Congratulations, Students of the Month!

Congratulations to Zane Clifford and Sarah Tillusz!  These students have made tremendous efforts this month to Room 27 and to DPS and we are happy to acknowledge thier leadership.

http://youtu.be/qzA89vZig9A

Zane in action!

Gr 8 Steak Night

There were a few prizes not claimed on Saturday night:

Butterfly Condo (yellow ticket) # 581392

TJ's Pizza gift certificate (yellow ticket) # 581438

50/50 draw worth $225 (red ticket) # 377439

Please contact the school office 791-8580 if you have these tickets!

Remember to...

1)  Bring permission forms for Douglas Park track meet on Tuesday.

2)  Bring Farewell Photo order forms.  Re-takes can be arranged through Murray Roisin at Cornerstone photography (in-studio).

Math Test on Wednesday April 20

How to Study:

Review questions p. 424
#3 ab, #7, #9ab, #15 abc

For the test:
1)  Know advantages / disadvantages of each kind of graph.
2)  Know ways that graphs can be misleading.
3)  Be able to graph some given information using graph paper.
4)  Find the probabilty of an even with:
                      a)  Spinners
                      b)  Marbles

Identity

Identity formation relates to how individuals develop their personal identity and personality. Psychologist Erik Erikson extensively describes the formation of identity. Erik Erikson's theories of development state that identity formation is formed the most during adolescence when children are growing and maturing. While Erikson started the theories, it is psychologist James E. Marcia who identified four stages of identity formation wherein adolescents and adults form their personal identity.

1.  Identity Diffusion

o    In Marcia's theories, identity diffusion is the stage at which adolescents are not yet making choices or commitments. This is the stage when the child is not yet aware that he needs to make choices or commitments and instead does as he is told. Generally, the identity diffusion stage of identity formation is blind obedience to what the children or adolescents are told rather than what they believe.

Identity Foreclosed

o    The foreclosure stage of is the time when adolescents become aware of choices, but are not yet ready to make a personal choice. Instead, the adolescent tries to conform to the expectations of others. For example, an adolescent whose parents decide she will become a doctor might have the goal of becoming a doctor due to the expectations rather than personal wishes. This is the stage where the individual has not yet faced any crisis in identity.

Identity Crisis

o    The identity crisis, which Marcia also called a moratorium, is the stage of identity formation when there is exploration of various potential options and the adolescent is unsure of which path to follow. This is the time when an adolescent or young adult is starting to deal with having choices and recognizing that he might not want to follow the expected path. Typically, this is a time when the adolescent might follow several paths and try out different activities and lessons to find the best for personal enjoyment. A commitment is not yet made during this time.

Achievement

o    Achievement is the final stage where the decision is made and the adolescent or young adult is prepared to move into their personal path. The adolescent makes a conscious choice and identifies with the choice.She then starts working toward achieving the goals she has made and accepts herself as an individual.

Bottled Up

Alcoholism is a family disease. In spite of all the celebrities who

talk freely of their battles with alcohol, there is still little public

understanding of the effect that compulsive drinking and other

addictions have on families.

The Children of Alcoholics Foundation estimates that there

are seven million children under 18 living with an alcoholic

parent. These parents are unable to meet their child’s needs for

love, stability, care, and guidance most of the time. Not only

are children emotionally at risk because of the addicted parent,

but they are affected by the anxieties and helplessness of any

non-addicted members of the household as well.

Typically, most drinkers, like other addicts, deny they have

a problem. The family becomes involved in a conspiracy of

silence. Children learn to deny what they see and hear, to ignore

what they feel. They may brag and lie to peers to cover up for

what goes on at home and for things they lack. They feel jealous

and resentful of children who come from less troubled homes.

Children of alcoholics typically are isolated with their confusion,

guilt, anger, and anxiety. They are fearful of bringing friends

home, never knowing what they might witness. They don’t

talk to outsiders because of shame and guilt.

Experts identify four roles that children often take on to

survive in an alcoholic home. The hero or responsible child

learns at a young age to take responsibility for themselves

as well as the household. They tend to be organized and do

well, masking the turmoil they suffer inside. The lost child or

adjuster is pliable and undemanding, adapts to chaos, shrugs

off broken promises, hypercriticism, and abuse. The mascot

or clown attempts to be the peacemaker, feeling responsible

for the pain of the family. The scapegoat is a troublemaker who

often acts out in self-destructive ways and is most likely to be

the one identified as in need of services.

Where can they get help? Al-Anon is a fellowship of

relatives and friends of alcoholics who share experiences and

help families of alcoholics. Alateen, part of Al-Anon, is for teens

who have been adversely affected by someone else’s compulsive

drinking. Alateen teaches young teens the facts about alcoholism

in order to help them accept the addiction as a disease and to

realize that they are not responsible for the parent’s drinking.

They discuss common problems and experiences. It helps them

overcome denial and recognize how they feel—lonely, angry,

frustrated and frightened. It makes them see that they have been

asked to shoulder responsibilities inappropriate for their age.

Bottled Up

in helping a teen overcome the devastating effects of an

alcoholic family.shows how friends can be a positive influence

Fight!

Violence (physical fighting) is the major cause of intentional

injuries among adolescents, especially in urban areas. Violence

is the second leading cause of death for all 15-to-24-year-olds

and is the leading cause of death for black youths. Non-fatal

violence is less easily measured, yet it is thought to occur at

higher rates than homicide.

Acquaintance violence is violence between people who

know each other. Fighting is the type of violence that most

frequently and directly affects students and it is the type of

violence they can do the most to control.

Adolescents are prone to violence for several reasons.

First, their extreme self-consciousness makes them ultrasensitive

to embarrassment and unable to ignore verbal attacks.

Young adolescents are likely to feel that their entire sense of

self-esteem depends on the outcome of a particular conflict.

Also, boys go through a stage of extreme macho behavior as

they establish their sexual identity. Alcohol and drugs increase

the chances that a conflict will result in violence.

Adolescents are also influenced by the media which

glamorizes violence and aggression and presents them as an

acceptable way to resolve disputes. Another factor in violence

among teens is their immaturity in handling anger. Anger is a

normal reaction to rejection, disapproval, disappointment, or

frustration. Poverty and racism intensify frustration and anger.

Anger creates tension or stress, producing adrenaline that

prepares the body for fight or flight. We often think that striking

out or running away are the only choices in a conflict, but often

there are other options.

Fights don’t just happen. According to Deborah Prothrow-

Smith, M.D., author of “Violence Prevention: Curriculum

for Adolescents,” there is always a history to the relationship

in which certain ways of relating are established. A conflict

escalates. There is a provocation or confrontation. The fight

begins when there is an act of aggression, an attempt to

harm someone.

Helping adolescents to understand the risks of violence

and to learn healthy ways of handling their own anger as well

as anger toward them promotes the concept that violence is

preventable. In addition, learning to cope with bad feelings

and troublesome emotions builds self-esteem and successful

patterns of problem solving.