Presentations’ summaries

Many schools agree that uniforms help remove economic barriers, build feelings of community, and reduce instances of bullying. founded on similar beliefs that uniforms decrease distractions, simplify the morning routine, increase respect for each student, and prepare students for success by teaching professional dress.

Some reasons to encourage school´s uniforms:

1. School spirit: One of the best ways to get students engaged with their school is to have them wear its colors day in and out. By getting everyone to wear the same set of clothes, schools can encourage a sense of unity, so that all students understand they are part of a common whole.

2. Reduce bullying: Schools can use uniforms to cut down on bullying. By making everyone wear the same set of clothes, they reduce the opportunities for kids to make fun of each other based on their clothing choices.

3. Cost savings: School uniforms are often significantly cheaper than branded clothing. Instituting them is thus a great way to help parents and the school save money.

4. Students identification: Uniforms help school administrators identify who is a student and who is not. This makes it easier to ensure that students do not sneak into unauthorized areas.

5. Environmental initiatives: Uniforms reduce the total amount of clothing students must buy. Schools can incorporate this into a lesson about conserving resources and protecting the environment.

In Guatemala there are different communities that own typical costumes, these suits have to be respect at the different schools of Guatemala according to the following articles of the Guatemalan constitution: Artículo 66.- Protección a grupos étnicos. Guatemala está formada por diversos grupos étnicos, entre los que figuran los grupos indígenas de ascendencia maya. El Estado reconoce, respeta y promueve sus formas de vida, costumbres, tradición es, formas de organización social, el uso del traje indígena en hombres y mujeres, idiomas y dialectos.

Artículo 71.- Derecho a la educación. Se garantiza la libertad de enseñanza y de criterio docente. Es obligación del Estado proporcionar y facilitar educación a sus habitantes, sin discriminación alguna. Se declara de utilidad y necesidad públicas la fundación y mantenimiento de centros educativos culturales y museos.

The “Acuerdo Ministerial No.930” of the Educative Ministry of Guatemala, it is the main document related to with the use of typical costumes in students: Artículo 1. – En todos los establecimientos educativos oficiales y privados de la República, se debe promover y respetar el uso del traje indígena por los (as) estudiantes, maestros (as), personal técnico y administrativo, en las actividades docentes, cívicas, sociales, protocolarias y otras, sin restricción alguna.

Artículo 2. – Los reglamentos y disposiciones de los establecimientos educativos deben incluir la libertad de utilizar trajes indígenas por parte de los estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad educativa.

According to this document, it is prohibited to force an indigenous student to wear the official uniform of educational establishments. It is optional to use, so if he or she decide to use it shouldn't be a cause for bother. The directors of the schools, supervisors and authorities of the Ministry, are in charge of ensuring compliance with this agreement.

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

Characteristics of Bullies

1. Bullies may have a positive attitude toward violence and lack empathy for their victims. 2. Boys are more likely to be classified as bullies than girls. 3. Bullies also may exhibit issues such as attention-deficit disorder, depression, and oppositional-conduct disorder. 4. They may be impulsively aggressive children. Characteristics of Bully-Victims

1. They have attention problems, like, low self-esteem, and especially high rates of depression and oppositional-conduct disorder. 2. They are more anxious and less popular than bullies. 3. They are passive or submissive victims. 4. Victims of bullying also may have difficulty making friends and may relate better with adults than peers. 5. Victims have the lowest social status among peers and bullies have the highest, however, bully-victims are most avoided by classmates.

Physical Bullying:

• Physical bullies are action-oriented and use direct behavior. • It is most commonly in boys. • Physical bullies continue to manifest bullying behaviors into adulthood.

Verbal Bullying:

• It uses verbal language to embarrass, mock or insult another person. • It affects one’s self image and affect someone in emotional and psychological ways. • Verbal Bullying is common in teenager.

Relational Bullying:

• It convinces their peers to exclude certain people. • It happens most often with girls. • Relational bullies use social groups to hurt their peers and the peer’s standing within a group. Consequences for victims • Suffer Psychological Stress • Have Trouble Fitting In • Struggle in School • Wrestle with Emotions • Respond to Stress Aggressively • Academic Effects • Problems at home

Consequences for Bullies • Emotional Issues • Academic Problems • Psychological Issues • Problems at School • Bad Reputation

What to do if students Bullies others • Objectively evaluate your teen’s behavior; don’t rush to justify it. • Teach your teen to recognize and express emotions non-violently. • Emphasize talking out the issue rather than hitting. • Model the behavior you want your teen to exhibit.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary the term Dropout is defined as: “a person who leaves school, college, or university before completing a qualification”.

