Excerpts from
Teen Think Tank Results
Presented in conjunction with the
Face to Face Technology Symposium
Westfield's Marriott Conference Center
Chantilly, Virginia
Facilitated by
Brice F. Marsh
Teen Think Tanks of America, Inc.
Agenda -
2:30 PM Introduction - Importance of this session
This is a quest for new insight for preventing violence in our schools and among youth in our communities. The results will be given serious consideration by school and public officials, and will be published on the webpage for Teen Think Tanks of America, Inc.
Ice Breaker Exercise
Prioritization of Discoveries and Inventions
(click on a section below to go to the section)
Brainstorming for causes of violence in schools
Prioritization of Causes of Violence
Pick the Top 3 causes of violence
Brainstorming for Ways to Prevent Violence
Adjourn Meeting
Brainstorming for causes of violence in schools
Participant Instructions
In this exercise, we want to identify the causes of violence among teenagers. In your opinion, why do teenagers resort to violent behavior? Why do kids kill kids? What are the main causes of violence in our public schools?
Please enter a few words or a short sentence for each cause.
Click "+" to open a window for your comments. Please click "submit" for each separate idea or comment.
Reminder: Save your solutions for the next exercise, here we are focusing on what causes teenagers to become violent.
Click "OK" when you're ready to begin.
Brainstorming for Teen Issues
[Note: This list of issues was sorted alphabetically after the brainstorming exercise and just prior to the prioritization exercise to quickly locate exact duplicates.]
1. abusive families
2. acceptance
3. after a while you get tired of doing the same thing so you do something different
4. andriness
5. anger
6. arguments
7. attitude
8. bad friends
9. bad things being said about them/done to them
10. because people are having children to young they don't know who to raise them
11. because people talk about each other
12. buildings
13. bullies
14. capitalism
15. children hanging out in bad areas
16. cities
17. class
18. clothes
19. cruelty
20. depression
21. disorders
22. dont know any better
23. easy acces to drugs
24. easy acces to guns
25. environment
26. families not communicating with families
27. fathers not supporting their families
28. feeling of beeing left out
29. feelng of worthlessness
30. fighting
31. foolishness
32. friendlesness
33. friends
34. friends encouraging friends to fight
35. fright
36. games
37. gangs
38. gossip
39. grilfriend or boyfriends
40. hatred in their hearts
41. he said-she said
he says she says
42. home life
home
43. home training
44. if you don't like somebody someone may hurt you
45. incorrect role models
46. influnecial
47. invironmental violence
48. it is excepted in society
49. jealousy
50. knowing and trying to ignore and increas violence
51. lies
52. life
53. little pushes
54. lost of brain cells
55. love
56. mental problems
57. misunderstanding
58. movies
59. music
60. neglection
61. no care
62. no feelings what soever
63. no moral support
64. no one is discouraging them
65. no parental support
66. no punishment
67. not communicating with parents
68. not enough parents
69. not enough positive role models
70. not listening
71. not organized
72. not thinking
73. parents punishing them for nothing and then getting someone else in trouble
74. past memories
75. peer pressure
76. people live unheard and use this to speak up
77. people wanting to be like other people
78. playing
79. police and gaurds don't stop any fights until they're over
80. polution
81. popular kids just push other kids away
82. problems at home
83. put into a no win situation
84. Racism
85. revenge
86. roll models
87. rumors
88. sexism
89. shoes
90. society
91. some kids have nothing else to do
92. some people don't know better
93. some people'sparents don't spend enough time with them
94. stereotypes
95. stupidness
96. swearing
97. t.v.
98. teachers
99. technology
100. the economy
101. there is no excuse for violence so don't try to find one
102. there is not enough security
103. there parents don't no any better there for they don't know any better
104. they are taught to hate one another
105. they don't care
106. they see it on cartoons
107. they see there parents doing it
108. thinking to much
109. to many dangerous places
110. unhappy children
111. unhappyness
112. violence should not be exhibited in school or life
113. violent games
114. visual contact with violence
115. wanting revenge
116. what they see
117. what you are taught
118. when you get tought something you take it the wrong way
119. work
120. work on a certain schedule
121. worrying if someone is going after you
122. wrong place to live
Prioritization of Causes of Violence
Participant Instructions
Prioritization of Potential Causes of Violence
Please quickly indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the listed items as potential causes of violent behavior.
