Characters.

So since I'm still trying to decide what to major in, and I took this awesome education class, we had to write an essay on Character Education and whether or not it should be taught to students.

First of all, why is this even a question!?

Maybe I just feel rather strong about this particular address, but seriously, people. Do you even know how many people I have met that could have benefited from just a small hour of Character Education back in high school?

I had the fantastic privilege that my parents taught me to not discriminate, befriend anyone who looks like they need one, and just be a kind, accepting, not an a-hole person in general. Some people, unfortunately weren't raised how I was, and we can't necessarily blame them.

Here is my thought process: 

You learn SO much during school. Not only on the education spectrum, but on your own personal level as well. You are spending a whole day practically with other kids who are going through a million things that you have no idea about. You don't know why that girl wears the same shirt everyday; maybe she doesn't have any other means to get another one. You don't know that the boy who sits alone at lunch has severe social anxiety, and when you do find that out, why would you tease them about it? These are things that they can't help.

I've decided that the kids who have to tear down others to get to the top, are the kids who in their home life, are treated the same way. They've been raised that way or they haven't been raised at all.

Honestly, middle school is the worst. It's the time when you are finding yourself and going through all sorts of other changes, and it's also when bullying plays the biggest factor. I wasn't necessarily 'bullied', but I do know someone who was, and seeing her struggle everyday, was the hardest thing I've had to do. If there was only a class, just for an hour a day, that gave kids a reason to only point out the good in people and how to treat your fellow peers.

In this day and age where social media plays such a prevalent part in our lives, I feel like bullying has gotten worse because you can do it without even looking at the person. The other day I saw this tweet that said "If you don't like being cyberbullied, just turn the computer off. LOL." 

Umm, no. It's not that easy.

You may be able to turn the computer off, but everyone has already seen it, including you, and it's already put a tear in your self-esteem, and when you go to school the next day, you know that's what everyone is whispering about. In most cases, I feel like it also gets worse when you 'ignore' it, like all your teachers and parents say to. They don't know what those words are doing to you and making you feel. They have no idea.

This summer I read this book called 'Thirteen Reasons Why". It was the most enlightening, but yet dark, book I've ever read. This girl has thirteen reasons why she committed suicide, and the thirteen people who made her do it, makes tapes of why, and sends them to the people, just so they can get a feel of what she felt like, the feelings that made her take her own life. The thing I noticed the most in this book is the fact that they DID have a type of Character Education class, where as she was in there, she did feel like she mattered, even for a little while. 

But, sometimes that isn't enough.

You can only teach people so much, and just hope they bring those teachings into normal society with them and use them to their fullest extent. 

I make it a goal of mine everyday to compliment at least three people. Not only does this act make me feel better as a person, I hopefully brightened someone else's day(and found out where I can get some cute clothes from). 

If I do end up becoming a teacher, I will make it my everyday desire to make every student that walks into that door, feel like they matter and are cared for. I don't care if my future students don't take anything else away from my class than to treat people how they would want to be treated.

taliajune;