A Modern Education Reality Check: The Vital Role of the Parent in Young Learner's Life

For example:
Ubiquitous AM band radio has grown into subscription satellite digital radio.

Monaural analogue audio has evolved into digital 5.1 surround sound.

Sock Hop is now Hip Hop.

Grandma's aching knees and checking wooly worm coats has been replaced as weather forecasting aids by computer simulations and 3D color-coded weather radar.

Rotary dial, party line, basic black telephones have shrunk into featherweight cell phones with built in cameras and GPS tracking systems.

Crib notes secretly written on the wrist have been replaced by silent text messages on easily concealed cell phones and personal information assistants.

The Three 'R's, once systematically taught in a one-room school house, have grown into a chaotic mix of experimental programs and variations on a theme.

Change is good. Change is inevitable. Change is necessary. However, from this teacher's perspective from the front of the classroom over the last two decades, it seems that the process of educating students today is undermined by the pace of perpetual change that confuses teachers and students alike. There are so many new, innovative, experimental, programs in place today that such programs often become a distraction, accomplishing little and adding to classroom chaos. The fundamental change needed to fix modern education is a return to parents taking a few moments each day to maximize teachable moments with their children thus preparing them for the rigors of the modern classroom. This guide is intended to be a resource that will show you how to maximize teachable moments without throwing your hectic life into disarray or adding to your stress level.

Many parents seem to have given up on their children by the time their child reaches the teen years. For many parents their teenaged child is distant and unreachable simply because the parents failed to establish a solid relationship during early childhood. This parent-child relationship often mirrors the relationship between teacher and student. A child who has a foundation in basic academic and interpersonal skills will be a better student, less disruptive in the classroom, and better able to resist destructive peer pressure. As the parent, you are in the prime position to shape and guide your young child's earliest stages of education. After children reach a certain age, you inevitably lose a degree of control over them. All you can hope for is that you have provided a foundation your child will use to succeed in the classroom and thrive in life beyond the classroom. So, every step you take with them now, when they are young, should always be moving toward that end.

Politicians and education policy makers jumped on the maxim "It takes a village to raise a child." It is true that the collective life experiences of a 'village' can help mold a young learner into a productive and educated adult. But, lately it seems the Village Idiot has had too much influence in the classroom and with education policy makers. It seems that many parents have forgotten one key fact, which is that no one in the village should have more impact on the young learner than the parent. Beginning today, you can exert positive influence on your child by simply nurturing their innate childlike curiosity. By seizing a few key moments during your daily routine, you can set your child on the path of becoming a life long learner so that as your child grows older he or she will have the necessary skills to differentiate the Village Idiot from the Village Wiseman.

It seems that the formal education process today is under a multi-prong assault to undermine it. The most obvious distracters are the vast assortment of electronic games and technological diversions competing for our time and attention. Palm sized game devices, cell phones with cameras and silent text messaging, and tiny, personal music players with earphones that are easily overlooked are now in the classroom distracting students from learning.

A second assault is the perpetual chaos and experimentation that permeates so much education policy. The incessant political debates and contentious indecision over which teaching styles are the best keep teachers, as well as students, wondering what new, experimental program is replacing last year's new, experimental breakthrough program.

Then there is the chaotic atmosphere of the politically corrected, homogenized, and diversified, under funded classroom where a single teacher struggles to meet every need of every child in the class. And there are many such classrooms, mirrored across our nation, where students having wildly diverse needs and abilities are vying for a single teacher's attention and a teaching style they can relate to and benefit from.

A third assault is the number of disorders or syndromes affecting children in the forms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Dyslexia, Autism, and many more.

I have a theory that we are experiencing the unanticipated results of excessive television viewing. I have come to believe that our watching television programs from infancy on is one possible cause, combining with others, resulting in our shortened attention span problems and generally impatient human nature. I call my theory the Time Compression Effect. I think that the conventional production style of TV programs being shot in a manner that compresses the passage of time to tell a story in a half hour or one hour time block has, over the years, conditioned us to become impatient with the way the real world works. The time compression techniques used to tell stories via episodic television programs and movies have conditioned us to expect, and desire, events to unfold in an unrealistic time frame in the real world. Unfortunately, the real world moves at its own pace and that pace often frustrates us when we base our expectations on the world "As Seen on TV". I believe the Time Compression Effect may affect a young developing brain in ways not fully researched or understood yet. The effect may also have a greater harmful impact on young children who are left alone with a large screen TV, a remote, and five hundred channels to surf through day after day.

