Sophomores: As Charlie Brown would say, “Good grief!” It’s been too long since last we were on the blog.
DUE Sunday, 1/15/11, by 9pm
Below are links to three videos that I think you will find interesting and thought-provoking. Watch each one; they are all brief. The second one has an accompanying article, and the third one has additional “Web only” links on the left. You may conduct additional research on any of these topics on the Internet, and include additional info in your response.
After you watch each video, select one to write about here. Share your reaction to the video. Write at least 300 words in response to the video you choose; this is roughly equivalent to one typed page. Refer only to the video that you select (not the other two). Remember to proofread your writing before posting it to the blog. If you use paragraphs (you should!), please include a space between them so the paragraphs will be distinct. And remember to check back here to see what your classmates write. Feel free to respond to each other by hitting “reply” beside a person’s name!
Here are some questions to consider:
*What details do you find most interesting about the news story?
*To what extent does the story convey an inspiring message?
*What questions do you have after viewing? (Note why you’re wondering about the topic.)
*Is this a story that should have a wide audience?
*Can you draw a personal connection to the story?
1. “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students”
http://www.educationnation.com/index.cfm?objectid=BC860936-3AE8-11E1-B607000C296BA163&aka=0&fb_source=message
2. “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/boy-ears-article-1.1003574?localLinksEnabled=false#ooid=1mNmI5Mzqcq3-8rFk9cO-6_RNkFOkZdu
3. “Teaching Lessons On and Off the Mat”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/37095494#45590288
I watched the Video “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears”, and it was very moving to read this article and watch the video. I believe that it really touches on some of today hottest topics among teens, two among them bullying and how a person appears. Charlie has to be one of the bravest kids that I know because of what has happened to him, and how he still reacts. He is a child with Down Syndrome who was bullied for how his ears look. His ears were lacking the folds and ridges that go with ears, and they fell forward, making them very pronounced. Because of Charlie’s condition and appearance, he was ridiculed and tormented so much that his parents actually moved him to a different school to get away from his bullies This fact right here touches on a topic that is addressed widely around the country, and that is bullying in general. As a school, were are lucky that bullying does not run as rampant in our schools as others, but as any person can clearly see here, even the smallest amount of bullying can affect a person’s life. 3.3 million children are the targets of 3.7 million bullies each years. The reason why they are bullied are for reasons like their sexuality, race, appearance, demeanor, disabilities, and other reasons. Charlie was affected by two of these things, a disability and looking different than other people. But, through that, he still is a happy kid, and after the surgery was amazed about his appearance, which is another topic among teens today. How you look is everything today in schools, and there are examples of this in our school. Boys go out and get the latest shoes from Nike and Adidas for back to school, and girls carry around designer purses. I’ll admit almost every piece of my clothing is brand name. Then there is also the matter of how your skin looks, what hairstyle you have. Charlie’s ears were just different from everybody else’s, yet he was treated differently from the rest of his peers. The fact that because he got surgery, the tormenting might stop astounds me, and it really brings to mind the just how shallow or close minded people can be, and also how hurtful. The outcome of this teens experience is positive, but many kids don’t get this treatment. That is why this article truly hit me.
Hi, Peter. Bravo for going first. You’ve written a marvelous response! You cite important details that show how well you concentrated on Charlie’s story. I also like how you conducted some research on bullying and included the statistics in your response.
You write well about the forms that bullying can take in a typcial school. My favorite part of your response, however, is your conclusion where you begin to move your thoughts toward the people who might be in Charlie’s shoes, but who do not have access to this surgerical procedure. You also consider the sad truths of society that apparently compelled Charlie in the first place. Again, well done, Peter.
“Teaching Lessons On and Off the Mat” is definitely going to have an impact on my classroom teaching practice. The word “calm” continues to reverberate through my mind as I think about this video; yoga has a calming effect on the children, and the calmer they are, the better their quality of life–at least in school. In my own classroom, now and then I take the first few minutes of class to let my students be calm. With our eyes closed, we slowly inhale and exhale, and try to carve out a few moments of peaceful relaxation in our day. While some students report greater benefits than others, no one has ever asked me to discontinue these times, and several have requested that we make more time for “our breathing.” Of course, what we do in class is a far cry from yoga, but I think both promote a sense of calm not only in the classroom, but also in students’ lives. And when students feel this sense of calm, I suspect it helps them think more clearly.
What I like most about the video, and the supplemental videos on the side, are the personal stories from the children and young man who all say that yoga has changed their lives for the better. This must make the three men teaching the class feel that their work is worthwhile. I wonder whether their parents have noticed the same results as the principal. I also wonder whether the benefits of yoga in childhood will continue for most—maybe all—of the children into their teenage years. We see that it’s possible, and I’m hopeful that as these kids get older, they will not only continue to practice yoga, but also share what they’ve learned with others.
The gym filled with children on their mats looks so inviting to me that I wish I could be a member of the class. I like how the adults are on their mats alongside the children, and I bet they enjoy it, too. I wonder how often they meet. And, I have to admit, I wonder who pays the teachers. Perhaps it’s grant money from a program that funds great opportunities for kids. I hope that these men are generously compensated for their time; they are doing work of enormous importance.
Finally, this video also reminds me that we all share far more in common than we often remember. These little kids living in inner-city Baltimore report that moments of calm improve their lives and alleviate their stress. While our sources of stress at H-K may greatly vary, people of all ages experience stress and need productive ways of coping. I know that I will continue to think of this story for a long time to come.
