Children behaving like animals... or why I teach in China and NOT the UK.

[mikedt]

BBC News - Children behaving like animals, Barnardo's survey finds

Almost half of Britons think children are violent and starting to behave like animals, a Barnardo's survey suggests.

The children's charity says the research suggests society holds a negative view towards children despite the majority being well behaved.

Of the more than 2,000 people questioned by ICM Research, 44% said young people were becoming feral.

Barnado's chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said it was "depressing" so many were ready to give up on children.

The survey revealed that:

49% agreed children are beginning to behave like animals
Almost 47% thought youngsters were angry, violent and abusive
One in four said those who behaved badly were beyond help by the age of 10
Whilst 36% thought children who get into trouble need help, 38% disagreed.

Children just don't have time to become feral and violent in China, and there is almost total respect for their elders.

 

[Frisco]

I have trouble comparing societies that are far apart (geographically as well as ethnically in this case).

Largely homogeneous societies are certainly by and large more well-ordered than blended ones. I'm not schooled much on the early tribal history of China, but I suspect that with some rural vs urban differences, the country is composed basically of the same branches of families.

Great Britain, even just England itself, was a bit of a mix early on of German, various Scandinavian families, the early Romans as well as other Europeans who migrated. Of course now there is a huge influx of people from all over the world, Pakistan and various African countries, etc.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Was everyone surveyed 80+?

 

[mikedt]

I have trouble comparing societies that are far apart (geographically as well as ethnically in this case).

I don't, as my sig says 'An Englishman in the People's Republic.', I'm originally from the UK but now live and work in China.

Was everyone surveyed 80+?

Well I'm 40 something and happen to agree with the findings of that survey.

I've been living and working in China and teaching Chinese kids for nearly 3 years now and totally enjoying it. There is no way I would ever want to work with UK kids and work in UK schools again. Been there, done that.

I've heard that some UK schools now have airport style security procedures, because students are bringing knives and other offensive weapons to school. WTF!!

 

[Sak01]

I blame the liberal intelligentsia. It's the high minded, short-sighted policies they have been promoting for decades which are at the root causes of this.

You reap what you sow.

 

[lunatic59]

This has been going on since the first caveteen asked to borrow the wheel on Saturday night to go out Mastodon tipping with his buddies.


"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

 

[mikedt]

I blame the liberal intelligentsia. It's the high minded, short-sighted policies they have been promoting for decades which are at the root causes of this.

You reap what you sow.

I think the main problem, there is nothing for the kids to do in the evenings and at weekends, except hang around shopping malls and outside supermarkets and convenience stores, causing trouble, hurling abuse and often underage drinking. That sort of thing just does not happen here, they're fully occupied in the evening and at weekends.

Attendance at my current school is like 100%, student discipline is exemplary. It has student and teacher facilities that many UK state schools can only dream of. There's an olympic quality running track for a start, my old school in the UK sold its sports field for housing developments.

In fact the only real thing which happened here, is that we had a two day student strike and protest back in May, was a genuine reason though....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13547933
...made world news as well.

 

[ElasticNinja]

Perhaps a lot of the problem is due to many parents not taking an interest in their children's education, the effective class segregation of different schools, the drinking culture of the British Ilses, among other things.
While I have no experience of them, it seems like kids in China are bred to be robots. Also regarding the schools equipment Mike, could that be related to the fact that a Province like Inner Mongolia has tens Billions of Yuan extra to spend every year, and they are able to spend this on new infrastructure

 

[Member243850]

BBC News - Children behaving like animals, Barnardo's survey finds

Almost half of Britons think children are violent and starting to behave like animals, a Barnardo's survey suggests.

The children's charity says the research suggests society holds a negative view towards children despite the majority being well behaved.

Of the more than 2,000 people questioned by ICM Research, 44% said young people were becoming feral.

Barnado's chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said it was "depressing" so many were ready to give up on children.

The survey revealed that:

49% agreed children are beginning to behave like animals
Almost 47% thought youngsters were angry, violent and abusive
One in four said those who behaved badly were beyond help by the age of 10
Whilst 36% thought children who get into trouble need help, 38% disagreed.

Children just don't have time to become feral and violent in China, and there is almost total respect for their elders.

PLUS 1 BUDDY!!

This is such an interesting topic and I am glad you brought it up!

I love to think about things like this!

You and I think a like buddy!

China... in a way has had a really really and I mean really difficultpast... the people have suffered just sooo much in recent years. Just like South Africa, China has had devastating past, but it is almost guaranteed that China will have a great future ahead of it where as South Africa more than likely will not.

The economists of the world have grouped Brazil... Russia... India...China...and South Africa into what they call the "BRICS"

It talks about economies that are growing from 3rd world very fast into 1st world and developing extremely quickly, but I personally believe SA should not be in that list because our country is just a frack up.
Here you can read about it if you want to:

BRICS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However SA's future is very very very unstable and dodgey and the country could go crazy, but China the great majority work very hard where as in SA (about 85%) just do not want to work and blame everything on the past and never get anything done.

It is also culture... the Chinese in their culture they work soooo damn hard like you cannot believe. Hard work is valued above everything else in their culture I believe I could be worng though???...

And no I am not saying the English do not work... well the did in the past at least... but the times are changing quickly and it seems the English do not work as hard as they used to.

I think there is also another element involved here... and I think I am going to get jeered at for saying this but here goes:

I believe that when a nation becomes too powerful... it gets corrupt... just like Anceint Rome, Egypt and Greece they will fall and collapse just like what is happening to the UK... also the people become soft like cream puffs and don't want to do any work because they have had it way too easy.