As typical TV viewers, we witness weeks unfolding in the course of a thirty-minute sitcom. We watch months unfold in a one hour drama. We see years speed by in a two hour movie. We are continuously bombarded by non-linear or compressed time passages in dramas and sitcoms as well as surreal sequences in cartoons and comedies from the first moment we sit in front of the TV. We grow up to the rhythms, jump cuts, and non sequitur nature of music videos. As we grow up watching the unreal passage of time in sitcoms, dramas, and serials it subconsciously impacts us affecting our real world interactions. Frustration, impatience, and problems with attention spans are bad enough for adults, but think of the difficulties experienced by an unprepared child when trying to learn a difficult subject like algebra, civics, or history.

Whatever substance usage or common practices we engage in that results in these various disorders or syndromes may never be completely known; but teachers and parents alike must face the fact that these conditions are real problems that are growing and adversely impacting classrooms from pre-Kindergarten to high school. The symptoms of these disorders are frustrating to students, parents, and teachers, and it takes a strong parent-teacher partnership to allow the student with the disorder to get the most out of the formal education process.

As a society, we must move from a victim mentality to a victor mentality. We must move away from promoting false self-esteem to establishing earned self-confidence. But, current education ideology seems to undermine many efforts that are founded in common sense. While it is true that mainstreaming special needs students will sometimes help those students rise to a higher level of achievement. I have seen special needs students blossom when embraced by classmates, but I have also seen a single classroom bully keep an entire class of students from succeeding. Mainstreaming special needs students works best when the chemistry of the class is one of camaraderie and not cruelty.

But, unfortunately, mainstreaming special needs students also allows regular students who are on the bubble to see the accommodations special students receive and want those accommodations for themselves. The sad fact is that many students want test answers spoon-fed to them; and if they can feign a learning disability to achieve easier lesson requirements or special accommodations for test taking they will.

For students teetering on the edge of success or failure who see fellow classmates receiving accommodations and an individualized education plan, they feel "cheated" by the lack of special attention and resentful of perceived lower expectations for those students. In response to their misunderstanding of the situation, these students misbehave in class or perform poorly in an effort to receive similar accommodations. For some time now, I have believed that the best way to teach younger students is to teach to their strongest learning style. I have long believed that if you group certain classes by learning styles or individualized education needs you can serve all members of that class efficiently by addressing their common strengths as a unified group. This approach seems more practical than mixing various learning styles in a single class where you lose a significant portion of the class's interest while they wait for the teacher to get to their strongest learning style. The backlash to this idea of unifying children sharing similar needs and learning styles is the cry that we are then tracking or stigmatizing the child by grouping them in such a manner. Is not the goal of education the best of our ability so they can enjoy a rich life and follow their dreams? How is giving students a chance to benefit from the formal education process by capitalizing on their strengths politically incorrect?

Ultimately, and unfortunately, in such a mixed classroom setting, the entire class exhibits reduced performance that reflects poorly on themselves, the teachers, and the school district. Rarely do the eager achievers raise the level of the class; sadly, classes tend to tip toward the lower levels of achievement surrounding themselves with a victim mentality rather than a victor's mentality. There are exceptions, I have seen exceptions myself, and they always make me smile. But the classroom teacher can not guarantee success by him or her self. Teachers need the help of parents before and during the formal education process. It is vital for you, the parent or guardian, to provide your young learner the foundation skills needed to overcome any obstacles your child will encounter during the formal education process.

You, whether your are the parent, grandparent, or guardian, are the most important person in your young learner's life and right now you have total control over the beginning of your child's education. You are the key person that will help create the foundation that will counter the roadblocks to success and set the attitude your young learner has toward learning when he or she enters school. With just a few conscious adjustments in your daily routine interaction with your child you can maximize your child's potential to not merely succeed, but thrive, in school and in life. By recognizing and seizing teachable moments beginning early in life you can set the stage for your young learner to become a lifelong learner.

A 'teachable moment' is simply an opportunity to expand your child's world with a lesson rooted in relevance. When you recognize and capitalize on your child's interests you can show your child learning is a rewarding experience by using something they are already interested in exploring. Teachable moments can be found in either routine daily experiences or special times. With a little conscious awareness you can help your pre-school age child develop the skills he or she will need when they enter the classroom.

