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Schools Are Competing With Cell Phones. Here’s How They Think They Can Win

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Isabella Pires first noticed what she calls a “gradual pandemic of apathy” in eighth grade. Only a handful of her classmates signed up for the charity projects she helped organize at her Massachusetts school. Even fewer actually showed up.

When Isabella entered highschool last fall, she noticed that the issue was much more serious: a low-activity Spirit Week and classes during which students rarely spoke up.

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In some ways, it’s as if students “just care less and less about what people think, but somehow more,” said Isabella, 14. Some teens, she said, not care about being seen as disengaged, while others are so afraid of ridicule that they keep to themselves. She blames social media and the prolonged isolation of the post-COVID era.

Teachers say their tried-and-true lesson plans are not any longer enough to maintain students engaged in an era of mental health struggles, shortened attention spans, decreased attendance and declining academic performance. At the guts of those challenges? Cellphone addiction. Now, adults are attempting recent strategies to reverse the malaise.

Cellphone bans are gaining popularity, but many say they’re not enough. They argue for an alternate type of stimulation: getting students outside or into extracurricular activities to fill time they may otherwise spend alone online. And students need an outlet, they are saying, to speak about taboo subjects without fear of being “shunned” on social media.

“To engage students now, you have to be very, very creative,” said Wilbur Higgins, English major at Dartmouth High School, where Isabella might be a sophomore this fall.

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Lock them up

Mobile phone pockets, cabinets and baskets have gotten increasingly popular and can assist implement mobile device bans.

John Nguyen, a chemistry teacher in California, invented the pocket system because he was so annoyed by the bullying and phone fights during classes, often without adult intervention. Many teachers are afraid to confront students who use their phones during class, Nguyen said, and others have given up attempting to stop it.

At Nguyen’s school, students lock their phones in neoprene bags during classes and even throughout the day. A teacher or school principal opens the baggage with a magnetic key.

It doesn’t matter how intense the lesson is, said Nguyen, who teaches at Marina Valley High School and now sells the baggage to other schools. “There’s nothing that can compete with a cell phone.”

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Do something (different)

Some schools are also locking up smartwatches and wireless headphones. But the baggage don’t work once the ultimate bell rings.

That’s why in Spokane, Washington, schools are increasing after-school programs to compete with after-hours phone calls.

The Engage IRL — In Real Life initiative, which launches this month, goals to offer every student something to look ahead to after a tough day at college, whether it’s sports, performing arts or clubs.

“Hours of daily isolation at home after school, using a personal device, has become the norm,” said Inspector Adam Swinyard.

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Students can form clubs around interests like board games and knitting, or take part in local basketball leagues. Teachers will help students develop a plan for involvement during back-to-school conferences, the district says.

“From 3 to 5:30, you’re in a club, playing sports, taking part in activities,” as a substitute of in your phone, Swinyard said. (The district has a brand new ban on phones during class but will allow them after school.)

In a time of high absenteeism, he also hopes the classes might be the additional push some students have to attend school. In a Gallup poll last November, only 48% of middle and highschool students said they felt motivated to go to high school, and only 52% felt they did something interesting on daily basis. The survey was funded by the Walton Family Foundation, which also supports environmental journalism on the AP.

Vivian Mead, a senior from Spokane, said more extracurricular activities help, but they won’t work for everybody. “There are definitely people who just want to be by themselves, listen to their music, do their own thing, or be on their phone, for example,” said Vivian, 17.

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Her 15-year-old sister, Alexandra, said the morning counseling sessions have improved participation within the drama club the sisters are involved in. “It forces everyone, even if they don’t want to get involved, to try something, and maybe it will work,” she said.

Go outside

Thirteen Maine high schools took an analogous approach, inviting students to outdoor classes for 35,000 hours during a particular week in May.

It’s empowering for college kids to attach in nature, away from screens, said Tim Pearson, a physical education and health teacher whose students at Dedham School participated within the statewide “Life Happens Outside” challenge.

