Parents and teenage issues - end of year thoughts

Another year rushes by and I am able to reflect on some of the issues I have been dealing with in and out of a school environment during the past year.

There seem to be major issues around too many boys not stepping up in co-educational school environments. Girls put their hands up quickly and offer to take on duties, tasks, new challenges. Boys, aware of this, sit back and do little. Of course this is a gross generalisation, but I seem to see more and more of this happening and, in discussion with other teachers at other schools, there seems to be a common problem emerging. A challenge for 2012 will be how to encourage boys to step up and become the best they can be.

Issues around cyberbullying don't seem to go away. I am always amazed at how, despite numerous discussions, warnings etc. etc., so many students are guilty of cyber bullying, especially on Facebook. What concerns me more is how many parents, also despite so many words of advice from people in the know, do not seem to do much to help their children appreciate the issues around cyber bullying. How many parents even know when their children are using the internet? How many parents allow their children to have internet access in their bedrooms?

I am also becoming concerned at the lack of creativity and innovation of many students. Their world of instant gratification seems to have stopped them thinking, planning, exploring, being creative and innovative and so much more. Of course this is still a gross generalisation, though there are more and more signs prevalent amongst too may young people.

My old hobby horse remains. The wonders of the Digital Age are evident for one and all and it is amazing what can be done, who one can communicate with etc. etc. Yet, while all this is going on, I see the breakdown of communication. Are we educating children about developing the social skills to build long-term meaningful relationships? This can't be done via computer - difficult to have the eye contact, check out the body language etc.

Mmmm .... probably time to stop and keep reflecting :-)