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I thought it was parents job to teach their child the difference between real and make believe, to make sure that what games they are playing are not M rated or have otherwise mature content? Call me crazy. Also these teachers are stupid. They should have seen my playground. Most violent game we had at the time was Mario. But we loved reenacting GI Joe, Gunsmoke, Robocop, kungfu movies/tmnt all that shit. Kids (mainly boys, but girls also) just like to make believe (adult shit) and be rough. Kids always play war and all that shit. No matter the generation. My dad took out my uncles eye playing cowboys and Indians. In the fucking 30s. 1930s. Yes my dad was an old pimp, God rest his soul.
The idea of introducing legislation and severe restrictions on what people are exposed to is wrong. Ultimately if little Timmy is sat in his bedroom playing Gears Of War 3 until 4am and then he runs around school pretending to hack other kids up with an imaginary chainsaw, the blame lies with the, frankly, negligent parents.
That said I think it's equally irresponsible to be so flippant and dismissive of the notion that mature video games could harm (or at least effect on some level) impressionable children. There's a reason why anyone with common sense doesn't expose their 7-year-old to a Saw movie marathon, black metal concerts and porn. Children are impressionable. Every parent likes to think their child is a special snowflake who is smart and mature enough to handle anything, but the fact is the vast majority of little children will not handle constant exposure to that sort of content in a mature fashion.
Now, I know everyone likes to take things to extremes, so I'll clarify here and say I'm not talking about a kid playing Grand Theft Auto for five minutes and suddenly he takes to torching buildings and sneaking out of the house at night to murder prostitutes. But just because things aren't going to complete extremes does not mean there isn't a problem. No, I do not believe that video games are, in and of themselves, going to turn someone into a serial killer or a rapist or a heavy drug abuser or whatever else. But it is absolutely ridiculous to deny there being any problem with young children running around their playground ''playing'' GTA and apparently having trouble separating what happens in a video game from reality (and the majority of children of that age do still have some difficulty separating reality and fiction).
Buying Call Of Duty for your 8-year-old and letting them sit in their room all day and night swearing at strangers over XBL as they line up another headshot is irresponsible, that is neglect, there are problems there that need to be sorted out. These teachers are not wrong in this sense. They, just like so many people, are simply looking for a fix in the wrong place.
Really what it all comes down to is we live in a world where you can tell people to not drive such inefficient cars or to change their diet or use less electricity, but tell them to pay more attention to their fuckup kids and you've got a riot on your hands. These teachers are doing a good job paying close attention to their students' behaviour, but they need to have the freedom to take the problem to the parents, not make a scapegoat out of the product.
That said I think it's equally irresponsible to be so flippant and dismissive of the notion that mature video games could harm (or at least effect on some level) impressionable children. There's a reason why anyone with common sense doesn't expose their 7-year-old to a Saw movie marathon, black metal concerts and porn. Children are impressionable. Every parent likes to think their child is a special snowflake who is smart and mature enough to handle anything, but the fact is the vast majority of little children will not handle constant exposure to that sort of content in a mature fashion.
Now, I know everyone likes to take things to extremes, so I'll clarify here and say I'm not talking about a kid playing Grand Theft Auto for five minutes and suddenly he takes to torching buildings and sneaking out of the house at night to murder prostitutes. But just because things aren't going to complete extremes does not mean there isn't a problem. No, I do not believe that video games are, in and of themselves, going to turn someone into a serial killer or a rapist or a heavy drug abuser or whatever else. But it is absolutely ridiculous to deny there being any problem with young children running around their playground ''playing'' GTA and apparently having trouble separating what happens in a video game from reality (and the majority of children of that age do still have some difficulty separating reality and fiction).
Buying Call Of Duty for your 8-year-old and letting them sit in their room all day and night swearing at strangers over XBL as they line up another headshot is irresponsible, that is neglect, there are problems there that need to be sorted out. These teachers are not wrong in this sense. They, just like so many people, are simply looking for a fix in the wrong place.