Students brief schooling experience consists frequently of limited learning opportunities in overcrowded classrooms with insufficient learning materials and under-qualified teachers. Children of different ages and abilities are mixed together in single classrooms without proper adaptation of teaching methods to improve learning and to induce school engagement.

Causes of School Dropout • Sociocultural background • Health • Motivation • Malnutrition • Poverty Government strategies

Government had created some laws to decrease the School Dropout in Guatemala, an example is that in the Guatemala Constitution Art.74 states a free education for Guatemala´s population and scholarships that the same government will provide:

Artículo 74. Educación obligatoria. Los habitantes tienen el derecho y la obligación de recibir la educación inicial, preprimaria, primaria y básica, dentro de los límites de edad que fije la ley. La educación impartida por el Estado es gratuita. El Estado proveerá y promoverá becas y créditos educativos. La educación científica, la tecnológica y la humanística constituyen objetivos que el Estado deberá orientar y ampliar permanentemente. El Estado promoverá la educación

especial, la diversificada y la extraescolar.

Harassment is a form of discrimination. It includes any unwanted physical or verbal behavior that offends or humiliates a person. Generally, harassment is a behavior that persists over time. Serious onetime incidents can also sometimes be considered harassment. Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.

• Discriminatory Harassment • Harassment Based on Religion • Personal Harassment • Physical Harassment • Psychological Harassment • Sexual Harassment The main indicator is student’s behavior: • Upset • Embarrassed • Anxious • Vulnerable • Unsafe

What to do in a Harassment case? • Increase Supervision and Implement

Consequences • Teach Assertive Response • Develop and Follow Mandated Policy • Training to Prevent and respond to harassment • Talk with parents

Artículo 53: Maltratos y agravios Todo niño, niña o adolescente tiene derecho de no ser objeto de cualquier forma de negligencia, discriminación, marginación, explotación, violencia, crueldad y opresión, punibles por la ley, ya sea por acción u omisión a sus derechos fundamentales.

In the last few days in Guatemala were many news about missing children and teenagers. People is wondering why this is happening, but there are many circumstances what we can mention as:

• family problems • Sexual abuse • Rebellion • White slave traffic and so on…

But as a teacher what can we do about this issue? We can do a lot because we play the role of protectors in the school.

After the kidnapping of two kids, an institution was born with the strong purpose of safe kids. The system is named as these kids Alba-Keneth and the purpose is to take quick actions to localize the missing kid. The number to call to announce a missing is 1546 24 hrs. or by social webs.

Is important to be alert as a teacher the children behavior, have good communication, support parents by giving psychological information, be responsible and report as soon as find something wrong.

As teachers we have the responsibility to protect our students Lpina art. 44 and 55. And as soon as we know or noticed that a kid or teenage disappear is important to bring the information to the authorities in charge.

First is important to know the meaning of sexual abuse, and this is the violent that is based on power which seeks to submit a girl or a boy, and it can be physical or emotional. As teacher we can pay attention to the signs that can be the alert to prevent or to make it stop: the refuse to go to school, aggressiveness, fear, isolation, or rebellion, these can be symptoms. The physical symptoms can be the way to be sitting, the way of being walking, urinary infections, pregnancy, bruises, and many others that are clear that this kid is in sexual abuse. As teachers this is an alert to prevent more abuse, is important to do something like to make feel the kid or teenager sure that can trust, try to make them feel that there is a way to exit of this kind of abuse, and show you believe, and avoid questioning, also is important to inform the agency in charge to involve to resolve it.

These are discriminatory attitudes with serious consequences. Violence and aggression. The stereotype and prejudice are negative behaviors toward a person or a group of people, these attitudes are called discrimination.

There exists many kinds of discrimination but we are going to focus specially on youngers behavior at school, these can be because of culture, color of skin, nationality, gender, and many others. As teacher most be alert of what is going on in the hall of the school, the students are suffering verbal abuse, violence, abuse, insults, harassment, and the way they feel can be notice very easy because the students are lonely, sad, no appetite, bad scores and many other things that can be alert to see that something is happening.

As teachers we are responsible to help these students to confront and to become stronger. And in the other side to create awareness in the students that are doing this, because these may be calling the attention because something is happening at home too. Is important to pay attention on this because we can safe a young boy or a girl from suicide.