Hands-On-Teaching For More Effective Learning

Making Our Children Whole     by F&EG Staff  -9/2008

Effective teaching and the welfare of our children’s education has finally reached the ‘to do list’ with educators throughout our nation. Hands-on teaching, also known as ‘edutainment,’ has now taken the spotlight as a tool that can help redirect teaching methods nationwide.

In light of a failing education system (Time Magazine reports one million U.S.A. Students dropout every year) the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) proposed a new plan to redirect and reshape teaching methods in k-12 schools. The NAESP proposal is called Vision 2021-Leading, Learning Communities: What principals should know and be able to do.

NAESP’s ultimate goal is ‘to make our children whole for the future.’ It frames a preferred future for schools and leadership that requires principals and teachers to re-learn effective teaching methods that enhance application rather than theory. In a nutshell, actions speak louder than words.

Though NAESP’s Vision 2021 is still in it’s beginning stages,”Many principals are disseminating the plan now,” says Karen Tucker, Associate Editor for NAESP. “A lot of principals have already began our training programs to re-learn effective teaching methods”.

“We have been waiting for this plan for the last decade,” says Park Dale Lane PTA member Levan Radick. “I recall actor/educational activist Bill Cosby speaking out about effective teaching and learning at the 1999 National PTA Convention in Portland, Oregon. Some PTAs scorned his words, said Levan. “Our teachers and principals need to be re-taught,” boasted Bill Cosby. “Better late than never,” says Levan.

Up until the last couple of years, educators treated edutainment programs as a side-act but we can now move forward with an ‘edutainment approach.’… now in gear. That’s Edutainment!

Quick: When do you use a semicolon, or a comma, or a period in a sentence?Is a comma placed inside or outside a closing quotation mark? What about the question mark: inside or outside a quotation mark?

Don’t know? Join the legions of students of all ages – and adults – who don’t know the basics of punctuation. That’s why Jeff Rubin and his wife, Norma Martinez-Rubin, made it their business to bridge this gap in Americans’ literacy.

Jeff founded National Punctuation Day in 2004, and in 2006, he and Norma began facilitating Punctuation Playtime in elementary schools in California. It’s a live, interactive, standards-based program that teaches the basics of punctuation in a FUN and engaging way.

Norma and Jeff now travel throughout the United States with the program, and also offer a teacher-training DVD that shows educators how to replicate the program in the classrooms and assemblies.

Teachers wholeheartedly endorse the program. “Punctuation Playtime completely supports our curriculum content,” says Sally Feldman, a teacher at Washington Elementary School, Point Richmond, CA.

You’ve wrapped up the best in teaching to bring to our students. I love the fact that you’re not afraid to teach young children great skills!”

In today’s culture, the word stranger can be misleading to children. The fact is, anyone can potentially be harmful and parents and children need to be on guard and aware of danger signals all the time.

Unfortunately there are predators who will use their position of trust or power to take advantage of young children. Most often the predator is someone the child already knows. They usually work by gaining the child’s confidence, posing as a friendly neighbor, mom’s new boyfriend, the little league coach, the boy scout leader or even a divorced parent.

Teaching kids to memorize safety tips while having fun with music and lessons can save their lives should a dangerous situation arise.

Safety tips can give children simple clues as to: when to say no, when to run, and when to scream for help, while not frightening them.

Here are some tips and follow-up safety questions, appropriate for ages 3-12, that can be incorporated with music, dance or other fun ways to learn. Since every child’s home environment varies, they should be encouraged to discuss this information with their parents or guardians.

1. There is a special phone number for emergencies. 911 goes directly to the police station. You can also talk to a trusted adult. Can you name some trusted adults that you know?
2. Can you name some things that might be considered emergencies?
3. If you got off the school bus and someone stopped in a passing car and asked you for help with directions: should you walk over to the car to help or run as fast as you can to the nearest neighbor?
4. If a neighbor invites you over to play video games, to see their new puppies or kittens, or to go to the movies, should you go with them, or should you ask mom and dad for permission first?
5. When on the internet there is certain information we don’t want to give out to anyone including our names and addresses.
6. When playing outside it’s always good to have a have a friend or two with us so we can keep an eye on each other. We call this the buddy system. Can you name some of your buddies?
7. It’s all right to say no to an adult if we feel uncomfortable about a situation. If someone asks us to kiss or hug them just because they are a relative or neighbor it’s ok to say no. What are some other things someone might ask that we would say no to?
8. If someone touches you somewhere they  shouldn’t, then tell an older person you can trust.
9. Find a meeting place at the shopping mall, movie theatre or the zoo just in case you get lost. You should never leave the store alone or with anyone except your parents. Who can you go to for help? When you are in the store with your parents, point out safe meeting places and safe people to go to if you get lost.
10. Never use public restrooms alone. Always go with a friend or a parent or trusted adult.Here are some websites that offer safety through music for children.

• http://www.netsmartzkids.org
• http://www.britemusic.com
• http://www.safetyape.com

Cupstacking Competition Sports
– Develops Motor Skills and Confidence in Kids

Cupstack, the original of the Cupstack game cup, began in Oceanside, California at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club some 20 years ago. Today it is a popular competition sport.

‘The original purpose of the game,” explains Cupstack creator Wayne Godinet, was to help kids develop their motor skills and allow kids that did not compete in basketball, football, or baseball to also become competitive in something different, thus increasing self-esteem though competition.”

Wayne Godinet is also the CEO of Youth Opportunities Network (YON), a 501-C3 non Profit Organization, that provides leadership, support and community services to north San Diego County. “We are dedicated to youth issues, particularly in the areas of gang prevention, intervention and diversion,” says Godinet.

“Cupstack is used as one of the tools to help YON achieve this on-going goal of keeping todays youth out of, and away from, gang related activities,” adds Godinet.

As time went on, the Cupstack game spread across the U.S. becoming a very popular activity in many of the schools today. Annual and semi-annual competitions are now held at local, regional and national levels.

For more in formation on Y.O.N. and how to purchase Cupstack kits, visit www.youthopportunitiesnetwork.org and click on the Cupstack link.