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RESEARCH & NEWS: The New Village
In an era of American communities disjointed by technology and diminished face-to-face interactions, schools are where the community has the greatest opportunity to connect. Perhaps schools are our modern day villages? And research suggests that we need the social ties that villages provide. By creating an environment of connectivity founded on meaningful interpersonal relationships, schools can function as the hub of a community, conducive to a healthy, safe and happy place for students to grow. Schools can become the village it takes to raise a child.
According to recent studies this kind of connected village atmosphere is proven to not only build character but to prevent bullying and aggression. One of the reasons being that a large motivation for bullying is the desire to connect and belong. So how do we build our school village? A network of this nature is developed through opportunities for students, parents, teachers, staff and teachers to talk to each other. Conversations can naturally build relationships, but they aren’t always easy to have, especially when the most common medium for communication today is through our cell phones. Technology, used in a meaningful way, can stimulate conversation that students, parents, and teachers can all relate to in order to foster the emotional connections.
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