Reading/Writing/Math

Many Americans say, “I don’t have time to read.” For the typical middle-class family—from which most of my readers likely spring—there’s a simple answer: turn off the television. Sure, watch a news segment to keep up with things, but even if for only one or two school nights a week, with the television off, the family can read a lot of books. Children need to see their parents reading books, not just the newspaper, for they like to copycat when they are little. Later, it’s another story, but by that time, if you’ve got them loving books while they’re young, the teen years could prove a son or daughter is your best friend. Appreciation of literature means appreciation of life, and life includes family.

Perhaps one reason home-schooled children score higher on standardized tests in contrast to public school students is that home schoolers see less television, sometimes none at all.

On the other side of that coin, many people, especially retired people, say, ”I’ve always wanted to write.” My reply to that is, “Then why haven’t you?” Observations indicate that if you show no inclination toward creative writing in your youth, it’s almost guaranteed you will not even try later. But it’s doubtful that “teaching” creative writing to grades below junior high pays the best dividend. That time needs to go into learning one’s own language (reading, grammar, spelling, etc.), at least one foreign language, mathematics, art, music, and some natural science. With a solid foundation in reading and math, all other subjects should be easy enough.

Junior high students enjoy writing a journal; ergo, perhaps they are ready for creative writing. High school is the place for perfecting it and preparing for college. Twelfth-grade teachers should not take up where last year’s teacher left off, but aim for the place where next year’s teachers will expect them to have reached. Most students can do more than what schools currently expect of them. But the secret is starting early, so that the students will feel they are well prepared.