(Note that my response here is 463 words and took me about 50 minutes to complete, including time to proofread aloud. And I could go on…)
The video/article “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears” was very interesting to me. I think this because it conveys a few inspiring messages. Every year, bullying occurs, and a lot of those victims are people deemed ‘different’. A lot of schools have ignorant, superficial students that bully others just because of their looks, like Charlie and how his different ears. I think that this video/article briefs two messages; one is the effect and problems of bullying, and the other is what kind, compassionate actions can do.
According to this article, Charlie Cardillo, born with Down’s Syndrome and floppy ears, had been bullied his whole life. The taunts became so intense that he had to change schools to avoid them. This is awful but inspiring because it shows what a few nasty remarks can do. Every student should be able to attend school without the fear of a fellow classmate making ignorant comments. Furthermore, it is wrong for someone to feel the need to switch schools just to have a normal day solely because this person has a few minor differences. His dad says that he was taunted a lot because of his looks, and it is ridiculous that people would be so mean to make fun of someone else’s ears, which didn’t even have any problems besides that they looked different.
However, it also shows the kindness of people such as the plastic surgeon who remodeled Charlie’s ears at no cost. It was so wonderful to hear about an individual who was willing to offer a hand to someone else, trying to help him or her fix personal problems. Even though the surgeon didn’t even know Charlie, he still remodeled his ears at no cost just so he could live an easier life. I think that it is so nice that the surgeon was trying to do all he could for someone he didn’t even know. This sends out a positive message like ‘we can still help people we don’t know personally as much as we can.’ Lastly, this man does life changing correction surgeries at no charge, which impacts the troubled child’s life much more than a woman who gets her breasts redone out of vanity. I think that it is very nice to know that in addition to his normal job, although he doesn’t have to, he uses his skill to help others like Charlie.
Lastly, I have a few questions after reading this article. I am wondering how this surgery will affect Charlie’s life from now on. I assume that taunts on his ears will decrease significantly because there’s nothing to taunt anymore, but will it get people to accept him? Furthermore, I’m wondering how this will affect others after reading this article, because I know it affected me. I think that this article is directed towards a large audience because there are a lot of people like Charlie and a lot of places where they generally aren’t welcomed. This story shows us that we can be understanding to everyone, including those we don’t know personally, or help them as much as we can.
Menalie, you’ve written very well about this story, and I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I’m glad you noted the doctor who volunteered his time to perform the surgery. Other students who wish to write about this story could also closely read/listen to his comments and perhaps offer their own commentary.
I think that, on some levels, this is a controversial story, and your question in your last paragraph raises even more questions for me. It has me thinking about the messages that get sent to kids when a problem is addressed via surgery or some other profound change. In this case, the person suffering changed, when ideally, the perpetrators should change. But things are seldom—if ever—this easy…
Keep up the strong thinking and writing, Menalie!
The video that I am choosing to write about is “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students.” To sum up the video it is about how dogs are helping, San Francisco, collage law students relax as his/ her final exams are approaching. The video talks about how the dogs calm the student by completely taking his/her mind off of the exam to focus only the dog. The man who started the program at the school Lon Whiler said how he liked the dog program because it “teaches the students good stress release tactics…it also keep the students away from harmful things such as binge drinking.” Also, it says how the dogs actually work that just by being with the dog the person’s blood pressure drops, and his/ her heart rate slows down causing the student to feel better.
I have heard about this method of therapy being used in hospitals and senior homes I have never heard of it being used in this manner. However, when I real think about those small seconds when I come home from a long or stressful day of school and see my dog, Bandit, I do find myself more relaxed and happy. Even on weekends when Bandit is the source of major frustration and anger. I can only stay mad at him for a minute or two before he does something that makes me forget that I was just ready to rip his head off. Don’t judge me for thinking that he really knows how to get under someone’s skin especially when he eats your hat or iPod; over all though Bandit really does relax me. After watching this video I think it is a good idea for any student to have some kind of pet that will help relax them. Also, seeing as how Midterms are coming up I get to test out how well dog therapy actually works.
Zac, good job quoting & paraphrasing some of the key benefits of students’ interactions with the therapy dogs. Prior to finding this video, I was also unaware that therapy dogs are brought to college campuses to help students. The dogs’ unconditional affection no doubt lifts everyone’s spirits—probably within a matter of seconds. I’m glad that your dog Bandit, despite his lapses in judgment, is there for you!!!
Do you think that this therapy dog program could be helpful to other groups of people?
I watched the video called “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students”, which explains the recent discovery of dogs helping busy students relax. The video included the recent topic of interest at the San Francisco law school. Hectic students are now taking a break from their studies by playing with dogs included in the new program. The dogs calm each and every student, giving them a break from their upcoming exams. Recent studies even show how dogs provide real therapy, dropping your blood pressure and heart rate.
I find this tactic to be quite inspiring and amazing. Ron Whiler, the man who first started this program, talks about how the program is more than just a distraction from studying. Whiler talks about how the program teaches students “responsible stress management”. Students can outlet their stress by spending quality time with the dogs, instead of binge drinking or harmful behaviors.
