Youth Advocacy
Youth Advocacy
Year 3, Week 10 (164 total reports)
28.06.2023-04.07.2023
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Growing from conflict, moving past hubris and arrogance in our politics and media, creating a society of open-mindedness and visceral compassion for our children.
This Week’s Top Links
04.07.2023
How to see conflict as a benefit
https://corp.smartbrief.com/original/2023/07/how-to-see-conflict-as-a-benefit
Seeing conflict as an opportunity for personal and/or relational growth requires an open mindset and it doesn’t have to be a shared approach. A close-minded person can make conflict very difficult, but not impossible. If even one of the parties sees the disagreement as a way to expand their understanding, they can make a difference in the relational balance. This article does a good job at examining the necessary aspects of making conflict beneficial at home, in the workplace, and personally (after all, we all have inner conflicts we could grow from).
03.07.2023
The Triumph of the Age of the Idiot
https://eand.co/the-triumph-of-the-age-of-the-idiot-85c3ede7fa32
I wouldn’t go so far as to admit the “idiots” have triumphed, but there are certainly a lot of unethical and unjust people in places of power. This isn’t new, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote his “theory of stupidity” ten years after Hitler came to power. Of course, theories of Narcissists being drawn to positions of power date back much farther than that, Aristotle spoke eloquently about this in his book, Rhetoric, however the Greeks called it, “Hubris.” Dating farther back, Solomon writes in Proverbs, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom [Proverbs 11:2].”
02.07.2023
Compassion Is More Than Niceness
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/soul-console/202307/compassion-is-more-than-niceness
The word for Compassion in Greek is almost gross, it means that your stomach turns to water. When compassionate people see injustice it hits them on a visceral level. They “Have to Act.” Compassion without action is simply niceness, it is akin to “feeling sorry” for someone, which is another form of victimization. Almost like being lost in a forest, the “kind person” consistently goes in a circle believing they’re getting somewhere. They might feel exhausted, but it’s really just emotional depletion and nothing useful has been accomplished.
01.07.2023
Here’s What Happened After Affirmative Action Ended In These 4 States
The research doesn’t bear out the decision of the Supreme Court to end Affirmative Action, higher learning still remains largely a whites-only privilege. Wealthy white families send wealthy white children to the most exclusive institutions and they, in turn, become wealthier white families. Conservative politicians (which includes a number of the Republican-Appointed Justices) have a reason to fear higher education. The more education a person has, the more likely they are to vote liberal. Keeping education away from minorities and “WOKE” books away from children is part of a historic strategy for autocrats to retain power.
30.06.2023
Around 30,000 prisoners soon to be eligible for free college with Pell Grant expansion
https://apple.news/ALxz26VrMSJG9ILSr7EtR_Q
When I come across people who don’t think that prisons should be used to enhance the lives of inmates, I like to remind them that the majority of people in prisons will be their neighbors again one day. Prisons are not vacuums, they are institutions of learning, but often the learning is about improving criminal techniques or expanding criminal connections. Introducing education to prisoners addresses both of those issues and has been proven to lower recidivism.
29.06.2023
Study finds link between extracurricular arts activities and improved grades
This is one of many studies that should lead us to move from STEM-Based curricula to STEAM based ones. Personally, I don’t think the arts should be extracurricular. It should be an imbedded part of education, not something offered at a family’s expense or something that a child needs to do at 0700 in the morning before school begins. The benefits are immense and arts and music have been proven to complement and deepen learning.
28.06.2023
Reading for fun linked to cognitive performance and mental wellbeing in children
Children learn to love to read because someone they loved read to them. It is not reading to learn, it is reading to relate, reading to love, reading for the sheer pleasure of reading; no agenda, no point other than to enjoy the moment and feel loved in it. In short, reading for fun. We should do everything we can to open our libraries for sheer fun reading experiences.
This Week’s Links
04.07.2023
How to see conflict as a benefit
https://corp.smartbrief.com/original/2023/07/how-to-see-conflict-as-a-benefit
When Unrealistic Expectations Become Resentments
The Supreme Court Has Proven Itself Illegitimate. It's a Rubber Stamp on Extremism | Opinion
03.07.2023
The Triumph of the Age of the Idiot
https://eand.co/the-triumph-of-the-age-of-the-idiot-85c3ede7fa32
MIST Test Reveals Troubling Reality: Younger Adults More Susceptible to Fake News
Bisexuality has nearly quadrupled in the U.S.
https://bigthink.com/the-present/bisexuality-nearly-quadruples-us/
AOC: Supreme Court Rulings Show 'Creep Towards Authoritarianism'
02.07.2023
Compassion Is More Than Niceness
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/soul-console/202307/compassion-is-more-than-niceness
Highly sensitive person: What it is, traits, signs you are one
https://apple.news/Ak1fHk99dSoqJgeJEBFZvNg
Why is America not the lawless, gun-free, socialist wasteland Republicans warned us about?
‘Who are you trying to help?’: Buttigieg slams DeSantis over LGBTQ-focused ad
https://apple.news/AQsxjuUV4TDK6TcUlbJMGJg
01.07.2023
Here’s What Happened After Affirmative Action Ended In These 4 States
Here's what happened when affirmative action ended at California public colleges
Adorable Story Behind School's 'Bench Of Friends' Will Make Your Eyes Dribble
https://apple.news/AHnLEHRQSQ3akmG8UyxnF5w
8 Signs of Emotional Maturity
https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-of-emotional-maturity-7553316
The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Life
One Thing GOP Presidential Candidates Agree On: Marginalized Americans Should Suffer
30.06.2023
Around 30,000 prisoners soon to be eligible for free college with Pell Grant expansion
https://apple.news/ALxz26VrMSJG9ILSr7EtR_Q
How to Give Students More Agency in Class Without Losing Control
Neuroscience Says 3 Simple Approaches Can Help You Live a Happier, More Successful Life
https://apple.news/AyBRXTkiWTJOFtar8jIq7uQ
Measuring Mastery, Not Seat Time: Here's How Schools Can Make It Work
29.06.2023
Study finds link between extracurricular arts activities and improved grades
Childhood Reading Habits Boost Brain and Mental Health in Teens
https://neurosciencenews.com/child-reading-teen-mental-health-23545/
28.06.2023
Reading for fun linked to cognitive performance and mental wellbeing in children
Childhood Poverty's Impact: Reshaping the Brain's Communication Pathways - Neuroscience News
https://neurosciencenews.com/white-matter-child-poverty-23536/
What Parents Need to Know About Teen Suicide
https://www.parents.com/teen-suicide-what-parents-need-to-know-7552788
Teacher turnover and Burnout
9 big ideas to bolster the teaching profession and boost student learning
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2023/6/28/23775695/teacher-turnover-morale-crisis-solutions-pay-support