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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-15, Page 10t AGE 10--GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, A -PHIL 15, 1987 tt'rnt 1n' uraI1 t' •\nnunitiv, (,roup Imuran( r (,u.lranierli tion-(,uarantve(1 If 1N',tfllt'l,t, R.I(.l.l. Ask for Jim Bowie 524-6659 BEST INTE - EST Guaranteed Investment Certificates "Subject to change G i icer®Kne& 01111411‘ Insurance Brokers ® A Exeter 235.2420 Clinton 482-9747 Inc. Grand Bend 238-8484 Goderich 524-2118 at Christmas & Gauntry have' added an t'xeiting rl('w lint' Vi'sit our upstairs showrooms and see a complete line of Rattan and Wicker furniture brought alive amongst our assortment of silk plants... 120 Queen Street Biyth 523-4820 New thoutts By David Emslie There was a full house, at the Clinton Public School on April 6 when the Federa- tion of Women Teachers Association FWTAO I hosted a public meeting on primary education. More than 200 parents, teachers, education trustees and other pro- fessionals attended. The main speaker for the evening was the director of the Early Primary Education Project of the Ministry of Education, Fran Poleschuk. Miss Poleschuk is currently on a province wide tour discussing the problems of primary education with enterested groups. "I will share with you somie things I had the privilege of learning in 38 years as a teacher and educator," she began. She discussed a book on toddlers and noted that in this country; where everyone is equal, toddlers can not, drive, drink or at- tend x -rated movies, they cannot attend col- lege and they have 100 per cent unemploy- ment. 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'rn 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 w.as. next . touched on. Miss Poleschuk. explained • there are several' theories about the development of children's intellectual skills, but•one 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 prove this point. "Only when' we 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 the-ir school career, •children have • accomplished much 'in the way -of learning. They will usually,.have'.an attitude. towards learning, as well as same • lear•ning.patterns. Aside from these points a child 'will have learned to walk, and. talk,: will have -developed a personality, and will' have abasic 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.'• rim{ .ry e ucation Following her speech at the Federation of Women Teachers' Association public meeting, held at Clinton Public School on April 6, Fran Poleschuk was approached by many in- terested parties with questions. She is seen above +left) fielding questions with Huron WTA President Mary Moffatt. I David Emslie photo 1 - However, once -the child reaches Grade 1 the•parents suddenly have expectations. like a child should be reading by the end of that grade. - . -Some children move ata slower pace, they are late starters. Itis not helping when the child knows they are not .pleasing us." Miss Poleschuk explained. The stage of learning development we -re examined in the presentation, beginning 'with infants, An infant has a network of sense's, and powerful energy. This is evident when watching 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 facie and a toy," she noted, • The next. stage in the 'growth is that of the toddler. As toddlers have the.mobilitY. not. available to infants, they .have many .ne« areas of discovery. Miss Poleschuk stated. -:That child is discovering the potential of a wonderful body." • At this stage the child also develops the ability to classify information.-From...here., language enters thedevel'oprnentt, a language is really labelling objects a.tudd'ler • is identifying. Miss Po eschuk 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. L`nfor- tunately, 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 re- tain their creativity so they ..might put it to • use as they -grow older. "Creativity is one of the tools children are giving as a way of surviving, of being a win- ner. We have to have many.opportunities for children to experiment," she state(!. .: • • During -all of, these stages Of growth. children have some demands, These inclurie that .facts •that all of them want- to be suc- cessful, and all want security. They want to know that .their parents and ,teachers are working together to ensure their shift from home life to school is not traumatic. One, she explained. • This shift can be more difficult, she noted, MAILV'EN'S I.:I.II.iN1TUI aS Retained E (E.JcE rER) tz� to Co -Ordinate The Complete and Totgi LIQUIDATION cif Marten`s Entire EXETER.Showroom LEASE HAS EXPIR'ED! Brand name living room suites, bedroom suites, dining room suites, mattresses and box springs, occasional chairs, dinet- tes, wall units, lamps, pictures, accessories, including office furniture and fixtures 180,000 Furniture Inventory (Supplemented) FINAL DAYS -Cath, cheque, VSA, Mastercard, on the spot credit. Delivery available. H_ Everythin is disposal priced •, but is strictly being offered o -..- a l st collie, i st serve basis. LIQUIDATION SALE HOURS: DAIL Y M001161 .9 P.M. P MAIN T. EXETER PH -'NE 235,1964 SALE C NDUCT P At MARTEN'S S FURNITUR E Et R- ONLY when tux many expectations c•onie 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 a Grade 1 child, you should be doing this'. You can't do this," she said. Another thing a child asks for is recogni- tion They want adults to look at them and say their name,. she continued, because children•need that recognition. ..They need to know; you're proud of them: they need to"niaster and control their own worlds: You have to let them live each stage fully." she added. ' Finally, What a Child is asking for; is enough people to understand, who will support thein. They ,need- to have pace in school, and need to have programs and policies that support their natural way . of growth.•' ' Nearing the end... of her speech. :Ass' Poleschuk stated that"during her studies of'• children with the ministry some of the best sessions she had occurred when parents and • educators got together. -.We have the same goals, to gives the best We possibly can for otic• children. Working together. I'm sure• you. will do it," she concluded. . Elaine C.line,'.the first vice president for the F1r1'AO next took the podiur-n to give the call to action. : She said there is no'question that the 'con- . ditions,• under w-liieh children, learn better will cr>St.rnoney'._Currently the 'government is spending enormous amounts of money on -.the small elite that attend ..university:, but She questioned' why. more is not_ being Spent on the .schools - that 100 per cent of the population attends: primary schools.' To help out, the priblic..can write letters to the politicians in charge and •convince -them there should. be changes, she urged. "Help • convince the prmlitR ians there is not --a better. • investment in the future," • She explained that it becomes a ,question of whether people Want quality education that treat ea.c,h child as an individual, or mass education. • • • "I think • people are''sayiiig 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:" Performing Arts Committee looks likely after meeting The possibility of setting up a Perform- ' ing Arts Committee, made up of individual citizens and representatives of organiza- tions in Goderich, has become more likely • following a successful public meeting on - the subject: About 20 to 25- people • attended - the meeting, held April 8 at The livery, which featured Ontario Arts Council 'Turing Consultant- Elaine Hagarty. who outlined the advantages of setting up such a committee. Goderich Recreation Department Pro- gram Consultant Bob Marshal said the department is hoping to assist in setting up the committee and is asking for volunteers to serve on it. "We didn't get -a great response at the meeting, but were hoping to contact representatives of these groups and some individuals and ask them to get involved," Marshal said. Local service clubs, sororities, lodges and associations, as well 'as special in- terest groups such as the Goderich !.tint . Theatre. Huron County Library-, Huron County Pioneer Museum and Huron Historic Jail. ('anadian Parents for French and the Mackay- Centre for Senior Citizens. all sent representatives to the meeting. • Hagarty told the audience that a Perfor- ming Arts Committee could act as '•a cen- tral • clearing house for information," to keep the'community and it's organizations up to date on what's happenir•>,E; in the area of performing arts. It would allow groups involved in bring- ing performers to town, or staging local productions to get together and co- ordinate their efforts. ' •'It would be easier, for instance. to market performances and handle -ticket selling with a larger group," such as a Per forming Arts Committee, Marshall said. The next step, he said, will be to contact interested individuals then call another meeting with Hagarty and "work out a set of goals and objectivcls••. 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