Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
Exploratory Poem
Brianna Aitchison
Ms. McKoy
English 2- 1st Block
12 March 2013
Last Day
Smiling, singing, dancing, and laughing
This was the time no one thought it could happen.
It was the day she said she could cry a river.
Only to finally realize this would be the day she would soon jet out of here.
It was a bright and shiny day,
Before anyone knew the price that would pay.
Samantha walked swiftly home on the sidewalk that was taunting her and only telling her
Everything was her own fault.
Everything was her own fault.
Only trying to hold back the tears,
She had only wished to disappear.
Sam made her way to the restroom,
She pulled back her brown straight hair,
Seeing her reflection looking back at her was a major issue she could not bear.
Pulling at her clothes everyone said did not fit right,
Or looking at the scar on her wrist she said was only a dog bite.
No one could ever see the pain in her brown eyes,
Because she only hid it behind her disguise.
Softly sniffling silently,
This was the time she knew and had wished to disappear.
Samantha gathered up her objects she needed to say her goodbyes.
It was a knife, gun, chair, and rope she needed to disappear.
This was the time she ran to her bedroom
With all her anger hitting an incline.
She grasped all the objects tighter,
Only hoping it would soon make her body feel lighter.
A game of “Eenie meenie minie moe” chose the way of her fate.
Only to know the gun was her bait,
With the chair and rope as the topping of the cake.
Wrapping the rope around her closet shelf,
This was the best she had felt.
Samantha pushed the chair up to the rope,
Only to feel as if nobody had any hope.
Picking up the gun to her side,
She never realized this was the way she was going to die.
Turning back trying to fight her tears,
Her memories went back to her past years.
Taking a pen to her hand with no doubt,
She drew a heart and a ribbon without a pout.
These two drawings showed her truce,
To all the bullies that never gave her a boost.
It was then when the bullies heard her name on the news.
Only to realize they would soon be sitting on a pew.
To finish the scene where we left hanging,
Samantha hopped on the chair and finished where she left off.
Only wanting to disappear,
She brought up the gun to the side of her ear.
Knotted the rope around her neck
Another round so she could not peck.
Sam then pressed on the trigger,
Only letting her body deliver.
Only hearing a BOOM and BANG,
She was falling forward tumbling to the ground,
But then the rope had caught her from feeling a pound.
Breaking down her bedroom door,
Was Samantha’s family to find her no more.
Leaving behind a heart and a blue ribbon on her hand,
Was a symbol her parent’s could not understand.
If only you knew as the bully,
What made Samantha commit her killing,
Would you step up to the plate and admit your wrong doing?
Taking into consideration:
If today was yours or another’s last day,
What would you do?
What would you say?
Would you regret everything in the past you have done?
Or will your only excuse be, “I was just having fun.”
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt you,
Is a saying that can be untrue.
Many people like Samantha will not confess up about the hurt,
But in the end they end up getting burnt.
If today was yours or another’s last day,
What would you do?
What would you say?
Would you want to impact their life?
Time is ticking.
Another gun is being filled.
Are you the one picking on them?
Or the next one on the battlefield?
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Research Memo
Brianna Aitchison
Ms. McKoy
English 2
21 February 2013
Is Bullying Leading to Suicide?
Hypothesis:
Bullying, I feel, has become a huge course leading to suicide and needs to be stopped before it grows larger. Everyone hears stories of a teen committing suicide but they never really know why they did it. My main target population is to survey ages 12-18, but to also get input from adults. Going through with my survey I wish to find out how a bullied victim has found help or may find help. Also, what may come to the mind to make them consider suicide. I feel my audience will hopefully put an honest input in the ways they have or someone they know have dealt with bullying or even some ways that they can get help.
Context:
My target population was from the ages 12-18 because during these ages is when bullying usually occurs most and more suicide ratings can be seen. While doing my pilot testing I realized I need to add more of a variety of questions and my questions did not really touch on suicide at all. The results I received I believe would be reliable because many of the answers varied and the questions I asked were normal based questions asking about their knowledge and what they thought about bullying. I feel my questions were skewed because I asked questions based on knowledge that the respondent could/would have.
Results/Data Analysis
Demographic
|
Trend
|
Meaning
|
34 females
6 males
|
All males and females answered true for question 11.
Question 11:
Is the knowledge of bullying important?
|
When coming up with question 11 I thought many that took the survey would answer with a true because without the knowledge there would be no way to stop bullying from occurring. In addition, I feel as if this trend occurred because many already know about the consequences that come along with bullying.
|
Females:
14-16- Yes (22) No (4)
25-Older: No (1)
Males:
14-16: Yes (2) No (1)
17-24: Yes (2) No (1)
25-Older: None
|
More female teenagers from ages 14-16 are getting or have been a bullied victim rather then 17-24 year olds or people 25 and older.
The number of males that have or have not been a bullied victim has stayed the same for 14-16 year olds and 17-24.