I’m pleased to hear how dogs are making a difference in student’s lives. After a busy day at school, my dog always finds a way to put a smile on my face. Honey, who is a 7-year old Yellow Labrador, is full of energy and happiness. Whether she’s lying with me on the couch or teaching me new ways to become angry with her, I am always excited to spend time with her. I truly feel relaxed when I’m with her. Even David Frei of the Westminister Kennel Club even agrees how the dogs “just help you feel good.”Also, I find the idea of how these programs keep students from binge drinking is an added plus. As Rhonda Magee explained how by the end of the first year, up to 40% of the student population show several indications of depression, I find this new stress-relief program involving dogs amazing already. But to help students tunnel their stress out and give them a break without using alcohol instantly puts a smile on everyone’s face, including mine.
Lauren, you cite important details about the benefits of the students’ interactions with the dogs. It’s eye-opening to learn that depression is prevalent in law schools, so I’m glad that the dogs help students manage their stress. Did this story leave you with any questions? What more is there to know about how dogs can help people?
After watching all three videos, I’ve decided to write about “Teaching Lessons On and Off the Matt”. This video caught my attention because I can really relate to it. I often find myself stressed and frustrated because I have so many things going on in my life. During the week, I go to school, go to diving practice right after, and then come home to do homework. When I feel myself getting upset over a hard math problem or rushing through history homework so that I can get some sleep, I take a step back and just breathe. The small breaks that I take help me to calm down and think about happier things. Letting yourself relax can help so much when you fell like you just want to quit. For example, my sister has been stressed about applying to college. But she recently started attending her friend’s yoga classes and always comes home telling me how awesome it is. I can tell that she feels better after spending some time not worrying about the hard things in life.
The children in this video have the right idea. It makes me so happy that young kids have a way to escape the dangers in the real world and can just have fun. The three men are doing a wonderful thing. Imagine how many lives they have changed by teaching these yoga classes. I also like that the yoga is also giving the kids great exercise! Studies show that practicing yoga can increase balance and flexibility and can treat heart disease, asthma, and diabetes. It’s great that these children have this safe place to develop and enjoy their lives.
While watching this video, a few questions did come up. Like Ms. A, I am also wondering if these men are getting paid or are just helping out because they are generous. Because they grew up in the same area as these kids, I can see why they would want to spend so much time with them and help them deal with their problems. This video is so inspiring to me because it shows me how open some people are to helping others.
Rachel, you’ve nicely organized your response into three paragraphs. You write well about how you appreciate the need to take a deep breath and let your body relax when you feel stressed. You also note the benefits of exercise, and how it’s important for children who live in stressful environments to have a place to escape the dangers.
The men who teach this yoga class grew up in the same city. This makes me wonder how many other people who work with disadvantaged children do so because they feel a responsibility to help their community.
After watching the three videos posted on the blog, I choose to write about the video “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students”. I choose to further investigate this video because it deals with the issues of stress in law schools across the country, specifically San Francisco University, and how students deal with this stress come exam time. This relates to all of the students in our school because exams are only a week away and anxiety is playing a great factor in most of our lives. At San Francisco University, students take a less conventional path to relieve this stress and the baggage it comes with, depression. They meet with therapy dogs throughout the week in order to relieve their minds of the studying that consumes most of their day.
The video also brings up how stress during this busy time of the year can lead to depression among a large portion of the student body. In fact, a recent American College Health Association study revealed that 45% of women and 36% of men in colleges across the country are in such a deep state of depression that they are unable to function properly. This is where the therapy dogs come into play. These dogs effectively reduce anxiety, stress, and depression in students by giving them an alternative to studying. Dogs are the ideal animal for the job because of the bonds they form with human beings. My dog never fails to brighten my mood, and often times playing with her takes me away from the extensive amounts of studying there is to be done each night. Another method that I use as a quick distraction from work is music. Playing with my dog or listening to music both have the same result, allowing me to have a break and then be more focused later on. I find it awesome that dogs in schools throughout the country are assisting students with stress management. This video also reminded me to divert from studying instead of cramming all of the information in.
Zack, while I’m glad you took the initiative to conduct some extra research, the results you share are unsettling. In my ideal world, both high school and college are places where people can explore a world of knowledge, sharpen their skills, learn from mistakes, find their passions, and form positive relationships. And while all of this does happen, I also know that there are times of difficulty and stress. It’s nice to read here that so many of the people in our class have productive ways to manage stress. This is very important!
As you point out, Zack, exam week is approaching. I’m hopeful that everyone will be able to manage the stress. Let’s remember to talk about what we’ve learned from these videos in class.
After I watched all the videos, I decided to write about “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students.” This video explained and even showed examples of how students playing with dogs and puppies helped them calm down and relieve stress before exams. I found it very interesting that the dogs can help with dropping your blood pressure and heart rate. This shows that they provide more than just fun, but also real therapy. I think that because dogs are always so happy to see you, and just happy in general, that they also bring up the mood and spirit of people. You never look at a dog and ask “What’s wrong?” They’re almost always happy when they’re around people, especially teens and kids.
This video also made me think of a book my mom is reading called “The Puppy That Came for Christmas” by Megan Rix. The story talks about a woman who decided to become a foster parent for a puppy from and organization called Helper Dogs. This woman helped train the puppy to become a helper dog for someone who is handicapped. She ended up having to give up the puppy, so it could move on and help someone who needs it, but she realized that it was very hard for her to do that since the dog helped her cope with her own personal problems.
