11 Secrets of School Bus Drivers

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Happy reading all.

In many school districts, the face that parents and guardians see most frequently doesn’t belong to the principal, the teacher, or even other students—it’s the school bus driver, the man or woman charged with the awesome responsibility of getting dozens of children from their homes to their classroom in a safe and efficient manner. It’s a serious and often thankless job. Districts fear there may even be a shortage of drivers for the 2017-18 school year, thanks to an improving economy and more career options. To better understand their duties, Mental Floss asked several school bus drivers about their experiences on and off the road. Here’s a glimpse of what goes on before, during, and after your kid hops on board.

1. THEY ASSIGN SEATS TO AVOID TROUBLE.

As kids get older, their on-bus behavior can start to become a distraction. To help curb tiny trouble, drivers can plan seat assignments that offer a better chance of cooperation. “Seating arrangement is really left up to the driver,” says Cindy, a former driver in Tennessee. “You find [most] children work best with having assigned seats. Middle and high school kids work best by separating the sexes—boys on one side, girls on the other. Front seats are best left open so students causing issues or with behavior problems can be assigned to sit on the driver’s right to be better monitored.”

2. THEY MIGHT TAKE IN A MOVIE DURING THE DAY.

School bus drivers usually have a staggered schedule, driving kids in different grades throughout the morning and then doing it in reverse later in the day. While that eats up more time than one might think, drivers who live close to the bus garage can drop off their wheels and do whatever they like for a good portion of the day. “I got done around 9 a.m. and didn’t have to be back to work until 1:30,” says Mike, a retired driver in Central New York. “Sometimes drivers will do a field trip or something, but I had a chunk of time to myself.”

Sounds breezy, but Mike and most other drivers are paid by the number of hours worked. “During the summer,” Mike says, “you don’t get paid.”

3. PARENTS CAN BE A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN THE KIDS.

It’s not always the kids that misbehave. “I think it would surprise people how often parents tell their children they don’t have to obey a driver,” Cindy says. “And because of that, very simple safety rule enforcement is a battle. It was more important for little Sally to have the right side and lean on her window than for her to be seated safely and facing forward.”

4. THERE’S A BENEFIT TO DRIVER SENIORITY.

Drivers who have been in the hot seat long enough to earn seniority can earn more money, but there are other perks. “In my district, drivers with the highest seniority got to drive the smaller, van-type buses,” Mike says. In addition to having fewer students on board, those drivers usually benefit from having a bus monitor riding along to ensure cooperation without having to take their eyes off the road.

5. KIDS (AND PARENTS) CAN GIVE THEM BRIBES.

Not all of the little hell raisers are out for blood. Some actually come on board bearing gifts or treats for drivers, especially around the holidays. “Some children will bring you things of their own volition such as a flower or candy bar,” Cindy says. And parents can sometimes let a little money change hands in exchange for a few perks. “Honking the horn for students, allowing things brought on the bus that aren’t allowed [are examples],” she says. Such contraband might include chewing gum and open drinks. “Most drivers that received gifts from parents are the drivers that broke the rules for those parents. I’ve seen actual cash change hands.”

6. THEY PERFORM A LITTLE RITUAL AFTER EVERY ROUTE.

Once every kid has de-boarded, drivers usually have to walk the length of the bus to make sure there are no stragglers. “There’s a magnetic sign at the front of the bus, and at the end of the route you have to walk down the aisle and stick it up so it shows out of the back window,” Mike says. “More than once, I’ve found a kid sleeping or engrossed on their phone.”

7. THE EMERGENCY EXITS MAKE FOR A GOOD PRANK.

Ever wonder how a bus driver closes the pneumatic door if he or she is the last one to leave? They actually can’t—not all the way, anyway. Depending on the make and model of bus, drivers might have to settle for closing it most of the way, but if it’s shut completely, the driver will have to enter via one of the emergency exits. “We used that as a prank every once in a while,” Mike says. “We’d get in the bus and shut the door tight, then leave via the emergency exit so the [next] driver would have to get in the same way.”

8. THEY CAN GET FREE FIELD TRIP ADMISSION.

Unlike limo drivers, bus drivers aren’t expected to hang out in the background while their tiny wards are off having fun at a destination. “During field trips, we are supposed to have free admission to wherever the students are visiting,” Cindy says. “If it was a trip over lunch, it’s common for all drivers to take one bus to a restaurant together.”

