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 Schools are asked to accomplish
many things on behalf of our kids today. They are even expected
to teach them how to have sex without spreading disease. What part
of the core curriculum would you give the greatest priority?
Schools
that try to do everything may wind up doing very little. That’s
why I believe we should give priority to the academic fundamentals
— what used to be called “readin’, writin’
and ‘rithmetic.” Of those three, the most important
is basic literacy. An appalling number of students graduating from
high school can’t even read the employment page of the newspaper
or comprehend an elementary book. Every one of those young men and
women will suffer years of pain and embarrassment because of our
failure. That misery starts at a very young age.
A
10th-grade boy was once referred to me because he was dropping out
of school. I asked why he was quitting, and he said with great passion,
“I’ve been miserable since first grade. I’ve felt
embarrassed and stupid every year. I’ve had to stand up and
read, but I can’t even understand a second-grade book. You
people have had your last laugh at me. I’m getting out.”
I told him I didn’t blame him for the way he felt; his suffering
was our responsibility.
Teaching
children to read should be Job No. 1 for educators. Giving boys
and girls that basic skill is the foundation on which other learning
is built. Unfortunately, millions of young people are still functionally
illiterate after completing 12 years of schooling and receiving
high school diplomas.
There
is no excuse for this failure. Research shows that every student,
with very few exceptions, can be taught to read if the task is approached
creatively and individually.
Admittedly,
some can’t learn in group settings because their minds wander
and they don’t ask questions as readily. They require one-on-one
instruction from trained reading specialists. It is expensive for
schools to support these remedial teachers, but no expenditure would
be more helpful. Special techniques, teaching machines and behavior-modification
techniques can work in individual cases. Whatever is required, we
must provide it.
Furthermore,
the sooner this help can be given, the better for the emotional
and academic well-being of the child. By the fourth or fifth grades,
he or she has already suffered the humiliation of reading failure.
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My older child is a great student and earns
straight A’s year after year. Her younger sister, now in the
sixth grade, is completely bored in school and won’t even
try. The frustrating thing is that the younger girl is probably
brighter than her older sister. Why would she refuse to apply her
ability like this?
There
could be many reasons for her academic uninterest, but let me suggest
the most probable explanation. Children will often refuse to compete
when they think they are likely to place second instead of first.
Therefore, a younger child may avoid challenging an older sibling
in his area of greatest strength. If Son No. 1 is a great athlete,
then Son No. 2 may be more interested in collecting butterflies.
If Daughter No. 1 is an accomplished pianist, then Daughter No.
2 may be a boy-crazy goof-off.
This
rule does not always hold true, of course, depending on the child’s
fear of failure and the way he estimates his chances of successful
competition. If his confidence is high, he may blatantly wade into
the territory owned by big brother, determined to do even better.
However, the more typical response is to seek new areas of compensation
that are not yet dominated by a family superstar.
If
this explanation fits the behavior of your younger daughter, then
it would be wise to accept something less than perfection from her
school performance. Every child need not fit the same mold, nor
can we force them to do so.
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We
have a 5-year-old son who has been diagnosed with attention deficit
disorder (ADD). He is really difficult to handle, and I have no
idea how to manage him. I know he has a neurological problem, I
don’t feel right about making him obey as we do our other
children. It is a big problem for us. What do you suggest?
DR.
DOBSON: I understand your dilemma, but I urge you to discipline
your son. Every youngster needs the security of defined limits,
and the boy or girl with ADD or ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder) is no exception. Such a child should be held responsible
for his behavior, although the approach may be a little different.
For
example, most children can be required to sit on a chair for disciplinary
reasons, whereas some very hyperactive children would not be able
to remain there. Similarly, corporal punishment is sometimes ineffective
with a highly excitable little bundle of electricity. As with every
aspect of parenthood, disciplinary measures for the ADD child must
be suited to his or her unique characteristics and needs.
o
These
are excerpted from books written by Dr. James Dobson of Focus on
the Family and published by Tyndale House.
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