We are all Teachers!

I once read a phrase that said, “He who gives the diameter of your knowledge, prescribes the circumference of your activity.”  I have never forgotten that phrase because not only did it give me the incentive to become more involved in my children’s education, but it also made me want to take part in teaching others.

In fact, we are all teachers, whether or not we possess the paper that says so.  We are our children’s first teachers – long before they begin school.  Studies show that children who can read, write and perform basic mathematical operations before school, are more likely to perform better in tests than children who were not prepared.

So what does that phrase mean?  It simply means the more we talk to our children, and the more we teach and train them, the more doors of opportunity will be open to them in their future.  Our involvement in our children’s lives during their educational years is crucial.

The final numbers of third-graders who will be held back as part of the new promotion policy was finally revealed. Out of 10,398 students who failed standardized tests last spring, 4,257 attended the Summer Success Academy and moved up a level on summer tests. Another 2,522 students were granted appeals based on class work and were promoted to the fourth grade. Now we have 3,619 students that have been held back in the third grade this year, about 500 more than last year.

The Department of Education announced last week that it is also ending the practice of social promotion in the fifth grade, based on what they call a successful program for third-graders. They say that the new policy will begin in October.  So the pressure is now on for our fifth graders too.  Before long, it will be applied to all grades.

America’s educational system is all about passing tests - from third grade, all the way through high school, college and onto further education.  So therefore, we must incorporate teaching practices into our everyday routine and create avenues for our children to learn more.

New York State tests are only given to fourth grade and eighth grade children.  Our children in grades three, five, six and seven, go through a Citywide test.  What is the difference?  The state tests are much more involved and is given over a three-day period in fourth grade and a two-day period in eighth grade.  The Citywide tests are less involved and are only one-day tests.  However, both tests determine whether our children are meeting learning standards.  Children that are home-schooled also have to take these tests.

We now know that our children are only in school for 180 days a year, which is nowhere near long enough to receive adequate preparation for these tests, so we have to compensate for the time that they are out of school.  First of all, we have to lay the foundation in order for us to build on it. There are many distractions that are preventing our children from focusing.  Dealing with these distractions will lay the foundation. 

The first one is the television.  Studies have shown that excessive and inappropriate exposure to the television, which is an electronic screen, can harm physical, mental and social skills. Due to the rampant materialism and sexism in our society, our children today, in their mental and emotional immaturity, are vulnerable to the distractions caused by television, video games, music videos, rap and R & B music, fashion and clothing to name a few.  These are barriers, preventing our children from realizing the importance of being educated.  If we are to help with providing our children with proper schooling, these distractions must be put in check.

The library is a beautiful place to begin minimizing the distractions of watching the television or listening to the scandalous lyrics that are in today’s music.  Most of today’s blockbuster movies originate from books anyway, so instead of images being fed to our children, they can further develop their own imagination from reading the book.  Reading also improves memory, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and spelling, which all improves grades.

Another hindrance to our children that we may not think affects their learning is not having a dress code in school, especially in middle school and high school.  Dress codes are a way to minimize class differences and promote uniformity.  It is also a protection for our children because peace of mind is gained knowing that other children have to conform to a dress code too, which also means less competition.

Education must be first.  It is the key to open all the doors to the future.  It is vital that the barriers previously mentioned are removed and once they are, we have successfully laid the foundation to build a strong path to lead our children to academic success. We can then begin to incorporate fundamental test-taking strategies.  We are all teachers and these rules will enable us to do exactly what the phrase says - give the diameter of their knowledge, and also prescribe the circumference of their activity.