Children and TV

What Teachers Can Do To Help

     At sharing time, do your students talk about what happened to TV characters the previous evening? When asked to write a story, do some students respond by recounting a bloody shoot-out scene from last night's episode of their favorite police show? At recess, does violent television fantasy turn into real-life behavior for some of your students?

     If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are not alone! These are just three examples of everyday TV-related behaviors that teachers observe among their students.

     Some teachers also report feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly irreversible trend toward unquestioning acceptance of TV values by students and their families. The problem may seem insurmountable, but there are specific ways that you can make a difference.

     Begin by acknowledging the presence of TV. Pretending it doesn't exist has not and will not make it go away. In fact, studies show that after parents and school, TV is the most important factor influencing children's behavior. The goal is to help children and their families become critical television viewers who are able to:

• Question what they see.
• Compare and contrast TV with real life.
• Identify what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior for both the TV characters and themselves.

     We have some ideas you can use to assist your students and their families to become more critical viewers.

What you can do to help your students

       During circle, small-group, or class discussion time, find out what programs your children watch most often. Talk about:

• How real the students believe programs to be.
• What the students like and dislike about the characters.
• What TV characters use put-downs and why.
• Whether the students ever wish that they were a certain TV character.
• How they can tell when things on TV are real or unreal.
• Whether the students worry about situations they see on TV.
• How truthful students believe commercials to be.

Did you know...

       Children who watch a lot of television are likely to:

• Have lower grades in school
• Read fewer books
• Exercise less
• Be overweight

Questions that Probe the Impact of Violence

       How often have you thought, "When I was a kid, I watched violent programs, and it didn't affect me. So why should I worry about my child?"
       Think again. Even if you're right, the way people watch television has changed a lot since the 1950's, 60's and 70's. And, yes, there is plenty to worry about now.
       The important facts below illustrate why you should be concerned.

1. Who watches more TV?
       Today's children do. Today, more people watch television than ever. In 1965, most families watched only five hours and 30 minutes a day. By 1990, in most homes, the TV set was turned on for seven hours a day. In 1960, 45 million homes owned TV sets. By 1990 that number reached almost 90 million.

2. Who sees more acts of violence?
       The news is not good. According to a recent study by Dr. George Gerbner, violence shown in the evening is still measured at 5-6 violent acts per hour. However, children's favorite shows, cartoons, have jumped to 25 or more violent acts per hour.

3. Who watches more violent shows?
       Your child does. The average family receives 34 channels and 60% of us have cable TV and VCRs. Today's children are exposed to a wider choice of cartoons and action-adventure shows and unlike "the good old days," there is practically no children's programming being produced by local stations. Instead, re-runs like Miami Vice, Hunter, and Magnum P.I. as well as action movies that were made for adult viewers, can be seen by children while they have their afternoon snacks.

4. Who sees more realistic-looking violence?
       There have always been fist fights and shoot-outs on television. But in today's TV programs, the special effects and everyday settings make the violence look much more realistic. A child in the 1950's, 60's and 70's could easily tell the difference between hitting they saw in the "wild west" and his or her everyday life. But these days a program's violence is likely to take place in familiar settings like neighborhoods, shopping malls, or along highways. This more "realistic" violence can be especially confusing to young children. Also, studies tell us that children are more likely to imitate the realistic violence they see on TV.

5. Who sees more heroes using violence to solve conflicts?
       Heroes have always used violence to solve problems. However, with the help of cable, it's now easier to see bad guys get blown away. Surprisingly, studies show that TV heroes kill twice as often as the bad guys do. As one researcher said, "The bad guys usually hurt someone, and then the good guys kill them for it."

6. Who usually watches TV without an adult in the room?
       More and more two-career and single-parent families use TV as an electronic baby-sitter. At the same time, over sixty percent of all families now own two or more TV sets. Many children therefore watch hours of programs without an adult nearby to help explain the behavior they see.

