Nineteen+Minutes

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 * July 27, 2010 Book Discussion:**

Be sure to read the link that Katie posted.

We identify victims of violent crimes, including their parents and their families. What about the parents and families of the perpetrators? Can they be victims, too?

Including the pieces of journals throughout the book helped the reader make connections with the characters.

This author, Jodi Piccoult, writes novels on significant topics.

There is some question about how realistic the ending is; however, it did not detract from the appeal of the book.

This book and others like it make us wonder how severe the issue of bullying is for our children and our students.

How can adults determine whether what they see is bullying or consensual and, even if consensual, is it okay?

Why are certain kids targeted? The character in the book, Peter, appears to have been a target from the very beginning because students knew they could pick on him. His brother's reaction was not supportive of Peter, which further compounded Peter's isolation.

How do anti-bullying programs work for students? Who do students talk to about being bullied?

Do children have chances to reinvent themselves?

What were our experiences in school? How similar or different are some of our experiences? Have things changed over time or are things more similar than different regardless of the decade?

How much does a person's insecurity contribute to the identification of him or her as a victim, either by others or by him or herself?

Think about your high school experience. Consider how it might compare to your high school experience if you were a student today.

Are there some things that we do as an educational institution that contribute to or set students up to be victims? How do we sort students?

The PAVE program is effective, but only a small group of students get to participate in the program. Newcomer's Uplifted and Synthesis are also great programs.

Do all of our students have the social skills to be accepted by and accepting of others?

How do family dynamics support or not support what is happening to the child(ren) in the family? We discussed the issue of Peter being afraid to tell his mom that someone had thrown his lunch box out the window.

Are some students hard-wired to be bullies? Are some bullies created by environment? Is bullying genetic or environmental? Can bullying be a result of not knowing how to respond to situations?

How do we help kids find an appropriate sense of control over what happens to them? Do they need us to fix situations or enable //them// with strategies to fix them?

Who do children have as role models? How can we be the best role models we can be?

Texting now contributes to the ability of students to bully without detection.

If kids are friends one day and having conflicts another, is that bullying, or does it need to be more chronic? Fighting is actually more equal between two parties, whereas bullying is more onesided.

How do we teach empathy?


 * Recommended read: Please Stop Laughing at Me: One Woman's Inspirational Story, by Jodee Blanco**