Computers are for Every Student

The computer is now the legitimate primary source of library information. Basic word processing and internet skills can be learned by the students.
Every student needs computer access to the internet and software programs that are professionally designed and ethically oversighted for appropriate content. This access should be adjusted for age and learning level.
The new Nursery School or PreKindergarten student has a need for information that is professionally generated. This applies to students who are actively enrolled in even one course through college, graduate school, doctoral and post doctoral programs as well.
Google is an adequate source of information for the general user or for fun. However, for educational purposes professionally generated and oversighted information and educational programs are needed.
Professionally designed software programs and internet connections that are adjusted for the respective student's age, capacity, and academic needs, to be determined by professionally trained School Psychologists, can be provided. These software and internet connections can be preprogramed to block and search out the sources of inappropriate material. When such inappropriate material is identified its source can be located via computers the Police, FBI, and CIA are propared to track down and the perpretrators can be dealth with appropriately via legal channels.
We know that many parents can not afford a computer for their child and the problem grows with each additional child. Therefore, all children whose parents have a household income below economically established levels need to given a new, updated, laptop computer, for portability between home-school-library-study buddies-etc, every two to three years. The software and website connections and their material must be similarly updated as well. The sources for this funding can be found via a combination of government and private agencies.
Of course, these computers and the accompanying software are critical in twentyfirst century education. Libraries will always be needed. However, no library is likely to be large enough to house all of the material the contemporary student requires.

Scouts

President Theodore Roosevelt created the Boy Scouts. They began as out doors activities for adolescent boys. Later they developed a variety of activities. Throughout they have been an avenue for socializing and socialization of boys. Spinoff organizations have developed. The Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Blue Birds, Campfire Girls, and others can be highly beneficial for students.

I believe the basic model of the scouts organizations can be adapted to fit many cultures. The idea of socialization and teaching young peopel how to socialize is important to all cultures. Adaptations may need to be made. However, creative people can work together for aa common goal that helps round out the young person while discovering and developing interests and talents that might otherwise lay dormant for a lifetime.

The students are able to meets each other in different configurations than in class. The activities are also arranged differently. Much of the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom can be applied differently and with different leaders and students. This can broaden and deepen the students understanding of what he/she has learned.

Socializing is also varied. Students who are not leaders in the classroom may become leaders via scouting. The relationships between adult leaders, student leaders, and the majority of students may be altered as well.

Many of the skills learned both traditional and nontraditional school subjects can be incorporated into the scouting framework. When these are taken into the general community or into other communities the student's horizon is further broadened. This includes visiting people the students might not otherwise meet via trips.

The school has a Gym, classrooms, and other spaces that can accomodate scouting activities. This enhances the utilization of school building space and may bring in much need revenue by leasing/renting the space to the scouting organizations or sharing maintenance costs/responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities may be shared by the student/scouts, further developing their sence of belonging, accomplishment, and self-worth/esteem.

School Society

When students go to school they automatically enter a micro-society. The students are the vast majority of the population. Teachers and administrators are there to guide them. A hierarchy develops. Some of the student hierarchy carries over from elementary to Jr. High/Middle to High School. However, students from other schools, districts, states, and even countries may enter this micro-society each year. this requires adjustments on behalf of the each student. Some of these adjustments may be easy and others may be difficult. Each student will have his/her special pattern.

Parents act as outside guides for their student-children. The teachers, professional staff, and administrators are there to help the students adjust as they interact within their school environment.

These adjustments may include maintaining old interests, trying new ideas and rolls, discovering new interests, romantic interests, developing carrer paths, and much more. Meeting an increasing diversity of people may help to expand the student's awareness of similarities and dissimilarities among a variety of people(s).

Parents, teachers, professional staff, and administrators may be able to provide help in all the areas mentioned in this post and the others.

Bullies

Bullies have always been with us. We are becoming increasingly aware of them and the problems they create. Bullies may be male or female, large or small, and all discriptions.

Children must learn to deal with bullies. They must also learn how to prevent them. Bullies prey on those they feel will be easy targets. Easy targets may be male or female, large or small, and of any description. Bullies can read their body language and single them out. Children must be taught to feel competent enough and emotionally strong enough so bullies will have a more difficult time identifiing targets of prey and prevent at least some bullying. When a child has been bullied he/she needs and deserves help.

Bullies are not brave. People who carry on about how great they are do not believe themselves, that is why they are so loud and verbose. Bullies are very insecure about their own competence. They need to be identified at as young an age as possible so they can be worked with. When a bully is helped he/she may become a more healthy and contributing member of society. Their victems may be fewer and more healthy and contributing members of society.

The bully and the bullied may carry their behaviors into adulthood. By dealing with them as children, each according to their own needs, we may be able to reduce victimization during adulthood as well as childhood. Reducing these crimes can have a great effect on our economy and social climate.

Home Economics, Not Just for Girls

Learning to participate in the kitchen, to sew on a button, mend a sock, etc is good for everyone. More people, male and female, live on their own for longer periods of time than ever before.

Good health depends on exercise, balanced healthy meals, and supplements. Being able to shop for food and prepare meals for yourself is a critical life skill. Being able to plan and prepare nutriteous meals for yourself is also a critical life skill.

The ability to clean your own living space and keep it healthy is absolutely essential for everyone. Personal health depends in part on a clean living space.

Being able to make small repairs to your clothes is a helpful life skill. This can save money that can be spent on things other than replacing socks and other small personal items.

There is a sence of accomplishment when one is able to perform the basic self care chores or daily living. One becomes increasingly willing to try new experiences.

