A Systemized Approach Towards Addressing Violence

The rising incidents of violent behavior by students has made school rethink how they can tackle such behavior most effectively. While enhancing security arrangements on the school premises can help in controlling the number of violent acts being committed, the key to eliminating the problem at its root is to identify and treat the causes of bad behavior among students. Here is a step by step approach that schools can take in order to take the issue of violence by students:

1. Take a feedback: If you want to know what the problem areas are, you need to go to the source – the students. Create a questionnaire asking students to identify factors at school or in their personal lives that incite them to violence. Allow students to answer the survey anonymously to encourage a more honest response.

2. Analyzing Data: Once you have received the results of the survey, analyze the data to identify areas that maximum number of students have mentioned as influencing or encouraging them towards violence. The analysis will allow you to shortlist the major causes of violence by students and prioritize which problem should be addressed first. Take teachers, other administrative staff and, if possible, get parents involved too in setting clear and actionable goals to gradually address the issues.

3. Brainstorming: Again, keeping students in mind and taking feedback from teachers and parents, devise strategies and action plans on how to attain the goals you have set towards the resolution of problems with violent students. Make realistic and time bound action plans. Once plans have been made, assign the responsibility of executing the plans to teams and provide them with required resources.

4. Implementation: Individual teams need to follow up on their action plans which may include detecting acts of violence, identifying behavioral patterns, counseling as well as corrective measures. Regular update meetings to monitor the progress of each team will ensure that they are motivated to see the action plans through.

5. Re-analysis: Once the decided time of implementation is through, conduct a follow up survey and analyze the success of the process.

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Technology to Improve Safety of Schools

Conventional ideas of a school was that it is a place for children’s education by teachers, consisting of administrative staff and, at most, two or three security guards. Basically, schools were considered to be one of the safest places and didn’t require strict security measures. The rise in student violence at school has changed this perception to a great degree though and schools are now looking at various security measures to renew the faith parents have in them to keep their kids safe. Technology has provided a great option for schools to effectively plan their security strategies. Here are a few technologies that schools often use to boost security on premises:

CCTV Cameras: Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) installations have become a common feature on most school premises. CCTV coverage allows schools to record whatever goes on in corridors and keep a track of visitors too. Live monitoring allows security personnel to observe safety levels without having to physically present on the grounds, corridors, classrooms and so on. Situations of violence can also be controlled better as security personnel can react faster. Knowing that there are cameras recording their every move discourages people from committing crime on school premises.

Well Lit Premises: Large schools often have areas that go dark even in the afternoon, especially in winter. Crimes are committed more in dark, poorly lit rooms where perpetrators can’t be spotted easily so it is vital for schools to be very well lit throughout. The fear of being spotted prevents crimes as well helps in people spotting crimes being committed.

Radio Communication: Mobile phones are generally not allowed on school premises and are tougher to use for security purposes. Firstly, they cost more and have a greater chance of being misused. Schools prefer using two way radios for effective communication between teachers, staff and security personnel. Two way radios can be used on the school premises as well as for communication during field trips. They are effective for reporting acts of violence that needs to be controlled immediately and facilitates swifter response and control of security issues.

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Don’t Run Away From Tests

Here are the two scariest words from high school: pop quiz. No matter how hard I studied, hearing those words always sent a chill down my spine. I hate to admit it, but I’m not the world’s best test taker. Yes, I managed to squeak by with good grades, but to this day the thought of taking any kind of test fills me with dread. Word of warning: you do not want to get behind me at the DMV! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about going for an MBA degree. The best way to stay competitive is with more education. Then I discovered that to be accepted by any accredited MBA program I would have to take the GMAT. Freak out time!

GMAT stands for the Graduate Management Admission Test. Even the title scares me! The purpose of the test is to determine if you are ready to enter into a graduate program. It’s conducted on a computer and you have to pass. Lucky for me, I found a GMAT prep course that is getting me ready. This is what the internet is all about.

With this particular GMAT prep course, they broke down all the different categories that will be included in the test. I got to work out sample questions and really got prepared. What’s great was that this course also had one-on-one help with an instructor. Whenever I got stuck I was able to ask a specific question and get an answer right away. It was just like being in class except I never left my living room! It was also awesome to find a bunch of other GMAT test takers who were in the same boat as me. We were able to swap tips and totally get ready for the exam. This is going to be one test I’ll pass with flying colors!

