I asked this in the Arts and Crafts section about an artist named Gorky (whose real name was something Armenian). All his life he pretended to be different identities, and he eventually hung himself.
I get to teach this guy to fifthgraders.
I'm curious, though. What topics are appropriate for what age? Clearly such things are not fixed.
At what age is it appropriate to talk about things like suicide, death, killing, drugs, the games people play, sexuality, political scandals, gossip, politics, apostate religions, psychic powers, pagans, where meat comes from, betrayal, rape, cow-tipping, addiction, that strange smell from Uncle Gray, Joey's two mommies, divorce, rocky-mountain oysters, silicon breast implants, car insurance, sportstars, avian bird flu, money, you name it?
Are there Politically correct, published guidelines on what is best to present at what age and what children will understand or won't understand?
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
99% of those things should be a parents responsiblity and each child is different. I have one child that I can tell things to at an earlier age than another child. It isn't just how mentally developed a child is but I tend to also look at whether they are spiritually mature enough as well.
Of course because so many kids in school are being raised by daycare and don't have parents to teach them the schools are almost forced to take over being mom and dad and teach them stuff way before I would like. In some cases like with GLBT issues there is also an agenda pushing that stuff on kids earlier and earlier.
Ray, some of the kids might actually know more than you do on some of those things.
OTOH some kids don't make connections as well. My boys still have not quite figured out that 1) dad goes deer hunting 2) dad brings home deer 3) dad grinds deer into hamburger 4) we eat hamburger 5) kids "hate" deer but eat the hamburger. Makes me worry actually sometimes, crazy kids.
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Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
I've found my kids to be great absorbers of fact, without all the impact our mature brains assign to the facts. I'm pretty willing to let my kids see or hear about what comes along, along with parental commentary. With certain limits of course.
Cats drag in a dead bird? Show it to the kids and answer any questions. Beloved dog wanders off one night and dies? Show the 5 yr old the body, and spend the next 2 years looking at pictures and videos, talking about the dog, her place in the family, the sorrow we feel because she's gone. Give them the words they need to express themselves. Talk about who dies, when they die, and what they die of. Talk about eating vegetables to stay healthy.
Hi-speed car chase on TV? Watch it, along with commentary about how the person is doing really dangerous stuff and puting people at risk. Ask them how they'd like to be in that car he just crashed into. Cheer and applaud when the cops finally throw the guy over the hood and cuff him.
Looking for a halloween costume? Make sure you show your disgust as you look at all the costumes that dress pre-teen girls up like prostitutes and boy toys.
Overall, if the kids feel comfortable communicating with you, they'll ask what they need to as things come. But when something comes you weren't expecting, make dang sure you openly and accurately discuss it without freaking.
LM
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And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, seven hours every day. That would be the sweetest thing of all.
As a teacher, I base my judgment on what is developmentally appropriate rather than what is age appropriate. That requires careful consideration of many factors.
I think you're fine with teaching Gorky to eleven-year-olds. They've been exposed to so much more objectionable stuff that an artist who committed suicide isn't going to impact them negatively in any way that I can think of. They can probably name at least three popular entertainers who have offed themselves in recent years. And statistically, three of those kids in a group of twenty have already had sex.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