I know education policy makers generally mean well; I also know many policy makers have agendas or motives that are questionable to say the least. Regardless of politics or policies, the fact is that in the United States, our education system is in turmoil and you cannot know what kind of classroom environment your child will experience. Therefore, you must take control of your child's early education, and create a positive attitude toward learning before they enter the classroom. Do this while you have total control of their learning experiences. As the adage says, 'If it's going to be, it's up to me.'

After two decades in education, I have grown frustrated with the widespread failure of the 'educational system' in general, as well as the failure of students to care about getting an education. There are problems at almost every level of the education system from the U.S. Department of Education all the way to your child's classroom. I also realized that one fundamental problem, at the local level, was that far too many of students were so disinterested in school by the time they got to my high school class that it would take a miracle to turn their attitude around. This is when I knew that the only salvation for public education was for parents to instill in young learners the desire to learn before they entered the classroom. The next step was to show how parents could work teachable moments into their daily interaction with their child. This is the purpose of this book.

We teachers love to post motivational and instructional sayings on the classroom wall. These types of posters are meant to provide food for thought for students. I often try to work an adage in various lectures to demonstrate how these sayings are true. I have many thought provoking statements posted through my classroom.

One of the most popular posters at my school artfully announced: Free Education Provided Daily- You Bring the Container.

One poster that I modified for my Visual Production class simply asked, Friday Feedback: What Have You Learned This Week? This thought provoking question was as much for me as for my students. For the students it referred to vocabulary terms or production techniques; for me it was a reminder to reflect on what had I learned from my students during the week.

A popular poster that seemed to generate a lot of comments proclaimed The More You Know, The Richer Your Life Will Be.

Along that same line of thought, one particular poster generated lively debate between students planning on attending college and students who were planning to enter the full-time work force the day after their high school graduation. This poster said: The More Knowledge You Get Today, The More Money You Will Earn Tomorrow.

Another poster I brought out for a career skills development element of my class was a little wordy but it got its point across to many students, especially those facing graduation. This poster said: I guide my own destiny and accept the fact that I am accountable for the results of my decisions and actions. I must learn to reinforce my successes and correct my errors. I must learn that I am the boss of me.

A humorous poster gave pause for thought. It said: God gave us two ends: One to sit on and the other to think with. My success depends on which one I use the most. Heads I win, tails I lose.

I was teaching a course called Visual Productions when it dawned on me that two elements common to every student who was performing poorly academically and/or engaging in disruptive classroom behavior were a lack of curiosity and a lack of a sense of relevance pertaining to what they were being taught in school.

I had urban students who could tell me the entire biography of their favorite rapper as well as the biographies of any protégés. The students could also recite every lyric of every song, any feud the rapper may have with other artists, clothing lines or shoes the rapper is associated with, and details on the rapper's crib, cars, and video game tie-ins.

I had rural students who could inform me of the history of NASCAR, specifications of the cars, and the biographies of their favorite driver (and his pit crew). They could also reel off any modifications made to the car, list the driver's sponsors, and the time and date of every live appearance by the driver within the month.

I had students of all backgrounds that could astound me with their knowledge of things pertinent to them, then, in the next breath, shock me to my core by their dismal knowledge of anything math, science, language, or history related. Subjects they have taken for years seemed to have been forgotten at the last bell of the previous school year. Scholastic concerns were not relevant to them, so the seven hours a day spent in class was simply 'doing time' until they could go home, go 'kick it', or go to work. The key to creating successful high school graduates begins with parents demonstrating that learning is fun and rewarding to the youngest of learners who then keep that attitude throughout their formal education process.

Daily I witnessed irrefutable proof that most students had the ability to retain information and apply the knowledge they possessed-as long as it was important to them. Somehow, basic academic knowledge had to be made as relevant to the student as the data about their favorite artist, athlete, movie star, or hobby. Unfortunately, high school students are a very tough group to reach if they have had a negative mindset about school for most of their life. By the time a high school teacher gets a student, that student's attitude about school is solidly in place and even the most dedicated and entertaining teacher is fighting an uphill battle to educate a closed mind. This is why it is so important that you, the parent or guardian, help your child's future teachers by preparing your young child for the rigors of the classroom experience.

In researching story subjects for the television news section of my Visual Production class, my students' short list of topics that interested them clearly showed that their worldview was extremely limited. Today, more than ever before, students repeatedly ask, "Is this going to be on the test?"

If classroom information doesn't help a student pass a particular test, the information is seen as having no value. For many high school students, academic knowledge is a nuisance with a limited shelf life that is quickly disposed of after a one-time use on a test or quiz. This is a view that you, as parent, must strive to prevent from solidifying before your young learner enters the classroom.

