This morning, the results of a new study regarding education were published in the L.A. Times. The findings indicated that a student's probability of passing the public schools' high school exit exam could be predicted fairly accurately as early as fourth grade. The indicators included a student's grades, their scores on standardized tests, and, somewhat surprisingly, their classroom conduct.
The reason a believe this is of particular note is not due to a students ability to pass a high school exit exam. I have never seen one nor its content, (and I have my scepticism about its true value. ) However, I do find that this supports a philosophy I have embraced for many years.
If you consider that these indicators can be recognized as early as fourth grade, it would seem to make sense that everything done prior to fourth grade has contributed to these indicators. I have always said that the primary grades are the most important grades in a child's school life.
Parents of primary aged children: you have the opportunity right now to truly shape your child's scholastic success by establishing good habits, expecting your child to do his or her best, and establishing habits that will lead to a successful child.
I have been preaching this mantra for twenty years. It is only in the last year and a half (which just so happens to coincide with the birth of my daughter) that I have realized how difficult this truly is. The theory is sound, but the practice is much more taxing. However, I continually refer back to this "theory" when it would be much easier to give in to my daughter than do what I know is right. Be it eating vegetables, taking her pacifier away from her, or requiring her to pick up the mess she has made, I try and forgo the easy road so as to better her as a person. The same practices hold true regarding what you expect of your child in school.
If you have ever tried to rid yourself of a bad habit, you know how difficult it is to do. The same is true of good habits. Ensure that you establish good habits in your children, one's that they will take with them into the upper grades of education, and you will ensure your child achieves his or her best. Putting in the earlt work will result in a lifetime of payoff for you and your children.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Summer Schedules
Ready or not, summer is quickly approaching and the unenviable task of keeping your children occupied is coming along with it. As I have often stated, I am a huge proponent of not scheduling every minute of every day for your child. Instead, allow them time to be creative, to develop their imagination and think up ways on their own to stay occupied. This simple step can have a very positive consequence in the classroom, when they are expected to explore problems, rather than just follow given directions. Not to mention, kids need a break combined with some time to relax.
That being said, Holy Angels will continue with mandatory summer reading for our students. I think this is a component of your child’s development that is crucial to their success in virtually all aspects of life and will be encouraged throughout next year, but not if reading becomes a burdensome task that has to be completed in a very limited time frame. In the coming week, you will be receiving a list of books that are readily available at local bookstores and libraries. I know some people have the habit of waiting until mid-August to look for these books, but do yourself a favor and look into getting the novels a bit sooner. Give them the opportunity to read and enjoy, not just read because they have to!
Our kids live in a world much different than the one we grew up in. However, if we recall the truly great moments of our childhood, we have to remember that our children deserve the same opportunity to enjoy life (and summer.) Keep things balanced and allow children time to just be kids, while giving them the opportunity to stay mentally sharp and engaged .
That being said, Holy Angels will continue with mandatory summer reading for our students. I think this is a component of your child’s development that is crucial to their success in virtually all aspects of life and will be encouraged throughout next year, but not if reading becomes a burdensome task that has to be completed in a very limited time frame. In the coming week, you will be receiving a list of books that are readily available at local bookstores and libraries. I know some people have the habit of waiting until mid-August to look for these books, but do yourself a favor and look into getting the novels a bit sooner. Give them the opportunity to read and enjoy, not just read because they have to!
Our kids live in a world much different than the one we grew up in. However, if we recall the truly great moments of our childhood, we have to remember that our children deserve the same opportunity to enjoy life (and summer.) Keep things balanced and allow children time to just be kids, while giving them the opportunity to stay mentally sharp and engaged .
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Gift of Teachers
We are a little behind the eight-ball as we honor our teachers and staff this week with Teacher Appreciation Week. I think it is extremely important to take a moment to pay tribute to the faculty and staff of Holy Angels. I have said this often, and am very genuine when I state that we have the best faculty I have ever had the fortune to work with. None of our staff come here slowly to receive a paycheck. They are here because of their dedication to Catholic education and Holy Angels School.
The career of an educator has many misconceptions about it. Some of these include that teachers only work ten months a year. Any teacher dedicated to their profession works during the summer doing their lesson plans for the year, attending professional development seminars, preparing their room and attending classes.
Another may be that their day ends at 3:00 PM. Again, I have never met a teacher whose day ended once the students leave. Correcting papers, preparing for the next day, extra tutoring, and meeting with parents are all part of the work day that takes place after 3:00 PM.
Sometimes, the fact that everyone has attended school often leads to the belief that they have a better way of doing things or, at the very least, the ability to see what a teacher is doing wrong. Anyone who has ever had a birthday party for more than four kids knows that managing a group of children requires more than just telling them what to do!
In order to honor our teachers, the greatest gift a teacher can receive is a letter of gratitude written by his or her student. A card written from the heart has much greater meaning than any gift a teacher could be given.