Teachers adapted their lessons to happen outside, and students bonded outdoors during lunch and recess. That evening, about half of Dedham’s students camped out, encouraged by the pizza party. Several students told Pearson they camped out again after the challenge.

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“Whether they had their phones on them or not, they were building fires, they were pitching tents,” Pearson said. “They were doing things outside that are clearly not on social media or texting.”

An appeal to oldsters

Parents also need to alter the culture of cellphone use of their families, some teachers say. At home, Ohio teacher Aaron Taylor forbids cellphone use when his children have friends over.

And when children are at college, parents mustn’t distract them throughout the day by sending them text messages asking to examine on them, he added.

“Students are so attached to their families,” said Taylor, who teaches at Westerville North High School, near Columbus. “There’s a sense of anxiety about not being able to connect with them, rather than appreciating the freedom of being alone for eight hours or with friends.”

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Fight the fear of “cancellation”

Some say other forces behind teen disengagement are only amplified by cell phones. The divisive political climate often makes students reluctant to participate at school when anything they are saying can spread around the college on messaging apps.

Taylor High School English students tell him they don’t talk at school because they don’t need to be “invalidated” — a term used for public figures who’re silenced or ostracized after expressing offensive opinions or speech.

“I said, ‘Well, who’s rejecting you? And why would you be rejected? We’re talking about ‘The Great Gatsby,’ not some controversial political topic,” he said.

Students “become very, very quiet” when themes like sexuality, gender or politics come up in novels, said Higgins, an English teacher in Massachusetts. “Eight years ago, there were shooting hands everywhere. Nobody wants to be labeled a certain way or ridiculed or criticized for politics anymore.”

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That’s why Higgins uses web sites like Parlay, which permit students to anonymously have online discussions. These services are expensive, but Higgins believes the commitment to classes is price it.

“I can see who they are when they answer questions and stuff, but other students can’t,” Higgins said. “That can be very, very powerful.”

Concerned concerning the lack of engagement from her peers, Higgins student Isabella wrote an article in the college newspaper.

“It is up to us to ensure that future generations do not find themselves in the same downward cycle,” she wrote.

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A comment under the post highlighted the challenge and the stakes involved.

“Generally speaking,” the commenter wrote, “why should we care?”

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Lifestyle

Why do the demographic boom stay in their homes vs. Auxiliary life

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reports that the housing crisis can To be Brewing as a demographic boom Collect their houses and refuse MOVEW financially bored residential facilities.

Meredith Whitney, a financial analyst, said that the generation of the boom of demographic houses maintains hard -earned houses, because moving to residential assistance is equally expensive. During the interview, Whitney emphasized that some older Americans are attached to money and borrowing towards their homes. Forty -four percent of home equity loans are charged by seniors, which they call “contradictory”. “It’s crazy, right?” She preserved.

Whitney’s points of view are significantly different from the standard narrative that the majority of the demographic boom is financially secure and sits on money flaws. This shall be true because seniors constitute 42% of all houses buyers in comparison with generations who constitute 29%. “I divide it into various cohorts,” said Whitney.

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“So a senior who everyone thinks that” demographic booms have all this money ” – this is a small part. Seniors live withdrawals for payment. ”

The generation collectively has 75 trillion usd wealth. However, Whitney, also sometimes called “Oracle of Wall Street”, which provided for a incredible financial crisis, estimated that only one in 10 seniors can afford to assist in maintaining help, forcing many to stay in their homes with a mortgage surplus.

As a result, the rates created the “block” effect, described as when the owners of the house who got to the market at low rates, hesitate to purchase recent houses, bearing in mind today’s increased loan costs. “This is one of the problems with housing inventory,” said Whitney during the interview. “They stop longer in their homes because they can’t afford to move out.”