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Administrative measure to decrease violence at school

Shoot outs at school in recent years have shocked the community and have raised concerns about growing incidents of violence at school. The formation of gangs, increased incidents of bullying, even the development of online bullying over social networking sites make young students all the more vulnerable to emotional imbalances that may lead to acts of violence against other or themselves. Such acts may be committed on the school premises or else where but as a result of the environment prevalent at school. While school administration can’t control what kids do away from school, certain measures can be taken to prevent violence on premises:

1. Take regular anonymous surveys where you ask student to list out any factors that are contributing to a negative environment at school. It is important to keep a check on the students’ grievances.

2. Installing electronic security check points at school entrances to detect any weapons that children may be carrying including pocket knives. Strict control measures should be taken against students regularly caught carrying weapons and they should be given intensive counseling.

3. Plan a strategy to engage students at a personal level to understand their mindsets and identify any alarm points that may be missed by teacher observation. This will help in isolating trouble makers and students with a potential towards violence to be monitored in the future.

4. Arrange for all the school staff including teachers and administrative members to be trained on how to observe and identify negative behavior and take effective corrective measures. Most acts of violence can be prevented by early detection and control at class room level.

5. Strictly control and punish bullying and other forms of harassment which should include sexual harassment, discrimination at various levels and spreading gossip and rumors. Students are less likely to commit acts of violence if they are sure that retribution will follow.

6. Encourage students to report bullying by providing absolute anonymity as well as giving counseling services to both victims and aggressors. It is vital that students have confidence in the school’s administration to protect them if they report aggression.

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What is Social Networking?

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Image via CrunchBase

Social networking is a relatively new, but has exploded in popularity, thanks to web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. More sites are popping up daily it seems, and for those who aren’t technology or Internet-savvy, figuring out where to begin in the world of social media and networking can be confusing and frustrating.

So, what is social networking? It’s been defined as the exchange of information through the various forms of technology, such as cell phones, computers, mobile tablets via the various social media channels that are available. Some of the most popular ones include Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and YouTube, among others. Individuals participate in social networking, but so do private organizations (such as churches), corporations, and other organizations. Anyone can participate.

Social networking has become increasingly important within the past ten years for a number of reasons, the most important being that the practice has changed how we send and receive information. It’s become easier and less time consuming to reach family ands friends with important news and one can reach a large audience with a few clicks or keystrokes.

Social networking has gotten so popular that businesses are using it as a part of their marketing plans. Many employers are creating positions just for control of social media related to the company. As a result, many applicants are familiarizing themselves with the various social media channels and including it as a skill on their resumes.

There are numerous ways to get involved in social networking and more are becoming available constantly. Some of the most popular ways include blogging with sites like WordPress and Blogger, microbogging on Twitter, professional networking on LinkedIn, and then there are regular social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. There are even social networks for hobbies now, such as BookMesh and GoodReads for those who love reading.

If social media interests you, dive in. Youre guaranteed to find something that interests you.

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Keeping Track of Your Kids With SafeSocial

With technology becoming an increasingly large part of everyone’s busy lives, many people are turning to social networking sites to keep in touch with friends and family. To the chagrin of many worried parents all over the country, this also includes kids. Like it or not, your child will be exposed to the Internet and social networking, whether it be at home, at school, or at a friend’s house.

Because it’s becoming increasingly more common for kids to be surfing the Internet and participating on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, many parents are wondering how to monitor what their child does while on those sites. Most just check computer history, but there’s a new tool from AOL that will help keep track of what happens on your child’s social networking profile pages.

SafeSocial, released by AOL in November 2010, can monitor your child’s pages on social sites, including Facebook and Twitter. The program will let you know if anyone posts anything harassing, lewd, or other inappropriate on those pages. As a parent, you will also be able to see any photos uploaded to those profiles—another great way to make sure your children are acting responsible when they’re not at home. One final feature that SafeSocial offers is the opportunity for parents to receive a “progress report” of sorts that will show you what’s been happening on all of social profiles your child has. It’s an easy way to monitor everything in one place, rather than having to search.

While the program will help you keep up with what your children are doing when online, it should not take the place of talking to them about Internet safety. AOL encourages you to tak with your children, in fact, and have made it so the only way SafeSocial can begin any monitoring is if your child approves of it.