9. REGULAR DRIVERS ARE THE WORST.

School buses aren’t made to stop quickly, which makes bad drivers the single biggest bane of a bus driver’s existence. “The most stressful [thing] was other drivers being reckless while students are loading or unloading,” Cindy says. “Like running my stop sign, which resulted in at least one close call.”

10. THEY CAN FIND OUT WHO MADE A MESS.

Drivers are usually tasked with clean-up duty at the end of the day, finding everything from food to textbooks to things that are best left unmentioned. But Mike says they can often pinpoint the culprit. “Since we assigned seats, I know which kid was sitting where and who made what mess.”

11. THERE’S A REASON THEY KEEP KIDS SO SAFE.

Careful and skilled driving remains the best preventative measure for keeping school kids safe during their commute, but the overall layout of the bus matters too. The American School Bus Council (ASBC) calls it “compartmentalization,” the term for the kind of high-backed and padded seating arrangement that can distribute energy in the event of a crash. That, coupled with extensive driver instruction, makes it the safest ride around. “I think people would be surprised how much continuous education there is,” Mike says. He trained for 40 hours before making his first official departure. “It’s not just some old guy driving a truck.”

Source: msn

 

Eight things you should know before your child starts kindergarten

You’re feeling anxious about sending your child off to kindergarten, and rightfully so. Kindergarten is, after all, kind of a big deal. Whether your kid has been in preschool since age two or is gearing up for their first-ever experience in a classroom, the changes are big and the landscape of rules, school supplies and bus stops can seem overwhelming to navigate.

In the weeks leading up to the first day of kindergarten, even the most even-keeled moms and dads may find themselves standing over their slumbering little one’s bed at night, wondering, “How is our little baby big enough to survive in a big kid school?”

The good news is the insecure little hand you let go of on day one will be the same one that waves excitedly at you when getting off the bus on the last day. The difference a school year makes is staggering and, as any parent who has survived will tell you, there are a few tips and tricks that can make the transition easier on kids and parents alike.

1. THEY NEED TO KNOW MORE THAN THEIR ABCS AND 123S.

A great way to give your child an advantage in the classroom is to be aware of the things your school district suggests they know before entering kindergarten. From being able to read two- to three-word sentences, to being able to spell and write her full name, mom Riss Courtade says she was shocked by the things her daughter was supposed to know before the school year began. “These are things I can remember learning in school,” says Courtade. “That was what kindergarten was for — learning your ABCs, numbers, colors. It never occurred to me that she would need to know all of that just to enter kindergarten!”

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE YOUR CHILD’S ADVOCATE.

Heather Lane recalls being hesitant to be assertive about son Daniel’s peanut allergy when he began kindergarten last fall. She quickly learned, however, that parents should be prepared to be fierce and to fight the school over anything that makes them feel that their child is unsafe. “Although more schools are aware of food allergies these days, they’re not always sure of what they need to do to keep your child safe,” Lane says. She recommends meeting with school nurses, administration and classroom teachers to develop a plan that makes you feel comfortable and ensures that your kid will steer clear of problem foods and allergens.

When Liz Christianson’s autistic daughter, Elle, began kindergarten, she focused on establishing a friendly relationship with the teachers and aides at her school. “Be respectful and calm when difficult moments arise — it will really help the teachers be open to listening to your advice and ideas,” offers Christianson.

3. BE INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE.

A key way to stay in touch with your child’s teacher and be aware of classroom happenings is to volunteer at the school. Dad Prashant Udeshi says that while the lack of individual communication from the school surprised him, volunteering in daughter Priya’s kindergarten class proved to be a rewarding way to be involved in his child’s education. “At this age, the kids will be excited to see you, and you’ll get to know the other kids in the class as well as the teachers,” offers Udeshi.

4. PACK LUNCH WISELY.

With the beautiful array of bento-box lunches seen on Pinterest, it can be hard for parents to resist packing intricate lunches for their little ones. However, school reading specialist Amy Shandrowsky says from her inside view, she’d recommend parents pack items that can be eaten quickly and that kids can open independently. “By the time they walk to the cafeteria, find their seat, and wait for someone to open their lunch items for them — they only have a few minutes to eat,” says Shandrowsky.

