy to forget what a gift we are being given. The thought that they are lent to us reminds us that they could be taken away.
I have to wonder where you are going to get the younger brain. Let me know when you do because mine is so tired I am ready to drop.
You seem very motivated and engaged with your plan on bullying. Who would have thought that we would need to teach teachers, children, and parents how to stop bullies? Society is now making it their responsibility and we need the tools to be able to educate everyone about how to deal with it. Keep up the good work. You know you can do it!!
Rita:
Thank-you for the post. As we come to the end of a new school year we are reminded that we only have them a9our students) for a little while. You remind us that what we do, work with children, is a blessing. I agree that we must create an environment where the children are safe and secure. Kindness is one of the most important concepts I teach in preschool. I try to convey to the children that each one of them is a valued part of our classroom community.
As a word of encouragement to you, many of your discussion posts have been encouraging to me. You display a strong conviction in your advocacy plan and efforts.
Thank-you!
Thank Rita yes children are on loan to us and we do have their lives in our hands when they are with us. I like how you say your school age children helped you thats wonderful. Of corse an younger brain would be helpful in this situation but whatever we put our minds to I believe we can do it so keep up the good work you have a wonderful start. ifyou would like to see my blog it is http://deshelle.blogspot.com I miss the cut off to post mine.
Rita,
Both your quotes really touched me! They are thought provoking yet touch to your passion. I see that we are all “struggling” with these last few weeks of our quarter; getting our work together and putting our hard work to plan. Just remember that you are not alone and we are all here if you need anything.
One thing that really will stand out to me during this time of transition; end of school year for my students, end of school year for me, lots of expectations on me from both work and school, and a week of rainy weather with “bored” kiddo’s stuck inside; “the children are on loan to us (by their parents)” – you! I know that when my mood is down the kids do feel the effects of that; I need to remember they are not mine and I want to treat them in such a way that I would expect another teacher to treat my own children. Thank you for the reminder!
For me, your first quote from Ghandi had a real impact on me. Everything that we do in life has to do with our children. They really are the hope of the future. Without them, life stops. I believe that today’s generation of children are really suffering. There are too many homes without parents that are involved in their lives and I believe this attributes to the bullying issue. Children are not getting what they need at home so they are angry and frustrated and take those feelings out on others.
I personally believe that children are bullied more now than ever because they are not allowed to defend themselves. The “zero tolerance” policies at school make it difficult for children to stand up for themselves in a way that make the bullies back down. Because they can’t fight back, the other students believe they are weak and come back even harder. It never stops. I have heard many children say they want to do something about it but they can’t because they will be suspended from school if they fight back.
Back when I was in school (1980’s), if someone hit me, I hit them back. Most of the kids did this. When the fight was over, most of the time, we all became friends. This is especially true for the guys. My husband and I were just talking about this the other day because a student from one of the high schools in town just tried to commit suicide this past weekend because of bullying. She said that the bullying got worse because she was afraid to fight back and get kicked out of school. By the time she tried to fight back, it was too late because everyone was already against her.
Perhaps I am too hardcore on this topic but I am okay with that. My son was being bullied in school in third grade by another student. I told him if this kid hit him again, hit him back because he did not have to be treated like that from another person. A week later, that kid was messing with my son again and punched him right in the face. My son hit him back and both students were suspended from school. I asked the principal why my son was suspended from school for defending himself and she said it was because they have a “zero tolerance policy”. I told her that as far as I was concerned, if the law allows you to defend yourself, then so should the school and that I supported his decision to fight back. The principal was appalled but I will tell you what – when both boys returned to school after their suspension, the boy who hit my son never hit him again. Neither did anyone else because they knew that my son would hit them back.
For me, your first quote from Ghandi had a real impact on me. Everything that we do in life has to do with our children. They really are the hope of the future. Without them, life stops. I believe that today’s generation of children are really suffering. There are too many homes without parents that are involved in their lives and I believe this attributes to the bullying issue. Children are not getting what they need at home so they are angry and frustrated and take those feelings out on others.
