http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/11/09/11harass_ep.h31.html?tkn=SZOFJj9NfrbW%2FC77Tevw7l65VfrqF1dkZHwo&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1
This is an interesting read from Ed Week. Sexual harassment is a very big deal in high schools, but not enough attention has been paid to sexual harassment among middle schoolers.
-DS
I saw this article on a blog I frequent. It's timely because I had a conversation with my mom two weeks ago about the harassment that girls have to deal with in school, from their peers and some teachers.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do enough talking with middle schoolers because we like to think of them as "babies". Whether we want to argue that "this generation" is growing up too fast or not, sexual harassment is a part of their experience (directly or indirectly). It was probably a part of our own experience, as well. I've had a student come to me about this before and she still comes to me when she feels uncomfortable with the advances. I think middle school is the time when we should start talking about respect, sexuality, and boundaries and move past this just being the age where we bring up hygiene and wearing deodorant.
I think there has to be/is a way to talk with students about harassment without them negatively viewing sexuality.
-D