Education

I think most of us would agree that educating our young people is paramount in this day and age. Should all children be guaranteed the same access to quality educations? I say yes. As parents, grandparents and even great- grandparents we have to be assured that every student has a chance to excel and reach their full potential.

Learning is a lifelong process that begins the day we’re born and never stops until our last breath. How do you motivate a young person to strive for the stars? First, you have to present them with different opportunities and fields of interest to allow them to find that niche that sparks their minds. One must then cultivate and nurture their abilities.

Public education is the cornerstone of the foundation but it is just a small part. The rest of the building must come from encouragement at home, allowing a child to search for the place he or she fits in and sharing their desire to reach their goals. Many times parents will set the goals and become upset if the child seems to stray from the path, but they must permit the child to explore every corner themselves.

We see today where not all students have reached the standards set. Just so you know, not every student is cut out with the same cookie cutter and to require every one of them to reach the set standard at the same point in their life is unreasonable. To hold others back in their learning isn’t being reasonable either. As a child I attended a one room school house for fourth thought eighth grade all housed in the same room. It was an awesome learning experience.

Is home schooling the answer? One on one learning sounds ideal. However, many times the parents have isolated the child from gaining the social skills so necessary in today’s world. By protecting them from everyday issues the child may not be prepared for the reality of life beyond the front door. If the reason for home schooling is to protect the child from drugs and violence that also may not be a good reason. A better way might be to become more involved in their everyday life and give them plenty of proper guidance.