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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-04-15, Page 7Can't be based on what people hope they'll be says educator Times -Advocate, April 15, 1987 Enjoy children for what they are to foster educat re was a full house at Clinton ire School on April 6 when the F eration of Women Teachers lotion (FWTAO) hosted a public m ting on primary education. More n 200 parents, teachers, education t tees and other professionals attended. (The main speaker for the evening was the director of the Early Primary If ducation Project -of the Ministry of $duration, Ff'an Poleschuk. Miss Poleschuk is currently ona province o wide tour discussing the problems of primary education with interested groups. "I will share with you some things .1 had the privilege of learning in 38 yeais as a teacfil'r and educator," she began. "ter She discussed a book on toddlers and noted that in this country where everyone is equal, toddlers can not drive, drink or attend x -rated movies, they cannot attend college and they have 100 percent unemployment. She used these points to demonstrate that children can't storm Queen's Park to demand better education, therefore it is the adults' task. • While she has worked for so many years with children, she noted her hobby is still children watching. "I'm always astounded at their capabilities. Something that always -comes through is children are capable of much more than we think," she said. The subject of how to make children smarter was next touched on. Miss Poleschuk explained there are several theories about the development of children's intellectual skills, but orie she believes in is that a parent should find the most lovable characteristic of a child and build on it. She again read from a book to pro- ve this point. "Only when we can see and enjoy children for what they are, not what we hope they can be, can we really facilitate their learning," she read. "The period between birth to eight is the most vigorous developmental stage. At no stage do children learn as much as they do at that time," She continued. As an example of this growth Miss Poleschuk pointed out that by age four, children have 50 per- cent of their problem solving skills, and they have gained another 20 per- cent by age eight. Prior to beginning their school career, children have accomplished much in the way of learning. They will usually have an attitude towards learning, as well as some learning patterns. Aside from these points a child will have learned to walk, and talk, will have developed a personali- ty, and will have a basic. sense of reading and mathematics. "All these accomplishments they did with you. You did what came naturally, and gave all the support possible," she told the gathered teachers, parents and school board officials. However, once the child roaches Grade 1 the parents suddenly have ex- pectations, like a child should be reading by the end of that grade. "Some children move ata slower pace, they are late starters. It is not helping when the child knows they are not pleasing us, Miss Poleschuk explained. The stages of learning development were examined in the presentation, - beginning with infants. An infant has a network of senses, and powerful energy. This is evident when wat- ching an infant as they use their whole 'body when reaching for something, • wiggling their bodies and reaching with their hands and feet. "What the child creates is a little world of objects, the bottle, a familiar face and a toy," she noted. - The•next stage in the growth is that . ,,y 56 .�G.4:.:t .�.��.-.;Jk'z� ,?�.%.:.t%t"::.i�.a,.:,f��S`2' �.........�n'S�.t'/�°.cy:�'%.:.......4.,?-'j"i��7�:;:r.::t&?`.'a:�"�'.�...T"�?.n'r.-��`��.c.:.64?�,�; ....�9;i,�.�. �..;:�� A SCIENCE FAIR WINNER Derick McGee of Zurich Public School will be taking his Science Fair project on Propulsion to the all -Canada competition in Scarborough in May. Above, he is congratulated by Huron Board of Education superintendent Arnold Mothers at Satur- day's Huron county competition in Clinton. Zurich Four elementary school students from Huron county will be par- ticipating in the annual all -Canada wide Science Fair to be held in May in Toronto. The four who qualified for the trip to Toronto at Saturday's Huron Science Fair held at Clinton Public School are Derick McGee, Zurich Public School; Tom Cull, East Wawanosh; Tammy Medd, Blyth and Andrew Kennedy, Seaforth Public School. After the show, Huron Board of Education superintendent Arnold Mathers commented, "The exhibits improve each year. This is the highest quality we have ever seen. The judges were astounded with their quality." SCIENTIFIC FINALISTS — Andy Grainger and Kraig Gingerich of Huron Centennial School were finalists in Saturday's Huron Science Fair in Clinton. They are shown here with their School Filer project. student tops science fair Mathers went on to say that the judging which usually takes about four hours went to almost seven hours this time around. Tammy Ross of Robertson Public School in Goderich won the conserva- tion award provided by the Maitland and Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authorities. The Science Fair co-ordinator was Cathy Elliott, a teacher at Seaforth Public School. On hand to assist with the award presentations was Ontario's Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell.. Riddell told the large crowd in at- tendance that achievement is one of the best reasons to get together and when it involves young people, so much better. Seniors Spring Clean -Up Yard work, window washing, etc. Paint lawn furniture, windows, etc. Work done by S.H.D.H.S„ Senior