“Make sure they can open all of their own lunch containers. Make sure they can open their own yogurt tube or bag of fruit snacks. Make sure they can stick a straw in a juice box. And don’t send in a ton of food — they don’t have time to eat it,” adds Lane.

5. DON’T TAKE THE BASICS FOR GRANTED.

Shandrowsky also says that she sees children daily who don’t know proper bathroom etiquette or become afraid when sent to the bathroom alone. “Often, school is the first place children use a bathroom by themselves. It helps if someone at home reviews things like washing hands or flushing the toilet with them,” says Shandrowsky.

“I did it, Mom!” Daniel Lane at the end of his kindergarten school year. According to Shandrowsky, fire drills and emergency drills also are often overwhelming for kids, as they have never experienced these types of activities before. “Talk to your child ahead of time — let them know what is happening during these events, and make sure they understand that there is no need to be scared.”

6. KNOW THAT KINDERGARTEN IS EXHAUSTING.

Since kindergarten is typically a child’s first full-day school experience, parents should be prepared for their kids to be exhausted after school, at least for the first few weeks. “Those first few days are long and stressful,” says Udeshi, “Don’t plan a lot of after school activities in the beginning.”

Other ways to help your little one recover from the long school day include setting a stringent bedtime and working on a morning routine that allows kids as much sleep as possible. Once your child is in bed, consider laying out the next day’s clothing and deciding what will be served for breakfast, to keep things running smoothly.

7. IT’S OKAY FOR YOU TO BE EMOTIONAL.

Sending your baby off to kindergarten is a bittersweet event, and it’s normal for there to be tears from both you and your child. Wendy Elkins has sent three of her kids to kindergarten and says the emotion has been there each time. “It’s a big change for one of your wee ones to leave home for most of the day! Letting go is hard, and kindergarten is one of the hardest times. I’m crying just thinking about it,” says Elkins, whose fourth child starts kindergarten next year.

8.TEACHER SAYS: YOUR CHILD WILL BE FINE, AND SO WILL YOU.

Kindergarten teacher Kristen Weaver says that, while there may be hurdles to overcome during kindergarten, parents should remember that it’s their child’s first official schooling experience, and that it’s important for parents and teachers to work together to make kindergarten a successful experience for each child.

“The most genuine thing I tell parents is that the amount of progress — physically, socially, academically, emotionally — that their child will make throughout the school year is truly a special experience to watch unfold,” says Weaver.

Source: msn lifestyle

 

 

Should JAMB allow different Cut-off Points for Nigerian Universities?

Malam Adamu Adamu, Nigeria’s Education Minister

The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), is the central body responsible for the admission of students to tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria. It administers its tests once every year but allows students to pick the schools of their choice, allowing for school of first choice and so on.

 

But quite recently, the body in a statement in Abuja, the Federal capital, released a statement which claimed that there will be different cut-off marks for different universities. This development has received criticisms from educators and other stakeholders across Nigeria.

 

Before we look at the issue of whether JAMB is right or wrong, let us first take a look at the examination itself.

 

First, JAMB examinations are standardised tests. Let us then define a standardised test.

 

A standardized test according to The Glossary for Education Reform is any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that (2) is scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students.

 

What makes JAMB tests standardised, is that they items (1) and (2) are common factors in its testing procedures. That is why a cut-off mark is needed for admission in the first place.

 

But with the new directive by The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede that JAMB “will also allow for flexible cut-off marks and candidates…’’ does not align with the definition of a Standardised test.

 

Educators and concerned stakeholders have chided the JAMB Chief over the statement, with some arguing that it is a trick to allow those who tag themselves “educationally disadvantaged,” to continue to hold the nation to ransom. These stakeholders reason that if the test is a standardised test, all takers should meet the same requirement for admission. This means that the same cut-off mark should be used to admit all students across all the universities in Nigeria.

Let us take for example other standardized tests.

 

For those Nigerians seeking admission to schools in Europe and America, it is common knowledge that they must take SAT, IELTS, LSAT, GRE etc.

 

The above standardised test scores are maintained by those foreign institutions, so that foreign students who seek admission to their schools, can communicate when they arrive in those countries.

 

Because of the double standards practiced by the Federal Government of Nigeria, in what is termed “Quota System,” the country has suffered many setbacks in the area of technological and other developments.

