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how was school? Too often, answer is ‘boring,’ poll shows The Gallup Poll recently asked U.S. teenagers ages 13-17 to select 3 words from a list of adjectives that describe how they usually feel in school, and found that “bored” is the word chosen most often, selected by fully half of teens. That was followed by another negative word, “tired,” chosen by 42%. Only as many as 31% selected any one of the positive feelings provided – such as “happy” and “challenged.” The data suggest that boredom may be a sign of the times for teenagers. Kids spend so much time with colorful, fast-paced TV shows and other stimulating media that it has become difficult for teachers – who still often have little more than a chalkboard to work with – to keep them focused. Teens’ responses to this question were generally consistent across demographic categories, with a few notable exceptions. Older teens (ages 16 and 17) are more likely than younger teens to express the negative feelings of boredom, tiredness, pressure and confusion at school. Younger teens (ages 13-15) are more likely than older teens to report feeling happy, challenged, supported, and appreciated. The poll also finds that girls are more likely to say they feel happy in school than boys — 37% to 25%, respectively. Thirty-six percent of boys say they feel challenged, compared with 26% of girls. Nineteen percent of girls report feeling lonely, versus just 7% of boys. The genders are equally likely to report being bored at school. Perhaps not surprisingly, teens’ self-described academic standing is related to their likelihood to express positive or negative feelings about school. Teens who describe themselves as “near the top” or “above average” in their class are slightly less likely to say they feel bored in school than are those who define themselves as average or below average — 46% compared with 54%. Educators pay attention to their students’ feelings and work to address them, particularly the negative emotions. “I’m not so concerned about teens saying they are tired in school – they really are tired,” reports one teacher. “Kids lead such busy lives.” n – By Linda Lyons, education and youth editor The Gallup Youth Survey is conducted via an Internet methodology provided by Knowledge Networks, using an online research panel that is designed to be representative of the entire U.S. population. The current questionnaire was completed by 785 respondents, ages 13-17, between Jan. 22 and March 9. Margin of error: ±4 percentage points. don’t inhale Stay away from marijuana – especially in summer It’s summertime and, as the Gershwin song tells us, the living is easy. Summer is also, unfortunately, the time of year when our children might decide to try marijuana for the first time. The 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health asked marijuana users, who first tried marijuana when they were under age 18, how old they were when they first tried the drug and when during the year they did it for the first time. The results showed that the majority of these users were initiated in the summer months and some were as young as 12 years old at the time. A new resource has become available to parents in their seemingly Herculean struggle to raise a clean and sober kid in our modern world. Dr. Kay Wachuku has just written a book called “Marijuana Impaired Youths.” His goal in this book is to educate counselors, teachers and parents on the dangers of marijuana abuse by young people. Wachuku has been an educator for nearly 20 years and part of that time was spent teaching at the Juvenile Court Schools in San Bernardino. His decision to target this book directly at the use and abuse of marijuana comes from his first-hand observations of young people in that setting. He has seen not only the direct causal effects of substance abuse in relation to youth dysfunction, he has also seen the level of denial on the part of young people in treatment. He feels that the inability or unwillingness to make the connection between substance abuse and the unpleasant consequences may be the greatest danger that adolescents face when they start down that road. n The book is available for purchase online at Amazon and Author House, www.amazon.com and www.authorhouse.com respectively. tell family stories Your tales may be as thrilling as famous fables ‘O nce upon a time…” “Those words immediately take us back to our childhood, says Barbara Anderson, vice president of education for KinderCare Learning Centers, which operates more than 1,250 early childhood education and child care centers nationwide. Stories – especially true stories about ourselves – are one of the earliest ways we learn about the world and about our families. Anderson encourages parents to tell their children stories about their own lives. While every child loves to have her favorite bedtime story read to her again and again, real stories about mom or dad’s own childhood can be even more special. “Hearing about their parents’ and grandparents’ lives gives children an understanding of who they are, a context they don’t get from fiction,” says Anderson. For some parents, storytelling is a natural talent. For others, Anderson offers a few simple suggestions.
