Superhero Play: What's A Teacher To Do?

874 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Problem Of Violence In School

Superhero Play is a controversial topic among teachers and parents. They claim that superhero play leads to excessive, out-of-control, violent behavior in children who take on superhero personas during play. “Superhero Play: What’s a Teacher to Do?” by Karen L. Bauer and Ernest Detorre discusses this theory in detail. While superhero play can be believed to have undesirable effects on kids, it can also have positive effects, which is seen through Oscar, a superhero who is an exceptionally good influence on children.
Adults worry about superhero play because kids may learn aggressive behavior from superheros. Children are exposed to large amounts of violence and aggression, with television being one of the main sources. With television programs involving superheroes continuously surfacing, “Eighty-two percent of the programs children watch contain at least some violence” (Bauer and Detorre 17). Children’s behavior can become out-of-control while involved in …show more content…

Children may accidentally hurt themselves or another child while engaging in the activity. When children take on a completely different persona and step into the body of the superhero, they may behave like that superhero and become unmanageable. Teachers generally oppose superhero play because it is chaotic and disruptive in a learning environment. Children acting aggressively and/or out-of-control can cause harm to other students and may call for consequences, thus interrupting the classroom atmosphere. Oscar, on the other hand, is abundantly gentle and kind and displays no signs of violence that can influence kids in a bad way. Oscar’s power to heal those in need can influence kids to help others. Not only are kids shown the reality of sick kids, they are shown the process of healing and the concept of service. Oscar’s background story can teach kids life lessons.

Show More
Related

  • Violent Media...Good for Kids?

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Violent Media is Good for Kids” Gerard Jones introduces us to his fearful and lonesome childhood. He lived in a world where he was taught to be the violence fearing, and passive boy his parents wanted him to be. But, when one of his mother’s students gave him a Marvel comic book, his fearfulness was transformed into inspiration. He found a way to escape these discouraging feelings through the “stifled rage and desire for power” (Jones 285) that he had newly found. The popular comic book hero “The Hulk” freed him from his passive and lonely persona. Throughout the article he cites his testimonies and the testimonies of others as examples; and shows how they used violence as a positive realm for “overcoming powerlessness.” (Jones 287) Ultimately, Jones is trying to convey the message that violent media can provide kids with psychological tools for coping with the problems that they face as they grow. Although there are slight hints of biased evidence, “Violent Media is Good for Kids” should be considered for the top prize for persuasive essays.

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Violent Media

    117 Words  | 1 Pages

    It has been happened frequently in today’s society that parents and teachers try to keep children away from violent media. Children are taught that violent is not right and dangerous. In the article, “Violent Media Is Good for Kids”, Gerard Jones asserts that allowing children to violent media instead of banned it can bring great benefit to children during their growing stage. By watching violent media, children learn to overcome fear, control the rage and prove the real self from the superheroes in the story. Jones believes that violent entertainment can assistance children to fulfill emotional and development need. In my opinion, Jones develops a persuasive argument because of his strong emotions, considerable evidences and reasonable assumptions.

    Read More

  • Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

    1889 Words  | 4 Pages

    The controversy over whether or not violence portrayed on television actually affects children or not has been playing itself out for nearly three decades. When some of the first results came out in the 60s and 70s that made the first connections between aggressive behavior and viewing televised violence, the TV and movie industries denied that there was a connection. When studies found the same thing in the 80s, the FCC opposed any regulation (Hepburn). A writer for Direct Ma...

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Violent Video Games: The Effects Of Violent Video Games?

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    Not every video game causes post game aggression, but documented in his article, “Players who enacted in-game violence through a heroic character exhibited less postgame aggression than players who enacted comparable levels of in-game violence through an antiheroic character” (Sauer 205). As a graduate of Radboud University, Isabela Granic brings to light the reasons why the youth actually benefit from playing violent video games. For example, in her article, “The Benefits of Playing Video Games,” Granic illustrates the fact that children gain social skills, highly efficient motor skills, and the understanding of the human body as a whole. Noted by the author, “Whereas adolescents and adults often use self-disclosure and direct discussion with close friends to resolve emotional issues, children use play to work them out through pretend-based narratives enacted either alone or with others” (Granic 67).

    Read More

  • Media Violence

    1852 Words  | 4 Pages

    Television with its far reaching influence spreads across the globe. Its most important role is that of reporting the news and maintaining communication between people around the world. Television's most influential, yet most serious aspect is its shows for entertainment. Violent children's shows like Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and adult shows like NYPD Blue and Homicide almost always fail to show human beings being able to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner; instead they show a reckless attitude that promotes violent action first with reflection on the consequences later. Contemporary television creates a seemingly insatiable appetite for amusement of all kinds without regard for social or moral benefits (Schultze 41). Findings over the past twenty years by three Surgeon Generals, the Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other medical authorities indicate that televised violence is harmful to all of us, but particularly to the mental health of children (Medved 70-71).

    Read More

  • Violent Video Games and Bad Behavior

    1537 Words  | 4 Pages

    At this day in age we bask in the luxury of having easy access to advanced technology at our disposal. From the World Wide Web, to cell phones, music, movies and video games the human race has thought of any and everything to keep us entertained. Over the years studies have shown reasonable concerns regarding the long-term effects of video games. These games can desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger crowd. The studies especially hit on the games containing player-on-player violence. Though these games are extremely entertaining and can get kids to settle down for a while, if not properly supervised, they can produce adverse effects. Other studies have shown that video games can be used as way to yield positive outcomes such as, good problem solving skills, cooperation in a group and the ability to flow. Although there has been psychological research on children learning through the actions of others some believe that children are automatically able to distinguish between what is just a game and what is reality. The longer they are allowed on their game system the more they become convinced that their games are real. Some researchers believe violent video games can channel the aggression of the child but the parents are to blame for what happens to the child after playing an excessive amount over a period of time. Children can become preoccupied with these violent video games which have been proven to be the cause of poor social skills, uncontrollable aggression and a false reality.