Use "Agree" or "Disagree" to indicate your response to most items. Reserve "Strongly agree" or "Strongly disagree" for the extreme cases only. If you have no opinion or do not understand an item, please click "N" for neutral.
When finished, click on the "ballot" symbol or press "F3"
Click "OK" when you're ready to begin.
Voting Results
Agree/Disagree (5-Point)
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neutral (N), Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD) (Allow bypass)
Number of ballot items: 122
Total number of voters (N): 10
Mean
4.67 1. depression
4.57 2. because people are having children to young they don't know who to raise them
4.57 3. cruelty
4.56 4. Racism
4.56 5. no parental support
4.50 6. society
4.44 7. anger
4.44 8. attitude
4.44 9. abbusive families
4.43 10. hatred in their hearts
4.43 11. jealousy
4.38 12. some people'sparents don't spend enough time with them
4.38 13. children hanging out in bad areas
4.38 14. movies
4.38 15. what you are taught
4.38 16. gangs
4.33 17. environment
4.33 18. wanting revenge
4.33 19. music
4.29 20. wrong place to live
4.29 21. stereotypes
4.29 22. fighting
4.25 23. easy acces to drugs
4.25 24. neglection
4.25 25. easy acces to guns
4.20 26. there is not enough security
4.17 27. when you get tought something you take it the wrong way
4.14 28. what they see
4.14 29. violent games
4.14 30. invironmental violence
4.13 31. revenge
4.13 32. problems at home
4.13 33. dont know any better
4.11 34. bullies
4.11 35. arguments
4.11 36. no moral support
4.00 37. feeling of beeing left out
4.00 38. to many dangerous places
4.00 39. they see there parents doing it
4.00 40. peer pressure
4.00 41. home life
4.00 42. misunderstanding
4.00 43. bad things being said about them/done to them
4.00 44. incorrect role models
4.00 45. police and gaurds don't stop any fights until they're over
4.00 46. fright
4.00 47. people live unheard and use this to speak up
4.00 48. t.v.
4.00 49. stupidness
4.00 50. put into a no win situation
4.00 51. swearing
4.00 52. violence should not be exhibited in school or life
4.00 53. disorders
3.89 54. sexism
3.88 55. fathers not supporting their families
3.88 56. rumors
3.88 57. people wanting to be like other people
3.88 58. because people talk about each other
3.86 59. they are taught to hate one another
3.86 60. love
3.86 61. lies
3.83 62. visual contact with violence
3.80 63. influnecial
3.80 64. they don't care
3.80 65. friends encouraging friends to fight
3.80 66. there is no excuse for violence so don't try to find one
3.80 67. some kids have nothing else to do
3.78 68. acceptance
3.75 69. roll models
3.75 70. no care
3.75 71. clothes
3.75 72. bad friends
3.71 73. he said-she said
3.67 74. worrying if someone is going after you
3.67 75. some people don't know better
3.63 76. not listening
3.63 77. not thinking
3.63 78. not enough positive role models
3.57 79. class
3.57 80. there parents don't no any better there for they don't know any better
3.5781. popular kids just push other kids away
3.57 82. no punishment
3.57 83. parents punishing them for nothing and then getting someone else in trouble
3.56 84. feelng of worthlessness
3.50 85. not communicating with parents
3.50 86. life
3.50 87. gossip
3.50 88. past memories
3.50 89. friends
3.50 90. work
3.50 91. work on a certain schedule
3.50 92. the economy
3.43 93. not enough parents
3.33 94. friendlesness
3.33 95. shoes
3.33 96. home training
3.33 97. unhappyness
3.29 98. teachers
3.29 99. no feelings what soever
3.29 100. grilfriend or boyfriends
3.29 101. they see it on cartoons
3.29 102. foolishness
3.25 103. capitalism
3.25 104. families not communicating with families
3.17 105. knowing and trying to ignore and increas violence
3.17 106. it is excepted in society
3.17 107. angriness
3.17 108. no one is discouraging them
3.13 109. mental problems
3.00 110. technology
3.00 111. games
3.00 112. unhappy children
2.86 113. cities
2.57 114. little pushes
2.57 115. lost of brain cells
2.57 116. playing
2.43 117. polution
2.29 118. not organized
2.20 119. if you don't like somebody someone may hurt you
2.17 120. thinking to much
2.00 121. after a while you get tired of doing the same thing so you do something different
2.00 122. buildings
Pick the Top 3 causes of violence
Participant Instructions
Pick the 3 Top Potential Causes of Violence
From this list of potential causes of violence, pick the three items you consider to be the most likely causes of violence in the
After selecting 3, click on the ballot box or press "F3" (Function key 3).