Upon seeing my Visual Production students' eyes light up when we did touch on a topic that was new and interesting to them, it became clear that the foundation for preparing the young learner to become a lifelong learner, and academically successful, is for parents to nurture the sense of curiosity all children are born with. And, as the child grows, parents must demonstrate relevance in learning experiences to keep the learning process fresh and exciting. If we can make learning relevant to the young learner, learning will remain relevant to the older (teenage) learner.

Young children are curious by nature; the whole world is new to them. Every sound, smell, color, texture, and sensation they encounter is fresh, new, strange, and fascinating. Children are interested in all things new, except when it is algebra, civics, or world history. Studies show that young children who grow up in environments where education is valued perform better in school.

How often have we, as harried parents, stifled a child's inquisitiveness over a newly discovered wonder that we view as old hat? Often, in today's frenzied pace our waving children away from us or schussing them to be quiet and leave us alone is an unconscious act. How often do we plop children down, alone, in front of an 'educational' DVD, popular video game, or cable TV so we can get our business done without distraction or interruption? Several studies have concluded that sending a child to watch TV alone is often equated, by the child, with being put in 'time out' (in homes where parents use 'time out' as a disciplinary measure).

There are dozens of family friendly/educational programs available but no matter how well the program is produced, the child is watching something that needs explaining and sharing. No matter how cute, clever, or educational the program is, the characters remain untouchable behind the glass picture screen.

No matter how clearly the lesson is presented, the young learner needs an adult present to explain things in a way the recorded program cannot. If there is no human guide to facilitate the young learner's experience then only a small part of the overall learning experience has been realized.

I realize parents are busy. So are teachers; in case you've forgotten teachers are people too, we have busy spouses, elderly parents, sick pets, broken cars, and all the money problems you have as well. I find it amusing when I send my Visual Production students out to do a teacher biography story and they come back amazed that teachers don't vanish at the last school bell then reappear the next morning at first bell. This feature news segment is titled, 'Teachers are People Too' and features teachers with interesting hobbies or touching personal stories. For many students this biographical project seemed to be first time they have thought of teachers as something other than the evil person who makes their life miserable five days a week.

I realize you may be a single working parent raising multiple children. You may be a harried parent shuttling children of different ages to events scattered all around town. You may be a new parent already planning the future for your child. The purpose of this guide is to help you recognize and maximize teachable moments that present themselves in the daily course of life. After a short period of practice, maximizing teachable moments should become a habit that not only establishes the desire to learn in your child, but also develops and strengthens the bond between you and your child as you explore new things together.

We must make an effort to remember that to a young child everything is new and we shouldn't squash their curiosity just because it's old news to us. To us, slaving away at a job all day or all night then coming home to the waiting responsibilities there, the world has become a drudge wearing us down or driving us to pharmaceuticals just to cope. And all too often our children suffer because of our weariness.

"Been there." "Done that." "Moving on." "Not tonight, I'm too tired." "Can't you see that I'm busy?" "Later!" That is how many of us respond to many of our child's many questions. Let's take a moment to look at the world through your child's eyes. Take a breath and kneel down sharing their eye level view of the world. Do you recall your childhood memories when everything was new? It really does help to experience the visual perspective of a toddler discovering the grown up world. As a Visual Production teacher one of the camera rules I teach is to shoot at eye-level, not looking down or looking up at the subject. This can be applied to a parent when interacting with your child. Remember, your child sees things very different from the way you see things.

Examine the world from your new perspective. Think like a curious child who is discovering everything for the first time. What is the source of the wonder in your young learner's naïve question? Can you see how amazing That Thing is to a child seeing it for the first time? Take the time to answer your child's question and tell your son or daughter you are proud of them for wanting to learn about That Thing.

Take your time and answer, explain, or address the question the best you can. You do not have to be an expert on That Thing to answer your child's query. Just answer the question the best that you can or promise to look up the answer together either right now or soon. Then do it. Together. Young children look up to their parents, so imagine the good example you will be setting by showing your child you still enjoy learning something new. Making the time to interact with your child is the first step in preparing them for getting the most out of the formal education process. After you've answered your child's question you might even feel a little less jaded by the world, closer as a family, and more like a caring parent.

As the young learner grows and learns life's little lessons with the guidance of a parent, the upcoming formal educational process should prove to be a little less daunting for the student. So many studies have proven that the well-prepared student will do better in difficult classes and be less of a behavior problem than less prepared students. The prepared student will also have skills to succeed in school despite the endless parade of 'mean' teachers, changing education policies, and angst over dreaded classes such as civics, history, and algebra.

