As a parent and future educator I do not feel the bullying issue can be addressed enough.Bullying seems to have a much larger defination than when I was in school (not too long ago).
I agree with kathiep. Middle school age is a very tough time. They are between playing with cars and dolls and the teenage years. There bodies are experiencing many changes too. Acceptence is very important to them.
I don't know what kind of district you live in as far as your fee is concerned. I think it's sounds fair because I know of several people who have paid $100+ to be put under to quit smoking or kick some other bad habit. Thought about it myself. Your gig sounds like fun! I hope for your sake you express that is for entertainment purposes to free yourself from any lawsuits, etc.
Thanks for the input. I will use your information to make the show even more helpful.
I checked with my son's Elementary School and they told me the bullying issue mostly affects them in 3rd and 4th graders. They didn't have any issues to share related to the older kids.
Middle School kids are obsessed with fitting in and finding themselves. They are very self absorbed, not always in a bad way but just trying out different things to see what seems right. Some don't understand the importance of good grades because other kids wil tell them that MS grades don't count. For the first time they have a sense of freedom in school. My wonderfully nerdy 6th grader is uncomfortable with the looseness of rules. Their stories are often depressing and everything is "the worst". The cliques that formed in elementary school change and can become even closer. Not an easy time for anyone that is "differnt".
They try to define themselves by becoming jocks, bando's, cheerleaders, slackers, etc... The girls are taller then the boys until 8th grade and they dress like they are much older. Sounds like your talk would work for ms kids pretty well.
I was hoping you could enlighten me on current "issues" that middle school children are facing. I perform a fun and educational hypnosis show for schools. Until this week I focused my attention on high schools, but word of mouth has spread and I am now receiving calls from middle schools. In a typical educational show I cover improving self-esteem, goal setting, positive self-talk and substance abuse resistance. I would like to adjust my show so that it is more issue oriented for middle schools so that the students derive the greatest benefit. My elementary school-aged son hasn't made us aware of any school issues, and if he did, I don't know that they would be applicable to 6th, 7th and 8th graders anyway.
Any help you could provide would be fantastic.
Also, my shows are generally no-cost fundraisers, but the middle schools that contacted me this week want assemblies. One school wants three assemblies in one day! How do PTO's pay for student entertainment for an assembly or event at the middle school level? Is it a per child fee, say like $4 each?
