• - ' F
iTlje ^urflanh ©beertwr
B y L inda L yntieri
C ontributing W riter
from
T eachers
for
S ocial R esponsibility
M edia violence is an unwelcome
visitor in many hom es and schools.
If we neglect teaching peace, then
television, m usic, video games, and
toys will give our children clear
direction in term s of values to ad
here to, behavior to follow, and
ways to think.
Taking Action
So, what can parents and educa
tors do? We must begin by pulling
ourselves out of our num bness, ig
norance, and denial. We must make
a com m itm ent to looking at what is
going on in the m edia and how it is
influencing our children. We must
work together to create a society
where readily available technologies
nurture, rather than dam age, our
».»—• « • 1—• —I
..AXJ»
constructive, nonviolent conflict
resolution in our modern society.
C hildren of all ages need to see that
conflict resolution works out in the
O ne of the simplest yet most
im portant things we can do is to tell
children what we believe about these
issues, rather than leaving a vacuum
in their lives for the media to fill.
O ur kids cannot avoid all violent
toys or TV shows, but we can engage
them in critical debate about the
real world.
Model alternatives to
violence.
Let young people know that the
violent “solutions” to problems that
they see on TV or in movies are not
the only way to resolve conflicts. We
can show our children how to man
age this conflict peacefully by devel
oping the skills of conflict resolution.
issues they raise.
Help young people gain media
literacy skills.
Media images bom bard children
at such a rapid-fire pace that they
often don’t have time to sort through
the real messages behind the im
ages. Furtherm ore, TV shows and
video games emphasize im m ediate
gratification of desires, short-term
solutions, and quick fixes. C hildren
need to know that in real life, we
m ust sometimes wait, make com pro
mises, or think about others in order
Work together.
Set aside tim e for family or
classsroom meetings, when you dis
cuss problem s and come up with
m utually agreed-upon solutions.
Some families write down conflicts
or family problem s and place them
in a “conflict jar," to be discussed
during the next family meeting.
to get our needs met.
children.
J u n e 2 3 ,1 9 9 9
Focus
Find positive uses of the media.
H elp children find examples of
Be a voice for nonviolence.
Page 5
learning environments for kids.
We’ve got to let producers, ad
vertisers, and IV stations know that
we will not continue to associate
with them or buy their sponsors’
products if they continue to partici
pate in making violence glamorous
to our children. We must also advo
cate for regulations that will help us
control our children’s viewing. We
m ust urge public leaders to make
safe com munities a priority.
Conclusion
Create peace.
We must counter every violent or
destructive image that children are
exposed to with a response that lets
them know that they are safe and
that peace is possible. A home or
classroom that is nonviolent in its
structure and day-to-day life can serve
as a crucial safety net for children.
When parents and schools work to
gether, a very powerful alliance is
created on behalf of children. Meet
with teachers and other parents to
find ways to create safe, peaceful
T he powerful negative influence
that the m edia has on our children
is frightening and angering. We need
to feel our fear and our anger, to
wake up from our numbness, igno
rance, and denial about the role of
the m edia in prom oting violence to
our children By taking action, we
as parents and educators can send
our children a powerful message:
that our lives do not have to be
ruled by television, advertising, and
m edia hype. The influence of the
m edia is pervasive, but our way to
counter this influence is simple and
close to home. We m ust simply
spend time with our children, listen
to them, and show them that it is
possible to live in peace," as G andhi
rem inded us.
Talk about what you believe.
Ideas for Teaching Media
Literacy Skills
B y J. L anurf . hr
Explain to your children or
students that we all draw conclu
sions, or inferences, after viewing
advertisements. The innocent,
unthinking viewer draws a “nice”
inference. This is the conclusion
the advertising agent hopes for.
The cautious, thinking reader
draws a “mean” inference. T his
inference is usually correct or is
the real situation. The “mean”
inference can still be true even
though it is extreme. Show or
watch three commercials that
make true statements but are
meant to give rise to inferences as
well. Have the children brain
storm the “nice" inferences and
the “mean" inferences.
Example
Mean Inference
Nice inference
How often Michael drinks Pepsi?
Regularly
Once a year
Why Michael chose Pepsi?
Because he likes the taste
Because he is paid to drink it
------------------------------------------
How many dentists were surveyed?
Why the dentists chose Trident?
Maybe 100 dentists chosen at ran
dom, 80 of whom chose Trident
They compared it favorably to
other gums on the market
“Lottery will be here soon"
\Ne call It TA HA SjA <or a reason!
RnA.9B9.4711
•
736 N. Lombard97217 _ _ _
Introducing
Alberta Simmons Plaza
Affordable Quality
Retirement Living
for Seniors 6 2 years and older
Four out of five dentists recommend Trident for their patients who chew gum.
Nice inference
Pool, sports, live music & dancing • Big screen TV - new ownership
_______
Example
What did you infer about -
T h e H o tte s t S p o t in to w n
6719 HE Martin Luther King Blvd
Portland, Oregon 97211
What did you infer about -
•possibly the truth
TA HA tyA
Mean Inference
•possibly the truth
Only five dentists
. One-Bedroom, One-Bath Apartments
with Full Sized Kitchens and
• Start enloylng
Living Areas
what really m atters!"
lanned Activities
Call Today
sundry Facility, Conference &
for an Application
leeting Room, Elevator and Library
231-4922
iff Street Parking
lonveniently located to Shopping,
Restaurants, Pharmacy, and Medical Offices
i >
They own stock in the company
_ _____—. M M L < m i i M i n . '**'****“'
.
> ,