Relevance and curiosity are the cornerstones to enabling the students to succeed in school and beyond. People who led disinterested childhoods are now society's unprepared adults. And you deal with these people at the drive through window, on the telephone, and at the retail store. You know the type of people I am referring to. Did you encounter one today?

Only you know your child's interests. You must act interested even if you aren't really interested in the things they are interested in. Sometimes their interest level of a subject will pass quickly; sometimes it will take root and grow. The subject of their interest may not be something you fully understand because of your age difference or technological comfort level but it is important to your child so you should share the experience in any way that you can. If you can nourish their desire to learn in early childhood and you build both learning skills and the parent-child bond.

It is critical that you begin to develop learning skills, curiosity, and relevance early in a child's life. You can't just pop into a teenager's life, suddenly acting interested, and then expect a positive response from the startled teen. The teen will react with typical teenage distrust and throw up an impenetrable wall that defeats even the best intentions. This is why it is so important to work with your young learner and not wait to emphasize scholastic achievements once it is time for them to take the ACT, SAT, or apply for financial aid.

A child begins life with an open mind as absorbent as a sponge. I know you've noticed how a child will pick up the single curse word out of a four-person conversation of a thousand words. Nature abhors a vacuum and that is exactly what a young learner's mind is-a sponge vacuuming up all sorts of knowledge. You must be aware of the source of that knowledge. What will fill your young learner's mind if the learning process is not guided by you?

Computer programmers say, "Garbage in, garbage out". The same concept can be said about your child's mind. What are you putting into the young learner's mind and how will it come out?

At one time or another, either as a teacher or a concerned parent, we have tried to reason with an older student or a child over some issue or another. Often the results are the same in school as at home. No matter what age the child is, reason/logic seldom works and punishment generates mixed results at best. Ineffective discipline, and a reluctance to impose meaningful consequences for classroom disruptions, is a major problem in too many schools today. To reduce classroom behavior disruptions we must make school interesting to the students. We must make subject matter relevant to the students. Many behavior problems stem from embarrassment over poor academic skills in a particular area. Students tend to think it is easier to act like a clown than ask for help in front of peers. If students enter high school with legitimate self-confidence in their academic skills the school should see better performances on standardized tests and fewer discipline problems. Education policy makers and local school administrators are reluctant to deal directly with classroom disciplinary issues so it is up to parents to prevent potential disruptive classroom behavior at the grassroots level.

In my Visual Production class I taught a quarter length course on television newscast production. When I opened the class discussion on topics students might want to research for their in-depth news stories I was shocked at the narrow uniformity of choices exhibited by the different ethnic and socio-economic groups represented in the class. The students' tunnel vision view of their world and their perceived place in that world was disappointing as well as revealing.

As the class progressed, I saw my students' world expand a little more day by day. Daily I guided them through stories taken from newspapers, magazines, and web sites in an effort to ignite the fires of curiosity. Year after year, I am stunned that high school students are drawn to the obituaries and police blotter even over the sports page. As the course wore on their interest began to expand. At first they were drawn to the odd news items; usually the short filler stories, but eventually their global view grew as I challenged them to explore topics outside of their comfort zone. As we began to produce our video newsmagazine program their worldview widened, and I came to believe it was not too late to reach them, even at this late stage of their lives.

As wider varieties of stories caught their attention some students began to read stories aloud to the rest of the class. Unafraid of being mocked they faced new words and ideas head on. As some students began following ongoing stories, I wondered how many parents mention anything about local or world news to their children. I also wondered how many parents had any idea what their children were filling their minds with day after day. As a veteran teacher, I can assure you, dear parent, that you really have no idea at all what your high school age student does, says, or thinks when overwhelmed by peer pressure.

Of course, in our news curriculum, we also covered sports stories. The sport stories that captured the students' attention were usually on the salaries of popular athletes. The salaries of those athletes who skipped college usually led the discussion. As teachers, we try to get students to think. We ask the student athletes, "What if you blow your knee out early in your career? You're going to need a job to survive after sports. What are your skills if you don't make the pros?"

We teachers tell student artists, "You do beautiful work, but what if your work doesn't hit a chord with the public? What if you can't break into your unique market? What will happen if you are not an overnight sensation? What other skills do you have?"

We tell struggling students, "If you don't do better, you're going to fail. If you don't pass, what are you going to do? How are you going to make a living if you can't read or do basic math?"

