Examines different solutions to the adolescent problem of peer pressure.
Many students get pressured into doing things that they do not wish to do by others in their age group, especially in the public school setting. Dealing with this problem poses a number of important questions for all those involved. This paper examines why peer pressure is such an important issue and why it is so difficult to handle. It looks at what schools should be doing to curb the problem and the role of parents in finding a solution. Peer pressure needs to be approached from every side of the problem, to be addressed by every party involved, and all possible solutions must be considered.
“The pressure from teachers to complete your homework or behave in class in a uniform fashion is not actually any different from the pressure that may be coming from peers to do certain things. Many schools are implementing the use of counselors or student mediation groups on campus to help raise awareness about the pressures students must face daily, and they attempt to establish support systems for students to access if they have concerns about making decisions. However, without a complete change in the way that children are taught to interact with all people, not just other children, these programs are not likely to have a lasting effect on the negative aspects of peer pressure.”