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Children & Social Networking: Possible Dangers

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have at least one social network profile these days, especially with all the cool new ways of accessing and using them. Social net works can be used to keep in touch with family and friends and they can be used to promote yourself and your work in some cases, too. Because sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are as popular as they are, everyone wants in—even your kids.

While social networking makes many lives easier, there’s still a need to be responsible while using the sites. Just like any other site on the Internet, a certain degree of safety should be involved, especially when kids are the allowed to use them. There are many benefits to social network sites, but there are also things that could potentially be dangerous. You can find a small list below.

  • Privacy: This is one of the biggest parental concerns when it comes to social network profiles. Kids are more likely to display all of their personal information, rather than being conservative with it.
  • Explicit Content: Most social networking sites forbid posting anything of this nature, but that doesn’t mean things don’t get through the cracks sometimes.
  • Cyberbullying: This has been a ballooning problem in the past five years. Social networks make it easier for kids to target others with something as simple as a wall post or instant message.
  • Behavioral Changes: Studies have shown that children who spend a decent amount of time on social networking sites have shown a decrease in attention span, confusion when it comes to sense of their own identity, and a constant need for stimulation from those sites.

For many parents, allowing their children to participate in social networking may seem scary. The easiest way to address that is to educate your children on the possible dangers of the sites. Lay out rules for them and if possible, monitor their use of the sites.

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How to Keep Your Child from Cyberbullying

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Cyberbullying is a very real problem for many kids in schools all over the United States. It’s grown increasingly worse over the past few years with all of the new technological advances in smartphones and mobile tablets. The worst instance may have been in October of 2010 when four teens from the same high school in Ohio committed suicide as a result of cyberbullying that went undetected and unresolved.

While most parents worry about their child being a victim, few think that their child could end up being the bully. It’s a very real possibility, though many parents refuse to even entertain the idea. In some cases, those who know their child is a bully don’t do anything about it, passing off the acts as “something that every kid does.”

That’s not the case because it isn’t, every parent should be aware of cyberbullying and the effects it can have on children, victims and bullies. As a responsible parent, your job is to make sure your child steers clear of becoming a cyberbully. There are numerous ways you can do this.

  • Talk to your kids about cyberbullying. Make sure they know what it is, how often it exists, and how detrimental it can be to the other kids who end up being victims.
  • Discuss social network use with your kids. While you can’t always keep your kids from participating in social networks, you can teach them that the things they write and post can be harmful to others. Make sure they know about expressionless communication and how it can be taken out of context.
  • Make it a point to talk to your kids about peer-pressure. Kids are very impressionable. Make sure they know that their friends behavior does not have to affect their own.
  • Explain how being a cyberbully can affect your child’s future. Depending on the consequences of your child’s actions, much can be affected. College admission and employment are just two items.
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Why Schools Have Uniforms

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A school is basically an institute which provides you a learning environment. “Uniforms play a great role in supporting a learning environment” and this article provides some good reasons that justify this statement.

Before uniforms were only present in private schools or schools affiliated with a religious background, now they have swept the nation and seem to provide less violence and self-esteem issues over who has the better jean brand, who is wearing a designer coat, or which student can or can’t afford the designer jewelry. The basis of uniforms is to create equalization among all students, sexes, and grades.

Schools uniforms are of various kinds but the main theme behind uniforms is that all students should be dressed up in same outfit. Some schools restrict boys to wear nice pants and white shirts while white shirts and jumpers for girls. This is just an example because uniforms vary from school to school.

Uniforms prevent gang colors in college and schools. If a certain group wears different type of clothes from all other, that can seriously damage the discipline and learning environment. Uniform also helps in reducing violence and theft in schools because any thief in different type of outfit would be immediately spotted.

Without uniform, discipline can not be maintained. Uniform gives the sense of order and discipline which can not be achieved if each student starts wearing dress of his own choice. Uniforms also instill the sense of community! No student feels himself superior to other students because of his high quality branded clothes. Every one wears what available in market at same rate and quality.

Uniform allows the administration of school to distinguish between the students of their campus and students from other campuses. All these things may look too simple to ignore when viewed individually but, the fact is that, these little things produce great results when implemented strictly.

Uniforms also creates professional environment inside the school which is essential to build a learning environment. School is not a place where students come to show off their dresses and fashions. They are called here just to learn and that is almost impossible without a uniform.

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