 

To the surprise of many, some of the purported “rescued” Chibok Girls told journalists after their release from captivity, that “We are grateful to the Federal Government for teaching us English.” This came as a shock to a vast number of people, some of who asked: “With what language were they taught from Primary One to Senior Secondary (SS3). These were girls who were supposed to write their Terminal Examination, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) standardised test just before they were taken into captivity.

 

If at that level, they can’t speak and write in English, how then were they going to write and pass their examination. For these caliber of ill-prepared students, JAMB is  willing to sacrifice Merit for Mediocrity.

 

It is shameful for the Giant of Africa to continue along this line.

 

This is a wake-up call.

‘I’m not teaching my 5-year-old how to read’: – Crystal Lowery

By Nisean Lorde,

Many parents attempt to teach their children how to read from an early age, but one mom is sparking debate for doing just the opposite. Crystal Lowery, a comedian and writer known as Creepy Ginger Kid on social media, recently took to Facebook to explain her reasoning.

“I’m not teaching my 5-year-old how to read,” Lowery begins. “Don’t get me wrong, we read him books all the time. We’ve imagined ourselves in Willy Wonka’s ‘Chocolate Factory,’ and we’re 170 pages into Harry Potter’s ‘Chamber of Secrets.’ We’re teaching him to enjoy stories, to get lost in characters.”

“But we’re not teaching him how to read. Not just yet. He’s too busy learning other things.”

Lowery says that her son is learning how to be a good sport — how to wait his turn in Candy Land and not gloat when he makes it to the King’s Ice Cream Castle before his sister does.

“He’s learning how to build: from blocks, to sticks, to Legos, he feels the weight of the different materials in his little sausage fingers, and examines the physical integrity of the various structures he has made.”

“He’s learning how to exercise. He chases the dog, plays tag, climbs on playground equipment, dances (well), and practices karate (poorly). He’s going to need his body for a long time, so he builds his muscles through activity instead of sitting at a desk all day.”

“He’s learning how to take care of his things. Through trial and error (oh, so much error!) he has seen what happens when he leaves a book out in the rain, or a lump of Play Doh on the table overnight. He’s learning that you can’t rough house with an 8 lb Pekingese. “

“He’s learning how to be creative. How to draw his own picture books full of monsters, and how to construct an imaginary spaceship with Amazon boxes. He’s learning about ecosystems. He looks at bugs, flowers, and thunderstorms. He sees how fauna and flora inhabit the world together interdependently.”

During this process, she says her son is learning invaluable life skills that could help propel him forward throughout his journey in life.

“He’s learning that the key to happiness is to focus on his blessings rather than complaining about what he doesn’t have. He’s learning how to apologize. To overcome his own hurt feelings and to empathize with other kids when there’s been a confrontation. He’s learning how to forgive. To understand that everyone makes mistakes, and that he can love other people despite their foibles. ”

Her son may be learning important lessons every day — but he’s not learning how to read. And though he may not show up to his first day of kindergarten with “advanced reading skills,” he’ll come to the classroom with so much more, says Lowery.

“(He’ll have) the ability to try new things without getting frustrated. The ability (to) make friends, even though friendship can be a messy business. The ability to listen to others and follow instructions. The ability to problem-solve. The ability to concentrate on a task.”

“There is so much our children learn that cannot be measured with a standardized test,” she concludes. “And though someday his hours will be filled with phonics, and penmanship, and fractions, we aren’t worried about all that today. Today he has more important things to learn.”

Lowery’s reasoning was praised by parents across the globe.

“Good! I cannot STAND these ‘Teach your 3 month old to read’ things! When they leave school and look for a job, NO one is going to say, ‘Oh you read at 8 months old? You’re hired!’ It’ll be, ‘Can you read? Great!’ Shannon commented. “Let kids BE kids! They grow up so fast without us pushing them to!”

“A wonderful parent!” Wrote Syed. “I must say you’re giving (your son) all your time and letting him explore his mind, and be more imaginative. And yes, keep him away from the digital world of tablets!”

Others suggest the boy is learning simply by listening to his parents read to him: “By reading to him you are teaching him reading and language (skills),” Tracey commented. “A child learns more in the first seven years, and as long as he’s happy thats what matters most!”

But others questioned why Lowery couldn’t teach the boy both life skills and reading.

“My mom taught me how to read at the age of three, and taught me proper human civility, good stewardship and creative play at the same time. I don’t understand why you can’t do both,” Amy commented. While Lewie questioned: “Is it really that hard to teach him to read when you are reading him the books? Not hard to give the book to him and give him the vital skill he needs.”

