Academic to launch ‘It’s a girl thing’
Practical advice for parents and teachers in combating cyber bullying among girls is featured in a new book, It’s a girl thing, which will be officially launched at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Monday 25 August at 4pm.
The book by USC education expert Dr Michael Nagel looks beyond the “sugar and spice’’ to consider the nitty-gritty of girls’ emotions, relationships and schooling.
It contains specific advice on how to help girls deal with the increased prevalence of bullying carried out through email and mobile phone texting.
Dr Nagel, who has worked as an educator and researcher into behaviour management for the past three decades, said catty and spiteful behaviour in young girls was widespread and responsible for causing some long-term psychological problems.
He said schools needed to address this by teaching girls to understand emotions and how to deal with stressful situations like bullying, particularly cyber bullying.
“We are only beginning to understand the mysteries of the brain, but we do know how powerful emotions and relationships are for girls,” Dr Nagel said.
“Emotions should be the cornerstone of education. We need to teach girls how their brains operate and just how damaging words can be.”
It’s a girl thing follows Dr Nagel’s earlier book, Boys Stir Us, which offers ideas and strategies to engage positively with boys. His books, published by Hawker Brownlow Education, link theory to everyday life and aim to enhance school environments for both boys and girls.
— Kerry Brown