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Bill Bosher
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Reprinted with permission)
July 2000
It’s about midway through the summer; schools closed a month
ago, and, by state law, they will reopen the day after Labor
Day. A wonderful quality of schooling as it is currently structured
is that it permits big “beginnings” and big “endings.”
Young people and teachers cannot wait for school to end, and
then the whole world seems to revolve around preparing to
go back.
These two major events are bound by the beauty of the growing
season -- summer. Ironically, this period of planting, cultivating,
and harvesting may produce an educational famine. Those who
believe this is simply an opening plug for year-round-education
(YRE) would be wrong. YRE has many different definitions.
Some approaches include more time in the school year; however,
the number of days beyond the traditional 180-day calendar
usually are few. Year-round programs frequently address problems
of overcrowding.
Fundamental changes in school calendars are rare. Resistance
comes from parents and teachers. The outcry is to protect
the summer. To one who always advocates that the family is
a much more important institution than the school, this seems
to be a natural position. The home is the first classroom
and parents are the first teachers. Summer then must be a
return to home school.
Perhaps now in this summer’s break is a good point to stop
and ask, “What have we done with our children this summer?
What have they learned? What memories have been forged?”
BUSY MOTHERS and fathers frequently rationalize that “quality
time” can compensate for those hours not spent with our
children. In reality, nothing replaces time with our children.
A Chesterfield program called “The Power of an Hour”
drives home the point that one hour a day can produce phenomenal
is principle to our financial investments with a guaranteed
return, the decision to commit the time would seem simple.
Why then is the decision more difficult when it applies to
the greatest assets for whom parents will ever be stewards
-- our children? Summer provides another opportunity to spend
time with our investments. Their greatest memories are created
through simple activities.
Share Stories: Young people love to hear family stories.
With eyes that speak and hands that draw pictures in the air,
parents can bring to life the history and heritage of a family.
This “oral tradition” has been used for centuries
to create language, literature, and laughter.
Read Aloud: How many times can a child ask to read a favorite
book? Whether the classics or the comics, reading aloud provides
a parent/child connection while reinforcing language. Literature
is also a great tool to teach morals and values.
Take Short Trips: The big trips to Disney World or the Grand
Canyon may sound like the home run of family vacations. But
the short day trips or afternoon ventures to The Science Museum
of Virginia, The Children’s Museum, or Maymont Park make great
family outings.
Take Control of the Remote and the Computer: There is nothing
on television or in a computer game that cannot be controlled
by a discriminating index finger. TV and the computer can
be powerful teaching tools, but children left unattended constitutes
very poor child care. Make conscious decisions about TV and
what will be viewed.
Listen: The most under-used and abused of the English language
arts skills is listening. Children need to be heard. A recent
survey of high-school juniors and seniors gave parents a “D”
on involvement. Young people do not always expect parents
to say yes, but they do expect us to pay attention.
Labor Day really is not that far away. Enjoy your children
this summer and let them experience the best teachers that
they could ever have -- their parents.
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