Getting Kids to Talk – Ages 12-18
A key piece of our media literacy program is getting kids to think and talk about what they watch, play or listen to. But sometimes this is tricky. Our trained jurors watch a lot of DVDs throughout the course of the year and find our training and their experience helpful in getting kids to talk about their feelings.
Kids, ages 12-18, often considers themselves adults, even though they may vacillate between juvenile and mature behavior. They are critical thinkers and, when directed, can be incredibly insightful. Provocative, open forum discussions can be held over issues such as loyalty, honesty and friendship.
They also will succumb to peer pressure, particularly if there are strong personalities in the group. If you think this is a problem, ask them to write their thoughts on paper. You can then share this information with the group anonymously. Girls and boys may have quite different interests at this age too. You might consider single-sex groupings occasionally for more in-depth responses. Try it both ways, to see if the responses vary. You will find this to be an excellent opportunity for introducing new concepts and vocabulary.
You can even set up a TV show and let your kids pretend they are professional reviewers. Let them interview each other for more fun and interactivity.
KIDS FIRST! jurors have some of the best ideas. If you’d like to share an idea or a project that works well for you, please email it to the Jury Manager and we can include it in future blogs. In subsequent blogs I will include tips for other age groups as well.
For more great ideas, or to become more involved with KIDS FIRST!, sign up for our next Jury Training Course or contact the Jury Manager.
