While reading this chapter some questions popped into my mind: What do children and adolescents think it’s important in their lives? What do they think means “living a good life”? And of course, I ended up reflecting on publicity and television shows. Today advertisements on television tell us (and the children) that we cannot live a good life without owning things. You need a new brand cell phone to be happy, to be cool; “to be in”. TV shows and magazines also show kids that to be happy you should be famous, competitive, uninhibited, show no interest in culture or intellectual skills, of course not all TV show are like this but the great majority are. I think this created a crisis in children’s priorities and values; and as a result their lives revolve around material objects and superficiality. For example, when adolescents come across something interesting or unexpected in the street or wherever; or even when being in a birthday party, their only concern is to record those moments with their cell phones so as to upload those photographs or videos on their fotologs later on. By doing this they miss all the real experiences of their lives, they don´t enjoy the present moment but think about that virtual world they surf on where everything and everyone are merely images on their screens. This reminds me of “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury a short story we analysed last year where two children are figuratively abandoned by their parents when they are left in the care of a technological baby setter. What I believe is that children need to be shown the importance of human relations and to reflect on the fact that to be happy doesn’t mean what others say to be happy means namely money, power, influence, technology, fame, etc. They should try to define what makes them really happy. A way to do this can be trough stories or debates concerning current news formulating questions that trigger more questions and reflections on their part. I know it is a difficult task as television spends more time “educating” children than parents but as teachers we should give it a try. Don’t you think! viernes, 9 de mayo de 2008
Wake up Neo
While reading this chapter some questions popped into my mind: What do children and adolescents think it’s important in their lives? What do they think means “living a good life”? And of course, I ended up reflecting on publicity and television shows. Today advertisements on television tell us (and the children) that we cannot live a good life without owning things. You need a new brand cell phone to be happy, to be cool; “to be in”. TV shows and magazines also show kids that to be happy you should be famous, competitive, uninhibited, show no interest in culture or intellectual skills, of course not all TV show are like this but the great majority are. I think this created a crisis in children’s priorities and values; and as a result their lives revolve around material objects and superficiality. For example, when adolescents come across something interesting or unexpected in the street or wherever; or even when being in a birthday party, their only concern is to record those moments with their cell phones so as to upload those photographs or videos on their fotologs later on. By doing this they miss all the real experiences of their lives, they don´t enjoy the present moment but think about that virtual world they surf on where everything and everyone are merely images on their screens. This reminds me of “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury a short story we analysed last year where two children are figuratively abandoned by their parents when they are left in the care of a technological baby setter. What I believe is that children need to be shown the importance of human relations and to reflect on the fact that to be happy doesn’t mean what others say to be happy means namely money, power, influence, technology, fame, etc. They should try to define what makes them really happy. A way to do this can be trough stories or debates concerning current news formulating questions that trigger more questions and reflections on their part. I know it is a difficult task as television spends more time “educating” children than parents but as teachers we should give it a try. Don’t you think! 
Suscribirse a:
Enviar comentarios (Atom)
4 comentarios:
Hi Lu!
You are right in that children need to be shown the importance of human relations and that to be happy does not mean to own everything in life. But where they should learn about that?
I think, firstly they should learn at home, then at school. If children don't know what is really essential in life, it may be perhaps because they have not been well educated.
I dare to say that parents should learn firstly that to love their children does not mean either, to overprotect them or to give them comfort and all what parents lacked in their childhood but it is to give them their love in actions and their time to explain about what is really important in life. And many times, to say "no", "it is no possible", "we can't afford it",... although it may imply a lot more sacrifice than to consent their whims.
So, it is a very hard task to educate today but it is worth trying!
Hugs,
Lili
What a challenge for adults, Lu! Though I do agree with you 100%, I feel as teachers part of our job is to realise we need to support parents so that they can support their children in turn. In a teen society, it's extra demanding for parents to support their kids, don't you think? And as you yourself have just put it, we can't count on the media to do this, can we?
I totally agree with what Lili said about parents. I feel like parents nowadays are eternal adolescents in many cases and let their kids do and decide whatever they want, because it is easier to say yes to every request than digging your heels in and do what you think it´s best for your kid. I´m not saying parent should be authoritarian, but to show firmess and try to negotiate things.
Also,I think we need to support parents so as to help kids as much as possible, even though it seems too hard nowadays. And I believe it essential to explain kids about what is really important in life, as lili said, we cannot leave this job to the media.
Bye girls thanks for posting,
Lu
If we're lucky, we'll have the chance to go further into this discussion when you attend "Methods II", Lu... For the time being, let me just tell you this is what I meant when I told you our society is a "teen society" nowadays... We'll need to learn and deal with this, as societies grow mature a lot more slowly than individuals!
:-P
All my love,
Gladys
Publicar un comentario