CATAGORIES
Friday, July 31, 2009
What Parent Can Do When,His Child Won't Read or Write
Sounds like a normal boy to me. I've raised three boys, and all three had the same lack of motivation and initiative. Although we all want to idealistically hope that our children will read and write for the love of learning and self-expression, I’ve found this rarely to be the case. Learning is an acquired taste, I'm afraid. But, while that taste is being acquired, I think that some force-feeding is certainly appropriate.
Good teaching is inherently coercive. You prove this with your carrot and stick method: “...if given a threat of 'no recess, hockey unless...' he can do a full page in 25 minutes.” There is nothing wrong with being a behavioralist. I’m not saying that our children are Pavlov’s dogs or that we have to B.F. Skinner our kids to death. However, I do suggest that we use the extrinsic rewards and/or threats until the intrinsic love of learning kicks in. Spoon feed until the child can and will feed himself. Why? Reading is just too important of a life-skill to leave to the whim of an elementary, middle, or high school student. Most all would rather play video games or text, if given the freedom to choose.
But, you may be thinking... "What if I turn my child off from independent reading? He may never pick up a book to read, if he isn't forced to read it."
My own personal experience may be of some help. As a teacher, I gave my three sons a choice every summer: 4 hours of summer school each day at the nearby public school or 90 minutes of daily supervised instruction at home. It was not much of a choice. Each summer the boys chose the option I called Summer Daily Brain Work. Each of my three boys responded the same to my Summer Daily Brainwork: they hated it and were relieved when they "graduated" from this chore at age 16. The primary tasks of this daily summer chore was twofold: 1. independent reading with subsequent discussion of that reading with Dad and 2. writing an expository paragraphwith subsequent response to that writing by Dad and revision thereafter. None of the three boys ever read or wrote anything unless required to do so by the teacher or Dad. Oh, Mom did require faithful thank-you notes for every courtesy or gift.
In a recent conversation with my oldest son, now a legislative assistant for a Congressman back in Washington D.C., my son admitted that he actually never read the teacher-assigned independent readings because there was noaccountability. This same son is now a voraciously reader and has sent me so many "You've-got-to-read-this" books that I've turned to Internet book reviews in lieu of actually reading all of them. Reading specialists, like Yours Truly, know how to skim and fake it better than most.
My second son, only reads technical computer manuals. However, the point is that he has the skills to read these and other books of any genre, if he needs/chooses to do so. As to my third son, a graduating senior, the jury is still out on the reading; however, he recently commented that he learned how to write effectively due to our summer paragraphs.
I would certainly recommend some basic study skills: including motivational techniques, procrastination prevention, and goal-setting. We do want to equip our children with the skills they need to succeed on their own someday. However, make ‘em read and write until that someday comes.
Cheers!
Alternative Education: Finding Solutions to Educational Shortcomings
Educators have long struggled to understand why some students fail to thrive in traditional classroom settings (Quinn et al., 2006). Some contended the problem lies within educational programming, whereas others pose the problem lies within the student (Quinn et al., 2006). Regardless of the perspective on where the failure to thrive originates, all students and districts have the same accountability standards (Quinn et al., 2006). If students do not meet standards academically and behaviorally and school districts fail to provide an appropriate educational setting, severe consequences follow (Hamilton & Stecher, 2004).
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), proposed by President George W. Bush and passed by Congress in 2001, requires greater accountability through assessment scores, annual yearly progress, and higher standards (Hamilton & Stecher). The aim of alternative-education programs is to support students who are at risk of dropping out of a traditional school setting or students who display behaviors that repeatedly result in suspension (Quinn et al., 2006).
According to Ishee (2004), students often suffer from “learned irresponsibility” (p. 5), which indicates a person feels a sense of powerlessness. Indifference or defiant, rebellious behaviors can mask feelings of powerlessness. Students in alternative-education programs tend to display behaviors such as refusal to comply with reasonable staff requests, faking effort, and peer isolation (Ishee). The traditional school setting discourages some students who have lost their sense of purpose. The students lack a connection to the curriculum, their teachers, and classmates. Alternative-education programs provide students with the opportunity to start over in a new educational setting to meet their high school graduation requirements, including state assessments (Genesee Valley Board of Cooperative Education Services [BOCES], 2007b).
