Teach Students Problem Solving Skills in School

Have you ever been part of a therapeutic group? Group process is a good forum to teach behavioral expectations and problem solving in the middle and high schools. This is where relationship skills can be generalized. With a trained facilitator that works to develop a cohesive group, students will be drawn to openly discuss their trials and tribulations with one another. The facilitator will create a forum to teach students and have them practice new relationship skills in relevant ways.


The group will keep each of its members accountable to follow through with problem solving activities. Group members will provide peer pressure to those that refuse to resolve conflicts. This will have a greater impact on resistant students than their receiving pressure from a group facilitator. As a teenager, did your peers influence you more than an adult? Each group will contain those students that will initially test the patience of the remaining members. Facilitators will need to allow for some distractions and for peer pressure to address negative behavior.

Groups should consist of a gender and racial mix if all possible to allow students to test one another’s beliefs and attitudes to promote healthy conflict. This will promote realistic situations for students and prepare them for the adult world.

Since many of the behavioral expectations may not be demonstrated or evaluated in the classrooms, the group process will serve as a forum for students to practice and evaluate these behavior expectations. The group process will also serve as the forum for students to practice problem solving through role-plays. Have you ever play acted? Try it some time. You will see how much fun this can be. The goal of the group would be to help students recognize their actions, both positive and negative, and resolve issues. This will be a system that is grounded in a rational approach to relationships.

The group process will teach students how to be assertive by communicating to students that hurt them. The facilitator’s ability to prompt frustrated students to use “I statements” during escalating moments in the group is extremely important. The student’s irrational instincts will be to verbally attack the other student or to withdraw. The facilitator will need to intervene and prompt students to take ownership for their thoughts and feelings. Have you ever been asked to make an “I statement”? This type of statement takes on the following structure: I (felt, thought, behaved) in such a manner, because you acted in such a manner (in which I saw, heard, tasted, smelled, or touched).

Is It All Over When We Die

Why do you think that you fear during times when you are feel that some elements of life are beyond your control? Why does greed, selfishness, and instant gratification grip many of us during times of crisis and uncertainty? We may be moving away from what has grounded generations of people in the history of human existence; the belief that there is life after death.

The emptiness of relationships grows as couples lose site that there is life after death and buy into the "live for today" as if there is "no tomorrow" mentality. More and more couples are forgoing common sense approaches to living out lives together for getting what they want when they want it. The downward spinning economy has exposed many of them, yet they blame many for their lives when they can really only blame themselves.

I have written about love, respect, and honesty being the foundation of human relationships. Personal responsibility is the foundation for these virtues as we atone for our wrongs and correct our life's course. Has anyone ever sustained happiness from their added possessions? Has Hollywood not taught each of us this lesson? I am not saying that possessions are bad and that we should not achieve. Achieving possessions should not be the driving force in relationships, as this can lead to self-inflicted stress and crises. As couples learn to live within their means, they can focus on acting in loving and respectful ways to one another and others.

Morality and God are major forces for people to act in the best interest of others. The relationships that remain healthy and positive believe in absolute good and bad and take responsibility to live life from absolute codes of conduct. This does not mean that we all will not hurt others in the process. The difference will be the actions we take to make amends and try get back on the right path.

A pastor I once knew told me that in the end, whether there is a God or not, following this path will help you to live your life to the fullest and make you the happiest. Believing in life after death will help you live life better each day!

The virtue of honesty

The virtue of honesty is seen in a person’s ability to take
responsibility for his own thoughts, feelings, and behavior. You
can engage in a variety of atoning acts in order to express your sorrow for those times when you did not meet the behavioral expectations. When you resolve problems through the behavioral expectations outlined above, you will be able to atone for the hurt you may have caused in a relationship.

Negotiating terms and following through with commitments
will be important skills to develop in your adolescent stage of life. The following is an example of how an adolescent would demonstrate and evaluate the virtues discussed.

Keeping Commitments

Rachel is a sixteen-year-old girl who wants to spend more time with her friends. She wants to frequent the mall with her friends, go to parties, and drive her friends to restaurants, the movies, and other teenage hangouts. Rachel’s parents have negotiated behavioral expectations in the areas of love, respect, and honesty. Rachel is asked to evaluate her behavior each day and atone for behavioral expectations she has not followed. The following is the dialogue between Rachel and her parents, and the atonement, which serves as the “tugging of the rope” when
Rachel falls short of the expectations.

Mother: Rachel, you came in one hour past your curfew last night. This was a time we negotiated, and you agreed to follow it. What were you doing for the one hour when
you were late?

Rachel: My friends and I were watching a great movie at Janie’s house, and I did not want to be the only person who left. Your rules are too strict!

Father: You are blaming us for the curfew rule when you were part of the decision-making for this rule. Whose problem is this?

Rachel: Okay, it’s mine, but I was only watching a movie at my girlfriend’s house.

Mother: Why do you think we are really questioning this?

Rachel: You tell me. I do not see the big deal here.

Mother: Part of gaining trust so that you can do all the activities you want to do is following commitments that you make.

Father: So, what was the problem in this case?

Rachel: I did not follow the rules that I agreed to.

Father: What can you do to show us you can be trusted to follow through with commitments you make?

Rachel: I will be in early one hour each day for the next week.