To which Lowery responded: “We do show words and letters. We’re just focusing on other things besides phonics right now.”

 

Barack and Michelle Obama move daughter Malia into Harvard dorm

By hola.com

Barack and Michelle Obama reached a parenting milestone! The former president and first lady of the United States helped their oldest daughter settle into life in her freshman dorm at Harvard University on Monday, August 21. Malia, 19, was allowed to move in a day early during the solar eclipse to create as little distractions as possible. The Obamas, both dressed down and wearing sunglasses, looked visibly emotional as they said goodbye to their firstborn. Barack and Michelle departed in an SUV accompanied by personal protection officers.

Malia, who is officially a member of the prestigious university’s class of 2021, graduated from Washington D.C.’s private Sidwell Friends School in June 2016. The former first daughter opted to take a gap year before starting at the private Cambridge, Massachusetts university, choosing to travel and do an internship during her time off.

Malia joined her mom Michelle, 53, and her younger sister Sasha, 16, on an educational trip to Africa and Spain after graduation, where the Obama women promoted their Let Girls Learn initiative. The college freshman also spent three months in Bolivia and Peru, volunteering with the Colorado-based program Where There Be Dragons and earlier this year, Malia relocated to New York where she interned for mega-producer Harvey Weinstein.

In 2015, the dad-of-two admitted that he was “freaked out” about having a daughter preparing to head off to college — though he revealed the sage words of advice he gave Malia. “Be open to new experiences when you go to college,” he said. “Don’t go to college just to duplicate the same experience you had in high school. Don’t make your decision based on, well, where are all my friends going so that I can do the exact same things with the exact same friends that I did in high school.”

Over one million UTME candidates scored below 200 – JAMB

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday said 569,395 of the 1.7 million candidates that wrote this year’s UTME scored over 200 marks.

The Registrar, JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed this at the policy meeting of the stakeholders of Tertiary Institutions in Abuja.

He said 23.8 per cent of the total number of the candidates scored below 160 marks.

He said the stakeholders unanimously agreed that the minimum cut-off mark for the university degree is to stand at 120.

The stakeholders, according to him, peg that of Polytechnic to be 100, College of Education 100, while National Innovative Enterprise Institution remained at 110 marks.

The registrar said the timelines for admission of first choice was October 15, while second choice would be December 15.

Oloyede urged the heads of the various tertiary institutions to set their modalities for admissions exercises as it was not the board’s responsibility.

He said that no candidate without O’ Level prerequisite would be offered admission.

“JAMB has a Central Admissions Processing System to aid you on the admission exercises.

“CAPS will not replace admission processes of institutions. It will enable institutions to simply communicate with JAMB in a more dynamic and timely manner.

“It will also allow for flexible cut-off marks and candidates are allowed to make their choice of institution and course,’’ he said.

The registrar, however, appealed to heads of institutions not to charge more than N2,000 for admissions’ processes.

In his remark, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, commended the board for conducting the UTME.

According to him, the stakeholders have worked together to create synergy for the advancement of education in the country.

“We restate our commitment to ensuring expansion of access to students in our institutions

“To ensure equity in regard to rural and urban areas; we are committed to refocusing our curricula to meet our development need,’’ he said.

Adamu, however, advised heads of institutions to accommodate qualified candidates in the most transparent and flexible manner.

The meeting was attended by stakeholders in both public and private tertiary institutions.

Source: The News Guru

 

Teach Two-year-olds to code, says computing pioneer

 

• Dame Stephanie Shirley

Children as young as two should be introduced to the basics of coding, according to one of Britain’s most eminent computing pioneers.

Dame Stephanie Shirley, whose company was one of the first to sell software in the 1960s, said that engaging very young children – in particular girls – could ignite a passion for puzzles and problem-solving long before the “male geek” stereotype took hold.

“I don’t think you can start too early,” she said, adding that evidence suggested that the best time to introduce children to simple coding activities was between the ages of two and seven years. “Most successful later coders start between five and six,” she added. “In a sense, those years are the best for learning anything … and means that programming [hasn’t] become set in your mind as geeky or nerdy.”

Shirley’s comments came as A-level results last week revealed a striking gender divide in computing, with only 9.8% of those taking the subject at A-level being girls.

