DianaViolence in the Playground
February 26th 2008 00:24
At the staff briefing this morning we were informed passionately by our Principal that yard-duty teachers had to be out there and alert because with the higher ration of boys in our school fights were breaking out and problems were occuring. (90 % boys in year 7 this year). Yesterday there was a bad fight and one year seven boy got his hand broken. Three suspensions were handed out. The Principal was quite vehemently saying we need to teach the boys how to play again, not fight, we need to get out there and play four-square and stuff to keep them hapy and occupied. He said he had even thought of doing it himself but was not going to, but I said, yes, do it, that would be the best example or the kids. Either, the yr 7 boys are nowbeing watched closely and the staff are all on alert. Do girls have a 'softening' impact on boys in the playground? Certainly I've always thought lunch-times can be boring for the kids,just hanging around the quadrangles waiting for the bell to go. We really should be providing them with a more stimulating environment, bushland, little ponds to go yabbying in, maybe animals to care for. Many kids in the inner city where I work would love all that. A little enviromental oasis and farm. Some tents to put up? Pottery Kiln? Making damper over a camp fire? Veggie patch? Something along those lines anyway. What do you think? Oh well, there goes the bell. Better gird up for the yard-duty, fight-separating and first-aid a speciality!
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Reditor
It was once said that England's battles were won on the playing fields of Eton. Violent thugs though some of the Etonians may have turned out to be, the values of teamwork and identification with common purpose were clearly inculcated.
No doubt many educated Australians think that sport is over emphasised in this country. Yet sport, games, team recreation help focus on "the other" and not on "the self". Such teams can also cut through other types of tribes: westies, easties, skips, anglos, wogs .. all irrelevant and sometimes dangerous labels.
We are all in this together. Schools must make this obvious to our kids. Even if nothing else at all is learnt: we can't move up the Maslowian pyramid if we are not safe and secure.
Go teachers, you do a great job. Hang in there.
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