Questions from teachers
This semester, I’ve been teaching a university level class in human growth and development to a bright bunch of high school students. One class requirement was to observe a child between the ages of 1 and 6 and report how that child’s behavior was reflected in the theories we were studying in class. First, my … Read more
I grew up in a rural area and most people I know own guns. I myself own them, including a small rifle which we use to deal with rabid animals. This gun is not an automatic, it requires cocking each time you want to shoot, making accidental firing almost impossible. The other gun we have is an air rifle … Read more
Last year the World Health Organization released a study of the health and happiness of European adolescents. You can find the study entitled Growing Up Unequal by clicking this link. In essence, the report found that boys reported that they had greater life satisfaction than did girls, but noted that boys were more likely to be … Read more
One of the points that I have been making recently is that punishment doesn’t work for boys. OK, it may make sure that the boy does not do that particular thing again, but it doesn’t change over-all behavior. He’ll just find another way to engage with the world. Years ago, Jean Kerr, the wife of … Read more
Some years ago, someone asked how hard it was for me to go back to graduate school at age 50. “Didn’t I find it difficult working with all of the smart younger students and didn’t I find it hard to keep up with them?” Actually, no. I found my doctoral program much easier to complete … Read more
When I talk to parents about the differences between boys and girls, it is easy to tell who has only daughters. Those parents are usually visibly shocked when I mention that boys are at least as emotional as girls and possibly more. The stereotype is that girls are more emotional than boys, but those of … Read more
What does your child do all day in school? I’m a teacher, I visit schools all over the world, and what I almost always see is children sitting at desks for at least 30 to 45 minutes at a time. How long can you sit still? I’m typing this and I’m gently moving a bit … Read more
When I first went to university (a long time ago), I started in the nursing school. Nurses are amazing people and I totally respect what it takes to be a good nurse, but it wasn’t for me. So I switched my major to education, and became a science teacher. At that time, the medical students at … Read more
Some years ago when I taught a class in Human Growth and Development, there were five requirements for the students which involved paying attention to people at different stages of their lives. One of the class requirements was to go to a large department or big-box store, look at the toy aisles, and report on … Read more
The question that parents ask me the most often is: “Are video games/computers/television dangerous for my son?” One problem with responding to that question is that these forms of technology haven’t been around for very long and the research that is done on the effects of technology have most often used university students as subjects. It seems as … Read more