Homosexuality in Elementary Schools

After reading Chapter 3 in the McNergney book, I have come to the conclusion that I believe that teaching students about different sexualities is acceptable.  This is because if a student grows up thinking that the only thing acceptable is a men with a woman, then they might be scared to come out to people if he or she is gay.  Many young teens commit suicide because they are gay and don't feel accepted.  So i asked the question of how people stand on teaching about homosexuality in schools.  When I researched this question, I found something that troubled me.  I found that in Tennessee, they passed a law that you can't talk about homosexuality in elementary or middle schools at all.  Gay-rights advocates were all over this new law.  They law only prohibits talk about homosexuality but they can talk about hetersexuality.  This is completely wrong! How are you going to let children talk about one sexuality but not another.  People don't choose to be gay.  If they like their same gender, then it should be fine.  This is the same as being prejudice.  We as a nation have gotten past the whole race thing basically so why are we started another war with sexuality.  This is ridiculous.  The gay-right advocates are saying that this is discriminatory because they are saying that homosexuality is off limits but heterosexuality is not.  What if a student in the class has a gay brother or sister?  They are refused to talk about it to anyone.  Since they are prohibited from talking about it, they must see it as something bad.  I can't believe that Tennessee has really passed a law that is so wrong.

Source Used : http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/28/tennessee-bill-seeks-to-forbid-talk-of-homosexuality-in-grade-school/

Bullying in School

Bullying in schools has became a very big issue.  Children have always bullied one another but it's getting worse.  With today's society, all the bullying and violence has become much worse.  There are worse gangs around and mostly more weapons.  If people are fighting each other when it's other, it usually begins with bullying as children in elementary schools.  Bullying just became a big concern, people in the past didn't really care for it before.  They thought that since all children have been bullied or bullied other children, that it was just a phase and it would go away.  But I believe that it should stop and it won't stop unless we try to help stop it.  Every state in the U.S. needs to pass a law to stop bullying.  But I wonder how they can pass a law to stop children from making rue remarks.  Children always say mean things to each other but it needs to stop.  As of 2003, 15 states have passed laws to stop bullying.  The definition of bullying varies in many states but it comes from the same basis which is the same as harassment and intimidation.  In 6 states, when people see bullying going on, they have to report it to the police.  The school officials stated that children who are being harassed can not learn in that kind of environment.  The procedure for the laws in school has a detailed guide for how to enhance the discipline strategies.  It always has a plan on how to respond to complaints by parents of those who get punished because of bullying.  Also every school needs to have a go-to person that is there for children who are getting bullied on how to handle the pain and the teacher all have to take a course on how to help stop bullying in the classroom.  I believe that there needs to be an end for bullying.  There are too many young children who are committing suicide because they cannot take the humiliation of the bullying that is happening to them.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/feb/20/school-districts-take-closer-look-at-bullying-hara/

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/hhs_psa/pdfs/sbn_tip_6.pdf

Why to teach

Teaching is a job not everybody can do.  You have to have a lot of patients and love to be around kids.  There are very different reasons people choose to teach.  One reason is to be apart of the next generations lives.  Another reason is to have the  mind of children expand.  Teachers try to have their students be curious about different topics in education.  When they are curious they will want to learn more about the topic.  The three most important characteristics you have to have being a teacher is kindness, patience, and understanding.  Teachers like to watch children succeed in life.  When their students understand something after they teach it, teachers are ecstatic.  They want to send their students down the successful path in life.  The main reason why I want to be a teacher is to make a difference in their lives as my teachers have made in my life.  Also to help children in the society.  I want to help people in the society and there's no better way then to help a student's brain develop.  All of these reasons make me think that teaching is a very complex job.  When I told my family that I chose to be a teacher, they all told me that they could never do it.  You need to have special characteristics to succeed in the field of education. 

http://www.yic.gov/publications/tenreasons/

About Me

Hi everyone, my names Amanda but i go by Mandy.  I'm a sophomore at Salem State and I'm majoring in Elementary Ed and Sociology.  I've always wanted to be a nurse until recently when i changed my mind to teaching.  My interest in children grew when my niece was born.  She is two now and I'm with her everyday.  I hope to someday have an impact in many children lives as my teachers did when i was young.