Greetings!
Many of us have become news junkies of late. Between the Obama transition and the economic problems we face, there's always something important happening. Gaza, Iraq, and Afghanistan present sticky policy issues for us to think about. And, the internet makes it all feel ever so urgent.
Whatever our reactions to the news, our children pick up on them. They hear and see and worry and wonder.
This issue of Exchange On-Line looks at how to talk with our teenagers about current events.
We welcome your comments.
- Editor
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How to Talk
with Teens about Current Events
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Whether you're
a parent, grandparent, teacher, or employer, we encourage you to talk with the
teens you know about current events.
- BUILD
IN TIME TO TALK together about world events frequently. News about war,
terrorism, the economy, politics and natural disasters is everywhere. They need
a chance to make sense of what they hear. As Dom notes, President Kennedy's father held
a daily discussion of current events at the dinner table; every child knew they
were expected to participate.
- ASK
WHAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM OTHERS - sometimes that's an easier place to start.
Correct inaccurate information, or research issues together on the internet.
- CONNECT THE ISSUES TO PEOPLE THEY KNOW -- Who has lost their job? Who is serving in Iraq? Or,
how could this effect people we know? Teens master abstract issues by
connecting them to their own lives.
- SHARE
YOUR PLAN FOR COPING, if the impact is on you and your family. Have a plan
teens can participate in. Whether it's a plan for how to connect with family in
a catastrophe or how the family will cut expenses to deal with the economic
changes, teens need a role.
- BE
AWARE OF THE IMPACT ADULT CONVERSATIONS HAVE on teens and children who
overhear them. Give them a chance to participate in the discussion then, or in
a follow up conversation later.
- EXPLORE
THE PROS AND CONS OF MANY POINTS OF VIEW. Learning to think for yourself
requires trying ideas on for size and accepting or rejecting them in whole or
in part.
- ACT
AS A MODEL FOR YOUR CHILDREN. Always show respect for differing views,
including theirs. You know you're being respectful if your teen can have a
different point of view without you trying to "win" the conversation as though
it were a debate. Acknowledge that in a democracy like the US people can have strong and
differing opinions about momentous events.
Want to
know more? You'll find links to some web resources for talking with teens here.
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Teens Apply What They Learn About Government Policies
John Tyrcha, Site Supervisor, McKee High School
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Recently I was talking with a group of students about Gaza. I brought up the
word "policy" and asked what the word meant to them. "Laws" said one student;
"things that tell you what is right and wrong" said another. The discussion
went on to how there is policy, good and bad, everywhere -- at home, in school,
the state, and the country.
As the conversation drew to a close, I asked the students to
write about their views on the importance of discussing current events. The
students talked seriously about how my request for an essay at this time would be
very bad policy, pointing out they had finals this week and regents next week. Asking
them now was wrong and inconsiderate.
I agreed, apologized, and asked if they would write an essay
in spite of the poor timing. I also offered an incentive. Here are some
excerpts from those essays.
Ansley Saab: The fact is that young people are between the
ages of being old enough to know about the world but too young to
understand it. Current events help us to develop an idea of how the world is
changing and how it changes a society....Naturally as humans we always put
ourselves first and we never try to understand someone else so I guess the
confusion causes violent reactions such as war. If we were to try, things would
change.
Alicea Ulmer: World events are hard to understand a lot of
the time. Reading
about them and talking about them helps us know what needs to be done.
It's simple to help in the community. You
can do anything from donating money to helping around the neighborhood with
community service. As long as you are helping your community, you can make
things better. Photo by Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
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| February Headlines |
YABC TO GRADUATE ITS LARGEST CLASS: Michael DeVito, NY Center's Director of YABC,
shared with us the excitement at the school this month. On February 12th, over 60 kids
will graduate.
These are young people, 17-21, who had either dropped out or
fallen so far behind in credits they didn't expect to ever graduate.
YABC offers
them another chance. Every student has an "advocate" from the NY Center to help
them set and accomplish goals. Most of the students work or complete internships while
going to school in the evening. Congratulations to the students and the staff
who helped make it possible.
*****
IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS: In March, the New York Center
will offer a training workshop "Managing Difficult Clients" facilitated by Frank
Saladis, a nationally known professional trainer and coach. This workshop is open to the public. For more
information, please contact Regina Shields, MSW at 718-947-4059.
*****
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO MEDIATE PEER CONFLICTS: 23 students and
staff from the Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning High School took the first
step in establishing a peer mediation program at their school when they participated
in an intensive two-day Peer Mediation Training at the NY Center's Training
Institute. The training prepares students to mediate disputes between students
in their school and is part of an on-going project between the NYC Department
of Education at McCown and the NY Center.
*****
SPOTLIGHT SERIES - January's mediator training session
focused on putting agreements into words. Mediators revisited how to write a
balanced agreement and the essential elements of court agreements. NY Center
Board members appreciated the opportunity to chat with mediators as they
gathered for their monthly board meeting. For details about February's Spotlight Series, contact Gary Carsel.
Do you know someone who'd like to work for the NY Center?
- Program Associates - part-time positions open working in elementary after school programs. Candidates must have some college and experience with elementary aged children. Salary $8-$10 per hour. Send cover letter/resume to Robert Busan
-
Administrative Assistant- part-time position open at Olympus Academy
in Brooklyn. Candidates must have some college
and experience with at-risk high school students. Salary $10-13 per hour.
Send cover letter and resume to Erin Neubauer-Keyes.
If you know someone interested in one of these positions, have them email their resume to Candace Gonzalez.
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| ON MY MIND
Dom's Wanderings |
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As a
parent, I was quite struck by the stories about the dinner table ritual in the Kennedy
household. The evening meal was an on-going seminar on politics and policies
where the events of the day were dissected and debated.
Joseph Kennedy would
take challenging positions to see how well and quickly his sons could think
through issues and express their opinions. Their father was raising these boys
to be world leaders.
My ambition
for my children has been more modest - that they learn to think for themselves,
have confidence in their opinions and their talents, and pursue the goals they
set for themselves.
But, the
events of the day have always held a place at our dinner table and I encourage
our staff to build the opportunity to explore local, national, and world issues
into our after school programs and informal conversations with young people.
Our
children build a lifetime of interests and habits during their adolescence;
discussing the issues of the world with them can instill independent thinking, a
sense of citizenship, and the skills to discuss their opinions persuasively and
disagree respectfully.
I hope you
find this month's suggestions about how to talk about current events with teens
helpful.
Stay warm and cozy despite the weather,
Dom
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Help Us
Strengthen
Our Community |
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| Our Calendar |
ACT Classes
Helping separating or divorcing parents understand how to help their children cope with the changes. Each class meets twice: Next?
Spotlight on Mediation
Next?
YABC Graduation
February 12, 2009
6:30 pm
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