I was also thinking that since it is near exam times for our school, many students are becoming very stressed including myself and classmates. Luckily I’m fortunate to have two dogs, a 5 year old Dalmatian named Casey, and a crazy 2 year old chocolate lab puppy named Duke. Watching this video made me realize how helpful my dogs are to me. I never realized how relaxed I felt when I would sit down with my dogs and just pet them for a little while. They truly do help you calm down and take a break from the real world.
Mackenzie, as I read your response, I’m reminded of how nice it is that our class writes here with such detail and sincerity. While I’m a cat person, I think it’s true with all pets that we never have to ask, “What’s wrong?” That’s such a strong observation, and a testament to the fact, as you note, that pets lift our spirits.
You make a nice connection to “The Puppy that Came for Christmas.” I wonder if it’s sometimes difficult for the students who visit the therapy dogs to say goodbye. Hopefully the positive effects stay with the students as they return to their studying.
I chose to write about “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears” because I believe it connects beautifully with the serious problem that is occurring throughout schools today- this problem is bullying. A boy of 15 years old named Charlie Cardillo was bullied his entire life just because of a physical appearance- the shape of his ears- that he had no control over. His ears flopped forward because they did not have the usual folds and ridges. This bullying situation continued to grow even worse with time to the point that he switched schools and even went through surgery to escape it all. This article was very interesting to read because I have never heard of anything like that type of surgery and then to see Charlie’s reaction in the video was amazing. It was incredible to see how much he loved the transformation in his ears. His first word out of his mouth when he saw his ears was, “amazing” and his parents commented saying that that was the first time they ever heard him say that about anything.
This story conveys an inspiring message by showing how it is OK to be ourselves and that we shouldn’t be penalized for it. Charlie was put through so much bullying that he did change his physical appearance, but what he did not change was who he was in the inside and that’s what really matters. After reading this article I have three questions for Charlie. One, how did it feel to see your ears after the operation? Two, are you scared of your former bullies or do you feel like this whole experience made you stronger? Finally three, were you in a lot of pain after your surgery?
I can’t imagine how hard this whole ordeal must have been like for Charlie because I have never had to go through such a thing, but I admire him for his courage and bravery. His story inspires nearly all who read it and I believe that this article will appeal to all audiences because of how big the seriousness of people bullying are today and I believe that if we keep raising awareness for it and observe the effects it has on both sides of the equation (the bullied and bullies) then hopefully one day we can nearly eliminate it so that people will not be afraid to be themselves.
Jessie, it’s apparent from your writing that this story has elicited strong feelings in you. Of course, I was hopeful that it would. I, too, had never heard of this type of surgery before I read/watched this story. Charlie’s powerful reaction to his new apperance is an important detail in the story.
You pose interesting questions here. You wonder whether Charlie is scared of the bullies, and I wonder how you suspect they may feel now. Do you think they’ve been humbled by the measures Charlie has taken to change? What do you think you’d say if you could meet with them?
And I want to add that I like how you conclude on such an optimistic note!
After watching “Bullied Boy All Smiles After Operation” I was struck at how much some people care about others, and the total disregard others seem to have. Dr. Thomas Romo is one of the people who really care about people. He founded Little Baby Face Foundation and is the reason that Charlie can look in the mirror at his ears and say, “Amazing, just like Dad’s.”
Why does Charlie feel the need to look like everyone else? It’s because of the bullies, but why do the bullies need him to look like them? Why does a person need to look mostly the same as everyone else? People wear their Abercrombie & Fitch and their Holister and then look down on the people wearing things from Walmart or Target all because they aren’t ‘name brand’. People are very judgmental, no matter how much we would like to deny it, there is always the comparing and contrasting of yourself to your peers based on appearances. Appearance is everything now, with the lady’s magazines showing photo shopped women that have tiny waists, perfect skin, flowing hair, and a perfect figure, and the gentleman’s magazines with the completely jacked men and the perfect tan and perfectly styled hair; they show us a nearly impossible goal and tell us unless you’re this, you are not good enough. Charlie’s ear didn’t look quite the same as his peers. All those people that make those judgments label him as different, and to make themselves feel better about their own physical appearance mock Charlie for his. Charlie still managed to stay happy and strong. He still was able to smile and be amazed that his ears are ‘”Just like Dad’s.”’
Dr Romo said something that really struck me,’”I can’t feed the hungry,” he added “I can’t improve education in the Bronx. I’m a plastic surgeon and I can only do what I do.”’ He brings up a good point with this comment, you can’t fix all the world’s biggest issues, but you can use what you’re good at to help other people. My choir sings at retirement centers, and during the performances I always see them smiling and the audience singing along. I may not be able to change a person’s appearance, but I can make a person’s day by singing some of their favorite songs, or just being nice to them. It’s not everyday that I get to hear about a person helping people just because they wanted to give back to the world, and that’s what I find most remarkable about this story, a person helping another just because they can. Why can’t everyone shwo that kind of kindness?
Abby, you cite relevant ways in which our society places high value on appearance. Your exasperation is apparent, and I suspect many people share your feelings. I believe that it’s completely fine for someone to make his/her appearance a priority; where we run into trouble is when we judge others harshly by their appearance.
You make a good connection between your experience with your choir and the volunteer work that Dr. Romo performs. I like that you included his statements to emphasize the point that everyone can be helpful to others in some meaningful way.
