motherhood by terri: my writings from college
Back to Basics Skills Needed for the Information Age
SUMMARY OF ARTICLE*
Critics of all sorts have been bombarding the public schools because of the lack of commitment to excellence in education. Many say that the time has come to go back to the basics. However, much controversy rages as to the definition of "Basics." Educators are unable to understand the solution, much less implement the basics. On one side, basics have been defined as simply "the 3 R's"; and on the other extreme they have been vaguely defined as "skills for living".
The article goes on to discuss some of the shortfalls of the basics as merely "readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic". because there is no discussion of including the arts, health, or physical education, this could leave a child ill-prepared to deal with modern society. A new era is dawning, and the basics should be geared to the future needs of students.
Our society is moving into the information age, thanks to the computer. This new technology allows for global communication of massive amounts of information being transmitted very rapidly. In order to sort and select appropriate data, special planning for users needs to be developed.
This is causing a decline in the industrial field; therefore, schools should begin preparing for the more intellectual jobs of the future. To survive and adapt to the changing conditions, students must acquire advanced reasoning skills, self-discipline, initiative, and independence.
A new set of basics has been created from this information age. An attempt to provide opportunities for students to develop the following four special skills needs to be made in order to prepare their minds for this important step.
· Technological Literacy Skills: The computer is here to stay. Not only is it in business, but also the home. Young people will have to be able to comprehend and analyze the information.
· Questioning Skills: Complex problems arise daily for students to handle. This questioning enhances both intellectual and social development.
· Generalization Skills: Because of the futility of trying to acquire knowledge as fast as it is discovered, an improved system for categorizing for more manageability and meaning needs to be made.
· Empathy Skills: This constant pressure of so many variables frequently leaves individuals without direction and without away to express emotions. Therefore, students need to learn how to express their emotions.
CRITIQUE
The Back-to-Basics Movement poses a thought-provoking question. One thing that is overlooked in all the controversy is the importance of close family ties. The computer is here to stay, but it is not a living creature. It is important to know how to communicate effectively with people first of all and then with this inanimate object because of its valuable position in our society However, our society is falling apart due to the decline of the family unit.
A computer cannot effectively help the teenager who is in an identity crisis. Finding his role in society should have begun at home. Preparing a youth for survival rests upon parents, not teachers. When parents do their part, the teacher can be more effective on their part.
All this new information has crowded out an important lesson from history. The Great and Magnificent Roman Empire was filled with vast resources of knowledge and innovative technologies. However, the family suffered a decline. Thus, the Roman Empire was unable to stand in all its might and wisdom. Shall we also allow all this intellectual development chip away at the most basic of human existence? Without a healthy family, can the computer ensure our survival as a society?
APPLICATION
As educators, it is important to keep abreast of new ideas. This article has stressed the importance of thinking and preparing the mind for channeling knowledge. Because of all the conflicting ideas of what is BASIC, we must remember to keep a balanced view. Children need to learn the 3 R's, but not at the expense of social interaction. The complexity of our society causes many stressful situations; therefore, empathy needs to be shown to help them survive all the changes they have inherited.
_______________________________________________________________________________
· *Balentine, Margaret B and Kenneth T Henson, Back to Basics: Skills Needed for the Information Age, Contemporary Education, Volume 56, No. 4, Summer 1985
Homeschoolers Resurrect Motherhood
by Teressa Diggs
Mothers of yesteryear were akin to modern-day corporate managers. They knew how to delegate authority, foster teamwork, and elicit the best from each of their children. Much like a well-run organization, everything was a joint effort, including tasks like writing the shopping list, which was often delegated to a secretarial staff of sorts. Mothers instinctively understand how to relate to their offspring, possessing extraordinary skills in motivating them to learn. Before World War II, young children returned home from school to the comforts of home—apple pie, cookies, and milk—reflecting strong family values in a predominantly rural society that shared common cultural beliefs. Teachers could maintain classroom control because children were raised by loving parents who instilled respect for 'the wisdom of grey-headedness' (Leviticus 19:32; I Samuel 12:2).
As we navigate the information age, the family structure is undergoing rapid transformation. Today, millions of children aged 5 to 12 come home to empty houses, with many lacking a stable home environment. The pride once associated with disciplining children to uphold the family name has diminished. Marriage rates have plummeted, while divorce trends dominate, leading to a culture where personal gratification often takes precedence. Women's Liberation has improved workplace conditions for women, but it has also contributed to the challenge of raising responsible children. Teachers, once respected for imparting knowledge, are now often viewed as free babysitters.
The accountability of the public education system has faced scrutiny for years, as many students complete 13 years of schooling without adequate reading or writing skills, ultimately functioning below their intellectual potential throughout adulthood. Are teachers responsible for this decline in educational quality, or is society to blame? Concerned parents find themselves forced to expose their children to violence, lack of discipline, and drug use, all due to compulsory attendance laws. School-age children are particularly susceptible to peer influence, as outlined in Erikson's Theory of Personal and Social Development, indicating that teachers' abilities are not the root cause of these issues.
In a bid to restore the essence of motherhood, many 'rebellious' parents across the United States are striving to revive the traditional family dynamic. These parents may be seen as eccentric for prioritizing daily family time for learning, yet their dedication is often criticized.
During the Golden Age of Learning, children were taught to read at home before entering school. The emphasis on early literacy ensured that if formal schooling ended, children could continue to grow and develop. High expectations were set and achieved; by the early 1900s, many children had a solid foundation in English reading by the end of third grade. Families who choose home schooling today aspire to recreate this environment, fostering confident and self-directed learners.
Parenting demands dedication and self-sacrifice. Fortunately, modern technology has alleviated many challenges faced by families 100 years ago in home schooling. A wealth of information is now available to assist families in pursuing this educational reform. The first step toward becoming an expert in home schooling is to explore available curricula and resources, compare them with family philosophies, and involve the children in the decision-making process regarding their education.
As the home schooling trend grows, professional educators have voiced concerns over its quality. However, with the establishment of virtual schools, parents who wish to educate their children at home can access valuable resources and support. The stigma associated with home schooling, once linked to inadequate education, has significantly diminished since the 1990s. The assumption that the public school socialization process is inherently beneficial has been challenged by home schooling. The notion that age-based classrooms with uniform teaching methods produce identical results for all students is increasingly seen as outdated. Iconic figures like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Abraham Lincoln were all nurtured by devoted mothers, with Edison even labeled 'unteachable' by his teacher. How many other potentially brilliant minds might be overlooked if we disregard the merits of home schooling?
The family unit is crucial to the success of any society. Many powerful empires have crumbled due to family breakdowns, and the current global empire may be on a path to extinction as perspectives on motherhood shift. Future generations will ultimately evaluate the effectiveness of the home schooling movement in its quest to restore family values.
Mastering of the Robotics
by Teressa Diggs
"Space . . . . .the final frontier . . . . These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise . . . . it's five year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." With these words, the original series of Star Trek begins each exploratory voyage to the stars. The present generation of children are currently on an exploratory voyage of their own through the educational system as they learn to manipulate the sophisticated machinery assigned to them. What strange new worlds must they explore on their 13 year mission? The "new life forms" and "new civilizations: awaiting them are unlike those that were encountered by their predecessors.
The educational frontier suffers from the effects of various obsolete instructional methods. Research indicates that some common classroom practices require adjustment and re-evaluation. During the infancy of compulsory public schooling, educators diligently tried to "fit square pegs into round holes," only to find out that the "shapes" remained basically the same--except for the damage around the edges. The robot's design allows them to be molded into such configurations. Children are human; they are not robots (Pride, 1989). The purpose of education is not to force children to conform to a ridged system of useless ideology, the purpose of education is to provide knowledge that stimulates both mental growth and personal growth in order for the child to become a productive,member of his/her society.
A unique distinction exhibited by humans is the ability to think and reason, not to merely perform simple commands or tasks. Each individual learns to think and reason in a manner that complements his or her own needs and personality. Diverse personal experiences result from social and cultural interactions. Every child demonstrates special talents and interests which need recognition. Education should not teach all people the same way in an attempt to produce robots. Many episodes of Star Trek demonstrate the dangers of robots taking over the lives of people. Robots can merely think logically; robots cannot think reasonably. If their creator programs them wrong or immorally they will act accordingly. How BORING and potentially dangerous life would be without the spice of these human characteristics.
Language is the vehicle of thought. This system of sounds and symbols not only allows humans to communicate with themselves, but also language is a universal trait that is used to communicate with other human beings. The ability to use language enables humans to think complex thoughts, to imagine abstract ideas, to represent unseen objects. and to convey accurate messages to others. Verbal language smooth social interaction, while written language solidifies the concepts of the mind into literature, history, and collective knowledge. This vehicle connects the past with the present and extends into the future.
The human power source is well designed and more adaptable than any machine. This sophisticated piece of machinery has the ability to gather and store infinite amounts of information, yet only a small fraction of its power is ever used. The human brain likes to be fed information. The more it is stimulated, the more proficient it becomes. This is possible because of the mapping system that is build into its design. As new information is added to existing materials and patterns, the maps expand to expose new inlets and exits that were not present before. Although this learning machine has specialized intricate parts, each part is dependent upon the skills and talents of all the other parts in order to reach peak performance. Command performance is most efficient when the brain is free of fear and anxiety and when it is allowed to follow its own built-in timetable.
Scientists report that the human brain has two hemispheres which have different strengths and weaknesses. The left hemisphere houses the major brain areas that are important for manipulating languages. The messages from these areas reach the motor areas in the frontal lobes which control the mouth and the tongue. These areas are also connected to visual and auditory parts located in the right hemisphere. In order for a person to read, messages from the visual area must reach the language areas of the brain; in order for a person to understand spoken language, connections must exist between the language areas and the parts of the temporal lobe that process auditory information (Wallace, 1987).
The left hemisphere of the brain works somewhat like a robot. It processes information sequentially in a logical manner; therefore, learning progresses through systematic, well-structured planning with little room for creativity. On the other hand, the right hemisphere of the brain operates more like a human. It processes information through the senses in a special manner; therefore, learning progresses through open-ended exploration that is highly creative.
Language acquisition requires the use of both hemispheres. Before children understand language, they are "thinking' with their senses: when they hear, they look; when they see, they touch; when they feel, they taste; and when they taste, they can smell. Children constantly search for meaning in their world. Only after the concrete world around them can be manipulated and understood are they able to assign words to those objects around them. The marvelous tool of listening assists in expanding the child's universe. By the time a toddler begins to speak, the right hemisphere has worked quite efficiently with the left hemisphere to create orderly patterns upon which their future map will become dependent. All human beings appear to have a genetically endowed predisposition that enables them to acquire a language and discover the grammar that underlies the speech to which they are exposed. Children have a natural motivation to learn language because of the social nature of all humans.
Since the first cave drawings, man has revealed his true natural desire to preserve thoughts by "scratching, painting and otherwise representing the world around them". Cuneiform is the earliest form of writing; however, numerous other systems appeared independently throughout the world. Writing systems started out as pictograms, then gradually expanded in meaning to become idea-grams by representing ideas through the association with material objects. Eventually, symbols were used phonetically, which simplified both writing and reading. At the same time, the communication of more abstract ideas became possible The invention of the first alphabet, Old Canaanite, made communications readily available to the masses. The alphabet transformed writing into a tool that gave individuals the opportunity for self-expression. (Schrof, 1990)
Young children are intrigued with the art of writing. It adds new dimensions to the world. Writing is as natural to the child as learning to speak. It helps to complete the connection, allowing a hard-copy for expression. Writing is a more powerful art than reading because it is ego centered and provides an outlet for a child's innate desire to speak on paper. Children who learn to write also learn to read. However, it is not necessarily true that a child who learns to read will also learn to write when extensive decoding skills are preached.
In order for a child to be able to read or write, he must be able to grasp the idea that the alphabet stands for sounds and that the words he hears and speaks are the very same sounds which are assembled in form shapes. Once this is understood, then writing becomes a logical process of making sounds visual, thus integrating the senses. During the process of learning to speak, the child practiced connecting the left brain with the right brain for assistance when encountering new grammatical order or when trying to understand inflectional endings. These patterns are firmly etched into the mapping pattern of the child's brain. Spending unnecessary time teaching workbook pages of decoding skills only interferes with the child's natural patterning. What eventually happens is that the left brain steps in to overrule the more creative right brain.
The educational system in America has been creating robots for at least fifty years. It is time for teachers to start allowing children to become human. All children deserve the opportunity to utilize the full potential of their sophisticated machinery in order to achieve command performance and to develop their own creativity and talents during the learning process. Alternatives in education are necessary due to this heterogeneous society. When people are offered freedom of choice in a reasonable setting, then frustration levels decrease and they respond more effectively. Balance is an important key.
The atmosphere of Star Trek the New Generation melds man and machine into a more progressive pattern. The road ahead is long and rough, yet, the time has come to return from space and re-explore known frontiers, seek to balance current life for future generations, and boldly resort to a wise combination of the best educational techniques available.
The American Fairy Tale
by Teressa Diggs
Mothers of yesteryear were akin to modern-day corporate managers. They knew how to delegate authority, foster teamwork, and elicit the best from each of their children. Much like a well-run organization, everything was a joint effort, including tasks like writing the shopping list, which was often delegated to a secretarial staff of sorts. Mothers instinctively understand how to relate to their offspring, possessing extraordinary skills in motivating them to learn. Before World War II, young children returned home from school to the comforts of home—apple pie, cookies, and milk—reflecting strong family values in a predominantly rural society that shared common cultural beliefs. Teachers could maintain classroom control because children were raised by loving parents who instilled respect for 'the wisdom of grey-headedness' (Leviticus 19:32; I Samuel 12:2).
As we navigate the information age, the family structure is undergoing rapid transformation. Today, millions of children aged 5 to 12 come home to empty houses, with many lacking a stable home environment. The pride once associated with disciplining children to uphold the family name has diminished. Marriage rates have plummeted, while divorce trends dominate, leading to a culture where personal gratification often takes precedence. Women's Liberation has improved workplace conditions for women, but it has also contributed to the challenge of raising responsible children. Teachers, once respected for imparting knowledge, are now often viewed as free babysitters.
The accountability of the public education system has faced scrutiny for years, as many students complete 13 years of schooling without adequate reading or writing skills, ultimately functioning below their intellectual potential throughout adulthood. Are teachers responsible for this decline in educational quality, or is society to blame? Concerned parents find themselves forced to expose their children to violence, lack of discipline, and drug use, all due to compulsory attendance laws. School-age children are particularly susceptible to peer influence, as outlined in Erikson's Theory of Personal and Social Development, indicating that teachers' abilities are not the root cause of these issues.
In a bid to restore the essence of motherhood, many 'rebellious' parents across the United States are striving to revive the traditional family dynamic. These parents may be seen as eccentric for prioritizing daily family time for learning, yet their dedication is often criticized.
During the Golden Age of Learning, children were taught to read at home before entering school. The emphasis on early literacy ensured that if formal schooling ended, children could continue to grow and develop. High expectations were set and achieved; by the early 1900s, many children had a solid foundation in English reading by the end of third grade. Families who choose home schooling today aspire to recreate this environment, fostering confident and self-directed learners.
Parenting demands dedication and self-sacrifice. Fortunately, modern technology has alleviated many challenges faced by families 100 years ago in home schooling. A wealth of information is now available to assist families in pursuing this educational reform. The first step toward becoming an expert in home schooling is to explore available curricula and resources, compare them with family philosophies, and involve the children in the decision-making process regarding their education.
As the home schooling trend grows, professional educators have voiced concerns over its quality. However, with the establishment of virtual schools, parents who wish to educate their children at home can access valuable resources and support. The stigma associated with home schooling, once linked to inadequate education, has significantly diminished since the 1990s. The assumption that the public school socialization process is inherently beneficial has been challenged by home schooling. The notion that age-based classrooms with uniform teaching methods produce identical results for all students is increasingly seen as outdated. Iconic figures like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Abraham Lincoln were all nurtured by devoted mothers, with Edison even labeled 'unteachable' by his teacher. How many other potentially brilliant minds might be overlooked if we disregard the merits of home schooling?
The family unit is crucial to the success of any society. Many powerful empires have crumbled due to family breakdowns, and the current global empire may be on a path to extinction as perspectives on motherhood shift. Future generations will ultimately evaluate the effectiveness of the home schooling movement in its quest to restore family values.