Question 6:
Are/have you been a bullied victim?
|
On question number 6 I came to realize bullying has increased a lot for teenagers in today’s age rather then it may have been just a few years ago mainly for females rather then males. This could even be by the way media has started to affect our society.
|
34 Females
6 Males
|
The top two responses I got for my 10th question was Messaging such as (texts, e-mails, mail, etc.) and also Internet from both males and females.
Question 10:
Where do you see bullying occurring the most? (Check all that apply)
Hallways
Restrooms
Messaging (texts, e-mails, mail, etc.)
Internet
Cafeteria
Other
|
How society is becoming more of a media place and many of the bullies are turning to Internet or messaging so they do not have to directly face their victim and believe whatever they may be doing is not bad and there are not consequences for it.
|
Conclusion
My surveys have helped me to gain a better understanding of how people have dealt with bullying such as ignoring it, talking to people, self harm, etc. Also by answering this question it gave me a sense to know that bullied victims tend to think self harm or even fighting may be an answer to this issue. My hypotheses was correct with finding out how bullied victims have found help or may find help by the respondents answering honestly by giving answers such as going to a counselor, and telling a principal or adult. One this that was different then I had expected was when I had asked if they thought parents/guardians, teachers, etc. were aware that bullying was going on most answered with a yes compared to what I thought many would answer no to. I thought this because talking to a teacher and telling about my sisters story he did not think bullying occurred that much in the school. Also, I thought this because many teens or children do not like to usually speak out or tell that the bullying is going on. After surveying my questions have showed me that many people know that bullying is a huge problem that needs to be fixed. In addition, going along with bullying, many turn to self harm which is now a huge revolving issue around the world.
Follow Up
Starting on my secondary research I want to mainly focus on bullied victims that have thought about suicide instead of anyone who has just been bullied. One of the main questions I feel I should focus on is should people be aware of the thoughts that come to mind of a bullied victim. As a result of this research my research questions have changed survey wise because I want to get inputs from actual bullied victims that want or have attempted to do suicide. Also, my research questions have changed a bit because I want people to understand what comes to the mind of a person that wants to commit suicide and why they would want to commit suicide.
Works Cited Aitchison, Brianna. “Is Bullying Leading to Suicide?” Survey. 13 February 2013.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Exploratory Essay
Brianna Aitchison
Ms. McKoy
English 2
07 February 2013
Mind of a Victim
“Why am I here?” runs through her mind every day. “Do I really belong in this world?” is a question she cannot seem to fully answer. “I just want to die” is a statement she says, which some may believe or just take it as a joke. “She” is my sister Samantha. Samantha is the kind who can make you smile on a rainy day and inspire you to do whatever you never wanted to do. Starting her first year in middle school, she has been faced with going to school and being bullied. Bursting into tears and into my arms, Samantha comes home asking these questions and searching for the answer. Finding ways to comfort her, I work through the issues and comments that have been placed on her mind telling her the best decisions I think she should make. Some of the decisions I suggest to her is to tell a teacher or principal. Also, I tell her to even talk to our parents about the issue. After, the situation seems to get better it collapses once again, and she returns to being a victim for a bully.
Bullying is a word that can summarize many different forms. Stamp Out Bullying states, “Bullying comes in different forms such as: Verbal, Physical, Social, and Cyber.” It is very important to know the different forms, so that when anyone can see bullying occurring they do not have to be a bystander. Then, they can stick up for the victim and stop it from happening. Also, when someone is choosing a path to say a statement that is harsh their subconscious self can take a moment and think about the consequences that can occur to themselves, or those they want to hurt even if it may not be on purpose. In addition, the website also tells the effects that bullying has on a person, such as depression, stomach aches, suicide and anxiety being a few of the effects. This information is dependable because on the website it states the last update. Also, because it ends in .co.uk rather then .com which means it is a company in the United Kingdom
Beginning with this initial research it has helped begin guide my project in many ways. One of those ways is to tell about the ways bullying can be seen because many people do not seem to know. This process has also helped to find a beginning point to where I can branch out and tell about my essential questions. “Does bullying mainly have to lead to suicide?” is my main essential question. To develop my thesis statement more which states, I do not think bullying has to lead to suicide I created 5 questions that can help prove my point better. How can someone find help for suicide thoughts? Also, should students and parents be aware of the thoughts that come to mind of a bullied victim? Are a few of the questions I have in mind. In addition, these questions I feel can definitely prove a point of how I feel bullying does not need to lead to suicide.
I would like to do further research on if bullying has to lead to suicide because I want students to know how the actions they make can affect another person’s mind and the way they react. Also, because I want everyone who has someone in their family, friendships, or any other relationships to know ways they can help someone or even themselves if this may become or is an issue. Bullying does not have to lead to suicide, and a possible argument that I make is, if in most bullying cases does suicide occur or in extreme bullying cases is suicide seen to occur more. Although, it may not be a choice anyone may want to take it is a great way to grab a hold of the chances and stop being a victim of bullying and suicidal thoughts.
Works Cited
“Different Types of Bullying.” Stampoutbullying. 30 Nov. 2012. Stamp Out Bullying. Web. 29 Jan. 2013 <http://www.stampoutbullying.co.uk/types>.
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