When I first started watching the video, “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students,” I couldn’t help but wonder how bringing dogs into a college could possibly be considered productive and helpful to the students when they’re supposed to be taking exams. I didn’t understand how bringing a distraction to school purposely could possibly be of any assistance to the students when they’re taking tests that decide what classes they’re going to be taking in the future and need to pass in order to get credit. As I continued to watch it, I saw how happy and excited the students seemed to be when they spent time with the puppies, especially happy for students who were currently in the middle of exams. When I think about college mid-terms and finals, my mind immediately goes to a student locking themselves in their dorms with just enough food and water to last them for the week and staying in there all day and night studying and having nightly nervous breakdowns from sleep deprivation. This added stress to the already extremely hectic life of a college student is just another thing that they have to deal with and causes severe psychological problems such as depression. The law students at San Francisco looked far from depression during a very trying time in their college careers and I truly and honestly believe that bringing in the puppies is the reason behind this odd happiness among the students. I think that more schools should offer such programs to their students in order to keep their mental health in check and keep their health triangle balanced. If these workshops continue to be promoted in colleges across the country, I honestly believe that we will see a drop in depression rates as well as suicide rates among college students during exam time. Overall, I think that what these dogs are doing is a really good thing and I hope it continues to happen in the future.
Rachel, you do a nice job showing the evolution of your thinking as you learned more about the role therapy dogs can play in students’ lives. The picture you paint of students holed up in dorm rooms for days at a time is rather bleak, but not uncommon. Thus, the dogs can be a welcome diversion for many people.
How might you divide what you’ve written into two paragraphs? There are a couple places where a transition could easily be made.
I want to add that I like the optimistic note on which you conclude your response!
The video “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students” caught my eye the most out of these three videos. Even though the dogs are mostly being brought to colleges, it led me to think that high school students need dogs like these, too. High school students do study for tests that are hard for their skill level and therapy dogs can help. We have midterms coming up and I think I will play with my dog when I take breaks between studying to see if it will help.
Another point that the video made was that when the dogs are at the schools it teaches responsibility and keeps them away from drinking. Also, when the students are around the dogs it helps them relax and relieve stress that they have. It stops them from studying long enough to stop thinking about it. There are many stress releasing skills, but some don’t work for everyone. This stress releasing skill is one option that students at San Francisco Law School have and it makes other schools consider it.
I started to wonder why they haven’t brought any therapy dogs to any high schools. I feel that high school students have other pressures than studying for tests. High school students have peer pressure to drink and do other dangerous things. Therapy dogs could just help somebody forget everything or even have somebody to talk to. Even though a dog can’t talk back or respond, they will be the ones to listen and not have an opinion. Dogs also lead to studying skills. This video led me to think about what one of my teachers had told me to try to do for studying, which is to read a paragraph at a time and then try to teach it to my dog. This video also makes me think that after you do this or when you are taking breaks, you can play with the dog to relieve some stress.
Erin, I have to admit that I was wondering whether anyone would suggest that therapy dogs in high school might also be a good idea! Perhaps some high schools have brought in dogs.
You note that dogs provide an impartial ear and unconditional support. This is probably why your teacher gave you the suggestion to study alongside your dog, and I imagine that it could prove helpful. This is a great connection to the video.
I recently learned that some librarians and elementary teachers have long encouraged little kids to read to their pets because doing so builds their reading skills. Maybe someone in our class will grow up to conduct more research on the subject of how animals and humans can interact for each other’s benefit!
After watching the three videos, I chose to write about, “Teaching Lessons on and off the mat.” The video itself was interesting and I found that the fact that these three men are helping children deal with the problems in their lives inspiring. The three men in the video help inner-city kids who go through a lot, such as dealing with shootings in their neighborhoods or have behavioral or emotional problem, by teaching them yoga. Besides yoga, the men also mentor and tutor the children. Something that I found interesting about this story was that The Holistic Life Foundation is a non-profit organization and the men are giving free yoga classes out of the goodness of their hearts.
One question I had after watching the video is will the children will grow up and continue to do yoga as a stress reliever? Also, will they teach their children yoga like the Smith brother’s father did to them?
I could connect to this video because I get stressed out easily and sometimes I just need to step back from whatever is causing my stress, such as homework, and focus on something else, like just breathing or spending time with my family. Another thing I could connect to was the words of 8 year old Janaisa Brown, who said that when somebody wants to fight her, she starts to deep breathing and it helps her calm down. This reminded me of when I was younger and I would get all worked up about something and my mom would tell me, “Take deep breaths; smell the roses and blow out the candles.” I liked this video and I think that it’s important for the children in the video, and everybody, to have an alternative when they’re stressed, such as yoga, rather than resorting to destructive behavior.
Ceara, you point out an important moment in the video. The little girl, who states that what she has learned from yoga helps her calm down when she gets angry, is a powerful testament to the benefits of this method of relaxation. You make a nice connection between this girl’s statment and your mother’s words of wisdom to you. I had never heard that expression before, and I love it!
You ask two related questions. It’s good to write some more about *why* you’re curious whether the kids will continue with their yoga practice as they grow up. Do you think that they will?
I watched the video “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears,” and my first reaction to reading this title had me question myself as to why this boy was getting an operation on his ears. After watching the full video and reading the accompanying article, I understood completely and I sort of felt a little sick to my stomach to think that a boy would go as far as surgery on his body just so that he didn’t get made fun of in school. In, my opinion, nobody should have to do something like this, especially if it’s a boy like Charlie, who even was born with Down syndrome.
