HEALTH LESSON-GROUP 2 FAMILY AND SOCIAL HEALTH: PEER PRESSURE Charmayne Harkins, Haley Moore, and Ashley Ray

Self Esteem Struggles  75% of 8 and 9 year olds said they were happy with their looks. That figure drastically drops to 56% with 12 and 13 year olds.  Nine — the age at which at least half of all girls report having been on a diet.

How to help  Watch what you say. Be sure to give verbal rewards to your students not only when they get the answer correct but also when they are putting in effort.  Be a positive role model. Student are what they eat but they are also products of their surroundings. Stay upbeat and positive about yourself and students will mimic your confidence.  Identify and redirect your child's inaccurate beliefs. Never allow students to make inaccurate generalizations like “I’m a bad kid” just because he was called out in class. Tell the student that they are a good student, a good kid, and a good person and explain why you called the student out.  Be spontaneous and affectionate. Letting someone know you care about them is always appropriate so why not tell your students? Every couple of weeks give them a little reward just for being good students.  Give positive, accurate feedback. As adults we sometimes over generalize comments and say things that we do not mean out of sarcasm. (Example: “No you cannot go to the nurse today; you go EVERYDAY!”) These comments can actually make the students have negative thoughts and doubts about themselves and their behavior- even if that was not the intension of the teacher.  Create a safe, loving environment. The more comfortable a child feels the more confident your student will be.

Bullying at this age?  Many think that only high school students have to deal with being bullied but the truth is that 10% of all students are bullied on a regular basis.  It is important for teachers at all levels to know the basic signs of bullying:  Drop in school performance  Signs of abuse like bruising or scraps  Shows signs of depression or may be withdrawn  Talks about another student fearfully

How to Help  The number one goal for a teacher is to listen and be accepting of what is going on  Help the student learn how to avoid students that may be bothering them  Move their desks  Never place them in the same group  Teach the child how to tell the other students to stay away  Encourage the student to find friends that are loyal and dependable  There is safety in numbers

Students need friends  Having friends:  Helps students to develop socially and emotionally  Encourages student view of how society works  Develops their understanding of our social class system  Helps them learn how to work out problems  Allows an outlet from the student’s family life  Holds students accountable for advancing their education

Helping them make friends  As teachers it should not be our goal to have all of the students be one big happy family  But it should be a goal to have every student have at least one friend they feel comfortable with  Humans are designed as social beings but you may have a student who is more reserved  You can help them by:  Trying to partner them with someone  Referring them to the school counselor  Having more group/ partner based activities

References  statistics-and-symptoms/  f_esteem.html# David V. Sheslow  bullying.html  d_friends