Lifeskills class for FREE Phone 235-0880 for appointment (High school) RUMOR'S Unisex Hair Design • Complete Hair Core Service • Open six days a week • Appointments not always necessary Call: Janet, Sandy or Joyce 235-0202 414 Main St., S., Exeter, Centre Mall The Ag Minister went on to say, "The proper environment fosters op- portunities and opportunities foster success. For some time, my Ministry -has been behind an effort to create more interest in agriculture in our schools. We have supported a project to have it taught in the regular cur- riculum. The latest venture ap- propriately enough was a science course for grade nine called "Food and Energy". y "Canada was made into a suc- cessful agricultural country by the application of good research. Since 1900 scientific research has boosted productivity seven -fold, led to substantial control of pests and disease, made better genetic im- provements in both .plants and animals and developed better farm technology". "The future of-agriculturewill see space-age application of 'computers and satellites and biology -based technology. Rapid .strides have already been made in this field in breeding techniques for plants and animals." In closing Riddell .said to the Science Fair winners," Today, Clin- ton; Tomorrow, Stockholm. Also assisting in the awards presen- tations were Huron board chairman Art Clarke, board director of educa- tion Bob Allan, superintendent Mothers, and Greg Pulham, and John Deeves and Joe Gibson of the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority. WINS CONSERVATION AWARD — Tanya Ross of Robertson School in Goderich was the win- ner of the Conservation award at Saturday's Huron Science Fair in Clinton. Above, she receives her award from Joe Gibson and John Deeves of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. Au. •• Wabbits Weduced A Delightful >a Placemat Can Be Yours For Only $395 With A Purchase of $25 Or More Royal l)otil(on Bunnykins Fine Bone China Nursery ware •aur regular telling prke of the toddler. As toddlers have the mobility not available to infants, they have many new areas of discovery. Miss Poleschuk stated, "That child is discovering the potential of a wonder ful body." At this stage the child also develops the ability to classify inforrpation. From here, language enters the development, as language is really labelling objects a toddler is identify- ing. Miss Poleschuk explained that at this point a child will begin ex- perimenting with language. Perhaps most importantly, it is at this stage that creativity reaches a peak. Unfortunately, this creativity can be lost by the time a toddler reaches five or six years old. Miss Poleschuk noted this is a distressing fact because as a society, if we want to grow we want the children of today to retain their creativity so they might pint it to use as they grow older. "Creativity is one of . the tools children are given as a way of surviv- ing, of being a winner. We. have to have many opportunities for children to experiment," she stated. During all of these stages of growth, children have some demands. These include that facts that all of them want to be successful, and --all want security.-They-want-toknow-thattheir parents and teachers are working together to ensure their shift from home life to school is not a traumatic one, she explained. This shift can be more difficult, she noted, when too many expectations come into play. It is for this reason Miss Poleschuk does not think parents should judge their children's work by the grade they are in. "There is a problem when you say, "You're in grade 1 child, you should be doing this." You can't do this." she said. Another thing a child asks for is recognition.They want adults to look at them and say their name, she con- tinued, because children need that recognition. "They need to know you're proud of them; they need to master and con- trol their own worlds. You have to let them live each stage fully," she add- ed. "Finally, what a child is asking for is enough people to understand. who will support them. They need to have space in school, and need to have programs and policies that sup- port their natural way of growth." Nearing the end of her speech, Miss Poleschuk stated that during her studies of children with the ministry some of the best sessions she had oc- curred when parents and educators • got together. "We have the same goals, to give the best we possibly can for our children. Working together, I'm sure you will do it," she concluded. Elaine:Cline, the first vice president for the FWTAO next took the podium to give the call to action. She said there is no question that the conditions under which children learn better will cost money. Current- ly the government is spending enor- mous amounts of money on the small elite that attend university, but she questioned why more is not being spent on the schools that 100 percent Page 7 n of the population attends, primary schools. To help out, the public can write let- ters to the politicians in charge and convince them there should be change. She urged, "Help convince politicians there is no better invest- ment in the future." She explained that it becomes a question of whether people want quality education that treatseach child as an individual, or mass education. "I think people are saying that children deserve much more than bargain priced education," she said in conclusion. "We're all in this together as partners on their behalf. Please don't let them down." • All progress is based on a universal innate desire on the pari of every organism to live beyond its income. -Be yourself. 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