The weight is just not only on the demographic boom. Their thousand -year -old and generation X got stuck in an inaccessible long -term address aging parents. Because the elders not have funds for long -term care, in response to subsequent generations they typically leave work or work less to supply care. Social insurance experts Name it “victim” which could potentially hurt them Financially at present and in the future. “The bigger problem is that you can create almost a series of poverty,” said professor Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Marc Cohen.

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“This is not something that simply sticks to one generation. The costs are socially incurred.”

The Harvard Center for Housing Studies 2023 report confirmed that private long -term care, like helpful communities and healthcare, is beyond the reach of the average middle class citizen. Less than 15% of Americans 75 and older people living alone in the primary American cities could afford to pay for help in the field of help or healthcare without immersing in their savings. The federal government may not have much help, because Trump’s administration focuses on Medicare, a government medical insurance program for the elderly.

Medicare also doesn’t include most long -term healthcare.

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This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Lifestyle

Will the southern accent repair disappear in some parts of the south of the USA?

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Growing up in Atlanta in the Forties and Fifties, Susan Levine’s visits to relatives in New York embraced the star of improvised news: her cousin invited friends and accused 25 cents for pop to be conscious of Levine’s southern accent.

Although furthermore they grew up in Atlanta, two sons Levine, born over 1 / 4 of a century after her, never talked to an accent, which could thoroughly be the most famous regional dialect in the United States, with elongated vowels and soft sounds “R”.

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“My accent does not exist,” said Ira Levine, her eldest son. “The people I work with and even at school, people did not believe that I was from Atlanta.”

The southern accent, which has many sorts, disappears in some areas of the South, when people migrate to the region from other parts of the USA and around the world. A series of research articles published in December documented a discount in a regional accent amongst black residents of the Atlanta area, white people from the working class in the region of New Orleans and other individuals who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Has over 5.8 million people He moved to the south of the USA Until now, in the Nineteen Twenties, the sum of three other regions of the country is larger than 4 times. Linguists don’t imagine that mass media have played an infinite role in changing the language, which normally begins in urban areas and radiate to more rural places.

At the end of the twentieth century, the increase in migration affects the accents

The classic white southern accent in the Atlanta region and other parts of the urban south reached the peak of demographic growth born in 1946–1964 Gen Xers Born in 1965–1980 and subsequent generations, largely because of the huge migration of people in the second half of the twentieth century.

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He was replaced amongst the youngest speakers in the twenty first century of the dialect, which was first noticed in California in the late Eighties, in accordance with the last studies of the Linguists from the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. This dialect, which was also detected in Canada, became a regional accent since it spread to other parts of the US, including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to reducing their regional accents.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, the trigger point in the fall of the southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the research park, an infinite complex of research and technology corporations that attracted tens of 1000’s of highly educated employees from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, the generation after establishing a research triangle, normally don’t confer with the southern accent, the linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in an article published in December.

Often, external people wrongly associate the southern accent with an absence of education, and some younger people can try to distance themselves from this stereotype.

“Today’s young people, especially educated young people, do not want to sound too much, as if they came from a specific city,” said Linguist Georgia Tech, Lelia Glass, who co-author of the study in Atlanta. “They want to sound more mobile, unlocal and geographically.”

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The accents change in younger people

Southern Dialect amongst blacks in Atlanta has fallen in recent an prolonged time mainly because of the influx of African Americans from northern cities, including “Reverse great migration.”

During great migration, from around 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South moved to cities in the north like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great -grandchildren moved back south in large places to such places corresponding to Atlanta at the turn of the twentieth and early twenty first century and shall be more often educated in college.

Scientists found southern accents amongst African Americans who were dropped Gen Z.or people born in 1997–2012, in accordance with the study published in December. The same researchers had previously studied southern accents amongst white people in Atlanta.

Michelle and Richard Beck, General Xers living in the Atlanta region, have southern accents, but she lacks in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001.