Really what it all comes down to is we live in a world where you can tell people to not drive such inefficient cars or to change their diet or use less electricity, but tell them to pay more attention to their fuckup kids and you've got a riot on your hands. These teachers are doing a good job paying close attention to their students' behaviour, but they need to have the freedom to take the problem to the parents, not make a scapegoat out of the product.
"Look mummy, there's a proposed legislative piece potentially banning video games due to the general ignorance of video games' cultural value up in the sky."
Teachers will do anything to make sure that the blame for horrible graduation rates, in school violence and truancy doesn't get levelled at them.
Fact of the matter (in the States anyway, not sure about in the UK) is that half the teachers I've met are narcissistic underachievers who didn't get into teaching for the kids, they got into teaching because A) They wanted summers off and/or B) They weren't skilled enough to actually enter the workforce.
Fact of the matter (in the States anyway, not sure about in the UK) is that half the teachers I've met are narcissistic underachievers who didn't get into teaching for the kids, they got into teaching because A) They wanted summers off and/or B) They weren't skilled enough to actually enter the workforce.
As with wingnuts preaching doom if gays be married: its only a matter of time before everyone who didn't grow up this generation dies off.
Then when we get old we can be ignorant about the Spacecataz 4D Murderistic Rape Machine that I'll assume will exist to an extraordinary degree of popularity in 2040.
Then when we get old we can be ignorant about the Spacecataz 4D Murderistic Rape Machine that I'll assume will exist to an extraordinary degree of popularity in 2040.
With any hope, this is what my English Graduate degree will help to destroy: ignorance about gaming culture. Because, you know, these claims are NOTHING like the claims squared at television for instilling anti-social behavior in children, before that film, before that literature; a fact that disgusts me even further that, as educators, they can't make the connection. Pure embarrassment.
Video games are evil and should all be banned, as well as that awful, Satanic rock and roll music, those damn Pokeymen cards, and pogs. Or something.
They have good intentions and seem to know it's more about the parents than the games themselves, but they just decided putting a law against the games is the best option.
Great.
Great.
it’s called parents need to focus on educating kids on the importance of moderation, teachers should focus on teaching, and politicians should focus the fuck on the economy and the unemployed mass rather than fussing over video games
Bit of a massive generalisation no? All teachers ? Secondly thanks to the current government privatising everything they can you're children are now going to get taught in either a church or corporation funded 'academy' by people that haven't got a degree (so current wages can be undermined) . Slightly more worried about what's happening to state education ,the NHS and universities ridiculous fees (as a scot I guess you don't need to worry about fees) than what a minority of an organisation that is to teachers what ign is to real gamers . Fact is the government is doing an excellent enough job of running down the people in our country that should have our support - doctors, nurses , teachers, care workers, police so that they can get the public onside when they take apart these systems that they should be funding and improving . Really looking forward to all these services being as crummy and expensive as our rail network . Jesus, 4am ramble...
Incidentally Fraser there is no curriculum - teachers were told to disregard the last curriculum
When the tories got in power - it's not been re written yet. Current OFSTED inspectors guided by government want a return to 50's style education :- I.e teacher belts out 'facts' and children repeat them back ad nauseum .
When the tories got in power - it's not been re written yet. Current OFSTED inspectors guided by government want a return to 50's style education :- I.e teacher belts out 'facts' and children repeat them back ad nauseum .
I played M rated games pretty much my whole life, but my parents always knew what I was playing. They made sure that I knew that it was fake, to not repeat what I did in videogames in real life, and also knew I was smart enough to follow both. It's up to the parents to be informed about what their kids are consuming. Some kids shouldn't be playing M rated games, while others are totally fine to.
As with the teachers... The ignorance hurts me.
As with the teachers... The ignorance hurts me.
My university is one of the top places in the nation for researching video games and violence in children. In their research they did find some correlation with violence and violent video games. However, having said that, they also found positive outcomes when children were exposed to games that promoted cooperation and other positive traits.
The simple truth boils down to this, prevent the sale of "mature" games to kids, and allow the parents to decide whether they feel their child should play a violent video game that they are too young to buy. Understand that not all video games are created equal and that video games can actually have a positive role in a child's life. Ultimately, the parents must educate themselves and governments/teachers/the religious/etc. must understand that they should not ban everything simply because we do not want children to be possibly exposed to the thing in question. I mean what would that leave us with?
The simple truth boils down to this, prevent the sale of "mature" games to kids, and allow the parents to decide whether they feel their child should play a violent video game that they are too young to buy. Understand that not all video games are created equal and that video games can actually have a positive role in a child's life. Ultimately, the parents must educate themselves and governments/teachers/the religious/etc. must understand that they should not ban everything simply because we do not want children to be possibly exposed to the thing in question. I mean what would that leave us with?
Yippingbyrd gets the award for outstanding comment by smoothly combining topic with header image. Well played.
DynamoJoe and Tarvu will receive their honorable mention awards in the mail.
DynamoJoe and Tarvu will receive their honorable mention awards in the mail.
Being an Australian teacher, I'm not familiar with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). This just smacks of bureaucracy creating a faux enemy to try and justify the existence of their organization.
I talk to my students about games all the time. They love the fact, that before I became a teacher, I was a store manager at EB for a few years.
I talk to my students about games all the time. They love the fact, that before I became a teacher, I was a store manager at EB for a few years.
@JoeTheProYaKnow
Albert Bandura's experiements with bobo dolls in 1961 showed that children are likely to imitate and mimic acts they see. This is hardly new stuff. There have been similar outcries in the past, over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon and The Power Rangers TV show.
The article is correct though. The onus is on parents to follow ratings and be responsible about what their children play.
I play games with cartoony violence like Smash Brothers and Skylanders with my 5 year old son. I've educated him, that you only punch and kick in games and not re-enact these on people in real life. I wait until he's asleep before I play something more graphic like Skyrim / Bioshock / GTA.
Albert Bandura's experiements with bobo dolls in 1961 showed that children are likely to imitate and mimic acts they see. This is hardly new stuff. There have been similar outcries in the past, over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon and The Power Rangers TV show.
The article is correct though. The onus is on parents to follow ratings and be responsible about what their children play.
I play games with cartoony violence like Smash Brothers and Skylanders with my 5 year old son. I've educated him, that you only punch and kick in games and not re-enact these on people in real life. I wait until he's asleep before I play something more graphic like Skyrim / Bioshock / GTA.
THATCHER FUCKED THE KIDS.
I mean, kids are going to pick up things from whatever media they consume. The fear of video games is ignorant, they're as dangerous as music, television, cinema and their own goddamn parents.
I mean, kids are going to pick up things from whatever media they consume. The fear of video games is ignorant, they're as dangerous as music, television, cinema and their own goddamn parents.
Buy your kid a Zelda game ffs. Nintendo, despite their many recent faults, make great games for kids to grow up playing.
Or they used to, at least.
Or they used to, at least.
I couldnt care less if little kids play violent video games if they're parents let them play it they are probably northerners anyway so will end up on benefits/in prison anyway. So we should probably just shoot them.
Also the ATL are only the 3rd larges teaching union they dont represent the opinions of the majority of teachers also i'd love a game which actually has graphic blood spurts and people flying out of cars cos I dont think such games are actually that violent. I blame 9/11.
Also the ATL are only the 3rd larges teaching union they dont represent the opinions of the majority of teachers also i'd love a game which actually has graphic blood spurts and people flying out of cars cos I dont think such games are actually that violent. I blame 9/11.
@Ace "Every parent likes to think their child is a special snowflake who is smart and mature enough to handle anything"
Bwah? I'd say there is much more of an even split between parents who think their kids are mature enough to handle things like this and those who don't. The problem, IMO, is that parents aren't paying enough attention to exactly what their kids are actually playing, as Fraser said.
