Comments for The Hero Construction Company

Comment on Beating the Bystander Effect – An Open Letter to Teens by Kate

Kate — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:02:02 +0000

Thanks for this – I’m so glad I stumbled across it.

Comment on Beating the Bystander Effect – An Open Letter to Teens by HOW TO BE A HERO « Oakland Schools ~ Michigan

HOW TO BE A HERO « Oakland Schools ~ Michigan — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:18:57 +0000

[...] “Anyone can be a hero. We all have power. In fact, the students at a school have more power than any of the teachers. They have more power than the principal! Power doesn’t mean violence or aggression. One person can change a negative situation by becoming a hero instead of a bystander.” Matt details the how-to-hero process in five steps (which he details in his must-read, enormously insightful Beating the Bystander Effect – An Open Letter to Teens): [...]

Comment on Our Focus on Fear by Peter Steeves

Peter Steeves — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:53:47 +0000

Disclosure: I’m particularly biased, because I consult on security for a local private school.

Properly trained and motivated security staff can, and do, make an ENORMOUS difference. Sure, they can help with the dramatic rare events that make the news … but we can also play a part in the day-to-day lives of the students and faculty.

We can focus entirely on making better and more open communication, serving as role models of proactive non-bystander lifestyles, and rewarding small actions and small kindnesses.

Let’s put Safety and Security professionals in a different category, perhaps. In some cases, security guards and even police get hired to do the reactionary stuff … and yes – that’s minimally helpful. Let’s focus on the rest of the stuff we can do, though.

Comment on Beating the Bystander Effect – An Open Letter to Teens by James

James — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 16:45:14 +0000

Great article. I believe that fully explains everything behind bullying and how simple acts can change the culture around us into a culture of heroes. What an important message!

Comment on Beating the Bystander Effect – An Open Letter to Teens by Kit

Kit — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 16:21:21 +0000

When you explained these ideas to my students this week in these terms i.e. direct and with appropriate solutions it really resonated with them. Thank you for putting this in print for others to see. It is truly valuable.

Comment on Let’s Build Pro-Hero Schools Instead of Anti-Bully Schools by Rob

Rob — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:24:50 +0000

thanks for this. Great message.

Comment on The Hero’s Journey Video by matt

matt — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:26:53 +0000

Thanks for suggestions Lynn. I’ll be making a followup with some more of the details you’ve mentioned. This is what I use when introducing the concept to elementary and middle school kids. I add to it based on the age and whether I’ve spoken to them before.

Comment on The Hero’s Journey Video by Lynn

Lynn — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:12:12 +0000

This is one of the best short videos out there about the hero’s journey for kids. If you want to improve it, you might consider some text that floats in and out to clarify it:
- the ordinary world is not always broken
- adding somewhere the notion of adopting a quest and possibly being scared to adopt the quest. Sometimes the hero is forced on a quest (such as in the middle school book, The Endless Steppe)
- the hero can succeed or fail in his quest.
- the world “obstacles” might be better than “trials” for a middle school audience
- the hero often brings something, such as knowledge, to heal, fix, repair, or outright save the broken element of the ordinary world.

These suggestions are hard to put in and keep the beautiful simplicity, but it would make it easier for teachers. Thanks for fabulous work!

Comment on Our Focus on Fear by matt

matt — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:52:12 +0000

Thanks a lot Lisa. Love, not fear. Right on.

Comment on Our Focus on Fear by Lisa Robbin Young

Lisa Robbin Young — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:17:33 +0000

I still scratch my head at what happened – as my two kids sit home today and tomorrow. I am all for protecting our kids. However, I remain unconvinced that parking a police cruiser in front of the school at pick up and drop off times really solves anything.

In the short term, it makes parents feel like “something” is being done. In reality, any criminal that REALLY wants to commit a crime can. We’re fooling ourselves if we believe otherwise.

A better course of action is to return to the original scene – what’s going on at home and in the lives of our children as they are growing up? Yes, teachers have some responsibility for molding young lives, and so do parents and family. We’re slowly training our entire culture to leave the helping to the professionals. Then, when people slip through the cracks because they couldn’t get access to professionals, we see the sometimes violent consequences and our hackles are raised. We get outraged.

There is no perfect answer. The best answer, however, comes form a place of love, not fear.