The longer I am with Middle Schoolers the more I realize they have no concept of personal censorship. They think very little of how anything now might effect the future, or of what consequences might come of their actions or words before they "release them to the public". This has revealed itself to me in a couple ways. First, with the use of email and text messages, they have no concept that what they put down in print could ever come back to haunt them in anyway. They will say brutally honest or dishonest things using this method because they do not have to face any immediate consequences or face to face feedback and that is all they consider at the time. Secondly in just plain conversation they seem to not be able to control the problem of discernment in their own speech, even with adults, about inappropriate things better left unsaid. Are these two things unrelated... I am starting to believe that one is the result of the other. Are our students losing to ability to socially interact correctly with others in the world of text and email? Something to think about....
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Man, did I feel that...
But not quite as much as some other places I've been.
Where is everybody? Hardly anyone has commented. You know my hamster, Jamie? He died.
Tell Jono my brother's a red belt.
Only 7% of communication is the actual words that are spoken (or typed). Teaching kids how to communicate effectively and respectfully in several media (electronic, voice, face-to-face) is a huge challenge, in part because many adults do not model effective and respectful communication styles.
I wish you the best!
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