Discussion - What are the challenges of labeling groups of students

Discussion Questions

1. What are the challenges of labeling groups of students in school?  Are there sensitive and professional ways that educators can use labels as a part of their work, or are labels always bad?

2. What are some examples of White privilege that you have observed in your life? 

3. What are some of the systems and structures that perpetuate White privilege?  Why do they persist?

4. How serious of an issue is bullying?

5. How has technology changed the ways that children can be bullied? 

6. In what ways does technology make it more difficult to protect children who are being bullied?  In what ways does technology present new opportunities to support children who are being bullied?

7. Rico is a young boy in your program. Like other boys his age, he engages in mildly inappropriate rough-and-tumble play from time to time, but he is not what some people would label a “problem child.” This afternoon, he put a towel around his neck and shouted “Super Rico!” as he jumped on two other children reading quietly in the library area. He hit the children a few times and then grabbed their book and ran away, laughing and yelling, “I saved the magic book!”

What is the most probable source of Rico’s violent activity? Why?

8. Rico is a young boy in your program. Like other boys his age, he engages in mildly inappropriate rough-and-tumble play from time to time, but he is not what some people would label a “problem child.” This afternoon, he put a towel around his neck and shouted “Super Rico!” as he jumped on two other children reading quietly in the library area. He hit the children a few times and then grabbed their book and ran away, laughing and yelling, “I saved the magic book!”

Do you think that Rico’s behavior is a sign that he has been abused or that he has -witnessed someone close to him being abused? Why or Why Not?