Whether it was news, sports, or features the students were discovering something outside their comfort zones. I wondered how many of my students talked to their friends about the new Thing they learned about in class today. I also wondered how different the academic skills of a problem student would be today if only the parent or guardian had read to them, interacted with them more, or disciplined them more earlier in life.

How often have you said to yourself, "If I only knew then what I know now I'd do that totally different"? Well, here is your chance to guide your young learner so he or she will never have to say that phrase.

Parents and teachers know it is often hard to reason with a teenager. Teachers have the added burden of trying to reason with a student who is embarrassed about an academic deficiency revealed in a class of peers. In an effort to be all things (teaching styles) to all students, the classroom environment has become chaotic and confusing. At the kindergarten and elementary grade levels it would seem appropriate to create class rosters based on a student's strongest learning style and teach to that strength. Auditory learners united in the sounds of education! Kinesthetic learners all moving and grooving in harmony as they learn in a way they appreciate! Visual learners thrive in class enjoying the colorful PowerPoint presentation! It just seems logical that if you teach to students' individual strengths, then comprehension and retention would be more successful resulting in better standardized test scores. Once the students are older, counselors can place them in mixed classes that better represent the real world; but why not utilize a young student's strength in the formative elementary school years. However, grouping students by learning styles or special educational needs is considered to be politically incorrect, so many classrooms remain a chaotic, fragmented, whole, never fully reaching any one student in the effort to reach all students simultaneously. So, experiments in teaching styles and policies continue while grades remain dismal.

Omaha, Nebraska recently voted to form three separate school districts, each consisting of one primarily heavily favored ethnic demographic group of students. Other school districts are experimenting segregation by gender. In May of 2006, nearly 47,000 California students failed a state mandated exit exam. The number of experimental programs in place right now are mind numbing. Standardized test scores are linked to federal and state monies paid to school districts, so the debate over which tests are 'best' rages on. Let's not forget the cyclical issue of unfunded mandates! In addition, there are the day-to-day classroom issues that the public never sees; there are issues of physiological and psychological disorders, raging hormones, damaging peer pressure, political agendas, and ever-changing policies and local school district politics. Often all of this occurs in a single class with a single teacher to oversee it all. This is why it is important you prepare your child for the classroom long before they enter it.

The main point is that it is up to you to prepare your child for the rigors and adversity of the formal education experience so that your child can benefit from the classroom experience and become a lifelong learner and involved citizen. A strong foundation built on nurtured curiosity and life experience is a great way to start the private school experience as well. You and I are in this together and we should all be working together to build a stronger, smarter, savvy America.

To make something relevant to a young learner you first must make The Thing interesting enough that the young learner gives it more than a passing thought. Here is where you can lead by example. Here is the perfect reason (excuse) for you to start That Thing (hobby, project, craft, etc.) that you have been talking about starting. It is no longer a 'personal project' but a learning experience for you and your child to share. Let your young learner share the experience as you learn something new. Success or failure isn't important; simply by trying something new you have shown your child it is okay to be curious.

Helping your young learn is as simple as expanding on the innate curiosity of your young learner and incorporate teachable moments into your daily routine. You will customize projects and methods based on what you know about your child. Hopefully, by sharing time and projects, you and your child will bond during the journey. I'm not suggesting you give up your cell phone, just firmly let everyone know you are working with your child and will talk to them later. I'm not asking you unplug your television, simply reduce, or tape delay your viewing to spend one show's worth of time with your child. I'm not implying you should toss your computer away, just wait to log on until your young learner is asleep. Perhaps the young mind will dream of your time together and not the distant and impersonal image on the other side of the television glass.

The key to successful involvement with your young learner is not how much knowledge you have in your head, nor is it the amount of time you spend with your child each day. The key is that you maximize the teachable moment when it presents itself. It may take a ten-second explanation or an hour on the internet, but the amount of time spent in answering the question isn't the point, it's the follow through and the example you set.

Helping your child succeed begins with the single action of stopping what you are doing and answering your child's question. At first, because your child is so young, it should only take a few moments to answer the typical question. As your child ages and the questions grow more thoughtful, you will need more time to answer them. Without a doubt, some questions will be "head scratchers" for which you and your young learner may have to do a little research on the internet or at a nearby library in order to answer the question. But, the simple act of caring enough to provide an answer should build both the child's desire to learn as well as the bond between you.

