Article 3

• Bullying can play a big part in low self-esteem.
• "The victims turn to deep depression, which can result in long-term psychological harm, thoughts of ending it all and, unfortunately, suicide."
• "And bullies are no longer kids who have low self-esteem; they are youth who know they can bully and get away with it."
• Bully Buster Week is designed to teach kids what to do if they have a bully problem.
• It is a week long program.
• It was designed by the Safe Schools Healthy Students program.
• Clara Ramos said this,"We're trying to get a number (telephone) -- a plain simple number. We can't get it done. If I had the resources, I would do it myself. They have the paid staff to do it,"
• She is trying to create a telephone number for those who are being bullied.
• Bloomington school district has a report a bully website.
• If bullying is not treated, it can cause long term low self-esteem.

Source Citation:

"EDITORIAL: Advocate editorial board opionion: Bullying is serious problem that needs addressing." Victoria Advocate [Victoria, TX] 31 Aug. 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.

More Information

Xavia P.
Mrs. Zurkowski
English Green
September 25, 2010

Source Citation:

Van Volkom, Michele. "The effects of childhood tomboyism and family  experiences on the self-esteem of college females." College Student Journal 43.3  (2009): 736+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 19 Sept. 2010.

• If you were a tomboy, you will probably have a lower self-esteem in college.
•  " In his meta-analysis of thirty-five studies, they found a relationship between masculine traits and self-esteem. Kleinplatz et al. (1992) found that women who were "non-traditional" had significantly higher self-esteem than their traditional counterparts."
• " It was hypothesized that childhood tomboys would have higher self-esteem in adulthood than non-tomboys."
• Tomboys have a slightly high self-esteem than regular women.
• Tomboyism usually occurs during childhood.
• However, few women said that they were tomboys in adulthood. 
• Nearly half of women (41%) were tomboys.
• Someone who was usually over protected by their parents usually has a low self-esteem.
• Tomboys usually have older brothers as their role models.
•  " Parents' marital status, parents' employment status, and participants' birth order were not related to tomboyism."

My Profile

Hi, my name is Xavia. I attended St. Joseph School, Fullerton, from Kindergarten to 8th grade. I like to play tennis for fun. In my first year of high school, I want to become involved in the Photo Club and learn more about the Russian language and culture. In my later years of high school, I want to take courses in photography and ceramics. I have one brother and three sisters. The triplets (two girls and one boy) are in 6th grade and my little sister is in 1st grade.

Gathering Information

Citation: "Self-esteem." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

·         “All people have a mental picture of themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. This mental picture is called self-concept or self-image.”

·         “The idea that self-esteem and self-image are related to how people behave in society, perform in school, react to peer pressure, and interact with others has received a great deal of attention from psychologists and child development experts, beginning in the 1980s.”

·         National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE) was created to research and teach self-esteem issues.

·         Age can determine how you may feel about yourself.

·         You determine how you picture yourself.

·         Schools are trying to promote self-esteem through academics and extracurricular activities.

·         You create a self-identity through interactions and experiences with others.

·         You are not born with an identity.

·         Attitudes of parents also influence the image of yourself.

·         Many people find school achievement and self-esteem together.

·         “…one-third (34 percent) of ninth grade students in U.S. public schools in 2002 left school three years later, in 2005, with a high-school diploma and the qualifications to apply to a four-year college”.

·         Identity is also linked to violent actions and substance abuse.                     

·         No matter how high or low your esteem is, it can always change.

·         You can develop self-esteem and identity by facing and overcoming challenges.

Questions

Here are some question that I could try to answer in my research paper.

1. Do issues at home affect how the person may see themselves as?
2. What does self-identity have to do with self-esteem?
3. How could self-identity possibly affect the person academically?

