Teacher’s Corner

The following are writing prompts and discussion topics about self-esteem.

1. Think about a time you know about when a child hurt someone else (broke something, hit someone, called someone a name, etc.) Describe what happened. Include the age of the child who was at fault. Describe two ways that the child could have made up for hurting the other person and explain any ways an adult would need to help them do those things.

2. Describe what it would be like to play a game when you didn’t know the rules (for example, a board game or a game on the playground). Which way would you rather play a game, knowing the rules or not knowing the rules? Why?

3. Describe something that students your age like to do independently – on their own. Why do you think that is important to them?  How can teachers help them learn to safely and responsibly do that on their own? What are the safety issues that both students and teachers need to pay attention to (if any)? What could the student do that would make adults see that he or she was acting responsibly?

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.

1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:
   • Use the blog for discussion topics
   • Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.
2. For all courses, especially English Language Arts:

• Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:
• Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?
• Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?
• What would be your advice on this topic?
• What was left out of this article?
• If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?

Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?

• Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.
• Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.
• The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.