I hope I don't get jeered at but that is just my opinoin thats and not fact... please understand I am not attacking anyone just what I personally believe and just my opinoin... I repeat... it is NOT fact and just my opinoin.. please understand this.

I really like this topic it is very interesting Thanks mikedt for sharing.

VERY interesting topic buddy!

And Wow dude!

I wish you were my teacher back when I was in school!!

Are you a teacher?

You are a pretty cool guy man!

 

[Frisco]

I don't, as my sig says 'An Englishman in the People's Republic.', I'm originally from the UK but now live and work in China.

That isn't what I meant, by "I have trouble comparing." Perhaps I should have stated the idea, "It's not a valid comparison of societies when we consider those so far apart geographically and ethnically."

The rest of my post highlighted that notion, the notion of a homogeneous society as opposed to a blended one.

I don't blame you for lamenting what you perceive as more violence in the U.K. as compared to China, but Chinese violence is not documented publicly or openly. Once in a while it leaks out to the world, though:

Uighur violence in China leaves at least 19 dead - Los Angeles Times

"Intimate partner violence," what we in the Western World call "domestic violence, is epidemic in China:

Intimate Partner Violence in China: National Prevalence, Risk Factors and Associated Health Problems

The Persistent Problem of Domestic Violence in China by C

 

[Sak01]

It's not just China though. Many developing or even third world countries don't have the kind of problems with classroom discipline or general lack of respect that you find in developed nations.

I know several teachers from the UK who have taken expat roles in various developing nations and this is usually the first benefit they always list.

 

[ElasticNinja]

I think in poorer countries children and their parents *want* education much more tbh

 

[mikedt]

That isn't what I meant, by "I have trouble comparing." Perhaps I should have stated the idea, "It's not a valid comparison of societies when we consider those so far apart geographically and ethnically."

The rest of my post highlighted that notion, the notion of a homogeneous society as opposed to a blended one.

I don't blame you for lamenting what you perceive as more violence in the U.K. as compared to China, but Chinese violence is not documented publicly or openly. Once in a while it leaks out to the world, though:

Uighur violence in China leaves at least 19 dead - Los Angeles Times

"Intimate partner violence," what we in the Western World call "domestic violence, is epidemic in China:

Intimate Partner Violence in China: National Prevalence, Risk Factors and Associated Health Problems

The Persistent Problem of Domestic Violence in China by C

 

[Gmash]

I think in poorer countries children and their parents *want* education much more tbh

I agree with this. In the poorer countries they realize education to be a privilege which can help them escape from poverty, where in the more developed countries the kids may think of going to school as a chore or something they have to endure. A also agree that boredom after school is what gets a lot of these kids in trouble.

 

[Sak01]

I agree with this. In the poorer countries they realize education to be a privilege which can help them escape from poverty, where in the more developed countries the kids may think of going to school as a chore or something they have to endure.

Trust me, kids in many developing countries see it as a chore too. The difference is that respect for one's elders is culturally ingrained into their psyches as it was over here up to only a few decades ago.

 

[Dark Jedi]

THink its more of the kids in china cant hide behind the if you hit me I will call CPS and they will arrest your ass for child abuse. Now if china was like the western world I bet they would have the same problems. We see how much China's gov holds human rights so dear lol.

 

[ElasticNinja]

There are background checks because paedos are obviously going to try in work in a profession involving children.
No ones *presuming* anything, but young children must be protected as they cannot protect them selves

 

[Slug]

There are background checks because paedos are obviously going to try in work in a profession involving children.

That'll be why parents have to obtain permission from all those of their classmates before being allowed to photograph school nativity plays and pantomimes, then? Or why they're not allowed to record their childrens' sporting events? Being careful and protective is good. Being paranoid, and instilling that in our children, definitely isn't.

As for their behaviour.... there's plenty for them to do other than hang around drinking, fighting and making trouble. It's just that they're too damn lazy to bother doing it - everything has to be served up on a plate (or a DVD) for the spoiled brats these days.

 

[lordofthereef]

This survey could be tossed in the pile of most surveys and labeled as rubbish, IMO. First of all, 2000 people were surveyed? What sort of sampling is that? Also, what do you define as "behaving like animals"? Are these children smearing their poo and fornicating in public? There are animals that do that.

 

[Vihzel]

I do know that students in Korea are better behaved than students in the US.

 

[Gmash]

I do think using the word "feral" in regards to children is pretty comical.

 

[jerofld]

I blame the lack of parent involvement and sense of entitlement that children have. The 'no child left behind' thing really screwed kids' learning, as well. If a kid doesn't make the cut, then just push them through anyways? How does that work? How does that benefit the kid? Failure has consequences.

If a gymnast misses their landing, do they get the gold medal? No.
If a basketball team fails to earn enough points, do they win the game? No.
If I fail my job interview, do I get the job? No.

Why is school any different? We're supposed to be training our kids to be ready for their lives as adults. Well, the schools are responsible for giving them enough of an education for them to be useful in the job market. The parents are responsible for the well being and morality of the child. The west fails on both points. Kids don't want to be there (surprise?), parents don't care, and schools are cutting funding and classes so much I'm surprised a high school diploma is even worth the paper it's printed on anymore.

 

[whitewater]

I know that children behavior has a lot to do with the parents. What they do and how they treat their children effect children.
There are plenty of shows that prove that if a child is behaving inappropriately, it has almost everything to do with the parents.
If there are children behaving like animals, who are rude and violent, its most likely bad parenting. Also, bad influence from society would play a part too I guess.