Where do I belong?
Lost in the System: How a Crisis of Belonging is Creating a Troubled Generation.
By Dr. Krist Ewe
In schools, they sit with heads hung low,
A sense of belonging they may never know.
In classrooms once filled with joy and cheer,
Half feel lost, as though they don’t belong here (1).
Across the globe, this very cry we hear,
From Austria, Switzerland and Spain, the message is clear (1):
Our children are drowning in silent despair,
While we struggle to fix the systems of care.
Their minds are bright, but their hearts are worn,
In classrooms, too many dreams are torn.
Explicit teaching needs eyes that meet,
Not with screens, but students in their seats (1).
Apps and gadgets may entertain,
But understanding grows through human gain.
The workforce dwindles, the staff grow thin (2),
How can learning start if we can’t even begin?
Early childhood, the foundation of all,
Yet 21,000 educators can’t heed the call (2).
The wages too low, the struggle so steep,
Our children lose out, their futures we keep.
Then come the streets where shadows creep,
Young lives at risk, promises they can’t keep.
They steal, they run, they fall from grace (3),
But can we blame the system they face?
Biology whispers, "Their minds aren't quite there,
Emotions and peers pull them into the snare”.
With brains still growing, they take a chance (4),
But it’s not just crime— it’s a circumstance!
Social media’s glow blinds their eyes (1),
Mainstream news skews and amplifies.
The good they do, lost in the fray,
The bad spotlighted day by day.
“Performance crimes" rise in waves,
But locking them up won't make them behave (3).
The youth are seeking attention's spark,
With likes, hearts, and notifications' mark.
How do they get away with this game?
When the system and screens fuel the flame.
Why don’t we see what’s hidden inside,
The hearts of our youth, where hope should reside?
Governments, teachers, and parents, stand tall,
This one is our fight, this is our call.
The solution is complex, with much to consider,
But we need your help to make it clearer.
Build playgrounds, classrooms, spaces that thrive,
A place where every child feels truly alive (1).
Pay educators what they deserve (1),
And let early learning no longer swerve.
Teach them the joy in a helping hand,
Show them that they have a place to stand.
With love, with care, and guidance strong,
We can turn their hearts, we can right this wrong.
Don’t judge them for who they are today,
Speak to them, teach them, and show them the way.
Give them the love they’ve longed for so long,
See in them the potential to grow strong.
Are we tackling youth crime with force alone,
Expecting young minds to be fully grown?
Cease the blame, and start offering a choice,
Let every young person find their voice.
Together, we'll build a world that’s fair,
Where every young person knows we truly care.
I think the path is clear, the goal in sight,
To lift the young person up, to do what’s right.
It starts with each one of us, from state to home,
In every heart, let belonging be known.
#parenting #parentsupport #resilience #education #teaching #mindset #EmotionalIntelligence #emotioncoaching
References:
1. L Carroll. Nearly half of all high school students feel like they don’t belong. Here’s why. *The Sydney Morning Herald*. (2024, September 1) https://www.smh.com.au/.../nearly-half-of-all-high-school...
2. E Blandis. **More than 20,000 extra early childhood educators urgently needed in Australia to keep up with current demands, report says.** (2024, September 3). https://www.abc.net.au/.../sa-early-childhood.../104303506
3. **Jason Whittaker (Q&A): The community fed up with youth crime — and the warnings against 'reckless' solutions**. *ABC News*. (2024, September 2). https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104301490
4. SM Sawyer and N Vijayakumar. Can a 10-year-old be responsible for a crime? Here’s what brain science tells us. *The Conversation*. (2024, August 29). https://theconversation.com/can-a-10-year-old-be...