By Bob Smith, Laker superintendent
Recently, while filing away family history papers, I reviewed some poetry written by my grandmother, Nellie DeGrow. Although I had casually read the words as a child, this was the first time I reviewed the work as a former English teacher. It was an amazing revelation to discover the artistry of her word selection and the clarity of her theme. I quickly realized she had far more writing talent than me and this fact seemed interesting, since she was only a graduate of the eighth grade.
I began to wonder why most junior high students at the dawn of the 20th century, over 100 years ago, seemed so strong in language and mathematics (actually, handwriting, too!). Here is a theory:
Life was quite basic at the inception of the 20th century, mostly hard work with few conveniences. Really, the only escape from the neatly structured cycle of farming was rest periods. I remember both my grandfather and grandmother reading books throughout the day: Bible reading in the morning, book-reading and letter writing during meal-time breaks and evenings. Clearly, relaxation time was a period to use the mind as a vehicle to escape the confines of a rather predictable life. Many people in my grandmother’s era never left the community, and the world could only be discovered through books and letters and a strong dose of imagination.
It’s much different today in the Information Age with widespread use of the internet and mass communication. The casualty of this transformation, however, is that most individuals are not so proficient at basic skills because there is far less time expended in practice. I sincerely believe that I have written fewer letters in my life than my grandmother wrote in an average year. I still have a love of reading, but it is tempered by time watching television, working on the computer, and yes, sometimes playing a tech game.
I began to wonder why most junior high students at the dawn of the 20th century, over 100 years ago, seemed so strong in language and mathematics (actually, handwriting, too!). Here is a theory:
Life was quite basic at the inception of the 20th century, mostly hard work with few conveniences. Really, the only escape from the neatly structured cycle of farming was rest periods. I remember both my grandfather and grandmother reading books throughout the day: Bible reading in the morning, book-reading and letter writing during meal-time breaks and evenings. Clearly, relaxation time was a period to use the mind as a vehicle to escape the confines of a rather predictable life. Many people in my grandmother’s era never left the community, and the world could only be discovered through books and letters and a strong dose of imagination.
It’s much different today in the Information Age with widespread use of the internet and mass communication. The casualty of this transformation, however, is that most individuals are not so proficient at basic skills because there is far less time expended in practice. I sincerely believe that I have written fewer letters in my life than my grandmother wrote in an average year. I still have a love of reading, but it is tempered by time watching television, working on the computer, and yes, sometimes playing a tech game.
As an aside, I absolutely believe that technology acquisition is a key skill necessary for young people to master in order to prepare for future success. I also believe we need to understand that all skills are developed through regular practice. There is a need for the brain to use imagination, and a unique learning process that is strengthened by tactile exercise, such as guiding a pencil over a paper and turning pages while imagining a literary scene. All research notes that using many senses improves learning. For example, as a child, it was interesting to imagine the life of Huckleberry Finn in comparison to my smaller Pigeon River!
There is little doubt that the best way to raise the math and reading skills of our children would be to turn off the television and internet for two hours a day and force our youth and families to interact with one another, to read, to write, to exercise and imagine. It seems so simple, but if everyone followed this simple practice, test scores and student performance would improve exponentially.
The problem is not parenting or the educational system; it’s how we spend our time.
There is little doubt that the best way to raise the math and reading skills of our children would be to turn off the television and internet for two hours a day and force our youth and families to interact with one another, to read, to write, to exercise and imagine. It seems so simple, but if everyone followed this simple practice, test scores and student performance would improve exponentially.
The problem is not parenting or the educational system; it’s how we spend our time.