National, state, and local governments provide policies and procedures to address unacceptable behaviors in an educational setting (Ingersoll & LeBoeuf, 1997). Safety in schools is a critical component of managing a school system in which all students have the opportunity to learn (Ingersoll & LeBoeuf). When a student’s behaviors interfere with learning, districts must provide an educational program for the student. The student’s home district does not need to implement the educational program (Ingersoll & LeBoeuf).
The development of alternative-education programs increased as more students became at-risk for school failure (Hughes & Adera, 2006), and program development is critical because of the needs of the youth (McCurdy, Mannella, & Eldridge, 2003). According to Emmer, Evertson, and Worsham (2000), a well-organized alternative-education program includes classroom conditions conducive to learning, clearly articulated expectations, and structured student behavior plans. Districts must provide a learning environment that is nonthreatening and conducive to meeting the state accountability standards set forth by NCLB.
Albrecht and Joles (2003) noted holding all students accountable to proficiency standards requires schools to improve educational services to all students, including students with disabilities and behavioral issues. Student assessments are vital to the identification of interventions necessary to support student needs. Alternative-education programs provide opportunities for students to participate in state-mandated curriculum and proficiency assessments while participating in a program that includes behavioral interventions to deter students from dropping out of school.
The implications of research confirm the need for alternative-education programs in meeting the needs of today’s youth who struggle with social-emotional issues, and for those with learning disabilities. It is the job of educators to gain information relating to student success rates in order to make effective decisions relating to program development.
By statistically analyzing multiple measures of success, alternative-education programs display proven methods of success. It appears that alternative-education programs provide a structured, individualized environment that retains students in order to continue working towards a high school diploma. The alternative-education model showed an increase in course completion rates, improvements in school attendance rates, and a decrease in referral rates which could result in suspension or expulsion. This study confirms the need for alternative education programs. The success that students who are at-risk of school failure display in an individualized program where course content relates to future job opportunities is evident in the studies findings.
Alternative-education programs can meet the needs of at-risk youth (Foley & Pang, 2006). This research adds significant findings for educational leaders and proves that through individualized programming, small class sizes, and real-life learning opportunities, at-risk youth find success in alternative-education programs (Foley & Pang).
Constructive Ideas For Teaching Addition Skills
The purpose of this article is to put forward some ideas to help with the teaching of addition.
Combining groups of physical objects: for many students, this is their most basic experience of adding up. This process normally involves collecting two sets of objects, then counting how many objects there are in total. (For example, by building two towers of cubes, and then counting up every single block.) For many, this method can be too involved, particularly for those students who present attention deficit disorder. If the child cannot hold their attention for the whole of the activity, blocks will be put awry, towers will end up with additional blocks, blocks will get mixed up, and at the end, the wrong answer is arrived at. The length of the process means that if your child does not master the concept quickly, they are not likely to make progress at all. In addition, it is difficult to extend this process into a calculation that can be approached mentally: for example, try to imagine two large sets of objects in your head, and then count them all up. Even for adults, this is nearly impossible.
Simple drawings: jottings are a more useful alternative to the process described above. Write out the addition problem on a sheet of paper, and next to the first number, jot down the appropriate number of tallies (for instance, for the number 4, draw 4 tallies). Ask your student to predict how many tallies you will need to draw by the other number in the problem. When they come to the correct answer, ask them to draw the tallies. To finish with, ask how many tallies they have drawn altogether. This method is a much easier way of bringing together 2 groups, is less likely to be subject to mechanical error, and is better suited to students with poor focus. It also encourages the child to associate between what the written sum actually says, and why they are drawing a certain number of tallies.
Counting on: this is a technique based around your student's capacity to say number names. When your child has reached a stage where they know how to count to five, start asking them questions like, "what number is 1 more than..." (eg. what comes after 2 when we count?) This is actually equivalent to answering an addition problem of the type 2+1, but helps to connect the ideas of counting and addition, which is very powerful. This technique gets your student ready to use number squares and gives them the confidence to answer problems in their mind. The method can also be made more difficult, by asking, "what number is 2 more than..." When your child can confidently respond to such problems out loud, show them the question written down, and explain that this is the same as the problem you had been doing before. This will help the child to see addition and counting as fundamentally related, and that this new problem is actually something they have met before.
Playing board games: this activity can be both a mathematical learning experience as well as a pleasant pastime. Games that require a counter to be moved around a board do a lot to encourage children to count on. If the board has numbers on it, the child is able to see that the action is similar to counting out numbers aloud, or using a number line. Make a point of remembering to draw attention to the relationship between using board games and addition.
Learning number facts: usually, we rely on number facts learnt by heart to help us answer addition problems. In a nutshell, we do not have to figure out the answer to 7 and 10, we simply remember it. Having the ability to recall addition facts allows us to tackle simple maths tasks confidently. Improve your student's knowledge of known number bonds by singing nursery songs that tell stories of number. Take part in the game of matching pairs with the student, where the point of the game is identify the location of the question (for instance, 7+8) and the corresponding answer from a set of cards all turned face down. Create a set of flashcards with simple addition facts written on them, look at the cards one at a time, and ask the student for the answer, giving a good deal of applause when they give the right answer. When they are confident, expand the number of facts. Games will prevent your child perceiving addition as dull, and will build confidence.
Addition printables and worksheets: Practise makes perfect - and the right style of practice also lends more confidence. By utilizing simple worksheets, aimed towards your student's ability and attention span, you are able to significantly improve your child's ability with addition, both orally and written down. There are plenty of free internet sites that offer worksheets that help with the teaching of adding up, but it does matter what adding up worksheets you use. Ensure that the worksheets are aimed at the right level, being neither too difficult nor too easy, and are of the correct length to maintain the student's interest. You should be attempting to present questions that foster their recollection of number facts, along with a scattering of sums involving some calculation. On the occasions that the student is successful, use the opportunity to give them a lot of praise; when they make a mistake, do not appear frustrated, but briefly explain their mistake. Using adding up worksheets in a considered way can really boost your student's ability.
How to Improve Simple Mental Computational Skills
After the first part of this article had been published, I began to get letters with another question. Is a need of improving the skills of simple mental computations so important, that we must spend time on filling in tables or on any other exercises, while we have not enough time for other topics of curriculum? My previous articles (Elementary Mental Computational Skills and Success in School Math, Prognosis of Failure in School Math) contain the detailed answer. Now I want to cite one more reason.
If we grudge the time for improvement of simple mental computational skills, we will waste much more time when teaching other math topics. Let us consider addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of the numbers expressed by several figures. Every such operation calls for carrying-out many simple mental operations. For example, it is necessary to carry out 14 simple mental operations to multiply 587 by 96. My studies show that pupils spend about 8 seconds in the average on each operation. We can reduce the running time of one operation by training to 2.5 seconds in 95% cases. As a result we will have much more time for development of more complicated skills. If we take into account that all topics of arithmetic and algebra require simple mental computations, the profit becomes evident.
The stochastic tables described in the first part of this article may be used both for individual work with one pupil and for work with a class. Furthermore for individual work you can use two computer programs, which you can download free at my site Prevention of Failure in School Mathematics (references – Simple Test and Improvement of Simple Mental Computational Skills). Now you will find there renovated versions. I tried to finish with errors and difficulties which prevented effective work with the applications (at present, for example, there is no need in entering code). You can test whether the modifications are sufficient or not.
The first of these programs is a simple computer test for diagnostics of a level of simple mental computational skills. It can be used both to clearing up whether a pupil’s skills need to be improved and to make sure that using of the stochastic tables turned out successful. If your pupils have learnt the multiplication table already, offer them this simple test and you will see that many of them will not pass it. A pupil must implement a sequence of 64 simple operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in disorder) not only nearly error-free but quickly also.
The second program is designed to improvement of simple mental computational skills. The application is intended for individual work with one pupil. Therefore it is necessary to load a private database for each pupil. You may begin to use the application after the multiplication table and the corresponding cases of division have been learnt completely. It will be very useful to repeat the work every year during next five years.
The program performs the next functions: 1) diagnoses quality of elementary mental computational skills; 2) carries out the work on improvement of elementary computational skills; 3) watches the psycho-physical state of a pupil and a level of permissible educational load; 4) allows overseeing all results of the working.
During each testing a level of simple mental computational skills is studying. Two criteria are used for the ascertainment of it: number of errors and an average running time of one operation. The speed of mental computations is one of the two criteria of automatism – the top quality of skills. While a minimal number of errors is permissible (an error may be caused not only by lack of knowledge), a testing will end in failure because of slowness even if there are no mistakes. The values of parameters using in the testing were figured out experimentally in accordance with pupils’ age (during five years after the multiplication table had been completely studied).
Initial results are the basis for the following work. They are used for the examination of pupil’s psycho-physical state (warming-up) and for forming the tasks for improvement of his/her skills (working upon errors). To accelerate progress in mental computations, you may print the tasks for working upon errors after each session. The pupil must do the tasks in written form before the next session. The program stops the work with the pupil when his/her computational skills meet the established demands. Number of required sessions depends on pupil's grounding in math and mental faculties.
If we grudge the time for improvement of simple mental computational skills, we will waste much more time when teaching other math topics. Let us consider addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of the numbers expressed by several figures. Every such operation calls for carrying-out many simple mental operations. For example, it is necessary to carry out 14 simple mental operations to multiply 587 by 96. My studies show that pupils spend about 8 seconds in the average on each operation. We can reduce the running time of one operation by training to 2.5 seconds in 95% cases. As a result we will have much more time for development of more complicated skills. If we take into account that all topics of arithmetic and algebra require simple mental computations, the profit becomes evident.
The stochastic tables described in the first part of this article may be used both for individual work with one pupil and for work with a class. Furthermore for individual work you can use two computer programs, which you can download free at my site Prevention of Failure in School Mathematics (references – Simple Test and Improvement of Simple Mental Computational Skills). Now you will find there renovated versions. I tried to finish with errors and difficulties which prevented effective work with the applications (at present, for example, there is no need in entering code). You can test whether the modifications are sufficient or not.
The first of these programs is a simple computer test for diagnostics of a level of simple mental computational skills. It can be used both to clearing up whether a pupil’s skills need to be improved and to make sure that using of the stochastic tables turned out successful. If your pupils have learnt the multiplication table already, offer them this simple test and you will see that many of them will not pass it. A pupil must implement a sequence of 64 simple operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in disorder) not only nearly error-free but quickly also.
The second program is designed to improvement of simple mental computational skills. The application is intended for individual work with one pupil. Therefore it is necessary to load a private database for each pupil. You may begin to use the application after the multiplication table and the corresponding cases of division have been learnt completely. It will be very useful to repeat the work every year during next five years.
The program performs the next functions: 1) diagnoses quality of elementary mental computational skills; 2) carries out the work on improvement of elementary computational skills; 3) watches the psycho-physical state of a pupil and a level of permissible educational load; 4) allows overseeing all results of the working.
During each testing a level of simple mental computational skills is studying. Two criteria are used for the ascertainment of it: number of errors and an average running time of one operation. The speed of mental computations is one of the two criteria of automatism – the top quality of skills. While a minimal number of errors is permissible (an error may be caused not only by lack of knowledge), a testing will end in failure because of slowness even if there are no mistakes. The values of parameters using in the testing were figured out experimentally in accordance with pupils’ age (during five years after the multiplication table had been completely studied).
Initial results are the basis for the following work. They are used for the examination of pupil’s psycho-physical state (warming-up) and for forming the tasks for improvement of his/her skills (working upon errors). To accelerate progress in mental computations, you may print the tasks for working upon errors after each session. The pupil must do the tasks in written form before the next session. The program stops the work with the pupil when his/her computational skills meet the established demands. Number of required sessions depends on pupil's grounding in math and mental faculties.
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