Television Viewing and the Role of the Middle School Educator

Abstract

How children spend their free time before, during, and after school may affect their social conscience, school adjustment, and academic achievement. Much debate and attention have been given on a societal level to the effects of television viewing on children. Yet little is known about the effect of television on the adolescent student. Because tento fourteen-year-old children are developmentally at a stage characterized by substantial emotional, physical, and intellectual change, there is great potential for television to have a positive or negative impact on their attitudes, values, and behaviors. For the middle school student identified as atrisk for school maladjustment, academic underachievement, or dropping out, the effects of poor televisionviewing habits may be particularly pernicious. Unfortunately, the technologies that have made television viewing an easily accessible, popular pastime of school-aged children have not been counterbalanced with age-appropriate program-viewing options. Furthermore, parental guidance of television viewing is often inadequate after the preschool years and primary grades. Consequently, the challenge arises-how can middle school educators positively affect the televisionviewing habits of their students? The purpose of this article is to present a brief review of the literature as it pertains to the television-viewing habits and preferences of school-aged youngsters. More specifically, the differences among the viewing habits of middle school students identified as gifted, at-risk for dropping out, and mildly handicapped will be examined. Finally, we will offer practical suggestions that the middle school teacher may use with parents and in the class-