K12> School Atmosphere Fosters Abuse of "NERDS"

From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: NetHappenings <nethappenings@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 08:27:28 -0600
**************************************************************
Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
**************************************************************

From: "Bonnie Bracey" <BBracey@xxxxxxx>
To:  <K12ADMIN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 07:22:43 EST
Subject: School  Atmosphere  Fosters  Abuse  of  "NERDS"
 
Many American teenagers are so afraid of being labeled "nerds" or "freaks"
by their peers that they undermine their own educational experiences in an
attempt to avoid such tags, new research says. That's understandable,
because such distinctions invite brutal abuse, often verbal and sometimes
physical, said John H. Bishop, a professor at Cornell University. His new
study reports that secondary students conform to their schools' norms,
which are set by a popular crowd that often discourages high achievement.
"We found that there is an optimal amount of studying," Mr. Bishop said.
"You tend to be harassed if you exceed that level, or if you perform
substantially below." Schools reinforce those sentiments because they
foster competitive cultures that pit students against one another and
highlight the achievements of individuals, he said. Teenagers simply want
to have fun and those who excel in the classroom are perceived as
spoilers. The solution is to craft an environment in which learning and
academic achievement are prized by the "in crowd," and its admirers, Mr.
Bishop concludes. Schools should make college competition a common goal,
encourage academic teams such as debate clubs, institute "no pass, no
play" rules, and use standardized tests that judge students on a fixed
criteria, he argues. But David F. Labaree criticized the solutions laid
out in the study as simplistic. American society has a long history of
anti-intellectualism, he said, and it is difficult to sell the love of
learning as an end in itself.
http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=23nerd.h22

Any wonder SMET is neglected? They should play ball or do hip hop ?

**************************************************************************
BLACK HISTORY MONTH - WHY NOT ALL YEAR LONG?
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/culdesac/bhm/bhm.html
FIND - folktales,stories of the people, often passed from elders to the
next generation, learn through the oral tradition.
2 original Anansi Folktale E-books. Download, read, and hear each
story narrated in both American Virgin Island Creole and Standard English,
plus find out how these stories survived in tact from the original
storyteller.
************************************************************************** 


**************************************************************
The Net Happenings mailing list is a service of
Educational CyberPlayGround - http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/
**************************************************************
If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or
would like to sponsor the Net Happenings service -
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Community/Subguidelines.html>

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Change Email Preferences -
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Community/NetHappenings.html>
**************************************************************
K12> School Atmosphere Fosters Abuse of "NERDS"

Other related posts:
