How SMS silenced a generation

[Le_Dark_Lord]

This is an extract from The Sunday Mail on June 17, 2007.

Teachers are struggling to deal with a new generation of primary school "invisible children" who are lost in a world of computer games and are too timid to speak up in class.
Some of these children have not developed social skills because their world revolves around cyberspace and sending text messages.
Others show the symptoms of mental health problems - of the result of family breakdown - which can lead to depression.
Queensland Association of State School Principals president Tony McGruther said schools were developing strategies for these children.
"Some kids are good at sitting below the radar - it's quite a phenomenon," he said.
"There are large numbers of children who are passively disengaged. They sometimes have mental health issues. They retreat. They are more likely to be the kids who later suffer from depression."
Queensland is yet to undertake a proper survey, but the Department of Education in Britain estimates there are tens of thousands of invisible children.
There "quiet and undemanding" students easily cope with their work at age seven, but four years later begin to fail.
Policy changes just introduced in Britain require teachers not use a "hands up" policy for getting kids to answer questions in class because it exposes these timid students.
The problem for teachers, though, is if they select a student to answer a question that child might late be bullied by classmates if they get it wrong.
But Mr McGruther said Queensland teachers were working on several strategies, including seating students in groups, rather then in rows facing the blackboard, which encourages them to work together.
Psychologist and social researcher Mark McCrindle said he had addressed Queensland secondary school principals on the failure of students to develop social skills.
"You have this whole group who have turned to the world of texting. They're on the computer, mobile phones." Mr McCrindle said.
"It leads to no expansion of their confidence or comfort zones. It's a generation who has grown up with a safety net. They're cocooned, bubble-wrapped kids. The bulk of these kids are less active, less confident socially and they're younger longer."
Mr McCrindle suggested for many children living alone with their parents without brothers or sister, the solution lies in involving them in sporting groups or associations such as Scouts, which teaches them life lessons.
Sign of an invisible child:
-They are quiet and undemanding
-Don't mind not getting immediate attention and will sit for long periods waiting for it.
-Are uncomfortable with open-ended questions
-Have strategies to avoid the teachers gaze.
-If a boy, bubbly and keen to respond, but unlikely to think before responding."

Only reason i have posted this is because this is a gaming community, believe it or not, which is (or was originally) centered around a free MMORP which young children play when they cannot do anything.

The issue with SMS - SMS, or Short Message System, allows us to easily contact our friends or relatives for (usually) only 20c. The convienience of SMS is what makes it so popular with the modern generation who like to get things done ASAP without much drama.

The issue with the internet - It's addictive. Alot of people do not know how to manage an online life and a real life.
The internet allows us to type up a whole message, edit it THEN send it. Much easier then real life where you cannot edit it what you say.
Playing RPG's allow us to live the life we wish we could without the hassle of money (in some cases) skills, or even whether it exists or not.
Alot of people with shitty lives spend their life on a computer because it allows them to be who they want to be and sometimes, helps them block their problems in life for that time they are online.

Discuss.

 

[Le_Dark_Lord]

My Opinion -
Parents and peers are to blame. thats my opinion, don't sit there and say "LIAH NEWB!!!1" because that's just my opinion based on my life.
Alot of children are street smart because their parent let them out and about.
Others are not allowed out, cooped up in the house, so they rely on their computer for company.
Being cooped up in the house prevents us from socialising with people in our area, sometimes resulting in our friends (met at school) living 4 suburbs away or only having online friends.
Because they don't socialise, they cannot expand their skills and sometimes dont gain a proper hobby (other then the computer).

Because you haven't got the skills, hobbies and socialising skills, it is hard to get along with alot of people at school.
The "invisible student" is often subject to pointless bullying on whatever small mistake the more dominate personalities see.

Personally, i believe parents should let teenagers go to shopping centres by themselves or go out skating/riding without friends.
This gives them a sense of responsibilty and independancy.
Who cares if they get in fights? It can build character.
Dont worry if they get in with gangs, make sure you educated you child from an early age about the problems caused by smoking, drinking and doing drugs.

To my fellow teenagers: Go out and enjoy your life. Go out on your BMX or your skateboard and practice tricks. Go to bowls, make jumps from dirt, if you see someone our riding/skating nod you head at them, its a sign of respect.
Ask them if they can do any tricks, if they are sitting around, ask them if they know where any jumps are.
If there is a well known jump, their will always be people there.
Socialise with the people.
When it gets dark, go home, hop on your computer and play your game.
relaxation is more rewarding then.

 

[Sp pker5]

My Opinion -
Parents and peers are to blame. thats my opinion, don't sit there and say "LIAH NEWB!!!1" because that's just my opinion based on my life.
Alot of children are street smart because their parent let them out and about.
Others are not allowed out, cooped up in the house, so they rely on their computer for company.
Being cooped up in the house prevents us from socialising with people in our area, sometimes resulting in our friends (met at school) living 4 suburbs away or only having online friends.
Because they don't socialise, they cannot expand their skills and sometimes dont gain a proper hobby (other then the computer).

Because you haven't got the skills, hobbies and socialising skills, it is hard to get along with alot of people at school.
The "invisible student" is often subject to pointless bullying on whatever small mistake the more dominate personalities see.

Personally, i believe parents should let teenagers go to shopping centres by themselves or go out skating/riding without friends.
This gives them a sense of responsibilty and independancy.
Who cares if they get in fights? It can build character.
Dont worry if they get in with gangs, make sure you educated you child from an early age about the problems caused by smoking, drinking and doing drugs.

To my fellow teenagers: Go out and enjoy your life. Go out on your BMX or your skateboard and practice tricks. Go to bowls, make jumps from dirt, if you see someone our riding/skating nod you head at them, its a sign of respect.
Ask them if they can do any tricks, if they are sitting around, ask them if they know where any jumps are.
If there is a well known jump, their will always be people there.
Socialise with the people.
When it gets dark, go home, hop on your computer and play your game.
relaxation is more rewarding then.

why would you want to go riding or to the mall alone? so you can look like a loser with no friends

 

[masterkiller]

I think being social is VERY important in life. If you work in a business, you always need to work with other people. Working in a law firm, you have to know people. When your sick or down, theres gotta be someone to help you. Some of the richest people in the world have many "connections" that put them where they are.

 

[the_wippit]

i think that its the oppisite for me, like they said parents and peers are to blame for that, but although mmorpg's cut down on my social "time" ive become more outgoing cuase on rs i can just be mylsef and act how i want and talk and meet ppl all the time and it helps me become more like that irl

 

[xFloaTeR]

why would you want to go riding or to the mall alone? so you can look like a loser with no friends

Another thing there, caring what people think.

Obviously meet up with some friends or do something, who gives a shit if some random person you'll probably never meet again says: "Look at that loser by himself! LAWL"

 

I believe that there are a number of facets to this.

You cannot directly blame the internet or mobile phones for the problem. That would be much the same as blaming the gun for killing someone. These are just tools of communication and interaction, and as such are the means, not the cause.

The problem, I feel begins quite early on. When you begin to give deadlines to 12 and 13 year olds from multiple subjects, multiple teachers, this is much the same as having multiple masters. Being party to great deals of stress during the key stages of neural development is probably one of the key causes of many youth related problems.

Children who are stressed, but cannot and do not realize it, and are too inexperienced to cope with it, will subconsciously look for ways to escape reality. This is where the internet, drugs and T.V. come into play. Their real individual life is so hard for them to control, that they just spend all their time trying to pretend it doesn’t exist, trying to run away.

Now the problem complicates when the child is diagnosed with a ‘mental illness’ along comes mainstream medicine and puts them on some sort of highly poisonous and life shortening drug, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These drugs fix nothing, they simply mask the symptoms and create problems of their own.

So, in my mind, the problem is the attitude of the pervious generation: that people should be trained to ‘work hard’ from birth and to achieve. What they are too foolish to realize is that humans are not designed to be on edge 24 hours a day, least of all while their brains are still growing.

The stress mounts, and it mounts. Everyone has an expectation. There are social standards, standards your parents set, standards individual teachers set, standards your friends expect, standards the T.V. expects. Everyone wants everything, and you’re never good enough for any of them. Someone is always disappointed and you simply cant win, such is the inevitable problem with having multiple masters.

Of course this childish, foolish and demanding behavior with respect to educating children causes problems! How naïve of the mainstream to believe it does not. We need look no further than how utterly fucked up Japanese youth is to see what ultra stress does to the developing mind.

In closing, boys and girls, something always has to give. You can’t keep up the charade forever. Just make sure you realize it is not you who are unworthy, but those who have expectations of you. It is those people who are the fool, despite how much they care about you they will run you into the ground until you explode. Make sure you direct your discomfort and the emotions thereof at them, and not inwardly, for it can be a danger to your own health.

 

[WiZzi1]

=() he speaks!

 

[x⁹]

I believe that there are a number of facets to this.

You cannot directly blame the internet or mobile phones for the problem. That would be much the same as blaming the gun for killing someone. These are just tools of communication and interaction, and as such are the means, not the cause.

The problem, I feel begins quite early on. When you begin to give deadlines to 12 and 13 year olds from multiple subjects, multiple teachers, this is much the same as having multiple masters. Being party to great deals of stress during the key stages of neural development is probably one of the key causes of many youth related problems.

Children who are stressed, but cannot and do not realize it, and are too inexperienced to cope with it, will subconsciously look for ways to escape reality. This is where the internet, drugs and T.V. come into play. Their real individual life is so hard for them to control, that they just spend all their time trying to pretend it doesn’t exist, trying to run away.

Now the problem complicates when the child is diagnosed with a ‘mental illness’ along comes mainstream medicine and puts them on some sort of highly poisonous and life shortening drug, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These drugs fix nothing, they simply mask the symptoms and create problems of their own.

So, in my mind, the problem is the attitude of the pervious generation: that people should be trained to ‘work hard’ from birth and to achieve. What they are too foolish to realize is that humans are not designed to be on edge 24 hours a day, least of all while their brains are still growing.

The stress mounts, and it mounts. Everyone has an expectation. There are social standards, standards your parents set, standards individual teachers set, standards your friends expect, standards the T.V. expects. Everyone wants everything, and you’re never good enough for any of them. Someone is always disappointed and you simply cant win, such is the inevitable problem with having multiple masters.

Of course this childish, foolish and demanding behavior with respect to educating children causes problems! How naïve of the mainstream to believe it does not. We need look no further than how utterly fucked up Japanese youth is to see what ultra stress does to the developing mind.

In closing, boys and girls, something always has to give. You can’t keep up the charade forever. Just make sure you realize it is not you who are unworthy, but those who have expectations of you. It is those people who are the fool, despite how much they care about you they will run you into the ground until you explode. Make sure you direct your discomfort and the emotions thereof at them, and not inwardly, for it can be a danger to your own health.

That just about sums up all my complaints about the education system in Australia.

Technology isn't the problem, it's the overyly-high expectations (students/children must spend their time doing homework/study while not at school) that drive people to try escape reality.

 

[Le_Dark_Lord]

why would you want to go riding or to the mall alone? so you can look like a loser with no friends

I don't mean your by yourself the whole time.
I mean that you don't have to neccercerily have a set time with friends.
You just got out and ring up some friends and say, 'Meet up at..' i do it all the time.

 

[Macroman]

Its called self controll
its able to live in a balanced life not to much of one thing just balanced
i know some people who cant get off the sms Machine (phone)
He uses $200 Credit a Month

Also Apparently the txt messaging is declining literacy in Australia
Thats Bull they always just want to blame it on Something

 

[Le_Dark_Lord]

I agree with x9, i have believed that since the age of 7.
Teachers seem to believe the only important thing in a students life is school, when in most cases, it isn't.
The youth of today (age 6 - 19) care about mainly 3 things, not in any order:

1) What people think about them (hence Sp Pker's sarcastic comment)
2) Keeping their friends (especially girl/boy friends for the teenagers)
3) Their sporting commitments (Does not exist for some)

Also, Sythe has brought forward a good point of view which has made even me think...

The problem, I feel begins quite early on. When you begin to give deadlines to 12 and 13 year olds from multiple subjects, multiple teachers, this is much the same as having multiple masters. Being party to great deals of stress during the key stages of neural development is probably one of the key causes of many youth related problems.

This ties in with x9's comment.
Multiple assignments (essays for the Americans), pieces of homework and teachers can make school life difficult.
It also doesn't help when you get an after school detention, especially when it interferes with sporting commitments (i just dont go to the arvo, fuck school).
I'm glad you mentioned the friends expectations as well, Sythe.
Peer pressure is an un-avoidable aspect of growing up.
Bullying, i believe, is just as bad as the school assignments.
The sad thing is, bullying is often carried out into the real world and in some cases, gangs of children are picking on the one little kid.

 

[Le_Dark_Lord]

its able to live in a balanced life not to much of one thing just balanced

This is why i believe going out as soon as you get home is a better option.
Go out in your school clothes if you can and wash/dry them overnight.

Also Apparently the txt messaging is declining literacy in Australia
Thats Bull they always just want to blame it on Something

Not true, there is proof in my school that 1337 (leet) speak has caused a massive decline in literacy.

Although it can be seen as the teachers fault, it can become a common thing writing 'u' instead of 'you' or 'rents' instead of 'parents'.

Also, the use of slang ('whats happening') can be used to blame for the poor grammar and sentence structure used today.