Click "OK" when you're ready to begin.
Voting Results - 51 top prioritized items were selected from list above
Number of students picking this item out of 10 students
7 1. environment
6 2. Racism
3 3. revenge
2 4. bullies
2 5. peer pressure
2 6. easy acces to guns
2 7. abusive families
1 8. feeling of beeing left out
1 9. police and gaurds don't stop any fights until they're over
1 10. stereotypes
1 11. they see there parents doing it
1 12. misunderstanding
1 13. jealousy
1 14. to many dangerous places
1 15. hatred in their hearts
1 16. gangs
1 17. fighting
1 18. children hanging out in bad areas
1 19. easy acces to drugs
1 20. depression
1 21. cruelty
1 22. because people are having children to young they don't know who to raise them
1 23. attitude
1 24. anger
1 25. no parental support
1 26. no moral support
1 27. neglection
0 28. violent games
0 29. wanting revenge
0 30. violence should not be exhibited in school or life
0 31. what they see
0 32. what you are taught
0 33. when you get tought something you take it the wrong way
0 34. people live unheard and use this to speak up
0 35. problems at home
0 36. put into a no win situation
0 37. society
0 38. some people'sparents don't spend enough time with them
0 39. music
0 40. stupidness
0 41. swearing
0 42. t.v.
0 43. there is not enough security
0 44. movies
0 45. incorrect role models
0 46. home life
0 47. fright
0 48. dont know any better
0 49. disorders
0 50. bad things being said about them/done to them
0 51. arguments
Brainstorming for Ways to Prevent Violence
Participant Instructions
Please list your recommendations for actions to prevent or eliminate violence under each of the top causes.
Please enter each recommendation as an action to be taken by some responsible group. Each entry should be a sentence and should begin with the responsible party and followed by an action word. For example: "Parents - talk with each child at least 5 minutes each day." or "Students - report any lethal weapon to the school office."
Click "OK" when you're ready to begin.
1. environment
In bad enviornments, there should be people who children can trust. {#361}
the govenrment should make more safe envirnments for people {#366}
If the environment looks bad, talk about it. {#344}
Police should use more force in patrolling the streets but not act like teens are always breaking into a store or something {#347}
everybody- try to help lower violence in the area {#360}
A wise person once said "you are where you come from" this is note for teachers {#373}
parents finding a more peacful environment {#304}
government-making more friendly enviornments {#311}
invironmental violence {#289}
wrong place to live {#287}
student should tell what is really hapeing {#294}
the police should parol the streets {#295}
teacher need to help control student {#298}
fmailies need to spend more time at home {#303}
Government-If more people had the education some had they would have something to do with there time. {#306}
parents talking to their children about their work and day {#310}
goverment going to help poeple at school {#313}
friends trying to help them {#332}
parents should not trry to countinuosly attac each other {#337}
2. Racism
The kids should really go to their parents and talk to them about racism because the parents are the people who the kids look up to. If that doesn't work, then the kids should start opening up a book and stump out the ignorance! {#324}
teachers should incorpoorate a peer mediation program {#309}
Adults not showing racism while children are around. {#345}
Parents-Your children are not born with the image that one race is superior to another they are taught that. {#323}
Schools-Teach more about black role models {#314}
students treating people with respect {#318}
teachers holding classess on why racism is wrong {#320}
family not fighting with them {#321}
techer teaching why racest is wrong and reminding weekly {#325}
Parents should not teach their children to hate each other {#329}
love one other {#336}
3. revenge
Students-if you feel like you need revenge, think about it first. {#371}
Students-go to Peer Mediation {#292}
students realizing two wrongs dont make a right {#333}
People should not hold a grudge because he called you a name or said he would mess your face up {#358}
students rvenge is not needed {#372}
students revenge will incite violence not peace {#374}
Parents-talk to children about children's life {#297}
Students-talk to "close" person about it {#302}
all gronups should tell their kids whenever their fighting (arguing) over ideas {#319}
Students-You need to respect yourselves, your teachers, adults, and most importantly yourself. {#335}
friends try to help people {#348}
Individual prevent cause of revenge {#362}
teachers- help close all anger from everybody as well as you can and help incite peace and harmony {#365}
everybody destroy all thoughts of violence and ugly thoghts from your body and mind {#368}
4. bullies
Mediators/Teachers talking to bullies about why they act that way. {#364}