One thing I liked about this video and even this story was that Charlie’s doctor, Dr. Romo, operated on Charlie and did this surgery free, just to help out this 15-year old boy. I feel like this is what most doctors should be aspiring to do with their careers; doing operations for the feeling of doing something good instead of doing them for money, just like he does in his organization called Little Baby Face Foundation. I especially like when you can actually tell that Dr. Romo likes doing the reconstructive surgery he does on children, for example from the article associated with the video, it says, “We’re going to re-create this bend right there and set this back and set this earlobe back,” he said. “He’s gonna get that girlfriend.”
The main idea that occurred to me, however, was that the main purpose of Charlie doing this surgery was so that he could stop the people who were bullying him. I wondered to myself if his parents had ever done anything about this (that is, about Charlie being bullied,) or if they just agreed with this surgery right away. Unfortunately, I feel like this surgery won’t completely stop the bullying to Charlie mainly because he had been experiencing being bullied before this surgery. I do hope, though, that it does change the outcome and that Charlie will be able to fit in and stop being bullied. This article was an eye-opener to me because of what some people will do just because they are getting bullied by people because they may not look or sound like other people. I realized that bullying is a problem and really does need to be stopped.
Erin, I also moved between being really happy and really uncomfortable in response to this video/article. You point out one of the undeniably positive outcomes, which is that it’s great to see a doctor volunteer his time and expertise to help a teenager feel better about himself. And you also nail down the main idea (good job), which is that Charlie was compelled to have the surgery after having been bullied for so long. The question of whether Charlie’s parents intervened with the bullying is relevant. What do you hope they did before he had the surgery?
My first reaction to “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students” was, how can dogs help law students during the unbelievable stressful times of their exams? After continuing to watch the video I realized how happy and stress relived the students were when they were playing with the dogs. I found many interesting things about this news story. First of all, my Mother is a lawyer and graduated from the University Of Connecticut Law School and I have talked to her on numerous occasions about what it was like to go through law school and take these incredibly hard exams. So I definitely have an insight to what these students are talking about. I also found the fact interesting that so many students go through depression throughout their law school experience. But as Ron Wheeler said in the video, “Having the dogs around teaches students responsible stress management, rather than going out and binge drinking.” This is so true because students all over the world have a hard time dealing with numerous amounts of stress, so having these therapy dogs around really teaches them not only lessons that they can use in school, but lessons they can use throughout their life as well.
This story does indeed convey a very inspiring message. The message being that you can always turn to the simpler things for more enjoyment. In the video it states that one time over 2,000 students at San Francisco Law School came out to meet with puppies during exams week. This definitely portrays the message to us that you can always turn to the simpler things for more enjoyment. Puppies are simple, all they want is your love and attention, and if you give them your love and attention than you might be surprised at how happy they make you feel. I have an amazing 3 year old dog named Darby. Last year during exams week I had a hard time transitioning from studying one exam to studying for the next. So in between I would hang out with Darby and just play around with her toys and do tricks with her. This definitely helped my stress level and by having these little breaks with Darby it helped me to have an easier time transitioning from studying for one exam, to studying for the next exam.
I truly believe that this story should have a worldwide audience do to the fact that a lot of people can relate to it. Most people have dogs, and they know what I’m talking about when I say if you give a little love to them, you get a lot back. Dogs just want your love, and the students at San Francisco Law School know this first hand. Overall this article was great, and it makes us all think about how dogs help us take a breath of fresh air when we truly need it the most.
Kiley, you write nicely about your direct personal connection to this story. The loving relationship between people and dogs pays many dividends, especially in times of stress. If this story had a worldwide audience, as you suggest, I suspect that more universities would bring therapy dogs to campus. In what other potentially stressful settings do you think therapy dogs would be a welcome presence?
I decided that the third video was the most interesting to me. At first, the picture presented was hard to grasp: three gangster-looking guys teaching a group of unfortunate kids yoga. However, once the societal bias dissipated, I was left with an image of noble selflessness from unassuming characters. I myself have never tried yoga, but I do understand that it does have some benefits. I learned about the healing effects of flowing energy during my education in the field of massage therapy (hello, ladies.)
I was particularly stricken by the statement of one of the little girls in the video. She commented on her ability to find inner peace when she was threatened in a fight. Whoa, this school is hardcore! A seven year old girl is talking about fights like it’s a part of her daily routine. The last time a fight was that tangible to me was in a McDonald’s playscape when i was in elementary school.
Beyond the yoga, I was impressed by the fact that these three guys were helping their pupils out in their schoolwork. Making a underprivileged child understand school topics that, let’s face it, most kids don’t care about is an impressive feat, and these men do it with a Ghandi-like aura of humbleness and charity. What’s more, this isn’t just a handful of children we’re talking about, but over a thousand kids! I believe that this video is an inspiration and that this cause should be more widely publicized. The use of yoga to calm frenetic minds and heal painful wounds is something that can go a long way to making sure that just because you live in the shadow of a decaying cityscape doesn’t mean that you have to suffer for it. I applause these men’s selfless charity done out of the goodness of their hearts.
Jesse, you write an apt description of what often clouds our judgment when we visit a new place, whether in person, or via text or video. You call it “societal bias,” and I’m glad that you both recognized it and allowed it to dissipate. You also note that these men have reached over a thousand kids through their program; clearly the adults in the local schools have seen positive results.
