~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The
ARKGROUP (Adults Relating to Kids)
Publishing from Lone Star
College University Park SH 249, Houston, Texas ARK 'N ACTION May
2010
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In this
issue:
-- Launching the "Dallas ARK Initiative"
-- Disciplining Your Children
-- They're Back -- Funny Clips From Church Bulletins
-- Your Generosity Makes A Real Difference
-- Musings From Bill: Which Kids Get Bullied More?
We welcome you to ARK's May Newsletter, and Glenn, Jan, Omega, Quintina, and I wish you warm, sunny and exciting, lazy, crazy days of summer and some good old-fashioned opportunities for watermelon and home-made ice-cream. We really do appreciate the commitments that each of you have made in strengthening the lives of others. We are fortunate to have you in the ARK Family, and we keep you in our hearts and thoughts. Please keep us in yours! William R. Duffy If you have any ideas regarding where we need to be placing our ARK
programming, please let us know. | |
Launching the "Dallas ARK Initiative" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are very
excitied about the opportunities being afforded the ARKGroup in Dallas. We
are launching the Dallas ARK Initiative which will have two
components: the "West Dallas Project," and the "Greater Dallas
Project.""The West Dallas Project" will focus on a continuation of our efforts in that community. This past year, we have installed the ARK Program in the ten elementary schools in the Pinkston High School feeder pattern and three community centers (Wesley-Rankin, Voice of Hope, and Westmoreland Heights). In addition, we have trained facilitators to implement the faith-based version of ARK for Parents in six West Dallas churches. Through our "Greater Dallas Project," we will vastly expand our programming through the addition of four partners who have programming not only in West Dallas but also throughout the larger Dallas community: The Dallas Housing Authority, Dallas Head Start, and AVANCE have asked us to share the ARK Program at their sites, and we have a June appointment with Dr. Michael Hinojosa, Dallas Independent School District Superintendent, to discuss placing ARK in additional schools throughout the Dallas area. Dallas ISD has granted permission for Southern Methodist's School of Education to do a program evaluation regarding the effectiveness of the ARK Program at the West Dallas elementary schools. The Dean of the School of Education, Dr. David Chard, has also evidenced great interest in the School's performing additional program analyses of the ARK Program in other locations in Greater Dallas. Many of the children of West Dallas and Greater Dallas are products of generational poverty. While they project an outer bravado, they are full of self-doubt and fear regarding their ability to construct a happy, productive existence. Unfortunately, those fears become a self-fulfilling prophecy--which accounts for the high rate of juvenile criminality and an exceptionally high dropout rate (over 50% at Dallas ISD High Schools). The ARK Program--shared through schools, churches, community centers, and social service organizations--helps West Dallas and Greater Dallas children to value themselves, to dare to dream and set positive goals for themselves, and to feel hopeful about their prospects for experiencing successful, joy- filled lives. All of our collaborating institutions in the Dallas ARK Initiative share the common goal of making life better for the children of Dallas. ARK is the common thread that is interwoven throughout this fabric of compassion and concern. | |
Disciplining Your Children ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A new study
published in "Pediatrics", discusses research at Tulane University which
provides the strongest evidence yet that children's short-term response to
spanking may make them act out more in the long run. (Time, May 3,
2010, article by Alice Park)
Over 2,500 youngsters in the study were studied, and those who were spanked more frequently at age 3 were more likely to be aggressive by age 5. The study conducted by professor Catherine Taylor found that "the odds of a child being more aggressive at age 5 increased 50% if he or she had been spanked more than twice in the month before the study began". The reason for this may be that spanking sets up a loop of bad
behavior. Corporal punishment instills fear rather than understanding.
What's more, spanking sets up a bad example, teaching children that
aggressive behavior is a solution to their parents' problems. Instead of spanking, the AAP recommends time-outs. With older children,
"self-monitored" time-outs can be especially effective. "Johnny, please go
to the 'thinking tank' and think about what you are doing. When you feel
like you are able to share the toys with the other children, you can come
back and join us." These quiet moments allow a child to calm down and
think about his emotions rather than acting on them reflexively.
Share with us your suggestions of hope and encouragement, and we will pass them on to others. | |
They're Back -- Funny Clips From Church Bulletins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Don't let
worry kill you off. Let the Church help.Potluck supper Wednesday at 5:00 PM. Prayer and meditation to follow. Low Self- Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7:00 PM. Please use the back door. Next Thursday will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help
they can get. | |
Your Generosity Makes A Real Difference ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  ARK is about relationships and helping all of us to
appreciate the implications of becoming "intentional adults" in the lives
of children. Relationships can lead to fulfillment in many ways. Ralph
Waldo Emerson once said, "It is one of the most beautiful compensations in
life...that no man can sincerely try to help another without being helped
himself." One way of helping children--that will make a real difference in
the lives of countless kids--is through your financial contributions to
the ARKGroup.Over the years, many of you have shared your resources to make sure that the ARK Program is in as many schools, churches, juvenile justice programs, community centers, and prisons as possible. Each gift is significant and is deeply appreciated. You have shared in the past, and we would like to offer you the opportunity to continue to exercise your spirit of generosity and compassion during this new year through a contribution to the ARKGroup. A memorial gift to ARK is a great way to remember a deceased friend or relative. A gift in honor of a co- worker, a grandchild, or a teacher is a gift that will "enrich the lives of children." A gift to ARK--offered simply because you believe in our mission-- will have a wonderfully significant impact. If your gift is memory or in honor of a loved one, please include the address where we can send an acknowledgement of your gift. Since the ARKGroup is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization, all gifts are tax-deductible. Checks can be made out to "The ARKGroup" and sent to our Houston office (20515 SH 249, LoneStar College University Park CB-122, Houston, Texas 77070) or our Dallas office (2215 Canada Dr., Dallas, TX 75212). Take a look at the ARK website for full details on programs at www.thearkgroup.org | |
Musings From Bill: Which Kids Get Bullied More? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  My thanks for these thoughts from Hilary Hylton
(Time, October 14, 2008).Studies show that the same children tend to endure chronic bullying over time and that 1 in 10 children are affected by actions that include violence, name-calling and other aggressive acts, principally at school. In a study of 1,970 children -- half boys and half girls -- in primary school, three trajectories of victimization risks were identified. Researchers found that children were more likely to experience bullying when they 1) were themselves prone to physically aggressive behavior, 2) had harsh parenting methods in their families, like overly punitive responses to kids' bad behavior and, 3) experienced life in a low socio-economic status (where aggressive behaviors tend to be more culturally- tolerated). It would seem to me that identifying risk factors regarding bullying in pre-school or even earlier by parents and other intentional adults might go a long-way in helping to get a handle on this issue of bullying, which is out of control (as evidenced by the news in the papers daily). Parents can start today to do their best job in learning how to discipline behavior versus punishing kids to make them suffer for their actions. We all can look for those "little ones near us who need an adult in their lives to give them a safe and secure environment in which to play and grow." Our ARK for Teens and ARK for Kids Programs provide a host of strategies regarding the art of disciplining and bully-proofing children. I also suggest that you take a peek at Dr. Robert Brooks' work on his website. His February, March, April, and May, 2010, articles offer incredible insight into the opportunities parents and all adults have in helping our children learn to take responsibilities versus simply being obedient. Just musing... | |
Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: wduffyark@sbcglobal.net
phone: 281-537-1301 (Houston) and 817-692-1929 (Dallas/Fort Worth)
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