Mother: That is a good way to show us that you are sorry and that you understand the importance of an honest relationship with us.

Father: Let’s talk about the other expectations that you have met this day. You have really considered our views and have been complimentary of your mother’s work.


One week later…

Rachel: I was able to be in one hour early each day this week. I enjoyed the time at home, got caught up on some extra-credit work for school, and was able to organize my bedroom.

Mother: I really appreciate your honesty and your being able to meet your commitments.

Father: Rachel, you have also showed many acts this past day that have really showed me you are respecting and loving others. Can you review these with us?

Rachel: I spent time with Mrs. Wilson today. She really enjoys when I read to her. I really see how her blindness has changed her priorities in the world. I was able to take some of my clothes to the Goodwill today. I had a hard time doing this cause I love my stuff. I got some help in school from someone that I have avoided. She is so smart, and I let her know how much I needed her help in physics. I also asked my boss for help at the restaurant. He was happy to spend time with me to show me how to use the cash register.

Mother: I know I was too hard on you today when you came home from school. I should not take out my anger on you when I get behind in my work. I will make sure that you and I go to one of your favorite places tomorrow.

Father: Since you have showed a willingness to stick to your commitments, your mother and I have decided to let you take the car to the movies with your friends. We will need to negotiate the terms of this new experience. Can you come up with any terms?

Rachel: I will drive to the movies and come straight home after the movie is over.

Mother: That sounds like responsible terms. If this works out, we will discuss other ways you can start to experience the other activities you have said you would like to do.

For many people, the act of problem-solving and reconciliation is difficult. From the time when they were very young, they have stayed away from people with whom they are in conflict. These people are taught to avoid tough situations that may provoke intense emotions because there will be opposing views. They are taught a type of learned helplessness, avoidance, and codependency. Many people in this developmental stage will want to be liked more than respected, so they will not share their
honest views with others. Do you give in to peer pressure and the expectations of others when your morality is challenged?

What is the Real Cause of Bipolar Disorder

Everything happens with a cause and that is a fact. It has been stressed in many subjects in school that there is always the so called 'cause and effect'; and one can’t happen without the other.

What about bipolar disorder? The illness is considered as the effect; so what then are the causes? Studies are still underway and researchers are still trying to determine the exact cause of bipolar disorder. Scientific evidence claims that the chemical imbalance inside a person's brain has something to do with bipolar disorder. But then again, what causes the chemical imbalance? Viable theories say that it is due to environmental triggers and heredity. Let's deal with these things one at a time.

Chemical Imbalance

Some people believe that the chemical imbalance in a person's brain is caused by dog bites, osmosis and lithium shortage. But that is a misinformation that brings a lot of confusion to the minds of the people. Most scientists believe that psychological and biological explanations may be the cause of the brain's chemical imbalance.

When you talk about biological explanation, the first thing on the list is genetics. Inheritability is a great issue and there is overwhelming evidence that bipolar disorder runs in the family and reflects genetic vulnerability.

Bipolar disorder is said to be caused by neurotransmitter systems. For decades, scientists are already aware that there is a link between mood disorders and neurotransmitters. Low or high levels of serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine cause bipolar disorder. There are also studies that indicate a change in the nerve cells' receptors and sensitivity.

For now, the neurotransmitters are considered as part of the cause of bipolar disorder but their exact role is not yet established. Research is still being conducted.

Geneticists are trying to determine the chromosomes and genes that act as carriers of bipolar disorder. They would like to find out if these chromosomes or genes come singularly or in tandem. The gene GRK-3 and some chromosomes are said to be linked with bipolar disorder. But most scientists and geneticists agree that 50% is caused by genetics and the other half is due to the environment.

Continuous studies are still underway. Sophisticated tools are needed to uncover what activates the genes or chromosomes, the brain component's code, and how these things affect human behavior. Once the molecular knowledge is acquired, new therapies may be engineered to make the lives of bipolar sufferers much easier.

Environmental Triggers

Life is full of stressful events, and this is the primary culprit that implicates bipolar disorder manifestation. Stressful events may pertain to job loss, death of a loved one, or anything that is encountered by an individual. There have been studies showing that the events results to the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. So when bipolar is triggered, it will soon progress and continue.

To sum it all up, some scientists were able to come up with model called Diathesis-Stress. This is a term that refers to a person being susceptible to diseases like bipolar disorder. This model says that every individual inherits physical predispositions that make him/her at risk to possible problems that might be encountered. In order for a disorder to be produced, both the inherited tendency, as well as the stressful conditions is required.

So if you're suffering from bipolar disorder, it's likely that you were able to inherit some genes that make you susceptible to the disorder, and that some events in your life triggered it. Scientists are still studying this disorder and the theories can still be refined.

By expanding and applying the knowledge gained by scientists in their studies, the bipolar patients can be given the right treatment strategies based solidly in science; and not on the trial/error method.

Bipolar disorder typically starts during an individual's late twenties, but there have been cases where teenagers and even children are diagnosed with the disorder. Physicians and patients still find it hard to struggle with the disorder especially if the right treatment combinations are not yet struck.

Living with bipolar disorder is quite difficult, but with the many discoveries yet to be uncovered, the patients and their families can be assured that a bright and normal future awaits them. Therefore, great attention must be given to the different studies and researches that specialists undertake.