So I work two jobs. I teach in a public school, and a private school for troubled teens. I think I'm getting a handle on this generation. Man I'm glad I was born when I was (actually I wish I'd been born 5-6 years earlier so that I could have fully experienced the 80's. I was born in late 81, and though I love that era, I would have loved going to high school then and graduating in the class of 88, viva la Boingo).
Point is, I see the struggle these kids are going through and I want to start a school of my own for special cases that I've come across.
1. The Gamers
Now I'm the first one to admit that I LOVE video games...in small quantities. I can sit and play through Mega Man 2 or Adventure Island like it's nobodies business. Teens today however, play upwards of 20+ hours per week. (That's a part time job folks). Their health is failing because they spend hours in a darkened basement playing games that are quite a bit more addicting/violent than good old Contra. Social skills are failing, kids are withdrawing from reality, and parents are getting stuck with adults living in their basement saving the world from orcs. It's now a diagnosable disorder: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
2. The Depressed and Bullied
Kids are sad. The divorce rate is up, the economy is bad, and this generation's cartoon selection SUCKS. As in all generations, there is bullying. Some of this bullying is going beyond what you could possibly fathom. The homophobic rhetoric and name calling is causing some serious damage to these kids.
My solution: I want to start a private school for kids who are out of shape, depressed, addicted to video games, etc. They would stay at the facility 24/7. Here's how it'd work. Wake up, and hit the gym. Students will spend the morning toning up, lifting weights, running on treadmills, all followed by a HEALTHY breakfast. I've been researching how self esteem relates to physical activity. These kids are going to get in SHAPE
School would require a minimum of a B to pass the classes. School would go from 10-4:30, followed by a healthy dinner. Evenings would be full of sporting events/trip prep, and outdoors training (map reading, survival, etc).
Every weekend would be a trip. This Friday we're going to Southern Utah to hike the narrows. This weekend we're snow shoe-ing. This weekend we're mountain biking. This weekend we're hiking the Uintahs to a hard to find lake to fish. etc
The result of this would be a booster shot right in the self esteem artery. I found growing up that I felt good about myself based a lot on the fact that my folks took my camping every summer and we conquered nature. If a kid had a shot to improve their physical abilities, get good grades, and interact with other kids who are struggling with the same issues, they'd come out of there ready kick life square in the @$$.
So this is my idea. This is my goal. I wanna start this thing cause I'm sick of watching kids fall to the way-side when they are perfectly capable of rocking life to the fullest.
What are some of the ideas you have that could help make this school work? Make a good enough suggestion and I might just hire you.- JR
#1- Hire my wife. She's hot, and she's a genius. Both good qualities.
ReplyDelete#2- I think this is an amazing idea. I would surely hope that there is going to be a Bracketology course included in the curriculum.
Awesome idea! I love that you've added healthy eating into the whole thing. Nutrition is such an important part of education, kids can't learn well if they are hopped up on sugar and then come crashing down, then they are tired and even more depressed. Why not incorporate a few nutrition classes into the week so kids a) know how to eat healthy and b) understand why eating healthy is so important. So hopefully, that can carry it on to their kids. That way in 20 years we wont be up to 99% obesity in this country. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas. I think the health class would be a huge part. I've lost 10 lbs since January just by giving up carbonation!
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea. It could be such a huge success and life changing for this generation and generations to come. It's really sad how bad it is. I'm scared for my kids.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. I bet you see all kinds of crazy stuff teaching. I think that you should add a life skills class. Like learning how to change a flat tire, make dinner, buy stocks or bonds, do laundry, buy a car, brush your teeth, mow the lawn, file an insurance claim, etc... It amazes me how much parents do for their kids now and hinder their learning and independence by not allowing them to do things for themselves. I think that teaching them how to rock life by themselves is a huge self esteem booster! No wonder there are 30 year olds still at home...their mom cooks, cleans, and does laundry for them and their dad gives them a car and they don't have to do anything. My kids are gonna hit the ground running when they move out. If you start this school, I'm enrolling my kids.
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