Shirley also called on tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, to introduce anonymous recruitment to help address the lack of female programmers. Only 20% of Google engineers are female (the statistic is roughly matched across the industry) and one recent report showed male founders are nearly twice as likely to attract venture capital funding.

“Once you have an imbalance, the leaders of today define the leaders of tomorrow,” said Shirley. “It’s instinctive to recruit in your own image. I think some of this will continue until we actually learn to anonymise some of our relationships and computers help in that.”

Programmers, she argued, should be assessed on skill, just as secretaries were once given typing tests. “You don’t send a photo, you don’t give a name, you just look at the achievements of the person as a selection process,” she said.

She describes the recent internal memo by a former Google engineer as “so patronising” and “utterly unacceptable” and added that a failure to tackle the gender gap had led to “very macho” cultures in some tech companies, from which women felt excluded.

Shirley contrasts this with the ethos at her first company, Freelance Programmers, which in the 1960s was among the first to sell technical software packages. Out of the first 300 staff, she employed just three male programmers and the gender ratio only shifted significantly when the Sex Discrimination Act passed in 1975.

“You’d think I’d be as happy as anything because I’m a bit of a feminist, but that really meant that my woman’s company had to let the men in,” she said.

Shirley has previously spoken out about the sexism she faced in her early days working in computing and she later adopted the nickname Steve professionally because she found it easier to win contracts when people thought they were dealing with a man. “Companies run by women still have extraordinary difficulty in getting venture capital,” she said.

She also worries that lack of diversity in tech is leading to products that have bias programmed into them.

“An example of the industry’s masculinity is in my Apple watch,” she said. “This has lots of useful things such as heart rate but doesn’t help in managing the menstrual cycle.”

Since retiring, Shirley has devoted much of her time and fortune to philanthropic causes linked to autism – her late son Giles was severely autistic.

She argues that technology such as robots and artificial intelligence holds huge potential for helping children with autism function in the world and connect more readily with those around them. This view runs counter to the fears of some that the increasing use of robots could leave some sectors of society, the elderly, for example, cut off from human contact.

Such technology is already being tested at Priors Court in Berkshire, a residential school for autistic children that Shirley founded.

“We use a little robot for very simple things,” she said. “To teach eye contact. To move quietly around and not to dash around in all directions. The reactions of pupils to the robot are extraordinary, partly because it’s not threatening,” she added. “The robot is patient and can repeat without getting, ‘Oh God, is this child never going to get it.’”

Developing Children’s Entrepreneurial Spirit

  

Some educators have argued in recently that the National Curriculum of Nigeria, has not met the needs of our changing times. This, according to them, is because the National Curriculum, does not encourage critical thinking and how to develop the entrepreneurial spirit.

Our findings at Afro-Global Education Deliveries (Af.G.E.D.), indicate that, the fault should not be that of the education system alone. Rather, parents have to take a major chunk of the blame.

Majority of the successful business men and women in Nigeria, do not show their children the Road Map to Business Success. They reason that “Your family can do without you for a while.” So they spend their time alone, attending to one business or the other, or attending business meetings without taking their children along with them. Worse still, they send their children back to school for Summer Coaching year-in, year-out, instead of spending time with them.

This is not to say that summer coaching is wrong. All we are saying is that “Families need undivided attention as much as business.” One habit worth cultivating is set aside at least one evening a week for a dinner date.”

According to Davidow “Give entrepreneurs a place to be and a goal to accomplish, and you’re speaking their language.”

It has be proven beyond reasonable doubt that taking your children along on business is beneficial. Max Carey, owner of Corporate Resource Development, in Atlanta USA, invites his of histhree teenage children to join him at least twice a year on a business trip.

“It’s uninterrupted one-on-one time. You end up doing or talking about things you never would at home, he says.”

We call on parents who are Business Executives, Traders, Technocrats etc, to teach their children the business or Vocation that they (parents), engage in. This will encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in them especially, at a time when the unemployment rate in Nigeria is at an all-time low.

 

How to make Discipline Effective in Schools

-Anthony Bosco Ororho

 

“Discipline is probably the most difficult and unpleasant part of any educator’s job. When instructors effectively communicate rules, set high expectations and provided frequent feedback, the need for discipline will likely be infrequent. However, action is occasionally required to correct a situation where a student has broken the rules or is not putting in the required amount of effort.”