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“I think they speak more clearly than me,” said Richard Beck about his sons, a law enforcement officer. “They don’t sound like a country like me when it comes to the southern draw.”

The “Yat” accent of the recent Orleans has decreased

Unlike other accents which have modified because of the influx of recent residents, the characteristic, white accent “YAT” of the working class in New Hurricane Katrina In 2005, the accent differs from other regional accents in the south and sometimes described as they sound like Brooklynes and southern.

Hurricane was a “catastrophic” event of a language change for New Orleans, because he resettled only a number of quarter of 1,000,000 inhabitants in the first 12 months after a storm and brought tens of 1000’s of people from outside in the next decade.

Reducing the “Yat” accent is most noticeable in millennia, who were teenagers when Katrina hit because they were exposed to other ways of speaking at a key moment of language development, said Katie Carmichael Virginia Tech, Katie Carmichael.

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Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the suburbs of New Orleans, where the accent was the most widespread, worries that part of the uniqueness of the region shall be lost if the accent disappears.

“It’s a bit like we are losing our separate personality,” she said.

Kerry Washington debuts in action as a mother ride on

Changing the southern identity

Although it decreases in many urban areas, the southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely, because “accents are an extremely simple way to show something to other people about ourselves,” said Linguist at the University of Georgia Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of research in Atlanta.

Instead, it’d reflect a change in how younger speakers perceive southern identity, with a regional accent not so closely related to what’s considered southern as in previous generations, and language boundaries less obligatory than other elements.

“So young people in the Atlanta or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life in the south is,” said Renwick. “And it’s not the same as the one with which their parents or grandparents grew up.”

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Lifestyle

Gabrielle Union claims that surrogation seemed to be a public humiliation: “Like cuckold”

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Gabrielle Union becomes real in a substitute matter.

The 52-year-old actress and mother opened herself with regard to the complexity of the selection, discussing her maternity journey throughout the last profile for Marie Claire magazineThe first problem of motherhood.

When the star of “Perfect Find” was ready to expand her family along together together together along together together along along along along together together together along along together along along along together along along together along together together along together together together along along along along along together along together together together along together along together together along along together together along together together together together together along along together along together along along together along along along along along together together along along along along together together together together together along together together along together along along along along together together together along together along along together together together along along together along together along along together along together together along along along along along together along together along together along along together along together together together along together along together together along together along together along together along together along together together along together together together together along together together together along along along along together along along together together together together together together along along along together together together together together together along together together along together along together together along together together together together along together together along along along along along together together together together together along together together together along along along together along together together along together along together together along together along along together together together along along along together together along together along together along along together together together together along together along together along together along along together along along together together along along together together along along together along along along along along with her husband, a former NBA player, Dwyane Wade, eventually she had to follow a alternative road to come up along together together together along together together along along along along together together together along along together along along along together along along together along together together along together together together along along along along along together along together together together along together along together together along along together together along together together together together together along along together along together along along together along along along along along together together along along along along together together together together together along together together along together along along along along together together together along together along along together together together along along together along together along along together along together together along along along along along together along together along together along along together along together together together along together along together together along together along together along together along together along together together along together together together together along together together together along along along along together along along together together together together together together along along along together together together together together together along together together along together along together together along together together together together along together together along along along along along together together together together together along together together together along along along together along together together along together along together together along together along along together together together along along along together together along together along together along along together together together together along together along together along together along along together along along together together along along together together along along together along along along along along with her six -year -old daughter Kaavia.

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“It seemed to me a failure,” she said. “My body failed. It just seemed like such AF – public humiliation. Suroga is like a cuckold; observing how someone does something that I’m unable to do. To be there, one other person succeeded where I failed – that is the mind of F— for individuals who had my journey and who feel similar. When it was never your reality, I’d love to evaluate and throw asppers

Union, who has one biological child with Wade and is a stepmother for other three children from previous relationships, said that she stays to be not very emotional.