Holy Angels School is fortunate to have a staff of teachers who spend countless hours of their days dedicated to the students they serve. I am honored to be able to work amongst such a hard working group of individuals. We will honor our wonderful teachers all week with a variety of meals and ceremonies. I challenge each of our families to do the same!
The career of an educator has many misconceptions about it. Some of these include that teachers only work ten months a year. Any teacher dedicated to their profession works during the summer doing their lesson plans for the year, attending professional development seminars, preparing their room and attending classes.
Another may be that their day ends at 3:00 PM. Again, I have never met a teacher whose day ended once the students leave. Correcting papers, preparing for the next day, extra tutoring, and meeting with parents are all part of the work day that takes place after 3:00 PM.
Sometimes, the fact that everyone has attended school often leads to the belief that they have a better way of doing things or, at the very least, the ability to see what a teacher is doing wrong. Anyone who has ever had a birthday party for more than four kids knows that managing a group of children requires more than just telling them what to do!
In order to honor our teachers, the greatest gift a teacher can receive is a letter of gratitude written by his or her student. A card written from the heart has much greater meaning than any gift a teacher could be given.
Holy Angels School is fortunate to have a staff of teachers who spend countless hours of their days dedicated to the students they serve. I am honored to be able to work amongst such a hard working group of individuals. We will honor our wonderful teachers all week with a variety of meals and ceremonies. I challenge each of our families to do the same!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Parish Unity
One of the strengths of Catholic schools in general, and Holy Angels in particular, is community. I have never been in a Catholic school where the communities were not closely bound and supportive, and I believe Holy Angels embodies this to a greater degree than any of the schools I have been at.
One component of this community that can show weakness, however, is the school's view of where it fits in the parish. It seems often times, we want the benefits of parish support without offering that same support in return. Over the weekend we had the opportunity to be part of a true parish event when all the children of the parish had the opportunity to receive the Eucharist for the first time. Complaints are some times levied that this sacrament should be celebrated with the school and religious education classes as separate entities, but this only furthers the misconception that we are not all part of one parish. We cannot make the claim of being an active parishioner only when it means receiving a discounted tuition rate while wanting complete separation from the parish on other occasions.
We all benefit by being active members of a united parish. Working together, celebrating together and worshiping together allows us to accomplish much more than it would if every ministry of the parish pilots its own ship. Parish support is not a one-sided proposition, nor will it be of ultimate benefit to Holy Angels School or Holy Angels Parish. Our greatest accomplishments will come from uniting together as one.
One component of this community that can show weakness, however, is the school's view of where it fits in the parish. It seems often times, we want the benefits of parish support without offering that same support in return. Over the weekend we had the opportunity to be part of a true parish event when all the children of the parish had the opportunity to receive the Eucharist for the first time. Complaints are some times levied that this sacrament should be celebrated with the school and religious education classes as separate entities, but this only furthers the misconception that we are not all part of one parish. We cannot make the claim of being an active parishioner only when it means receiving a discounted tuition rate while wanting complete separation from the parish on other occasions.
We all benefit by being active members of a united parish. Working together, celebrating together and worshiping together allows us to accomplish much more than it would if every ministry of the parish pilots its own ship. Parish support is not a one-sided proposition, nor will it be of ultimate benefit to Holy Angels School or Holy Angels Parish. Our greatest accomplishments will come from uniting together as one.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Authentic Learning
We recently had a faculty meeting that was focused on standardized testing, scores, and their relevance and validity. I believe that each individual teacher has his or her own opinion regarding these issues, but generally speaking, we see them as one indicator of student achievement, but not the primary indicator, or even an extremely relevant indicator. I could probably spend the next three months writing about thees rationales and the pros and cons supporting them, but more importantly, it got me thinking more about true "learning"
I have written numerous times about grades vs. learning, the difference between the two, and the ideological world it would be wonderful to live in regarding these issues. Standardized tests raise even more of these discussions. But the day after our meeting, the fourth grade class was involved in a project where they built structures and then tested their ability to withstand a simulated earthquake.
Take a moment to think about what is a better representation of "authentic" learning. I would be willing to bet most of those children will be able to discuss this project many years from now and what they learned. (They do so now, with great enthusiasm.) It will never be asked about on a standardized test, it will never be tested on a piece of paper, but it may very well spark a child's interest in engineering or architecture. It may also help a child to understand all that goes into the completion of a project, how to work with others, and how to be responsible to their group. Again, no learning that will show up on a written test.
As standardized tests become more and more the "norm" for gaging a school's success, we need to keep in mind that assessment has many forms, and many of the skills taught in the classroom will never receive a percent, a stanine or a grade.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Diversity of Interests
Congratulations go out to many different factions of our student body over the last several weeks! Our boys and girls soccer teams recently competed in the CYO Annual Tournament, and both teams played well. Our girls team advanced into the second round, before being defeated on Wednesday 2-1. Watching our teams play was extremely rewarding, primarily because they represented our school well as athletes and as people!
