Dear Brown MS Community,
As I have shared many times, we work very hard at Brown MS to make sure students feel a sense of belonging. Yesterday we did an extended advisory lesson to help students recognize and discuss the impact of ostracism. They did a role play where 3 students sit together on a train. The student in the middle had a party over the weekend, and their parents put a limit on the number of kids that could attend. The two students sitting on the outside seats were not invited, but they don’t know about the limited number. They feel angry so they ignore the middle student and only talk to each other despite the middle students attempts to join the conversation.
At our faculty meeting Wednesday Mr. Carter, Ms. Messina and Mr. Mathieu practiced the role play.
Students acted out the ostracism role play while their advisor and fellow advisees observe.
Advisories then discussed the definition of ostracism, shared how it would make them feel to be any of the students in the role play, and discussed the following questions.
- Why might kids ostracize?
- What could they do instead?
- How might you spot someone being ostracized?
- What could you do to help someone feel included?
Below are some responses from advisories.
- One reason someone might ostracize someone is to make themselves feel better. In lieu of it, they could try to include others in conversation, engagement, and friendship.
- Kids may ostracize because they feel uncomfortable with someone else. They can try to get to know someone first.
- Reasons for ostracizing = getting back at someone or you don’t get along with each other
- Something we could do instead = talk about your feelings, ask why they did what they did…..
- We can notice that there are people around us that might be different (which is ok) and include them because they’re important, too.
- Even if they’re not your favorite person/close friend, you can still make an effort to notice them and be nice.
- Smile and say hello to classmates, especially those who might seem shy or lonely. A simple greeting can make someone feel seen and appreciated.
Statements like these give me hope. Being an upstander is something that takes thought, maturity and courage – all skills students are still developing. We are invested in building their empathy so that all students feel they belong in this special community.
The cold weather was tough this week with wind chills making it feel like it was in the single digits! We did our best to provide outside time at laps at lunch each day, but there were a couple of days where we just couldn’t do it. I am convinced that cold feels different for middle schoolers than it does for adults. I remember as a parent struggling to get my middle schoolers to wear their warm coats in the winter. This video came up in my feed yesterday and it made laugh. Hopefully it makes you chuckle, too!
Enjoy the weekend!
Kim Lysaght