My site is for smart kids with big dreams! 
by Marie Brewer (retired teacher)        

“It’s Crunch Time”,an interactive book for boys (9-12) by Marie Brewer.
 

Excerpt on FRIENDS: “Know yourself and choose friends who are smart like you. Everyone has friends who are different from themselves. You should choose who has the best gifts to bring to your life. These gifts may include: kindness, respect and honesty. Hanging out with the dudes who know answers to the schoolwork questions may not be so bad when mom sees that report card. You do not have to be cool or smart. You can be both! Smart guys go to college and get really good jobs. A good life is waiting for you. Some friends are bad for you. Bad friends may want to stick to you like chewing gum on the bottom of your shoe. Keep these people away. Stay away from them and you will feel better.” (end of excerpt)

Excerpt on Respect: “Give respect to others and ask others to respect you. Studying for a test is important. Playing a game of basketball with your friend is fun. If you have to go inside early to study, ask your friends to respect your decision. Learn to say “please”, “excuse me”, and “thank you” to others when necessary. Knock on the door when you enter someone’s room. This shows that you respect him or her. Show the world your good manners and good will come back to you. Tell how you will respect the feelings of others:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What should we do when others do not show us respect?” (end of excerpt)

“For Smart Girls Only” for girls 11-14 by Marie Brewer
Go to www.amazon.com, type in the name of the book,$12.95 paperback, $1.99 on kindle

“Your school nurse or counselor will be able to find more information about alcohol. Drinking alcohol is not a game and has no place in your young life. Ear candy: There are adults and teenagers who drink while driving a vehicle. Many things could happen if you ride with a driver who has been drinking large amounts of alcohol. The car or truck could crash and people could get hurt. Watch out for yourself when you are around others who drink alcohol. Make smart choices. You are in control of what goes into your body! Quiz it: What are your thoughts about kids under 21 who choose to drink alcohol? What would you do if someone was drinking and wanted to drive you home?”

street safety: " If you are walking home on a sidewalk, look around to see who is near you. Be alert and walk with friends. Look both ways when you cross the street. Make sure that all vehicles have come to a stop. Walk swiftly across the street. If you take your time crossing the street, a vehicle could hit you. Beware of strangers in cars, trucks, or vans who stop to ask you or friends for directions. They may ask if you have seen their lost pet. Stay far away from the vehicle and get help. There are people who have guns and knives in their homes. These are weapons. This could be dangerous. Never play with a weapon. If you see anyone playing with a gun or weapon, go to a safe area. Be careful on the street, sidewalks, and driveways. Vehicles are heavy and go much faster than you can walk. Pay attention to traffic lights, stop signs, and other street signs."

 

Bullying - (one teacher’s perspective)
Bullies intimidate or mistreat a weaker person. It is the process of taking advantage of someone who may be in a vulnerable position. How many incidents have we heard of that involved a child being bullied? There have been too many instances and it continues to occur daily. I have had the displeasure of encountering bullies, perhaps you have too. No one knows all of the reasons why it happens. Maybe the bully has grown up in a horrible environment and their inner anger is taken out on others. It could be a dissatisfaction with a situation that is beyond their control. The loss of a parent, divorce, verbal or physical abuse, lack of guidance, or other disruptions within the family unit could trigger these behaviors in some children. Whatever the cause, most of us would agree that the child has feelings of low self-worth and unresolved anger issues. The bully picks those who are easily overcome or defeated. The act of overpowering ,threatening, or mistreating others may give them a feeling of contentment. It may give them a feeling of sudden power that they feel is lacking in their lives. It has been my experience that the bully does not usually exhibit his behaviors in the classroom or in a closely supervised setting. They will approach kids in the hallway, cafeteria, bathroom, stair way, sidewalk, on the school bus, playground, or outside of the school environment. This makes it difficult for the teacher, staff, or administration to catch them in the actual act. Many times if the incident is reported to the principal, their hands are tied if there are no witnesses. Schools have procedures to follow. This leaves a feeling of helplessness for the victim, parents, teachers, counselors, and the school. The incidents may fall through the cracks. No one wins when this happens. In a perfect world, no one would ever become a bully or have to deal with one. The reality is that this behavior exists. What can individuals do to resolve the issue of bullying? That answer may be found within the individual families of the victim and the culprit.
1. Parenting: Each parent is responsible for creating a healthy home environment for their children. Communicate with the child daily and be aware of any changes in their behavior. Speak to your child’s friends to see if anything has upset them. Provide your child with a journal. They may prefer to write down on paper what cannot be said aloud. Let your child know that you love them and will help with this problem.
2. Stay in contact with your child’s school personnel. Counseling from the schools may be able available to assist with the problem. Keep in mind that many school counselors have enormous caseloads and may not be able to give “one-on-one” time. There may be services in your community that can help. Non-profits, churches, community organizations, or support groups may be available to provide support.
3. Provide books or e books on bullying for your child to read. Read the books with them. Discuss the information and ask questions to ensure their understanding.

For the bully:
1. Recognize your pain and where it came from.
2. Know that everyone has problems in their lives. Hurting others will not erase those problems.
3. People are there to listen to you. Talk about it. Ask for help.
4. Decide if you want kindness or misery to be your friend.
5. Write down 3 things that you like about yourself.
6. Begin loving yourself.
7. Anger is a monster. You have to control it.