Let me assure you that I am not talking about totally reorganizing your busy schedule so you can play teacher. I'm talking about consciously taking a few moments to be The Parent. The first step can be as simple as talking to your child as you drive instead of incessantly chatting on your cell phone. Or, it could be having your child nearby, or helping, as you go about your household duties rather than banishing them to another room simply to get them out from under foot.
After years of telling your young child to leave you alone while you clean, do you really think your teen is going to jump at the chance to pick up their room or help remove the dinner dishes from the table? The ideals, traditions, and relationship you put into motion now will come back on you later on.

It is vitally important that parents nourish a young learner's curiosity and demonstrate relevant life experience before young minds are overwhelmed by the vast assortment of mind numbing diversions available. Games and movies should be rewards and family time events rather than electronic babysitters. You may not be able to fix the world with a snap of your fingers, but you do have the power to shape the world of your young learner.

If parents continue to fail to take more of the early education process into their own hands and prepare their children for the rigors of the formal education system, countless young citizens are doomed to become the slack jawed, glassy eyed dolts you curse because they can't even get a standardized, fast food, combo meal order prepared correctly. The disinterested young people of today become the unprepared adults of tomorrow. And, I'm sure you crossed paths with one of those types recently; did you wonder how they got to this place in life?

Myriad studies show the typical person spends several hours each day talking on the cell phone. What did you do before you had the opportunity to chat for 1500 minutes on a cell phone?

You probably talked to and interacted with your child.

Other studies confirm that people watch basic television/cable/satellite an average of seven hours or more per day. What did you do before you had 500 channels to choose from?

You probably talked to and interacted with your children.

Yet other studies have found that people spend three or more hours a day on the internet for non-business use. What did you do with your time before you enjoyed on-line gaming or chat rooms?

You probably talked to and played non-video games with your kids.

Somewhere during the growth of our nation, parents found better things to do than raise and educate their children. Many parents have left the raising of children to elderly grandparents, television, or the street. What is troubling to me is that so many parents have surrendered the entire spectrum of educating their children to teachers even though the troubled state of education is a perennial news topic.

I understand that most people are looking for a magic bullet that will fix the problems plaguing the nation's education system. There is no magic bullet to fix this problem. The best way for you and your student to get the most out of school is to prepare your student for the classroom in advance. This early education, the building of foundation skills, is where you have total control over the learning process. Nurturing your child's curiosity and preparing your child for the rigors of the public or private school will take a little effort on your part. Fortunately, that effort begins with one simple, single action, followed by another, and so on, eventually becoming an automatic process you no longer give a second thought to. It is all about maximizing the teachable moment when it arises. As you see curiosity, followed by understanding, grow in your young learner's eyes you should also feel a well-deserved sense of accomplishment as a parent.

The high school level classes I taught were two hours and forty minutes in length. That was five days a week, nine months a year, for a total of 207 student contact days. I know that many parents don't spend nearly that amount of time with their own children.

As a high school classroom teacher you are treated one of three general ways. First, seemingly the most common, you are a non-entity and the students speak and act as if you are not in the room.

Secondly, you're not only an instructor, but also a confidant (or surrogate parent) making a positive educational difference in their lives as well as impacting the student on a personal level as well.

Thirdly, you are seen simply as a teacher of a particular course in which the conversations focus on course related topics. The student comes and goes much as they do at home, only stopping to speak when absolutely necessary.

Let me assure you, many of you do not really know how your child acts in the peer pressured, hormone driven, classroom. Teens in classrooms, under the burden of peer and academic pressure, reveal themselves in ways most parents never see. I know at the high school level, where jobs and making money are so important to families, far too many parents simply see their working students in passing. Teens see themselves as income producers and self-made persons, especially as parental influence and involvement wanes with the older child. As students make money, the desire to take education seriously lessens. With even a part time income many students feel they have become adults and school is nothing more than a nuisance.

This guide is intended to provide you with a method of interacting with your young child that makes learning meaningful to the child without stressing you or your child. 'Learning things' sounds less structured than 'getting an education'. By maximizing a teachable moment you and your young learner are learning things together. 'Learning' is much more user friendly, and marketable, as evidenced by the enthusiastic viewer ship enjoyed by television networks such as The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, HGTV, National Geographic, The Travel Channel, and other networks that make learning entertaining.

The basis of Sesame Street and other educational programming is to entertain while educating children. Many programs do an excellent job of teaching basic concepts. Although such educational children's shows are useful they lack the parental touch needed to guide the young viewer successfully through the experience. For a child left alone, even the best educational program lacks the human touch needed for answering off the cuff questions, sharing a laugh, or sharing that sense of wonderment with.