I like how you point out the idea that where one lives in childhood does not seal one’s fate for life. How do you think this program could gain wider recognition? And what benefits might follow?
After watching all three videos, I selected the video “Teaching Lessons On and Off the Matt.” This video portrays a very strong message that I think anyone can relate to. This story should have a wide audience because it teaches you lessons you can use your whole life. Everyone gets stressed, it’s a part of life, however, these children found the right way to control their anger and frustration. This sends a good message out to any child: If you just relax and find some way to escape real life, even if it’s just once a week you will find yourself much happier. Sometimes you just need a little time to escape reality and not think about school or work.
I can draw a personal connection to this story because with midterms coming up soon, I’ve been finding myself stressed. After having long and full days of learning, I go straight to track practice and then go home to do my homework. This can be frustrating and I get tired and bored, but if I find something to relax me such as taking a break for a little when I get home, I get through my homework a lot faster and find myself remembering more.
I think that it is a good opportunity for the children in that neighborhood because there will be less violence and less problems. The three men responsible for these free yoga sessions have helped the city. Before having this relaxing break, most children would commit crimes and start fights. After having this chance to escape the stress, the children will be less likely to cause problems and the will know how to channel their frustration better.
As Ms. A was wondering, I too wondered if these men were just helping to be generous or if they were getting paid. I believe that they aren’t getting paid because it’s where they lived and they don’t like what has become of the city. That isn’t how they left it. They want to restore what had been when they were little. I also wonder if this will last and the children will always resort to yoga to relax instead of violence. Will the parents follow in their children’s footsteps and find a way to channel anger or frustration?
Sarah, you’ve done a good job organizing your response into distinct paragraphs. Your own appreciation of the need for relaxation emphasizes the point that even when a story seems far removed from our lives, there are strong connections waiting to be recognized. People helping others is universal.
You ask a good question about whether the kids’ parents will also take up yoga. Do you think that this is possible? What benefits would come from this–for the kids and the parents? Linger with the question to make your thoughts clear in your writing.
I am writing about “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears”. I found this to be a very inspirational story about 15 year old Charlie Cardillo. In the video Charlie was bullied about his ears that did not have normal folds and looked different from most other people. Although, I can’t personally put myself into Charlie’s shoes I know it must have been hard for him always getting bullied. In fact on a survey 6% of kids have said they have felt too scared, from bullies, to go to school. I felt very depressed watching this video but at the same time happy. Although, Charlie had been bullied he was elated to get his ears fixed. In fact Charlie said they were “Amazing” which he had never really said before. That really made me happy to know how much it meant to him to get his ears fixed.
“Children who are bullied at school over several years are up to four times more likely to develop psychotic-like symptoms by the time they reach adulthood”. This quote shows how much damage bullying can psychologically do to a person. In fact I believe that if Charlie wasn’t bullied then he wouldn’t have been as joyful about his “new” ears as he was. He must have thought it would be the end of his bullying. I think this is a very relatable topic that may not only reach the kids getting bullied but the bullies as well. If bullies saw this video they may finally understand the trauma and pain they are causing other students.
While watching this video I kept on thinking whether or not Charlie will stop getting bullied or if it will continue. I really hope that things will change for him, because neither he nor anybody deserves to get bullied. I wish I knew how it turned out for him. I also wonder how the doctor and his business are doing because they sound like they are really turning around people’s lives, and I really hope that they wouldn’t go bankrupt or anything like that.
John Abbott
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090503213612.htm
kidshealth.org › Kids › Dealing With Feelings
John, I think that “joyful” is a good word to describe Charlie’s reaction following his surgery. I’m glad that you find this story inspirational, and that you think it could encourage bullies to change their behavior. The quotation you include is unsettling, but interesting to know. (Remember that a quotation must be integrated into a sentence; it cannot stand alone as the whole sentence.)
You also write that the doctor is doing good work. This is true, and I imagine that his plastic surgery practice is thriving. For better or worse, this no doubt is a field that will continue to make money in America…
In the video, “Teaching Lessons on and off the mat,” intrigued me greatly. I believe that Ali and Atman Smith have literally saved many young lives; from a dark fate that had awaited them with drugs and violence. Even one young girl, interviewed in the video, has admitted, that without these men teaching yoga, she would have gotten into many fights. Thankfully, she remembered her ‘‘deep breathing’’ and was able to walk away from it.
Not only did they teach yoga, they tutored their kids as well, helping them excel in school, and get better grades. Like we all know, the better your grades are, there is a broader span of occupations open to you.
We all have in some way witnessed this “dark fate,” happening to people, and sadly, even to friends. In my last school, I had a very wide range of classmates, from very fortunate people, to people in extreme poverty. When I look at how some of my old friends have grown up, I am saddened to see that my more poverty-stricken friends have not grown up to reach their full potential. This may sound silly, but I wonder if those friends had these yoga classes offered to them, if they would have turned out differently. Like the children in the video, the first class, they were “out of control, and were getting into fights with each other.” In record time, they got these children to behave perfectly, and work together with one another.
Through further research, studies show that these children have been able to experience a more positive outlook on life,and possibly walk away with a better future, all because of yoga. Even adults are looking to it as well, to try and experience the same positive energy that others are having through yoga.