I think it just comes down to negligence on parents' part, where they aren't involved enough in their kids' hobbies.
Bwah? I'd say there is much more of an even split between parents who think their kids are mature enough to handle things like this and those who don't. The problem, IMO, is that parents aren't paying enough attention to exactly what their kids are actually playing, as Fraser said.
I think it just comes down to negligence on parents' part, where they aren't involved enough in their kids' hobbies.
Same old shit again. Rusty people talking about stuff they don't understand. Getting bored of it.
Parents should spend more time with their children. But spending time with your children ist not what our system wants parents to do. Our system wants father and mother working 8hs. (mostly more) a day to produce income and spend money on stuff. Mostly it is not the parents that are broken, but the system they have to live in.
Parents should spend more time with their children. But spending time with your children ist not what our system wants parents to do. Our system wants father and mother working 8hs. (mostly more) a day to produce income and spend money on stuff. Mostly it is not the parents that are broken, but the system they have to live in.
The usual bullshit. My mum is a teacher and she notices kids are tired etc as they play videogames till stupid o'clock in the morning. People are just pussy footing around the issue that parents are not being strict enough with what their kids experience.
I used to work in Gamestation and would regularly ask people with kids if their child was going to play the blatantly '18' rated game they were buying. If they said yes I would then go on to explain to them what the age rating means and why their child should not be going anywhere near the game. Pretty much each and every time the parent would say 'oh it doesn't matter, He/She likes it, All their friends are playing it and they'll be left out' and then even after protests, buy the game.
I used to work in Gamestation and would regularly ask people with kids if their child was going to play the blatantly '18' rated game they were buying. If they said yes I would then go on to explain to them what the age rating means and why their child should not be going anywhere near the game. Pretty much each and every time the parent would say 'oh it doesn't matter, He/She likes it, All their friends are playing it and they'll be left out' and then even after protests, buy the game.
@free touch: It's like South Park when Cartman is gone--someone has to be "fattits", even if they're not particularly fat.
Oh, it's video games causing UK kids to be violent?
I always thought it was the ever widening wealth gap and how UK schools don't really prepare kids socially, where they focus almost purely on academic needs.
Man, I was SO wrong.
I do agree parents (in any country) act stupid and are too lazy to educate themselves on rating systems.
I always thought it was the ever widening wealth gap and how UK schools don't really prepare kids socially, where they focus almost purely on academic needs.
Man, I was SO wrong.
I do agree parents (in any country) act stupid and are too lazy to educate themselves on rating systems.
As a teacher in the UK I am both offended by the ATL's ideas and the comments of many people above. Sadly ATL is in a position to state they are speaking for all, but this is not necessarily true.
Anyone who has been taught by me will know about my passion for video games, the hundreds of hours sunk into Skyrim, my high scores on Dungeon Defenders and my placating of the fight between Battlefield and COD.
A few's ideas does not represent all, and as teachers from younger generations like myself bleed into the system, these silly ideas will fade.
That is not to say that there cant be excessive use of videogames (even by myself) and I am constantly battling with lack of immediate imagination and effort linked closely with pupils need for instant gratification and content-lacking stimulation.
A good game is greater than any other medium. A bad one makes you less intelligent, just like shallow TV
Anyone who has been taught by me will know about my passion for video games, the hundreds of hours sunk into Skyrim, my high scores on Dungeon Defenders and my placating of the fight between Battlefield and COD.
A few's ideas does not represent all, and as teachers from younger generations like myself bleed into the system, these silly ideas will fade.
That is not to say that there cant be excessive use of videogames (even by myself) and I am constantly battling with lack of immediate imagination and effort linked closely with pupils need for instant gratification and content-lacking stimulation.
A good game is greater than any other medium. A bad one makes you less intelligent, just like shallow TV
@Scaryjim
Maybe I should have started with "I don't believe all teachers are pantomime villains." I just thought that was a given.
Maybe I should have started with "I don't believe all teachers are pantomime villains." I just thought that was a given.
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