tradition. n Source: KinderCare Learning Centers at the Getty Life as a child in ancient Greece The Getty Center in Los Angeles will host a new exhibition that examines family life with pets, toys, religious rituals and a very different educational system in “Coming of Age in Ancient Greece: Images of Childhood from the Classical Past.” It will open Sept. 14 and run through Dec. 5. In addition, The Getty will launch a section on its website, getty.edu, designed for families. It will have interactive presentations, quizzes, and ancient games. Ancient Greek artists were the earliest to create images of children that did not portray them as miniature adults. The objects provided narratives of children’s lives in ancient times. Some 150 objects have been loaned from American, Canadian and European collections, including works from the museum’s holdings. Painted vases, sculptures, grave monuments, and artifacts such as toys and baby feeders help express the children’s lives. Sections include “Mythical Children,” “Children at Home,” “Educating Children,” “Children at Play,” “Slavery in Ancient Greece,” “ Children and Religioius Ritual,” and “Transition into Adulthood.” Also, The Getty will have a hands-on learning area where children can play with reproductions of toys seen in the exhibition, dress up in ancient Greek costumes, make rubbings of the Greek alphabet, and write on a wax tablet. Headphones will provide the sound of musical instruments. Information and reservations to the museum: 310.440.7300. teens at work A parent checklist, 9-to-5 Here is information and a tip sheet for parents as approximately 4 million American teens work this summer. You need to make certain your youngster is doing more than earning a dollar. Is he happy? And, is he safe?
– Sources: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Centers for Disease Control; GRADUATES FROM UC RIVERSIDE The Dual-Immersion Biliteracy Institute at UC Riverside, an institute that prepares K-12 educators to teach in English and Spanish, has graduated its first class of 9 teachers and administrators. These graduates will work in the field of 2-way immersion education in the Riverside and San Bernardino region. The focus is on the early elementary grades, where schools are most affected by students who are learning English. The institute initially served 3 school districts – San Bernardino City Unified, Ontario-Montclair and Victor Elementary – but has expanded to include districts in Corona-Norco and Banning. GRANT FOR OUTREACH PROGRAM A UC Riverside student outreach program, the University/Eastside Community Collaborative, has just received a federal grant of $1.3 million to continue its work for the next 3 academic years. These funds will support the group’s public service program in language arts and environmental science, reports Lucia Ortega-Villasana, director of the UECC Center for Public Service. The group works with primary and secondary students in Riverside’s Eastside neighborhood community, where families have relatively low incomes and some do not speak English fluently. The project, aimed at children in fourth through 10th grades, will put an intense focus on language arts, environmental science and botany HUMOR FOR CANCER AWARENESS The American Cancer Society has unveiled a new advertising campaign using humor to get the message to men, especially African-American and Latino men, about the importance of prostate cancer screening exams. The campaign is called “Not as Bad as People Think.” Terry Lynn, an oncology social worker at Loma Linda Community Medical Center and chair of the Inland Empire Community Council of the American Cancer Society, says, “By gently poking fun of the lengths some men will go to in order to avoid thinking about their prostate health, we hope men will admit that this fear and avoidance isn’t serving them well.” Information: 800.ACS.2345 or www.cancer.org. ASTHMA DRUG APPROVED FOR CHILDREN The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the drug Advair for the treatment of asthma in children ages 4-11. “Advair is a highly effective treatment for asthma, and it is great news that it is now available for children as young as 4,” says Dr. Joseph Spahn of the National Jewish Medical Center and University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “Not only will it help prevent asthma symptoms, but its twice daily dosing is convenient for both parents and children.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicates that 9 million children under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with asthma, and 3.8 million of those are between the ages of 5 and 11. VACATION ADVENTURES FOR FAMILIES A recent poll shows that 65 percent of parents would like to participate in special activities with their children on vacation and Marriott has launched the “Discovery Adventures” program at 8 resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. Discovery Adventures leads children on a cultural and historical journey while encouraging families to learn about the world around them. Individual and group activities include tasks as a marine biologist, a beach archeologist, and an astronomer Information: www.paradisebymarriott.com or 888.7PARADISE. BASS AT DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE The weather and water are warming up and that is good news for bass fishermen at Diamond Valley Lake. The Metropolitan Water District and California Department of Fish and Game have scheduled bass tournaments at the lake. Also, about 3 tons of trout were planted in the lake in May and June and plants of catfish are expected to begin in July. Visit www.dvlake.com for complete information about Diamond Valley Lake and a full schedule of events. NEW CULTURAL CENTER With the help of a $1 million pledge by the Lewis family, principal owners of the Inland Empire-based Lewis Group of Companies, the city of Rancho Cucamonga is well on its way to making the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center a reality. Construction of the new center, which will have the Lewis Family Playhouse as one of its main components, will begin this fall. The playhouse will feature a 540-seat performing arts theater, professional touring shows, musicals, and special guest performances, as well as programs designed to enhance local schools’ curriculum – Reported and compiled by Inland Empire Family Magazine staff |
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