bullies need to learn right and wrong as opposed to keep being a bully {#363}
teachers eleminating bullies {#342}
Students talking to bullies {#367}
student trying to leve person alone {#327}
friends talking to other friends about them {#331}
Students-Love one another, because you are all sisters and brothers {#341}
5. peer pressure
Friends-do "Friendly Peer Pressure" {#334}
Principles- More student teaching and peer tutoring {#343}
friends try not to put other people in trouble {#350}
Students Other people do not listen to what other people say or do and that makes them mad. {#300}
Friends don't hate eachother, if you hate your friends, break up for as long as it takes. {#339}
friends try not to icite violence {#340}
students keep people calm {#349}
drugs we could make the drugs cost $3.00;s more {#293}
The govenrment should stop drugs from comeing in to the courty {#330}
People should give kids a break. They're humans too. {#369}
students take Ghandi classess {#370}
6. easy acces to guns
put gun lockes on guns {#301}
Parents could use more security on there guns. {#308}
salesmen-make buyers show ID {#315}
must be able to use agun {#354}
Gun makers could put more safeties on guns and not allow them to be sold to children. {#317}
Gun makers should make guns harder to use {#322}
make every gun with a safety {#353}
NRA (National Rifal Association) help prevent guns from being into the wrong hands. {#328}
government cuts of access to guns {#351}
Govnment- If you don't us them children wont {#352}
administrator watch what they do {#346}
7. abusive families
If the family is abusive, then sociologists should talk to the parents, then if that doesn't work, break up the family. {#356}
If the family is abusive, then the kid shouldn't stay in there. They should go to people they trust and talk it all out and ask for help. {#338}
Government more conseling for families {#359}
government help abusive families {#316}
brake the family up goverment {#312}
Parents be nicer to children {#326}
families get help! {#355}
families include everyone in something {#357}
Teen Survey and Feedback - Excerpts
NOTE: Due to the server going down during the survey, we only have the partial survey results of 5 of the 9 students.
Partial Survey Results
1. Do you feel safe at school?
|
Yes |
No |
|
4 |
1 |
2. Do you feel loved and accepted by your parents?
|
Strongly Agree |
Agree |
Disagree |
Strongly Disagree |
|
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3. Generally speaking, do you feel accepted and respected by your peers?
|
Strongly Agree |
Agree |
Disagree |
Strongly Disagree |
|
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4. Do you feel accepted and respected by your teachers?
|
Strongly Agree |
Agree |
Disagree |
Strongly Disagree |
|
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5. What do you fear or worry about the most during your daily routine?
1. somebody bring a gun to school
2. Being put in a fight and not being able to run
3. getting beat-up
4. I worry about doing something and everyone will embarass me.
6. If one of your classmates was threatening violence, what would you do?
1. tell my parents
2. I would go and tell the principle, eacher and adult friend
3. tell the police
4. notify an adult or obtain self-defence
5. I would think if they were serious and then think what I should do
7. Have you ever seen a student with a gun?
|
Yes |
No |
|
0 |
5 |
8. Do you know someone who carries a deadly weapon of any kind?
|
Yes |
No |
|
2 |
3 |
9. What should be done so that students would be willing to report guns or acts of violence to a teacher?
1. say if you do not tell you will get put out of school.
2. a place where screcy is high and exposuor is low.
3. if they show me some data .
4. community hot lines should be available
5. If there is more privacy people won't feel like they'll get beat up after school
10. Should parents be held responsible for the crimes of their children?
|
Yes |
No |
|
3 |
2 |
11. Should parents impose limits on their children's behavior?
|
Yes |
No |
|
4 |
0 |
12. What will you tell your friends about this Teen Think Tank?
1. it is fun
2. I will tell them that I got to help stop violence and tell them what I thought about everything
3. It's a fun interactive program that you can give your opinion in peace
4. The Teen Think Tank is helpful in many problems in the community
5. That I like it but there was a little to much talk.
13. Please enter any other comments, observations or suggestions about this Teen Think Tank.
1. I think that this is a great idea to do because it alows you to tell without being known
2. It's great
14. Please enter any other comments, observations or suggestions about youth violence in general.
1. Youth violence should be avoided as much as posibal and stop always befor it gets to much but this is something should never have existed if it wern't for wrestling.
2. Youth violance should be more noticed in communities
3. it's dumb and if people just thought about what they are doing there won't be as much violence