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Michael Greenberg Professor Keaton ENC1102-31 6 March 2014 Does divorce have a significant impact on a childs education? Cast: Neil Conan, Stephen Molepo, Sofie Vanassche, Belinda Wijckmans, Jennifer Lansford, Michael Greenberg, Brenda and Joe Greenberg, Arielle Shapiro. This conference will be held at a middle school in Coral Springs, Florida. The middle school is called Coral Springs Middle. A conference between the teachers and a young student with his parents had been planned out for 6:45 that morning inside room 205. The inside of classroom 205 is dark all but one light is on as the first teacher walks into the room. The room has a long but narrow main desk and eight chairs were spread evenly around them. The chairs were all black and whoever sat in them was able to rock back and forth. In the front of the room there was an electronic whiteboard where the teachers could write on to explain their point to the parents of the child that is being affected by divorce. The conference will be in a very lightly lit room with eight people in the room. Of those eight people five will be experts or teachers. Along with the other three are my two parents and I. The conference will discuss the effects of divorce on a students grades. The experts on this topic will be the teachers. They will state whether they do or do not believe in the correlation between divorce and grades. Scene 1: Conan: (Walking into a barely lit conference room) Good morning everyone thinking he wasnt going to be the only person walking into the room. (Begins to sit down with paper containing multiple grades of a student) Conan: Wow no one is here today! Ive never been the first person to a conference. Well theres always a first for everyone. (Mrs. Vanassche walks in) Vanassche: Good morning Mr. Conan. Conan: Good morning Mrs. Vanassche! Why do you think we are here? So what is it exactly that you wanted to talk about?

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Vanassche: There has been a significant issue that has occurred in the family of Michael Greenberg. He is a student at this school and divorce has seemed to have a distinct impact in his grades. I personally believe that if the parents are to have joint custody over Michael it will overall help his grades. Conan: Responding to Vanassches comments I believe it leaves the principals permanently scarred and irreparably harms the children. Divorce can often be devastating in the short term, but most people, and yes, most of the children, prove resilient and do well later in life. (Just after Conans response another three teachers walk into the conference room their names are Mr. Molepo, Ms. Lansford and finally Ms. Wijckmans). (Immediately all the teachers burst into an argument about their personal beliefs on divorce and the effects it has on younger children just as Michael Greenberg and his two parents Joe and Brenda Greenberg begin to walk in). Brenda: Thank you all for coming on such short notice. All three of us are really concerned about Michaels grades as they have dropped significantly ever since Joe and I separated. We would like your take on this and how we can help improve our childs grades. Molepo: Hello Mrs. Greenberg it is great to finally meet you. I personally believe that younger children who experienced parental divorce are likely to be more sensitive to criticism than older children or others from intact families (Molepo). Langsford: Mrs. Greenberg I believe that parental divorce was related to boys externalizing trajectories differently depending on the timing of the divorce. In particular, parental divorce during elementary school was related to an increase in boys externalizing behaviors that began in the year of the divorce and persisted for years afterward. Parental divorce during middle school was related to an increase in boys externalizing behaviors in the years the divorce declined

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(Langsford). Michaels grades have dropped because of the impact of the divorce but it should not affect his future grades only present. Also (Neil Conan interrupts Langsford in the middle of her comments asking Brenda Greenberg a question) Conan: I would like to ask Michael a few questions if you do not mind Mrs. Greenberg. Brenda: Absolutely go right ahead Mr. Conan. Conan: Michael how has this incident in your family affected you? Michael: The divorce has really pissed me off. I hate coming to school. Everything gets me so angry now a days and people dont know when to shut up. Everyone is in my business and they should be minding their own damn business. Conan: I see I see what about school wise how has that been for you? Have you seen any changes in your grades? Michael: My grades ever since elementary school have been great. Lately I havent been able to focus on school because of what is happening to my family outside of school. My attitude towards my grades has changed I no longer see the point of these grades because they are pointless. Family over anything is what I always say and my family is a mess right now and I think this happened because of me. (Michael puts his head down on the table and begins to cry he begins to show his emotions) Conan: Thank you Michael. Just remember that the effects of divorce can often be devastating in the short term but in the long term you will be fine and hopefully get over this horrible event in your life. (One teacher of Michaels named Sofie Vanassche. Sofie is a young, dark haired teacher who specializes in psychology.)

