National Bullying Prevention Month
Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? Sometimes called the “Test of Three,” this set of questions is attributed to very different authors, from Socrates to the Buddha to Rumi, and it has been adapted widely as sage advice by poets, advice columnists, before speaking. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and to call students’ attention to the impact of their words, we asked them to keep these questions in mind.
We're lucky to be in a community that values respect and kindness, and this is reflected in every aspect of our community life, from our Mission & Key Characteristics to classroom and co-curricular experiences. In and outside the classroom, the Middle School is built around structures that enable community-building at every level - Advisory groups, Family groups, Grade level experiences, small class sections, athletics teams, performance ensembles - and our teachers pay very close attention to the dynamics that emerge with each group. When people act in a way that is disrespectful or aggressive, we strive to address it directly and quickly. This is a real point of pride for us, and this is reinforced by affirmation from strangers who encounter our students on Experience Days, on field trips, or on Journeys and who go out of their way to compliment our students' kindness, politeness, and manners that we encounter.
However, our teachers can't see and hear every interaction between students, and many students are engaged with each other via social media and other communication platforms many hours after they have left campus. Students are increasingly exposed to mature and sophisticated language and actions, whether interacting with older siblings or being exposed to language via social media or entertainment. While pre-adolescent and adolescent behavior hasn't changed much from generation to generation, methods of communication have - email, texting, and social media facilitate intense connectivity, which can both do much to fight a sense of isolation but also shrink the distance between home and school. It is increasingly harder for students to leave things behind at school, making it that much more important to develop healthy boundaries, resilience, and self-advocacy, and making attention to choices in words and actions urgent.
The Test of Three is a good starting point for each student - really, for anyone - to apply as a filter before speaking. When speaking to or about someone else, first ask:
Ms. Jennifer McConnell, Middle School Learning Support Specialist and Individuals & Societies TeacherWe're lucky to be in a community that values respect and kindness, and this is reflected in every aspect of our community life, from our Mission & Key Characteristics to classroom and co-curricular experiences. In and outside the classroom, the Middle School is built around structures that enable community-building at every level - Advisory groups, Family groups, Grade level experiences, small class sections, athletics teams, performance ensembles - and our teachers pay very close attention to the dynamics that emerge with each group. When people act in a way that is disrespectful or aggressive, we strive to address it directly and quickly. This is a real point of pride for us, and this is reinforced by affirmation from strangers who encounter our students on Experience Days, on field trips, or on Journeys and who go out of their way to compliment our students' kindness, politeness, and manners that we encounter.
However, our teachers can't see and hear every interaction between students, and many students are engaged with each other via social media and other communication platforms many hours after they have left campus. Students are increasingly exposed to mature and sophisticated language and actions, whether interacting with older siblings or being exposed to language via social media or entertainment. While pre-adolescent and adolescent behavior hasn't changed much from generation to generation, methods of communication have - email, texting, and social media facilitate intense connectivity, which can both do much to fight a sense of isolation but also shrink the distance between home and school. It is increasingly harder for students to leave things behind at school, making it that much more important to develop healthy boundaries, resilience, and self-advocacy, and making attention to choices in words and actions urgent.
The Test of Three is a good starting point for each student - really, for anyone - to apply as a filter before speaking. When speaking to or about someone else, first ask:
- Is it true? Is what I'm saying actually verified? Did I witness it? Do I have evidence to say this? Any veering away from validity risks promoting (or starting) gossip.
- Is it necessary? Is it helpful to say this right now? Is this the right moment to say this? Being aware of the timing and relevance of what we say is an essential function to be able to build trust and credibility with others.
- Is it kind? What will the impact of my words be? If I know they will be hurtful, should I still say it? What does that do to the reputation of the person I'm talking about? What does that do to my reputation? On the kindness element, it's important to remember that kindness doesn't mean avoidant or non-confrontational. Sometimes, speaking the hard truth, providing direct and critical feedback, and speaking truth to power is the ultimately kind thing to do, and here, intention and tone make all the difference.
What we are learning...
What is your favorite color? Blue
What is your favorite movie? Gladiator
Who is your favorite musical artist? Chris Isaak
If you could travel anywhere through space and time, where and when would you like to visit? Renaissance Italy
Where did you attend Middle School? Cedar Heights Junior High, Port Orchard WA
In 8th grade Individuals & Societies, we start out the year by looking at philosophies of the Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment period and how they influenced the Founding Fathers. As you may have heard, it has been some pretty heavy reading from Sir Thomas More and John Locke. Our Statement of Inquiry for this unit is: Government Systems are formed when shared Cultures and Ideologies create working Relationship. We have just finished our Utopia project in which the students were put in random groups and had to create a Utopian society. I must say, this group definitely rose to the challenge and presented some very thorough and interesting projects. The project really focuses on collaboration, communication skills, and compromising. From here we will continue to look into the philosophies and cultures that shaped America with readings from Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. The students will be working on their first essay on a significant individual from the American Revolution and participating in debates and mock social media activities. This unit will lead into discussions on the election processes just in time for election season.
