Getting Close to the Answer

Here's some good news on the education front sent to me by my buddy Kevin. It's a small Indiana school that is going to start raising cattle to supply the hamburgers in the school cafeteria. Like most small communities, the school budget has taken a hit. This is a way for the students to help out with the budget, eat good beef and learn first hand about raising cattle. Check out the link - it's a short article but just exactly what I've been talking about lately.

Whether it's tending cattle or a garden, every young person needs to have chores. Something they are responsible for. With livestock or plants, as the primary caregiver, it truly is a matter of life or death when it comes to doing your chores. I don't know of any studies to back this up but I'd be willing to bet that young people who've tended animals are better parents later in life. When I write my educational manifesto, you can bet there will be some type of small farm experience in there that the students can partake of. I'll also be looking to the Scouts and 4-H for ideas. I was in both, as well as FFA, way back when. From the official website of the Boy Scouts of America:

For over a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through over a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.

How 'bout 4-H's contribution?

• Nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school;
• Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college;
• 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors; and
• 25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities.

Along the same lines, The Indianapolis Monthly magazine featured a slew of private schools in the last issue. One of them was promoting their STEAM curriculum. Not only Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math, but they were including Art as well. Nice. We definitely need more engineers but everyone should be exposed to the arts, also.

I was talking to a lady at the boxing gym the other night who is a first year teacher. She's teaching first graders and after one month it's already obvious to her who has parents that are involved with their children and who doesn't. If you're already behind when you're six years old, are you ever going to be able to catch up without someone stepping up to the plate and helping out? If you want those big increases in test scores, you better have mom and dad start getting involved by reading bedtime stories and running through the flash cards. Maybe the new educational model will include a mandatory class for parents before they can enroll a child in the school district. I put in a lot of seat time at parent teacher nights over the years and invariably, it was always the parents of the good kids who showed up. When I worked at the inner-city school, with the exception of the year we gave away free hot dogs and raffled off a television set, I was lucky to have two parents show up. If you're not working nights, what's more important than showing a little interest in your kids education?

There you go - the beginnings of the manifesto. It's as simple as hands-on studies with some exposure to art, the all important parental involvement, and making it fun. Toss in some well compensated teachers who have more than a little say in the daily operations and decision making process, and it should be a cinch.