There is a lot of small/fine muscle development, measuring, planning, etc involved in these and related activities. The brain benefits when one has a large variety of experiences.

When males and females participate in these chores they can brcome more able to work together when adult relationships develop.

Drama, Thespians, Acting

When students participate in a play or musical they find a different avenue for teamwork.

Those who are on stage learn to develop the written material they are provided so they can communicate the ideas and emotions the author intended and the director indicates.

Those who are not on stage must learn to communicate in written and spoken forms.

Students in these venues learn to work with others whose interests and talents may be very different from theirs. Participants may come from very different backgrounds and economic strata. They do not need to be athletic. Dancers are athletic but usually not as large as actual athletes.

There is room for those who are not interested in being on stage but want to participate in group activities. Sets and costumes must be designed and constructed. Makeup must be developed and applied. Each of these requires different types of creative arts talent. Lighting and sound equipment must be studied, maintained, and operated. Advertising may be developed on the computer.

The experiences of these very diverse individuals can lead to occupations, hobbies, and new means of understanding themselves and others.

Drama, Thespians, Acting and Nonacting

When students participate in a play, skit, or musical they are able to participate in a creative enterprise.
Plays, skits, and musicals provide avenues of outlet for people with and without specific talents. In addition to those on stage there are more behind the scenes. Someone has to make the sets; drawing, painting, and light construction skills are needed. Someone has to operate the sound system and others have to operate the lights. Costumes must be designed and fitted. Makeup must also be deisgned and applied. The curtains must be operated. Those on stage need help learning their lines and/or music and thier movement on stage.
Advertising must be designed and distributed. Ushers are needed during the performances.
There are other ways to participate as well.
The idea is that there are many ways for students to socialize and make friends and possibly find a career path along the way.
All of the participants will find opportunities to utilize verbal, writing, and reading skills and develop them on higher levels.

Shop; metal, wood, auto

In shop weather it is woodworking, metal, auto, or other the student utilizes the hands. As discussed in other posts on this blog working with the hands allows an aditional avenue to mental development.

Some students may find a career path in shop education. Others may find a hobby that can last a lifetime. Many occupations, avocations, and abilities to relate seemingly diverse bits of information can be enhanced by shop education. When a student has a shop education later shopping for, assembling, or repairing of a large variety of items is conducted with greater understanding and insight about sales and repair people are trying to accomplish and if they are accurate.

In addition to developing additional brain power working in a shop environment helps the student learn about operating machinery, mechanics, utilizing math skills, patience, attentiveness, screening out distractions, control of impulsiveness, acceptance of one on one supervision, and much more.

When a student has one on one supervision during this type of education process the student learns to accept instruction , communicate, safety precautions, and responsibility for the equipment, its operation, cleaning up and the safety of self and others.

Athletics

Athletics is an excellent means of developing the integration of the body, large motor, and brain.

Athletes learn to do by following their coach's/gym teacher's instructions. The learn to do by doing. They also learn by helping each other. Student athletes on any level become part of a team. Each gets an opportunity to run, jump, throw, catch, hit, shoot, pass, dribble, etc.

They congradulate each other, learn to communicate with each other both verbally and through signals/signs. Coding and decoding signals/signs is developed. Sharing in success and failure is part of athletics. contributing to the good of the team and school, entities larger than self is integral. multiple methods of communication are developed.

Athletes like those in music, art, crafts, etc learn to attend to what is important, screen out distractions, restrain impulses, and more.

A student athlete does not have to be on the varsity. Intramural sports and Gym/Physical Education classes are excellent parts of a preschool through 12 curriculum.

These skills help with academic development as well as social. They carry on into adult life. Adult who have athletic backgrounds have the ability to participate on many levels. These communication and other social skills begin on a very concrete level but are gradually internalized.

Organized athletics is a great contributer. Pick games are also very helpful. The participants are able to take the skills they have developed under adult instruction to their personal interactions. Adult oversight without interference, may be desirable, to guard the children from inappropriate interference.

Art and Crafts

Art as well as Crafts are an excellent supplement to every students education.

Both art and crafts make use of small/fine motor coordination. This requires wiring the brain in ways that are not optimized during general use.

Small/fine motor development works to coordinate the concrete and abstract functioning of the brain.

The concrete interactions between teacher and student and student and student help develop the ability to follow instructions.

Students may draw, paint, color, measure, and cut at early levels. at higher levels they may mold clay, weave pieces of paper and other materials, create jewelry, and make their own useful items. The results are concrete as is the instruction and other interactions.

Art and crafts are part of every culture and can be guided to meet the cultural requirements of the individual student.

Self-esteem is enhanced as the student grows in ability to follow instructions and develop a concrete outcome.

Make Music part of Every Child's Education!

Music can be a great part of an Education Program.

At early levels rhythm is taught. This is a counting exercise and aids learning math. Later the student can learn a simple instrument like the recorder. This further aids learning math as the students learnsa the music scale which also aids counting intervals between notes opn the scale and fractions that denote the rhythm. Later the student adds chords and key signatures on higher levels of mathematical and musical development. Musical instruments provide manual development. Singing provides verbal components.

School and Learning Skills and Attitudes

I find that many students are bright enough for school but do not have the skills. They can learn the skills. Their confidence is low because of the lack of skills. I struggle with them to impart academic skills and attitudes as I teach the course material. We need to teach these academic skills and attitudes. ideally teaching skills and attitudes should begin at home. However, they must be taught in school, beginning on the first day, with the cooperation of parents at home and in school.