    Read More

  • Violent Video Games and Aggression in Children

    3466 Words  | 7 Pages

    Over the past 30 years, playing video games has become one of the most popular hobbies worldwide. Not only has the video game industry become a multi-billion dollar industry, but it has attracted people from all age types. While video games today are played by both kids and adults, there are many issues being raised regarding the effects of video games. More particular, is the effect that violent video games may be having on children. Some critics argue that video games are direct indicators of child aggression while video game supporters argue that there is no direct link between child aggression and violent video games. While many people have their own personal stances, this issue is unique because it is unfolding everyday. Scientists and researchers all over the world are continuously doing research regarding the effects of video games on children. Even though this remains a field of uncertainty for researchers, parents should definitely be involved in being aware of what it is that they’re children are playing when they play video games.

    Read More

  • Play Influence on Child Development

    544 Words  | 2 Pages

    Children develop normally when they are exposed to different types of play that allow them to express themselves while using their imaginations and being physically active. According to the Center for Health Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness, “Play is child’s work”; this is true because it is a child’s job to learn and develop in their first few years of life, in order for them to do this, they play. Not only is playing a child’s full time job, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights listed play as a right of every child. Through their full time job of play, the children develop emotionally, socially, physically, and creatively. Children need to participate in child-led play in order to facilitate healthy development of their minds, body, and creativity.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: Violent Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence

    1449 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Violent Video Games – Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects.” Psychology Matters. Mar. 2008

    Read More

  • Vigilante Justice

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shockingly, Judith Van Evra also found, in her book Television and Child Development, that there was violence in “97% of the superhero programs”. This correlation between superhero programs and vigilante justice is strong because most of what superheroes do is what is defined as vigilante justice. Thus with so much violence in these programs targeted to younger audiences, there will be effects. Huesman et al. in an article published by the American Psychological Association showed, “The results of [their] study revealed that early childhood exposure to TV violence predicted aggressive behavior for both males and females in adulthood.”

    Read More

  • The Effects of Violence in Children Cartoons

    2392 Words  | 5 Pages

    Most American's would agree that children watch a lot of TV. It's common to see a child sitting in front of the TV on a Saturday morning with their Coco Pebbles watching their favorite superhero. This sounds harmless enough. However, many parents and teachers across the country are worried about the cartoons their children are watching. They feel that the cartoons have become too violent and are having negative long-term effects on children. It is common to see young boys pretending to shoot one another, while jumping on the couch and hiding in closets as a sort of make-believe fort. But parents say that children are learning these behaviors from cartoons and imitating them. Others however, disagree, they say that violence in cartoons does not effect children and that children need this world of fantasy in their lives. They say that children would show these same behaviors regardless of the content of the cartoons they watch.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Violent Video Games

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    A study in the medical journal Pediatrics discusses how a group of 181 Japanese students from the ages 12 to 15, and 364 U.S. children from the ages 9 to 12 were tested in order to observe the effects of violent video games. It was recorded that the children who were more subjected to the violent video games were more aggressive than their complements who did not participate in the games. (Moeller) The children who played the games also ended up controlling numerous situations inadequately; this involves pushing or shoving for what they wanted, or yelling at each other. It is tolerable to have faith in that this is a standard stereotype for children at this age; however, children are becoming more and more out of control and belligerent. Research has also found that, controlling for prior aggression, children who played more violent video games during the beginning of the school year showed more aggression than other children later in the school year

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Video Games

    2121 Words  | 5 Pages

    The concerns of parents are that theses types of games are going to change their child’s life in a bad way. These ideas are true through tedious experiments that prove that violent games produce violent children. The games that cause the most fear are ones that give the players the opportunity to select their own weapon and decide what violent adventures they long to experience. A well known fact is that repetition increases the learning process. For example, when students are studying for a test they will incorporate the use of flashcards. Using the flashcards exposes the child to the information repeatedly until it is memorized. While playing these games, the player learns the patterns of games through repetition. By doing this they are unconsciously learning to act in the same way as the game. In March of 2014, the Center for Study of Violence at Iowa State participated in a study where they followed over 3,000 children over a three year period who played video games. Since the experiment was carried out over a long period of time, it was easy to spot out the effect of the games on the test subjects. The report discovered that the boys who played the hostile games had an increased amount of recorded aggressive behaviors, and although the girls in the experiment played less violent games than the boys, they still displayed violent behaviors (Gentile, 2014). The

    Read More

  • Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    Furthermore, television violence causes aggressive behavior in children. Many people believe that children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behavior than that exhibited by children who do not (Kinnear 23). According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on television can lead to aggressive behavior in children (Langone 50). Also, when television was introduced into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and verbal aggression among these children (Langone 51). The more television violence viewed by a child, the more aggressive the child is (“Children” 1).

    Read More

  • Effect of Violent Video Games on Teenagers

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American homes every year increasingly besieged by menacing of zombies and killing of aliens. It is the fact that these characters in popular violent video games being exist just on screen. Maybe parents are worried about limiting their children’s exposure to violence. The October issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter reports that worries about violence of video games, but also gives advice how parents save their children’s health.

    Read More

More about Superhero Play: What's A Teacher To Do?

Open Document