Odd Girl Out Paper/Counseling
How the hidden culture of aggression in girls helps the school counselor when working with students.
It is amazing that we can go through life with blinders on and not realize the pain others suffer around us because we are so focused on what we think is relevant and important. I don’t believe this is just me. I am very busy between work, school and raising a son. I am always on the go. So when we started talking about girls and their “issues” with one another, I took the time to educate myself by talking to students and some friends who have admitted being bullied as a child and shared their stories with me. I myself have never been bullied but in hindsight may have in my early adult years partaken in not so nice behaviors on occasion. To label and hear stories of those that have been bullied and are currently living that life daily breaks my heart. As I have watched Mean Girls, Odd Girl Out and read the book Odd Girl Out, my eyes have been opened to just how extreme this situation really is. I am guilty of being one of those adults that just thought it was part of growing up. I have always voiced my opinion of survival of the fittest, oh get it over it......! I have come to realize how much these girls are being impacted by mean girls and that it starts at such a young age. As we sat in class and people started to share how they were bullied as young girls, I felt horrible. I didn’t realize the extent of what some girls have been through and the impact on their lives. The more I have taken the time to talk to people about growing up and what they have been through, the more I am aware of what is going on in my classes on a daily basis. My eyes have been opened to the slightest of bullying and harassment these girls inflict on others constantly. It is important to know as a counselor that the bullying happens right under the adults noses. That girls can hide their aggression from adults by appearing like sweet, innocent, well-behaved students
It is amazing that we can go through life with blinders on and not realize the pain others suffer around us because we are so focused on what we think is relevant and important. I don’t believe this is just me. I am very busy between work, school and raising a son. I am always on the go. So when we started talking about girls and their “issues” with one another, I took the time to educate myself by talking to students and some friends who have admitted being bullied as a child and shared their stories with me. I myself have never been bullied but in hindsight may have in my early adult years partaken in not so nice behaviors on occasion. To label and hear stories of those that have been bullied and are currently living that life daily breaks my heart. As I have watched Mean Girls, Odd Girl Out and read the book Odd Girl Out, my eyes have been opened to just how extreme this situation really is. I am guilty of being one of those adults that just thought it was part of growing up. I have always voiced my opinion of survival of the fittest, oh get it over it......! I have come to realize how much these girls are being impacted by mean girls and that it starts at such a young age. As we sat in class and people started to share how they were bullied as young girls, I felt horrible. I didn’t realize the extent of what some girls have been through and the impact on their lives. The more I have taken the time to talk to people about growing up and what they have been through, the more I am aware of what is going on in my classes on a daily basis. My eyes have been opened to the slightest of bullying and harassment these girls inflict on others constantly. It is important to know as a counselor that the bullying happens right under the adults noses. That girls can hide their aggression from adults by appearing like sweet, innocent, well-behaved students