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Vanassche: I know that I am in no position to say this but it has been proven that the better relationship between the parents and the children help determine the custody of the children. The average score on the fatherchild relationship equals 10.9 for those living in strict mother custody, 20.4 for those in strict joint custody and 20.1 for those in strict father custody. (Vanassche) Michael: I do not want to talk about this right now. I am here to discuss my grades not who I want to live with. (Michael says disgustedly) Vanassche: I am sorry Michael but it is important that you go with the parent that you are most comfortable with. Michael: Listen you need to (Another one of Michaels teachers interrupts Michael in the middle of his sentence. She is a young blonde girl named Belinda, Wijckmans and she begins to give her opinion) Wijckman: Hello everyone. I would like to give my reasoning behind the drop of Michaels grades. (Wijckman stands up to state her point) Wijckman: Research has stated that divorce weakens the ties between the parent and their adult children. I believe that the drop in Michaels grades is the effect of this family split up. Michael has experienced something that many Americans have been experiencing lately. Michael you are not alone. I am going to bring in another student the same age as you to talk to you if thats all right. Michael: Yes that ok says in a very soft voice (A young student walks into the room she has dark hair and appears at first glance to be an intelligent student)

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Wijckman: Michael I would like you to meet a fellow student here at Coral Springs Middle. Her name is Arielle Shapiro and she wants to share to you her experience. Arielle: Thank you Mrs. Wijckman. Hello Michael my name is Arielle. I am in seventh grade just like you! I also had something horrible happen in my life. My parents got divorced a year ago today. I also experienced a drop in my grades. I became depressed very quickly out of nowhere. I would have to be signed out of school because I could not focus at all. My teacher Mr. Thomas saw this change in me and asked if he could do anything. Also my mom and dad kept fighting over the phone and I had to hold my mom back. (Arielle) Michael: I hate it. My family is a wreck and school is the last thing on my mind. Arielle: Grades determine where you go in life. They matter now! The better grades you get the better college you can get into. My grades in sixth grade fell one even two letter grades! This year my grades are back where they are supposed to be and my life has returned to normal. Just want to tell you that life goes on and you will get through this with your head held high I know it. Brenda Greenberg: Thank you so much everyone Joe and I both appreciate you all taking the time today to come and discuss the ongoing issue regarding our sons grades. We all now know that divorce does play a key impact with grades. Michael what do you have to say to your classmate and teachers? (Michael raises his head and says) Michael: I would first want to thank Arielle for stressing the importance of grades. I thank you so much. I feel better now that I know I am not the only person who has experience this in my life. I know now that I am not alone. Also my grades need to improve and this is not a reason for my grades to slack. To my teachers I hope you all know now that I have had something very

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impactful affect my life. Thank you for meeting with my parents and me this morning. It really does mean a lot to me. (Michael turns towards Arielle) Arielle do you want to hang out at lunch today? And maybe after school? Arielle: Sure Michael that would be awesome. (Everyone shakes hands and leaves the room. (The lights in the room turn off).

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Works Cited Conan, Neil. "Analysis: Effects of Divorce on Children." Literature Resource Center. Gale, 31 Jan. 2002. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A162283229&v=2.1&u=tall85761&it=r&p LitR &sw=w&asid=8ca6a84f72e3896dfba8ec9d3f144240>.

Lansford, Jennifer E. Parental Divorce and Children's Adjustment. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. N.p.: Sage Publications, on Behalf of Association for Psychological Science, n.d. JSTOR. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/40212308>.

Molepo, Lephodisa Stephen, Tholene Sodi, Levison Maunganidze, and Pilot Mudhovozi,. Behavioural and Emotional Development in Children of Divorce. 22.2 (2012): 251-54. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=67e39cbc-cb46-44cd-84a5 f046a1ab850c%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=120>. Shapiro, Arielle. Personal interview. 11. March. 2014 Vanassche, Sofie, An Katrien Sodermans,, Koen Matthijs, and Gray Swicegood. Commuting between Two Parental Households: The Association between Joint Physical Custody and Adolescent Wellbeing following Divorce. 19.2 (2013): 139+. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=408dcfe3-b925-4c9f-a036 4f826127afd9%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=120>. Wijckmans, Belinda, and Jan Van Bavel. Divorce and Adult Children's Perceptions of Family Obligations. 44.3 (2013): 291-310. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

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<http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=408dcfe3-b925-4c9f-a036 4f826127afd9%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=120>.