Even though these two men are practically heroes to these children, I wonder if they are paid to do it, even though their class is free to the students.
After watching these three videos, the third one, “Teaching Lessons On and Off the Mat” seemed really inspirational to me. The fact that they help children so that they won’t be as affected by street violence and fighting is a very good cause. Street violence between children that do the yoga is probably lower than those who have never tried yoga. Just as an example, one girl in the video said that when she feels the urge to fight she works on her breathing to calm down. This shows that yoga helps improve the lives of those that participate in yoga even at a young age. Too, the older man in the video who told about how the discovery of yoga changed the course of his life supports how influential yoga is. I find the men who started this program very inspiring. They are changing generations and influencing positive energy into the lives of those who may not have much positive energy to begin with.
This video should have a wide audience because it helps the choices of many individuals. If this became a nationwide program for inner city kids then maybe violence would not be as big of a problem as it currently is. This story makes me think of how fortunate I am to have sports and activities in our area where in bad areas they might not be that easy to come by. To some degree, having activities to do after school provides structure in life. Most children in bad areas don’t have anything after school and they slip into the ways of the streets because there’s no alternative. Yoga is positive and relaxing way to spend time off the streets and making better choices. I wonder why more schools don’t try to provide their students with activities. The three men in “Teaching Lessons On and Off the Mat” show that there still is kind and care within our society for the good of a community. I wish I could meet more people like them.
I chose to watch Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students because inside I’m an avid dog lover. Currently, there are three dogs roaming my mom’s house, two that are permanent and one that’s a foster. My mom and her boyfriend have been fostering numerous dogs for the better part of four years. With as many as 4 dogs in our house at one time, I can say with confidence that I have had decent experience with man’s best friend.
In reply to this video, I deeply agree that any dog can have an invaluable effect on a person especially in stress-related situations. Can anyone honestly say that when you see a dog “smile” or see their tail wag that you don’t become at least slightly happy yourself? Every day I come home from school and open the door to witness two or three purely happy dogs. My stress just melts away in that second, which is why I strongly agree with this video’s message.
The idea that dogs can influence college students during exams or even just day to day life is incredible. We all know that therapy dogs are great in hospitals and nursing homes but how about in school? It’s a great thing to see pets become ever more important in people’s lives. Studies show that people who have an animal companion generally live longer and happier lives than others who do not. As they said in the video, “Even though dogs aren’t real therapists, they do provide real therapy.” My feeling is that if college students can have decreased stress from dogs, why can’t every person and/or school?
Hi, Ms. A! I’m so sorry that I responded this late, it won’t happen again, I promise! But, I chose to watch “Therapy Dogs Help Anxious Students.” I chose to watch this video because I have two dogs myself, and have had three more in the past, so I have many good experiences with them and I love them. As I watched this video, I learned a lot of new things about how beneficial dogs really can be. I know that they personally make me feel gleeful inside when I come home to them jumping up on me and licking my face out of pure joy and excitement just to see me. They do it every time I step into the house, even if I have been gone for 10 minutes. It’s nice to know that someone loves you just as much as you love them, even if it is animal, since they have feelings too. However, this video has taught me that these animals reduce your stress as a student, especially around the time of exams, which would be about now, they reduce your blood pressure and your heart rate, and just make you calm.
Now that I think about it though, these facts are genuinely true. Once I come home and see my dogs, they lift my mood if I’m sad, or even if I’m happy, they make me even happier. Also, dogs are there as a friend. I often find myself talking to my dogs (I have a golden retriever named Keiko and an Australian Shepard named Sadie) and almost venting to them about problems in my life, because sometimes I have no one else to talk to just get my feelings out. I want someone there to listen to me, and I know my dogs are paying attention to me, even if they don’t understand. In this manner, dogs really do relieve built-up stress and anxiety. When they’re happy, it spreads to people’s emotions. It’s like a wave; it’s contagious.
Now that I know that dogs help humans take away stress, I think I just might go play and spend time with my own dogs if I’m feeling a bit anxious over school and mid-terms. This will probably help a lot, since I tend to build and build and build stress up inside until I want to burst. Before I watched this video, I never really opened my eyes up to how wonderful these animals can be. I have taken them for granted, but now that I am aware of their importance to me, I will make sure to appreciate them much more than before.
I choose to respond to the second link “Bullied Boy All Smiles after Operation to Fix Ears.” I found this posting to be the most interesting because of how brave and tough Charlie. In a world were appearance means more than it should Charlie not only has to deal with ridicule from down syndrome but also that his ears stick out more then usual. How a person is treated shouldn’t be based on there appearance but based on the type of person they are and sadly that is not the case in many situations. I am guilty of worrying about appearance more then I should always want the best and most fashionable clothes out. I admire Charlie for staying happy and strong through all the bulling he receives. It put a smile on my face when Charlie was so happy about his new ears but then reality set back in and I realized it wouldn’t be the end of the bullying for Charlie. That was when I truly started to feel bad for Charlie, who can blame a 15 year old kid for trying to fit in? Every kid in our high school at one time or another has probably done something they didn’t want to do or normally wouldn’t do to try to fit. However nobody should ever have to change anything about themselves to fit in and especially not as far as surgery. Shortly after watching the video I felt bad for Charlie but after more consideration I felt bad for society that our society is so quick to judge people who are a little different and for the people who are a little different and get bullied for it. I hope things turn around for Charlie and that he continues to be a happy kid.