FISH TALK

It has been said it is difficult to know what fish talk about.  They know they cannot change the water.  Fish probably talk about how they must adapt to the changes the water brings to them.  Schools can change.   The student must realize they must adapt to the changes brought to them.  

HELP MAKE A BOOK REVIEW FOR STUDENT BETTERMENT

The KC Star and local book review media such as Rainyday Books do not address the issues of Kansas City and local authors as they could.  I have written and sent book copies to said media outlets and none will respond with an interview or book review.  In fact, their silence is deafening.  I have written a book about how to support a student so he or she will realize a gain in educational success.  The media reports on how the district and proponents wish to change a district.  District change will not guarantee student success.  Student success will guarantee district change.  It takes all of us, teacher, parent, administrator, community member, to work with the student.  It takes a village to educate a child.  Start the dialogue with me at graspeducation.blogspot.com.  Help me gain a book review / interview in the Kansas City area.  You will be glad to read my book and discover at least one avenue to help our students better themselves educationally, better the school district, better the community and better our national interests.  Thanks and I look forward to your input on the blog and in starting a dialogue to change the KC district by improving student educational success.

PODCAST ABOUT GRASP EDUCATION

Be sure to take the opportunity to listen to the podcast about me and my book.  Thanks for listening.  Now you are ready to read the book and start a dialogue about parents, students and the educational system in the USA. 

http://grandviewcsd4.blogspot.com/2011/10/ghs-science-teacher-and-published.html

REDEFINE YOURSELF - DO NOT RETIRE

I have been amazed coming back to the USA from my work in Africa at what getting older means.  Too many people I meet have one goal when they have a career.  This goal is to have a paid retirement.  In Africa there was very little paid retirement.  In fact, about the only time a person would say they were going to retire meant they were going home to sleep and relax for the evening.  The next day that person would get up and do some gainful work.  As a person in Africa become an elder they would never retire only redefine themselves.  I am trying to redefine myself as I get older.  USA people my age do not understand what I am doing writing a book and working each day.  Most USA people only wish to stop gainful work and retire.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary has a meaning for retire which means ‘withdraw from action, use or service.’  It is always a good time to redefine and not only retire.  More elders need to keep the youth in their focus and to assist in guiding them.  When I discuss my book with grandparents or parents with grown children they seem not interested in the educational system.  Each person must not retire from the ‘grown-up’ position in front of the current youth generation.  So I shall keep on redefining myself and starting the dialogue as I write in my book.  Please join me, all ages.  No retiring.  Keep redefining yourself and sharing your experiences and lead the youth and their parental generation.  Read my book.

PLEASE VISIT BOOK ARTICLE

There was an article about my book in the Independence Examiner.  The article was written by Frank Haight.  Please visit the webpage listed and the website for the book.  I hope to have you as a reader of my book and a regular member and contributor of this blog.  Thanks for the support.  http://www.examiner.net/news/news_columnists/x919542292/Haight-Author-hopes-students-will-G-R-A-S-P-tips-for-success

WAIT NO MORE

Society must start to take notice of the youth.  If youth rule the daytime, the youth will rule the nighttime.  In school if a youth talks dirty or demeaning, dresses inappropriately and just hangs around not doing the work, these infractions are only looked upon as a ‘slap on the wrist.’  The school is not taking enough disciplinary steps to redirect behavior while making each youth behave better and abide by the rules.  At night and after school, inappropriate dress, nasty, demeaning and disparaging language and just hanging around and not doing work are a major cause for ‘youth flash mobs’ and youth misbehavior.  Like I said, if the youth get by with no discipline during the day, they think they will get by with no discipline during the night.  Schools must enforce dress uniforms, proper usage of all language and not negotiable finishing and comprehension of all subject assignments.  Who ensures all this is followed?  The adults must take the leadership role to redirect all youth in school so they behave proper and not just hang around.  In short, each youth does work each day.  Change adults so they are more restrictive to the youth, more straightforward in directing inappropriate behavior and dress and discipline harsh enough so each youth is redirected to stay within expectations.  But teachers wait for administrators to be the first adult to enforce a rule.  The administrator waits for the teacher to be the first adult to enforce a rule.  The parent waits for the police or school to contact them to say their child is acting inappropriately.  The police is waiting for the parent to monitor and discipline their child for acting or dressing inappropriately.  So why the wait?  Each adult must act as an adult and redirect and take charge in changing the youth.  Wait no more. 

No More Waiting for Superman - Be Superadults Today

There is no time for the educational system of our students to be ’Waiting for Superman.’  Each adult must be a superadult (superman) for each student.  Superman was faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Each adult could do the same, if portraying the correct character traits.

Each adult can be straightforward (faster than a speeding bullet).  Too many times the adults are reactive not proactive.  Teachers by sending reports or making telephone calls home to parents are to inform the parent of issues, after the fact, in a reactive trait.  Superadults will be straightforward and proactive.  Super teachers and the school district will observe the student and report matters to the home before inappropriate action escalates.  The adult in the life of a youth must be faster than a speeding bullet.

Each superadult must behave with restriction and with resolve when enforcing rules to a youth (stronger than a locomotive).  The adult and teacher are the enforcers of established rules.  All involved must be consistent in the enforcement of each rule.  Superadults are restrictive and of strong resolve like the power of a locomotive.

Each superadult is a grown-up (able to leap tall buildings in a single bound).  Adults must dress the part of being a grown-up, make an appearance in their child’s (student’s) life and live so as to be witnessed by the youth.  Youth observe each grown-up more than listen to each grown-up.  It is paramount for the superadult to be grown-up and acting in a mature manner, standing tall enough to leap a tall building.

Time is here for all superadults to take the charge of raising the youth and to be superman in their traits which they shall put on display.  The educational system is waiting for superadults, let's give them what they desire. 

An African saying is,  ‘A child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which his mother puts into his palm.’  It is time for all adults to become the superadults for their children, now, so our educational system will improve and our students will find educational success.