Xavia 
Mrs. Zurkowski
Green

September 14, 2010

Book: Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs

Topic: Self-identity

Search Terms:

1.      “Personal Identity”

2.      “Identity”

3.      “Self-concept”

4.      “Self-perspective”

5.      “Identity Crisis”

6.      “Self-construction”

7.      “Self-image”

Self-identity

     One of the key issues in Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs is the concept of self-identity.  A person’s identity is based in their relationship to other people and things.  “All identity is ultimately in relationship to something else" (http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=9697).  This means that as a person develops new relationships and breaks bonds, a person's identity changes.  This was seen in the book when Winifred's personality changed drastically after she made new college friends and broke up with Bernie.  Both physically and emotionally, Winifred became a different person.  "A person's self-identity may change with time" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept).  Personal relationships, accomplishments, self-esteem, group memberships, and experiences shape how a person sees himself and how other people see him.  "Throughout later childhood and adolescence, the self-concept becomes more abstract and complex" (http://social.jrank.org/pages/554/Self-Concept.html).  This allows a person to modify his self-identity by adding layers to his personality.  Winifred tried this when she went to college and made new friends.  She was no longer the same person she was when she had been with Bernie.  However, I don't think this made Winifred feel happy or fulfilled.  I think you can change your identity by changing what you think about yourself.  You can be anyone you want to be.  But as Winifred learned, you need to avoid peer pressure and be true to yourself.  

Image Picture:         http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wB_B2FyhJMM/S8ns2LW9ZKI/AAAAAAAABtg/7O65CE1-SiA/s1600/identity.gif

Winifred Owens

I pretended that the main character in the story (Anything But Ordinary) was real. So, I wrote a friendly letter to her. What are your opinions on this letter? This is what I wrote...

703 Churchville Road

Bel Air, MD 21014

September 3, 2010

Dear Winifred,

Hey, Winifred! How are you? It’s me, your old high school friend, Xavia. Did you do anything fun this summer? I took a photography course that was pretty interesting. I also took tennis lessons. Did you and Bernie go anywhere on vacation? I went to Ocean City, Maryland Did you and Bernie stay in California for the summer or did you go back home? 

You went through a lot in your first year at college! Also, I am glad you made the right choice in the end of the novel by choosing to be with Bernie. You and Bernie are good together! I am also glad you became your own person again rather than following the crowd. Stay the way you are; don’t change your personality! You should stick with Bernie. He truly cares for you.

I like how the author, Valerie Hobbs, talked about your point of view and Bernie’s. I was able to know what you and Bernie were thinking and why you made certain choices. You were completely realistic to me. You did what almost everyone else would do in the same circumstances. It is tempting to follow the crowd, especially when that makes you popular for the first time in your life. However, I am glad you changed back to the normal “Winifred” instead of “Wini”.

I was just wondering how come, when you just met Sam, Tori, and Calista, you dyed your hair black. Why did you change it? I thought it was fine the way it was. Also, why did you try to break up with Bernie? I know you thought it was Bernie’s fault that you were not ordinary, but it was not his fault. Besides, I thought you didn’t want to be ordinary. You were special just the way you were.

I think I could raise awareness about self-identity by giving public speeches at some high schools in the area, perhaps at one of their morning assemblies. This would let the students know that they are not alone in their struggle to find themselves. Then, I would suggest that they read Anything But Ordinary. I would ask them for their opinion about the topic. I would want to know if the book made them think more about the importance of being yourself. Finally, I would ask them what they think they could do to resist peer pressure. I know that reading this novel definitely made me more aware of the issue and the importance of remaining true to yourself.

You and Bernie should keep dating. You two make a good couple. You should continue your major in nanoscience and get that degree! Someday you will be a great nanoscientologist. I can’t wait to talk to you again! Please write back soon.

Your friend,
Xavia

Summer Book

Over the summer, I read the book, AnythingBut Ordinary. Have you read the book? What are your answers to these questions? What is your opinion about the book?

1. Who is the main character and what is that character’s personality like? Type a complete sentence or two that include three different adjectives that describe your character.            
 2. Most good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Type a complete sentence for each of these three parts that summarizes what happens.
3. Think about the experiences that the main character has and the changes that she or he experiences by the end of the story. In a complete sentence or two, describe what you think the author is trying to say about life?
4. Explain how one of these issues affects the character(s) in the story. Write three complete sentences – either three different ways that one character is affected, or one way each that three different characters are affected.
5. In complete sentences, describe two specific events that make the book’s social issue(s) seem real and important. How does the author make a big issue immediate and personal?