7. Who usually plays with toys based on characters seen on violent TV shows?
       The number of TV related toys has grown enormously in the last 5 years. At one point in the 1980's, more than half of all children's shows were toy-based. Today's action figures and space invaders sell violence to children. Young children can now see violence on cartoons and then use the TV toys to imitate and practice that violent behavior.

8. Who knows more about TV violence and its effects on children and adults?
       In the early days of television, we knew little about the effect of television violence on viewers. But that is no longer the case. Hundreds of research studies over the past 30 years have shown that children who watch lots of violent programming may become more aggressive with other children and adults, less willing to cooperate and share with other children, and more afraid of the world outside their homes.

       With this in mind, it is clear that "How can TV violence hurt my kid if it didn't hurt me?" is not the right question. Instead, parents should ask, "Why are kids still watching so much TV violence when all this research shows it's not good for them?"
       Of all the questions about TV violence, that's the one that most deserves an answer.
       Talking about these issues also becomes a point of departure for further discussion and related issues.

An introductory discussion could include:

• What is a hero?
• Why are some cartoon or action-adventure show characters called superheroes?
• Can heroes be helpful without being violent?

Subsequent activities might include:

• Students bringing in pictures or stories from magazines, newspapers or the evening TV news about people doing something heroic or helpful without being violent.
• Students asking their families to write down a heroic act that was performed by someone they know. Then they can illustrate the stories and share them with the rest of the class. Pictures about each story can be featured on a Real Superheroes bulletin board.
• Selecting one child, or more, who has been helpful or heroic recently as Hero(es) of the Week. (This can be another bulletin board feature.)

At the end of the unit conduct a summary discussion to:

• Review what students have said and done. Recall specific examples of stories and artwork.
• Ask what the students think a superhero is now. Is it different from what they thought before? Why or why not?

What teachers can do to help parents

       The average American child watches four hours of TV each day -- none of it in the classroom. Teaching students to become critical viewers also means heightening family awareness. Here are three simple ways in which you can begin to help them:

• Discuss children's TV viewing as a part of back-to-school night.
• Regularly place newspaper and magazine articles about children's TV viewing in the school's newsletter or in your own take-home flyers.
• Bring up issues of TV at individual parent conferences especially if you feel that a particular child's viewing habits are affecting his or her energy level, social behavior or academic progress.

       Critical TV viewing is a skill that must be taught -- just like reading, math or getting along with your neighbor. Your own awareness of the problem and willingness to teach TV-viewing skills to students and their families will demonstrate that something can be done. You can make a difference!

       For more information on the impact of electronic media on children contact the Children's Television Resource and Education Center's TV Info Line at 1-800-998-9599

--- from TV Breakouts by the Children's Television Resource and Education Center

Children and watching TV

       Active parenting can ensure that children have a positive experience with television. Parents can help by:

• Viewing programs with your children
• Selecting developmentally appropriate shows
• Placing limits on the amount of television viewing (per day and per week)
• Turn off the TV during family meals and study time
• Turn off shows you don't feel are appropriate for your child

       In addition, parents can help by doing the following: don't allow children to watch long blocks of TV, but help them select individual programs. Choose shows that meet the developmental needs of your child. Children's shows on public TV are appropriate, but soap operas, adult sitcoms, and adult talk shows are not. Set certain periods when the television will be off. Study times are for learning, not for sitting in front of the TV doing homework. Meal times are a good time for family members to talk with each other, not for watching television.

       Encourage discussions with your children about what they are seeing as you watch shows with them. Point out positive behavior, such as cooperation, friendship, and concern for others. While watching, make connections to history, books, places of interest, and personal events. Talk about your personal and family values as they relate to the show. Ask children to compare what they are watching with real events. Talk about the realistic consequences of violence. Discuss the role of advertising and its influence on buying. Encourage your child to be involved in hobbies, sports, and peers. With proper guidance, your child can learn to use television in a healthy and positive way.

       Make TV viewing an active process for child and parent!

--- from Facts for Families by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry