Child

Most Common Issues Children Are Facing In School

There is no question about it, children of today are having hard times, and although every generation has its sets of problems that they have to cope with; it seems that children today are faced with more problems on the educational front than have ever been seen before.

Bullying

Bullies have been around since the beginning of time, and although previous generations have had to deal with them, things today are totally different. A bully cannot be defended, be it past or present, but a bully of the past may have teased a child or even threatened to beat them up, while today, bullies have taken things to another level. They not only can make their peers feel uncomfortable in person, but they now may resort to the internet where they may post vile insults that the world can see. Since most children and young adults live for the cyber world, an internet attack can be one of the worse that they can face, which can lead to depression, and in the worst circumstances, suicide.

Large Class Sizes

As school districts are forced to make budget cuts to make ends meet, they have been forced to fire some of their best teachers. With fewer teachers, but a growing number of students, it can be difficult to give students the individual attention that they deserve.

Lack of resources

Another issue that children have to deal with due to budget cuts is a lack of resources in general. Some schools do not have enough books for their students due to lack of money, nor do they offer extracurricular activities like football because they cannot afford it.

Filed Under: Leadership Skills Tagged With: Bullying, Child, Violence and Abuse

Keep Your Kids Safe At School

It’s not enough that we tell our children to look both ways when crossing the street, or don’t talk to strangers. We now have to prepare our children on how to stay safe when they are in school. With technology being as advanced as it is today gossip, rumors, and cyber bullying run rampant. Parents can’t be with their children at school. And some parents have no choice about where they send their children to school. Let’s face it; some of these schools are violent. That is a cold hard fact. If safety becomes a major issue, you may have no choice but to remove your child from that school. With a few basic parenting skills your children should be safe in any school environment.

Always talk to your children about their day at school. Talk with your children about every day-to-day activity. When you communicate with your child daily about anything, your child is more likely to let you know that there is a problem at school. Note any changes to your children’s behavior or attitude. Changes can be indicative of a bullying problem, bad influences or staff problems. This is where it becomes important for you to know your children’s friends. Have them over after school and you can assess if these are people who are good for you child to be involved with.

You should prepare yourself and your child for anything that could potentially happen. Let them know who to call or who to go to should something bad happen at school. Trust your child to handle some things. Every child needs some adversity to help them become a more rounded adult. Potential physical harm is where you draw the line.

Filed Under: Leadership Skills Tagged With: bully, Child, Cyber-bullying

Help Your Child Deal With School Stress

Our children’s lives are filled with stress just like adults lives are. If you really stop and think about it some are not so dissimilar from adult stresses. Kids want to fit in at school and do good work. Adults want to fit in at work and do a good job. Adults worry about paying bills and kids worry about getting homework done on time. If you don’t do this you will get in trouble with bill collectors and your child will get into trouble with his teacher. We want our children’s lives to be enriched but to what extent are parents pushing?

Some stress in your child’s life is a really good thing. It is how he learns new things and accomplishes goals. Too much stress can be a bad thing that will interfere with his daily life and hinder his learning abilities. Your child’s life revolves around school, family, homework, and extra-curricular activities. When that load becomes overwhelming it puts added stresses and anxiety on a child. If your child is complaining about everything they have to do in a day’s time, consider cutting some of those activities out if you can.

Parents should keep their troubles and worries away from their children. Those conversations about bills, sick loved ones, and finances should be discussed in private and not in front of the children. Always be aware of what is on the television. Bad news on the television will add to his stresses. If he does see something troubling, talk with him about what he saw. Probably the most important tip would be this; if you don’t freak out he won’t freak out. If you stay calm your child will stay calm.

Filed Under: Leadership Skills Tagged With: Adult, Child, Stress

Preschool Can Be The Foundation For A Lifetime of Positive Learning

Traditionally children attended preschool in order to prepare for the big step of starting school. It was the place to introduce young children to the necessary social skills they would need before attending the first year of school. The atmosphere was relaxed with an emphasis on explorationn and listening to stories. Over the last several years, this relaxed pre-learning experience has changed. Pressure on parents to make sure their child is prepare to meet higher expectations has increased dramatically. Preschools have felt the necessity to take on the challenge to see that the expectations are met, but many children aren’t emotionally ready to handle the extra pressure. It is very important that parents send their child to a preschool that will best suit the particular learning styles of their child. Ideally finding a program that will offer a good balance between preparation and a limited amount of pressure. hands on activities involving the senses, have been proven to suit the learning processes of young children. Pencil and paper learning is beyond the development of their fine motor skills. Preschool teaching consist of fun and multi-sensory learning. Sitting still is hard for young children and the learning process should include time for dancing, singing, and free movement around the classroom. Bordom and loss of interest will result if children are asked to sit still and listen for more than 15 or 20 minutes. They will be frustrated if expected to learn the same way older children do and could lead to an ongoing negative response to education. Children will be encouraged to learn and will be excited about the learning process when approached in an age appropriate manner. Preschool shouldn’t just be about preparation for school, it should be fun and engaging and be a foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Filed Under: Leadership Development Tagged With: Child, Learning, Preschool education

How To Draw Out A Shy Child

As any parent with a shy child can tell you it is frustrating business. For a shy child to answer strangers questions can be like pulling teeth without the dentist. We teach our children not to talk to strangers yet at the same time we want our children to be less introverted. Every child behaves differently. Some are extremely outgoing and charismatic while others turn red and close up when asked questions by teacher’s or family members. There are some ways to help a shy child overcome her shyness and she will eventually grow out of the phase. Other times it may become necessary to involve medical providers if it progresses or interferes with everyday life.

One thing that will help a shy child is to try not label or scold her for being shy. The child has either low self-esteem or does not know how to respond to questions ask. Labeling or scolding a child for shyness will often make it harder to draw her out of her shell or comfort zone. Labeling and scolding will also lower her self-esteem by making her feel something is wrong with her for being that way.

Children often pattern parent’s behavior. Use social situations as a way to teach a shy child how to interact with strangers. Set up a play date for your child but limit the size to one-on-one. This will not overwhelm the shy child. And as your child feels more comfortable, add more children. You can help your shy child by practicing at home answering common questions that someone would normally ask. It is important to note that you should also teach your shy child when to answer a strangers questions and when not to. Like maybe telling her full name and age only if you are present. But to never give her address or phone number to an adult stranger.

Filed Under: Lessons From Leaders Tagged With: Child, Self-esteem, The Shy Child

Should School Be Therapy?

No Child Left Behind was meant to address a growing problem in our education system: children, especially those in impoverished areas, simply were not getting the education they needed and deserved. This problem was often compounded by children that were struggling emotionally, physically or mentally. These children, who seemingly have two strikes against them, simply couldnâ€™t compete with other children. While NCLB did help children who were struggling educationally, these other â€˜two strikeâ€™ kids were still left out in the cold. It was for these children that the idea of therapeutic schooling was developed.

While today therapeutic schooling takes place in special institutions or schools, the idea behind them may very well translate to a more traditional school. In theory, these special schools are designed to address some of the special emotional or physical needs of students. For example, students who struggle with stress may need additional help. If we just stop and think for a moment about the number of children who could use additional help with stress alone, it becomes apparent that some sort of therapeutic schooling may be called for in more traditional classrooms.

While it is unclear which tactics could be used in a traditional setting, it is apparent we need to make a change. The pressure to fit it, to succeed and to simply be better is overwhelming. More children are diagnosed each year with forms of depression, body dismorphic disease, autism and other emotional or mental disorders. If NCLB was really meant to teach the most repressed of our children, shouldn’t we also be making allowances for children who struggle with these disorders?

Or maybe, just maybe, what would be truly therapeutic for our students is to begin teaching them utilizing real life techniques instead teaching to the lowest denominator and developing specialized teaching skills for every set of disadvantaged students.

Filed Under: Leadership Development Tagged With: Child, Education, Health, Mental Health, No Child Left Behind Act, Special school, Student, United States

Military Schools For All

Some parents are making a difficult decision for their difficult to educate children. Many parents are finding that the local public school simply does not offer the curriculum their child needs to be successful. Whether searching for a tougher academic standard or more rigid discipline, military schools are becoming their alternative school of choice for some parents.

Military schools are different from traditional public schools in several critical ways. The primary difference, the military aspect, often scares away some parents and students. It is, the cornerstone upon which military schools are built. They believe that only through strict adherence of rules and regulations can students ever hope to achieve their full potential.

In many instances, military schools also offer more strident academic standards. Like other private schools, they are not bound by the same rules and regulations as public schools. This often means smaller classes, more rigorous standards and a focus on total education instead of teaching to the test. Military schools also typically attract teachers who are dedicated to this educational format, giving students other leg up.

Still, there are some parents who disagree with the rigid formality of military schools. Perhaps there is a compromise, a way to bring the structure and formality of a military school into the public school setting. Finding a way to blend the best of the military schools with the standard public school format may offer students an opportunity to further their education in the most effective way.

In the end, parents and educators, and even government officials, are interested in the same thing: finding the best way to educate our children. Military schools may not be the answer for all of our children but perhaps some of the underlying principles of these alternative institutions could be applied to our public system for the betterment of our students.

Filed Under: Everyday Leaders Tagged With: Child, Education, Military academy, Parent, Private school, State school, Student, United States

Today’s Match-up: Public v Private

Trying to determine what school will be the most effective for educating your child is one of the most difficult questions faced by parents. One of the biggest debates is whether private or public schools are the most effective. Weighing not only the educational factors but also the cost factor often makes the decision even more difficult. By carefully reviewing what is being taught, the accountability standards and accreditation of the various educational options available, it may be easier to select the ideal institution.

What Classes?
There is a clear difference between what is taught. Public schools follow strict guidelines set by the state to determine what subjects are taught and how they are taught. Private schools can teach whatever they choose and can teach in any manner they select. The key is selecting the institution that offers your child the best access to class that are in keeping with your personal philosophy in regards to education.

Accountability
Again, public schools are subject to accountability standards predetermined by a variety of governmental institutions, primarily centered on NCLB. Private schools have a bit more freedom as it relates to accountability. They most, of course, adhere to safety regulations and reporting standards, but, largely because they are self-funded, they often are less accountable than public institutions.

Accreditation
Most public schools must comply with state accreditation standards. Private schools do not have to comply with these standards, but often choose to simply to remain competitive with college prep standards.

There are other factors to consider as well. Graduation rates, cost, discipline and safety are just a few of these areas of concern. Carefully reviewing each of these areas may help a parent determine who wins this match-up: the private school or the public school. As you can imagine, this decision is one that many parents face each year for their children.

Filed Under: Lessons From Leaders Tagged With: Child, Education, Parent, Private school, Public Schools, School choice, State school, United States