I personally believe that children are bullied more now than ever because they are not allowed to defend themselves. The “zero tolerance” policies at school make it difficult for children to stand up for themselves in a way that make the bullies back down. Because they can’t fight back, the other students believe they are weak and come back even harder. It never stops. I have heard many children say they want to do something about it but they can’t because they will be suspended from school if they fight back.
Back when I was in school (1980’s), if someone hit me, I hit them back. Most of the kids did this. When the fight was over, most of the time, we all became friends. This is especially true for the guys. My husband and I were just talking about this the other day because a student from one of the high schools in town just tried to commit suicide this past weekend because of bullying. She said that the bullying got worse because she was afraid to fight back and get kicked out of school. By the time she tried to fight back, it was too late because everyone was already against her.
Perhaps I am too hardcore on this topic but I am okay with that. My son was being bullied in school in third grade by another student. I told him if this kid hit him again, hit him back because he did not have to be treated like that from another person. A week later, that kid was messing with my son again and punched him right in the face. My son hit him back and both students were suspended from school. I asked the principal why my son was suspended from school for defending himself and she said it was because they have a “zero tolerance policy”. I told her that as far as I was concerned, if the law allows you to defend yourself, then so should the school and that I supported his decision to fight back. The principal was appalled but I will tell you what – when both boys returned to school after their suspension, the boy who hit my son never hit him again. Neither did anyone else because they knew that my son would hit them back.
Not a fan of the Zero tolerance because it absolves the school from doing any work. You fight you are out. No discussion, no feed back, no mediation. Go home chill for three days and figure it out on your own. Kind of sucks. Does not go with what we are taught in Early Childhood Education.
I was so inspired by you quotes, I am struggling with this work this quarter, I know what I want to say but it is so hard for me to put it all to grather. I have gain some much need insprised words from everyone and especially you. I want to thank you for all your words, Children are a loan to us and I really want to be a part of the loan process. If I can help just one child and their parents through the process of early interevntion and it is a success for the child I will feel so good.
I have the same problem. I know what I want to do but I just cannot get it together.
Rita:
Thank you for the reminder that “we begin with the children”.
Time is a factor of concern with many of us. I don’t think we can get a “younger” brain but if find out something I don’t know pass that infromation on to me.
When you talk about understanding terms and definitions as a challenge are you referring to course content or discoveries in your research?
Keep up the good work with those school age children that inspire you to do good things.
Diane
I am talking about putting this all together. I know what I want to do but it is just not flowing.
You had really great comments. I really am glad to hear about your ideas with how to help children be healthier in their spirit. I hear a lot of talk about bulling at school but there does not seem to be a great deal of movement to really make a quality change to try and support children who are affected by a bully! I am so inspired by your work and I keep thinking what I can do when I finish this course and I think about this issue over and over. I may take your lead and contact you for ways to make a change in my school as well. What are you planning to do to make a change or how are you planning educate others? I am very interested in your plan. I notice many of us share the same worries, I think it is never comfortable to speak in front of others, and never a fun time when you feel so much pressure to get others to support our plans! However, I love hearing about everyone’s ideas and I believe this will stick with us and as we go on past this course it will help us to continue to make changes! I would also say I really love how you are able to make such great specific responses in such short and to the point sentences. I am really working on that, you are great at that.
I think incorporating anti-bully needs to start in early childhood. I understand some behaviors are typical for this age group but establishing an anti bullying classroom needs to start early. I lso think it is equally important to educate parents, what we percieve of bullying, parents may look at it as boys being boys, or I did that when I was her age.
Karan, Yes I want to educate parents also. I think there are many myths surrounding bullys. Media has also desensitzed us. We laugh nervously at them on television, we see people we know in them or even ourselves. Wanting to feel good about ourselves is a very basic need. Sadly we have conditioned ourselves and our children that to feel good comes to often at the expense of others.