Also taking place on Wednesday was our first ever music recital, which featured performances from over twenty different students or collaborations. I was extremely impressed with all the participants, and floored by the talent that showed itself that evening, ranging form vocal performances, to solo instrument performances and group collaborations and dance. Very impressive, to say the least.
All the Holy Angels students who participated in the recent Civitan track meet must also be recognized, once again for performing well and also for representing the school in a very positive manner.
We have recently seen the reemergence of a cheer leading squad, and Mrs. Bennett's drama and dance classes continue to be extremely popular and well received.
It is so easy to focus on what we "should" have, but I am still impressed by all that we do have. We are fortunate to have coaches, teachers and volunteers who create programs that speak to our children and their diversity of interests. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue throughout Holy Angel's existence.
Also taking place on Wednesday was our first ever music recital, which featured performances from over twenty different students or collaborations. I was extremely impressed with all the participants, and floored by the talent that showed itself that evening, ranging form vocal performances, to solo instrument performances and group collaborations and dance. Very impressive, to say the least.
All the Holy Angels students who participated in the recent Civitan track meet must also be recognized, once again for performing well and also for representing the school in a very positive manner.
We have recently seen the reemergence of a cheer leading squad, and Mrs. Bennett's drama and dance classes continue to be extremely popular and well received.
It is so easy to focus on what we "should" have, but I am still impressed by all that we do have. We are fortunate to have coaches, teachers and volunteers who create programs that speak to our children and their diversity of interests. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue throughout Holy Angel's existence.
Monday, April 7, 2008
When Parenting Means Staying Out Of It!
Several years ago, when I first took the position at Holy Angels, I was on the playground and heard one of the yard monitors telling the kids not to run on the playground. When I asked her why she was telling them not to run, she said it was because they might fall and get hurt. My response was that sometimes, kids have to fall and get hurt.
As parents, we constantly want to "catch" our children, not allowing them to get hurt in any way. This can be taken literally, but it also has a much stronger figurative meaning. We want our children to learn to deal with the world in which they will live. All types of personalities exist in this world. Some of our kids are very passive while others are more aggressive. Some may be bullies while others are constantly concerned with the injustices faced by others. These same personalities exist amongst adults. To be functioning, effective adults, we need to allow our kids to learn how to deal with these different personalities on their own. We should provide the tools necessary, but they must apply their use properly.
Being a relatively shy child made it very difficult when my parents made me handle situations myself. If a child was picking on me, I was responsible for dealing with it. If someone owed me money, (I had paper route, and people loved to ignore a ten year old asking them for money!) I had to collect it. My parents could have easily stepped in to many situations and taken care of them, but they allowed me and all of their children to handle things themselves, and ultimately, helped create independent, self-reliant individuals.
Too often in elementary schools, parents let children's issues become adult issues. When we step in and try to handle situations for kids, we don't allow them the opportunity to grow and become strong, confident teenagers. In fact, we end up holding them captives to ourselves, when the expectation that mom or dad will always take care of their problems. (I have even been told about parents who have accosted their child's college professors over grades!)
As I often say, consider the individual you want your child to become when making decisions involving your child. Momentary discomfort will pass, and the lessons learned by a child dealing with a situation on his or her own is invaluable.
As parents, we constantly want to "catch" our children, not allowing them to get hurt in any way. This can be taken literally, but it also has a much stronger figurative meaning. We want our children to learn to deal with the world in which they will live. All types of personalities exist in this world. Some of our kids are very passive while others are more aggressive. Some may be bullies while others are constantly concerned with the injustices faced by others. These same personalities exist amongst adults. To be functioning, effective adults, we need to allow our kids to learn how to deal with these different personalities on their own. We should provide the tools necessary, but they must apply their use properly.
Being a relatively shy child made it very difficult when my parents made me handle situations myself. If a child was picking on me, I was responsible for dealing with it. If someone owed me money, (I had paper route, and people loved to ignore a ten year old asking them for money!) I had to collect it. My parents could have easily stepped in to many situations and taken care of them, but they allowed me and all of their children to handle things themselves, and ultimately, helped create independent, self-reliant individuals.
Too often in elementary schools, parents let children's issues become adult issues. When we step in and try to handle situations for kids, we don't allow them the opportunity to grow and become strong, confident teenagers. In fact, we end up holding them captives to ourselves, when the expectation that mom or dad will always take care of their problems. (I have even been told about parents who have accosted their child's college professors over grades!)
As I often say, consider the individual you want your child to become when making decisions involving your child. Momentary discomfort will pass, and the lessons learned by a child dealing with a situation on his or her own is invaluable.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
