On Tuesday, February 14, 2017 the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC) 7th
grade students participated in a workshop on the topic of "peer pressure"
run by the Madraigos organization.
The 7th grade class was divided into two groups separated by gender.
Dr. Levey, the Director of Counseling at HANC, introduced Rabbi Eli Perlman,
the Educational Director for Madraigos, to the 7th grade boys.
In a separate room, Mrs. Miriam Steiner, Middle School Social Worker and HS
director of admissions for HANC, introduced Mrs. Mindi Werblowsky, Director
of Adolescent Programming for Madraigos.
Both groups learned about the various ways in which people communicate,
i.e., verbal (words) and non verbal (physical actions, hand signals, facial
expressions, etc).
The groups actively participated in the program by providing examples of
each mode of communication and how they might "play out" with their friends.
The presenters gave real life examples of how peer pressure can be both
positive (participating in activities that are beneficial to everyone)
versus peer pressure that can be negative (using a group to get someone to
do and/or participate in an unhealthy activity).
The presenters spoke about how to enhance positive peer pressure as well as
being able to handle negative peer pressure.
Both groups ended with an activity. The activity required a group of 8
students to come to the front of the room, and without speaking, arrange
themselves in order from oldest to youngest.
Our students did great!
Rabbi Perlman and Mrs. Werblowsky ended their programs by giving each
student an emoji key chain with different facial expressions, illustrating
different emotions.
A big thank you to Rabbi Perlman, Mrs. Werblowsky, Madraigos, Mrs. Steiner,
Mrs. Rosenwald, and Rabbi Hecht and Mrs.
Schneider.
