The Mail-Journal, Volume 20, Number 44, Milford, Kosciusko County, 16 November 1983 — Page 10

THE MAIL-JOURNAL - Wed.. November IS. 1983

10

School news

Tips for Webster parents

By Richard Long North Webster Elementary Principal Parents frequently ask what can I do to help.my child succeed in school. All to often parents assume that a child’s educations starts and ends with school. As a parent your responsibility for your child’s learning started at birth and will continue through out his life time. It is not necessary to be a college graduate or a professional person to provide a home which encourages a child to do well in school. All that is necessary is to let your child know that education is important to you, important enough to be planned for and talked about in your daily lives. Parents are the greatest influence upon the child’s achievement because the appetite to learn is acquired and grows in the home. The child’s success or failure in school does not begin with his or her first teacher, but is merely nurtured and directed within the attitued which the parents instill in their child. Even in your child’s infancy, you as a parent, can begin to help him or her master the language arts — reading, speaking and listening — which are highly correlated, by reading and listening to your child. Hopefully, the following technique can be of help for you as you work with the school in motivation your child to a successful school program. Be sure he’s up to par physically. Learning demands the best

. I'l IMB H Bi J / \r * 'J IL I B ; J Bfc x JS ■h BUFFY AND MACK — Since September first grade students have worked to master consonant and vowel sounds through the Alpha Program with activities and stories about the “Letter People.” These children are putting their skills into practice as they begin the first book of the new basal reading series from the Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Bookmark Reading Program. Major emphasis throughout the year will be placed in developing decoding, comprehension and language skills. Pictured here holding puppets which represent the characters of Buffy and Mack from Sun Up, one of the books in the reading program, are Jenna Gladieux and Kyle Smith. (Photo by Cathy Brill)

IsGlw -h I H i <' , ‘ - s k » BjA-, • MULTI-SIDED MATTER — Second graders in Mrs. Rogers' reading class are using pupil response cubes. The cubes are used to respond to ‘yes* or ‘no* questions on word structure, vocabulary, language, comprehension and study skills as a part of their reading program. Pictured here are David Flees, Tom Conway, Mrs. Rogers, Natalie Mickly and Molly Abild. (photo bv Cathv Brill) i ..• JSwcjj^ __j|h (MK Ts 1 • - t 1 r (Ku K. , i -A JR B BBhL Pwyw* ,y F w /, r B u V x * - fl "x w IBe <aaHBBBBrTx<- • ACCORDING TO WEBSTER — Third grade students are taught research skills starting with the student learning to put a group of words in alphabetical order. Later, the student studies about guide and entry words. The student will use these experiences to locate words in the dictionary. Considerable time is also spent working with usage, phonetic spelling and multiple word meanings. Pictured here using dictionaries are third graders, Cathy King. Millicent Evans, Christy Richcreek. Jon Wealewyn, Chad Williamson and Scott Jones. Their reading teacher. Keith Bollman, looks on. (photo by Cathy Brill)

that is in him. He must be able to put forth effort, concentrate and think clearly. Have him examined regularly and be sure his hearing and vision are perfect. Refrain from comparing him unfavorably with some other child who is quickly picking up skills. Your child is himself, with his own personal, private timetable for learning to walk, talk, read and do everything else which involves a maturing process. Reading Make your home a haven of thought, books and ideas. If the adults in your family are bookworms who enjoy reading everything from cookbooks to catalogues, he’s very likely to catch the delightful bug. Start a family reading hour which everybody can joyfuly anticipate. If your is a large family, choose a “reading-out-loud” book aimed at the middle children — the older ones will reach down a little and the younger ones will reach up to understand. Let him have a place to keep his books, even if it’s only a shelf. Whether or not he lends them out is his business. To some children, books are as personal as their clothes, and even more precious. Other children like to share favorites with their friends. As soon as he is able to sign his name, introduce him to the public library. Let him browse there while you shop at the supermarket. Subscribe for a children’s magazine for him.

He’ll haunt the mailbox when he knows it’s the second of the month and “his” magazine is on the way. Show the dubious child who doesn’t like to read that books have some use for a real he-man. Not everyone wants to read about horses or undersea diving; but how about the book of magic tricks that any boy or girl can perform; or books on puppetry, soap carving, or weathercraft? There are books on everything if you look hard enough. Lead him into them byway of the other interests close to his heart. Before you select books for birthdays and Christmas, ask his teacher’s advice, teachers are professionals, and can recommend fiction, fact and biography books that are tailored for his age group and skills in reading. These could be dovetailed into the regular school program. Do not be misled into thinking that all good books have to be expensive. There are many five cent books which are worth owning. You may have to do some detective work to locate them, but your child’s teacher will be more than willing to assist. Do not over-reach with comic books. Help him to see the difference between the quality of the art work, the paper, the printing and the language of various books. Work into the content slowly and tactfully. This way he will be able to decide the real value of good books. Discipline The word discipline is too often associated with punishment in the minds of children, parents and teachers. The principle definition of the word is “the training of the mental, moral and physical powers by instruction, control and exercise.” In other words, discipline is the teaching of self-confidence, self-control and self-respect. If all parties would keep this positive definition in mind, fewer problems with disorderly conduct would occur at home and school. “Bring up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from that path.” It does not take a child long to learn that his parents and teachers are symbols of authority and great sources of information about life. Respect for authority is learned during the early stages of development. As a child grows, this is a greater danger of underdisciplining than overdisciplining. Both parents and teachers encounter more problems because of being too easy on children rather than being too tough. Many experts feel that parents

and teachers should be tough first and nice second. Learning how to balance the power of authority that parents and teachers establish is the result of personal experience and education. Wether at home or in school, children need to understand the rules of conduct. It is the parent’s responsibility to make this clear. This is as important in the child’s development as providing for needs such as food, clothing shelter and love. It is the teacher’s responsibility to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning. Early in the year, the teacher will establish rules for appropriate classroom behavior. Learning to follow rules and respect authority helps children to develop traits necessary to be a productive member of society, which is one of the main aims of the North Webster Elementary School.