The issue of whether to discipline erring students in school is as old as the education system in the world. Our colonial master Britain introduced the ‘swinging teacher,’ (a teacher who walks around the school with a cane in his hand.)

But with the new ‘education’ style practiced in many a school today, teachers can’t swing the cane anymore. It is adduced that the Child Rights Act forbids a teacher from flogging an errant child. A School of thought argues that it will make the child hate school while another school of thought posits that it would not. The latter school claims that even in the Bible, the use of the cane is encouraged.

While we would not want to say any of the aforementioned schools of thought is wrong, we want to say that discipline in the school is useful, only as a corrective measure.

“The approach taken to the disciplinary action often determines its effectiveness. Many traditional approaches to discipline are negative, punitive and reactive, which result in bad feelings for all parties involved. A positive approach to discipline involves a process designed to solve performance problems and encourage good performance. The basic theory behind the positive discipline approach is that when a student is treated as an adult who must solve a problem, rather than as a child who must be punished, the student is more likely to respond positively and correct the problem.”

It is pertinent to note that people are often ready to obey rules and regulations, when they are part of the decision making. Therefore before any disciplining action is required, there must be acceptance and understanding of the rules of conduct and the disciplinary system by both teachers and students. Students should know exactly what is expected of them and what the consequences will be if they do not meet those expectations.

The rules should be consistent and fair. The discipline system will be more effective when there is consistency between teachers.

According to NDT Resource Centre, the following should be observed:

Criteria for an Effective Disciplinary System

If discipline is to be effective, it should:

• Emphasize correcting the problem rather that distributing punishment.
• Maintain the student’s self-esteem and dignity.
• Provide for increasingly serious consequences if the problem is not resolved.
• Be easy for the teacher to administer and evaluate.
• Result in the desired behavioral change in the student.

Key Components of an Effective Disciplinary System

• Mutual respect between the teacher and the student should be maintained.
• Maintain or enhance motivation if possible.
• Hold a Coaching/Counseling meeting as soon as possible to when the problem is first identified.
• Always hold the meeting in private. If disciplinary action is taken in front of others, the student is likely to become defensive and less open.
• During the disciplinary meeting:
  • Review the facts and state the problem in terms of desired performance and actual performance.
  • Give the student a chance to explain or ask why the problem is occurring.
  • Listen to what the student has to say.
  • Explain the rational for the policy or rule that was violated.
  • Ask the student for possible solutions to the problem.
  • Clearly communicate the changes that needed to be made and the time frame for making them.
  • Express confidence in the student(s) ability to change/improve. End on a positive note.
• Keep the discussion confidential.
• Follow-up as required and provide regular feedback.
• Take additional disciplinary action if necessary.

The above may apply to Public as well as private schools but the bottom line is that the teacher or the school authority should endeavour to use discipline as a change agent ie, to correct serious mistakes.

Private school teachers especially, should refrain from using corporal punishment as, this may have negative consequences. For example, there was the case of a teacher who asked a child to sit on the wall after the child had committed an offence. The girl fainted in class and the teacher had to be reprimanded by the Principal.

Again, a child may have suffered from a strange illness and the parents may not include the information in the child’s record book because of the supposed stigmatization. An unsuspecting teacher may have to pay the price for this ‘misinformation.’

Why Teachers Use Teaching Aids During Instruction

  
Teaching aids or Instructional Materials, play a very important role in the Teaching- Learning process. This is because individuals have their different Learning Styles and, in order to Instruct effectively, the Teacher, while Planning his Lesson, should consider each pupils interest, side-by-side his/her Learning Style. The effective use of Teaching Aids according to India Study Channel, will promote the following advantages:

1) Motivation
Teaching aids motivate the students so that they can learn better.

2) Clarification
Through teaching aids , the teacher clarifies the subject matter more easily.

3) Discouragement of Cramming or Rote Learning
Teaching aids can facilitate the proper understanding to the students which discourages the act of cramming or rote learning.

4) Increases students’ Vocabulary
Teaching aids help to increase the vocabulary of students more effectively.

5) Saves Time and Money

6) Makes the Classroom Lively
Teaching aids make the classroom lively.

7) Avoids Dullness

8) Direct Experience
Teaching aids provide direct experience to the students

Every Teacher should incorporate the effective use of Instructional Materials or Teaching Aids in his/her Lesson Plan, to enhance Teaching and Learning in the classroom.