Category Archives: Interaction with Child’s Teacher

Rescuing a Child by Stopping Labeling

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:22 — 17.9MB)

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“Labeling” is a well known concept in social-pyschology. Apparently not very well known in education. Or known in reverse.

Today, please consider one of my other victory stories. I saved a child. He was labelled as “bad.” I don’t know why. He was being hounded by his first grade teacher. What stories! And was being treated like he was recalcitrant and behind. He was not. He was acting normal, but he was bored — because he was extra bright.

I was Academic Dean. I was in the classroom helping a new to the school but experienced teacher. Thank God, I saw what as going on!

Let’s not leave it at one child rescued academically — and surely you know a bright 7 year old boy, labelled as bad would end up with behavior problems. The juvenile halls are filled with “learning disabled” boys! Let’s learn how to avoid these problems.

Let’s be sure our children, and our students are labeled. And let’s reform teaching all together — but that will be another book and another episode.

The power of words. No where more powerful than in the ears of a young child!

Labeling – Children Live up to What Their Teachers Think of Them

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:22 — 17.9MB)

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Labeling Understood in Social Science

Labeling is a long standing theory in social sciences which basically says that people (and especially children) live up — or down– to what the people (especially the authority figures) around them think about them. A child who is told and expected to be smart, pretty, or competent generally is. A child who is told that she is a slut or he is a dumbass — usually ends up acting that way.

Teachers should know this. It should be in their curricula in college. It certainly is in Introductory Sociology and in Pyschology courses. Why then to teachers demonstrate and live out labeling theory instead of apply the wisdom from knowing about it?

What I’ve Seen

When I was in graduate school in the 1990s, the one Sociological paper about Learning Disabilities found that teachers thought LD was Mental Retardation. When I substituted in 2006, I certainly saw this play out. Teachers treated any “special needs” student with contempt and extraordinarily low expectations. My short time in the class could turn the situation around — but I doubt permanent change would remain.

When I was Academic Dean, I saw teachers make bright student’s life hell because of teacher gossip. When the student is a 7 year old, too bright for the class, and yet bedevilled by negative fantasies of the teacher…. it is exasperating. I was in the classroom. I saw it.

I was not in the classroom of my daughter’s third grade classroom, but the mother of another student let me know that the teacher there used bullying and name-calling regularly in the classroom. We are talking about the 1980s. In front of me, even, the teacher declared that my daughter could not read. But when the teacher turned her back, my daughter turned to the back of the book and read the page fine.

One shudders to consider how labeling is working in today’s hyper-sexualized, extremely disrespectful environment.

Hear the Episode

Let’s consider labeling. It has detrimental effects. Unfortunately, we see these more often with students with diagnoses and learning problems.

It could have good effects. If only….

Back in 2009 Dani Johnson Told Us about the Porn Industry Targeting Children

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:26 — 12.1MB)

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Back in 2009 advertising and multi-level marketing guru, Dani Johnson, told us that porn companies were targeting children. (She had at that time a new book, Grooming Children for Success, see last episode.) She was on a campaign. She proved to be right.

What none of us imagined was how far people would go. It was not just porn they wanted to sell, by addicting children early and then having a captive market. They wanted more. They wanted to groom… victims… and perpetrators.

Take a listen to what Dani said then. Still great advice for parents.

But for citizens, especially grandparents who have time to engage in the civil arena — WHAT IS GOING ON? Did you know that nationwide there is a very strong push to sexualize children, to insist on pornographic materials be in school libraries and covertly in curricula. It is hard for older people in my neighborhood to believe, but teachers were told about 2020 not to send the porn books home. Not to tell parents. But the students did. But then, there was outpoliticking at the school board level. And anyone who objects to this is harrassed… yes, literally. Uniformed men harrass any parent who patiently waits for their 1 to 3 minutes of testimony. And then, there is no security walking out into the dark parking lot. Of course, even in this permitless carry state, no one is safe. Every bag carried in — by a citizen– must be clear and without a weapon. Only the harrassers, only the groomers, only the criminals may carry. And now the governor wants to control homeschooling curricula. But still, now 6 years into this… it is very hard to imagine. Unless you have seen it repeatedly.

(Notice more conservative state, more conservative county)

WHAT IS GOING ON?

And a smaller city in Texas has this week found a 3 teacher in as many weeks who had sexually depredated upon a child!  (more rural town)

WHAT IS GOING ON?

At the busy Texas legislative session, the House Judiciary Committee scheduled a hearing on accountability for government school employees sexually depredating upon children. Announcement was 8:00am. It was the last item on the agenda, item “T.” At 9:30 am they were hearing invited testimony about increasing judges pay because they have to sign so many warrants in the middle of the night on the hoods of police cruisers. (I guess reading them first is not under consideration?) And this trumps ongoing sexual predation in state run schools and probably insufficient accountability?

WHAT IS GOING ON?

Nature’s Anti-biotic! Home-made

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Amazing news that one can make an anti-biotic at home from kitchen items. Just think! no more of those stomahc upsets and health setbacks that inevitably come from the expensive store bought anti-biotics. You pay a doctor, then you pay the pharmacists, and then, if you are wise, you pay the health food store to restore your stomach flora. Commerical anti-biotics kills all the stomach flora or “biotics” both good and bad, in your belly.

This is what made Jordan Rubin so sick when he was 18, even though his family was very much into healthy lifestyle. So, when he found the solution, he began a wondereful career as a Biblical health coach. He sells pro pbiotics.

Many people now know this. But imagine. Why would we have ever started making synthetic drugs? Well, maybe they are stronger. They certainly do make a lot of money. But, really, folks, we are not more healthy than the population was 3 generations ago. IQ has gone down. Life expectancy is now going down. Obesity is up. Expectations are plummeting.

Time to take matters into our own hands. Cook. Real food. And start learning what I cal “doctor mom” things. We may not replace the professional wellness providers, but everyone agrees that a smart mom can take care of many if not most of the problems. Health first. Food as medicine next. Medicine — only rarely — and only with great caution. In the meantime, I think you will love this recipe for you and yours.

Nature’s Amoxicillin