■ B I -I 1982-83 BOOK OF THE YEAR — Syracuse Junior High School was honored with a first place award in the yearbook competition held by Ball State University. Mary Lou Dixon, yearbook adviser, accompanied Sterling Kauffman and Steve Briggs to Pittenger Center in Muncie where the pair accepted the award. Both eighth graders worked on the publication staff of the yearbook. Pictured here left to right are Mrs. Dixon. Kaffman and Briggs.

Yearbook is top finisher

Syracuse Junior High School placed first in the yearbook competition held by Ball State University for books published in the 1982-83 school year. The books were submitted for judging last October to Homer Hall of , Kerkwood, Mo., who has been honored as 1982 National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year. He was previously named both the Missouri Teacher of the Year (1973) and Journalism Teacher of the Year (1979). Mr. Hall is the author of three nationally accredited books about the publication of yearbooks. The annual competition spon- \\ ( Lakeland y School L Menu 1 November 21-25 MONDAY — Hot dog, tator tots, fruit salad, cookie and milk TUESDAY — Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, tossed salad or carrot and celery sticks, bread and butter, pumpkin pie squares and milk WEDNESDAY — Lasagna, green beans or com, fruit, garlic toast and milk THURSDAY AND FRIDAY - Thanksgiving vacation

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RECORDER CONSORT — Mrs. Lantz’s fifth grade music students at Syracuse Elementary School are practicing in preparation for the all-community Thanksgiving church service. The service is to be held Sunday, Nov. 2b, at 7 p.m. at Saint Martin De Porres in Syracuse.

Education — Book Week underway

American Education and Children’s Book Week is November 14-18 and Nancy Nelson, library coordinator for the Lakeland School Corporation,

sored by the Journalism Department of Ball State University divides the junior high schools into three groups by enrollment size; those under 500 students, those under 1,000 students and those over 1,000 students. Excitement built on Friday, Nov. 4, as students from all over the state met at Pittenger Center in Muncie for the awards and the welcome by Dr. Mark Popovich, chairman of the Journalism Department, beginning Junior High Jounalism Day on the Ball State campus. Over 1,000 junior high school students attended. Syracuse Junior High School was represented at the meetings by the staffs of the newspaper and yerabook accompanied by Mary Lou Dixon, adviser. The certificate, awarded by Dr. Popovich and Mr. Hall, was accepted by Steve Briggs, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Briggs, r 3 Syracuse and Sterling Kauffman, MJH salesmen top goals At the end of their annual cheese and sausage sale, the students at Milford Junior High School have topped their original proceed goal by nearly SI,OOO. Although money will not be collected until the items are delivered, office records show the students have sold $13,034 worth of items, as compared to the $12,120 goal. All proceeds from the sales will be used by the school to benefit the students and student activities. Also according to records, the sixth grade was top seller of items which will be delivered Tuesday, Nov. 22.

stated it is significant that these occur simultaneously. Children’s books are primary in a child’s learning experience. Research shows that parents have a

son of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Kauffman, r 1 Syracuse. Both Briggs and Kauffman worked on the publication staff during the 1982-83 school year.

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The students pictured here are. in the front row from left to right, Celia Impey. Nikki Jones. Lori Gargett. Melanie Anderson and in the second row. Lori Mullins. Nicole Neff, Susan Harman. Scott Colbert. Tameche* Shock. Lori Boles and Lori Stiver. (Photo by Cathy Brill)

greater influence on the child's life than anyone else. Parents are the first teacher’s of children. “When parents pick up a book and reads it with their child, they are doing a lot more than helping them with their reading skills,” remarked Mrs. Nelson. “Sure, it will make reading easier for them later on if they’ve been exposed to books at an early age, but more importantly, they’re helping them with concepts of sorting, classifying, reasoning, problem solving and perspective.” Almost any activity parent engages in will fascinate young children, they re their most important learning tool. “So reading aloud to a child gives him or her a feeling of love and comfort that creates a wonderful atmosphere to learn in,” she commented.

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There are many activities which are related to reading and can be used to stimulate interest. One very important device Nancy Nelson believes is to have a child write stories or tell stories to you while you write them down. “A child will be encouraged to see his or her own words in print and this will communicate. She added. “Talk about what children see, hear and feel. Ask questions that demand more than a yes or now answer. Your conversation will cause them to observe, draw conclusions, in short to think.” Build some memories with a child, she concludes. “You may remember how nice it was when people read to you, and the warmth and closeness that came out of those reading sessions. Try to read to or with your child 15 minutes a dayshe concluded.