“I will never have peace of mind,” admitted a graduate of “being Mary Jane.” “And this is not something that with nothing-it’s just a longing for a longing. I was so ready for my surprise, but all the prayers that did not answer in the way in which I thought made my child here.”

She washed: “Did I want public applause and comments that are associated with a public pregnant person? Because your child is here. Your child is here. Healthy. Amazing.”

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Regardless of this, the actress said that she is “grateful” to her surrogate.

“However, I am very grateful to our pregnancy guardian. This is just one of those things in which it is such a personal journey that maybe I never know a full room with Canta, if he should,” she noted.

She also said that people can judge their lower than Rosic feelings on this subject.

“Because it is different and because the replacement journey of each person is different,” she said. “It is as if every time there is a variance in this experience, it is:” I saw, I told you. You shouldn’t discover this selection to expand your relations. “

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The modified family Union and Wade covers their daughter Kaavia; Two Wade children are shared together along along along along along together along along along along along together together along along together along along along together along along along along together along along together together together along along along along together together along together along together along along together along together along along along along along along together together together along along along along together along along along together along together along along together along together along together together together together together along together along together along along together together together along together together along together along together together together along along along along along together together along along together together together together together together along together along along together together together along together together along together together along together together along along along together along along together along along together along along along along together along along along together along together together together together along together together together along together along together along together together along together along together along along together along along together together together along along together along along together together together together together together along along together along together together along along together along together along together together together along along together together together together together along along together together together together along along together together along together together together together together along together along along together along together together along along together together along together together along along together together together together together together together together together along together together together along together along along together along together along along along along with his ex-wife Siovaughn Funches, Zaire, 23-year-old Zaya, and a son whom he shares with Aja Metoyer, Xavier, 11 years old. Wade can be a legal guardian of her nephew, Dahveon Morris, 21 years old, and the little sister of the Union has lived together along along along along along together along along along along along together together along along together along along along together along along along along together along along together together together along along along along together together along together along together along along together along together along along along along along along together together together along along along along together along along along together along together along along together along together along together together together together together along together along together along along together together together along together together along together along together together together along along along along along together together along along together together together together together together along together along along together together together along together together along together together along together together along along along together along along together along along together along along along along together along along along together along together together together together along together together together along together along together along together together along together along together along along together along along together together together along along together along along together together together together together together along along together along together together along along together along together along together together together along along together together together together together along along together together together together along along together together along together together together together together along together along along together along together together along along together together along together together along along together together together together together together together together together along together together together along together along along together along together along along along along with his family for the last five years.

An occupied actress determined by the jet, who had just appeared along together together together along together together along along along along together together together along along together along along along together along along together along together together along together together together along along along along along together along together together together along together along together together along along together together along together together together together together along along together along together along along together along along along along along together together along along along along together together together together together along together together along together along along along along together together together along together along along together together together along along together along together along along together along together together along along along along along together along together along together along along together along together together together along together along together together along together along together along together along together along together together along together together together together along together together together along along along along together along along together together together together together together along along along together together together together together together along together together along together along together together along together together together together along together together along along along along along together together together together together along together together together along along along together along together together along together along together together along together along along together together together along along along together together along together along together along along together together together together along together along together along together along along together along along together together along along together together along along together along along along along along with her husband in 2025, met on Monday Blue Carpet in New York in New York, she attributed a very closed village to how she and Wade made every part work.

During a conversation Terrible mother In 202, Union said: “I rely on heavy, heavy, heavy from our village: my sisters, my niece, my mother, my husband’s mother. My mother at the age of 60 adopted three children. They are other family members, but now there are my siblings/cousins, we call them relationships 2.0. All this on board.”

In the profile Marie Claire repeated her thoughts round her village.

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“I don’t think we should be prepared to do it ourselves. Do you know what I mean?” She said.

The daughter says that my mother

(Tagstranslate) black motherhood

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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