Some Keys To Rearing
Academically Talented Children
By Zachary B. Ansley
Posted: 4:49p.m .est, October 08, 2006
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Zachary B. Ansley
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The question about how to rear good students is often asked. Even though, in my opinion, the two answers to this question may not be difficult, they do require consistent work. My first piece of advice would be to model all day every day the language skills that should be heard from children.
If children are exposed to poor language skills, they’re ability to earn good grades diminishes. Understandably, children who consistently hear incorrect grammar, slang and poor pronunciation of words tend to speak the same way. Since language is the foundation for reading and reading is the basis for all learning, these students often have problems comprehending other subjects. Hence, the strength of all learning is a solid command of language and communication skills. Books are written in and teachers generally teach using standard English. Exposed early and often to standard English, children can learn to communicated with the same language skills used in schools. Therefore, the transition from home to school could be less challenging due to the oral and later written language in both being similar. To aid children’s academic transition from home to school, parents need to follow several tips:
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As early as the day of birth, read stories at least times a day. As children get older, read several books during a session. Children should begin to speak "book talk". This is normal and helpful to their sense of enjoyment for reading.
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Discussion and age appropriate writing activity should follow reading.
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Ask open ended questions which will encourage children to talk, problem solve and remember information. For example: "What part of your school day did you enjoy most?" This question requires the student to recall the activities of the day (remember information), decide which one was the most meaningful (problem solve), and provide an answer consisting of more than one word (talk).
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Children learn best when they can explore their environment. Take children to a variety of places and talk about what it is they are seeing and how it impacts their lives. Some great spots are the library, grocery store, theatre, museum, art gallery, sporting events, parades, and special events. |
PEARL of WISDOM: CHILDREN WILL PERFECT WHAT YOU PRACTICE
My last piece of advice for rearing academically talented children would be to model all day every day acceptable social behavior. Personal characteristics such as honesty, kindness, patience, respect of others, tolerance and forgiveness form the foundation for rearing good students. Modeling the personal characteristics listed above without compromise, exception, or excuses is vital to the behavioral decision making process of children. Students who possess these skills are less likely to be removed from class for a disciplinary reason which increases their time on task. Also, children who display acceptable personal character are generally liked by peers and teachers. Well liked children enjoy a greater feeling of self-esteem and confidence which theorists have long concluded to be primary factors in student learning.
PEARL of WISDOM: DO THE THINGS YOU KNOW TO BE RIGHT AND REFUSE TO DO THE THINGS YOU KNOW TO BE WRONG (Alonzo "Jake" Gaither)
In the final analysis, parents are the primary influence on their children’s ability to be good students. Our job is not impossible. However, it requires vigilance in modeling solid language skills as well as exhibiting good personal characteristics. Incorporating these two behaviors in our lives, displaying them routinely plus consistently reinforcing them without compromise, exception, or excuses will lead to increased academic progress in our children. Remember, in the world of children, more is caught……than taught (translation: children will do more of what they have seen than what they have been told).
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