After twenty plus years teaching and training adults, teens, and children, I am convinced that parental involvement is at the center of any successful formal education process. I just don't see the problems undermining the formal, public, education process ending anytime soon. Ubiquitous studies show that parents are very involved with their child's education early in life. That parental involvement wanes as the child ages, and by high school many parents and their children are mere roommates passing each other as they come and go. Parental involvement is the only hope for pulling public education out of the downward spiral; and that involvement must start early in life and remain consistent throughout high school.

Expanding on these examples, simple ideas, and practices you can interact with your children in ways that are fun and educational. All it takes is for you to recognize a teachable moment and make the time to maximize the moment.

Their Future is in Your Hands

Learning is a learned skill. Early childhood is a critical time for children to develop the language, cognitive, and analytical skills they need to enter the classroom ready to learn. It is thought that with consistent exposure to opportunities to develop these foundational skills during early childhood far fewer children may suffer serious learning difficulties when formal schooling begins.

Learning to facilitate your young learner's learning will be a learned skill for you. Sure, you teach your child things everyday. You teach them the fundamental knowledge they need for their daily existence. But, you must also think bout preparing them for life's long and winding road. You must think about instilling the foundational learning skills they need to succeed, and thrive, in the classroom, even though grade school is several years down the road.

The example of the penny shows how a teachable moment can be found in unexpected places. Now is the time you develop a positive mindset in your child; and care must be taken not to subconsciously set a bad example, or attitude, for the child to follow.

Show your child you care about his or her question. Answer it promptly or promise to look up the answer together making the time to do it while the subject is fresh on both of your minds.

By following through on a teachable moment you provide motivation for your child to be inquisitive and one priceless reward is time spent with mom or dad. You build your child's self-confidence because you have demonstrated it is okay not to know something and it is okay to look it up. Perhaps you have shown it is cool to be the 'Answerman' everyone turns to.

Your response to your child's question has provided a good example for your young learner. He or she just learned that it is okay to admit you don't know all of the answers and it is okay to look up the answer. It also shows you respect your child's thinking enough to stop and share the quest for knowledge with them. When children feel respected they act in kind. An example is worth a thousand conversations. We are talking a classic 'Win-Win' situation.

During your every day activities you have opportunities to make a positive impact your child's future. We all have a routine; especially parents with young children. Find a part of your daily routine that involves your child and look for teachable moments during that time. For example, decree to everyone you know that your commute home, after you pick your child up, is a no-phone calls time. Tell everyone that you will be spending that drive time talking with your child. A simple action like this shouldn't disrupt your routine too much, but it will make an impression on your child.

It takes practice, and mistakes, for a child to learn to crawl, learn to talk, learn to drink from a cup, as well as every other skill they pick up along the way. Young children don't get bored by repetition; it is how they learn. That is why children delight in saying, "Again!" Don't become discouraged or dismissive when you are called upon to be repetitious in explaining a thing or doing some activity. Perhaps with a bit of research you can add an extra nugget of fact to the answer the next time the same question is asked. Eventually the child will remember and move on; this is just another form of repetitive learning and one we adults often become annoyed with by the fifth or seventh time we hear the same question. This is where you must remember that this is only one stage of learning and you must pass through this stage until the child can take a more active role in his or her own learning process.

During this repetitious learning phase you can add additional facts to the core answer as you see fit. Pick part of the answer that you believe your child will retain, the part that is relevant to your child, and keep it the centerpiece of your answers, but add more facts a little at a time. Stretch out the learning over time keeping it light and fun. When your child is ready, surprise him or her with more of facts about the subject by bringing the subject up yourself. With this action you've reminded your child that you pay attention to him or her, and that you are a source of knowledge they will want to turn to time and time again.

Everyday activities, especially routines, provide natural opportunities to talk about what is going on around him or her. Games, projects, and guest speakers at the daycare or preschool are great topics of conversation where parents can learn a lot about their child by listening closely. What in particular has the child focused on? Discover what caught your young ones' attention and you have gained valuable insight that may allow you to surprise your child by building on his or her interest. Did they grow vegetables? Did a police officer or a firefighter talk to the class today? Is there a class pet? Listen to what excites them and follow up on it.

Their future is in your hands. How different would your life be if someone had taken a little more time talking or playing with you? Our nation's future is in the hands of today's students. A better tomorrow begins with you making the time to interact with your child today.