Mi Choza De Nipa

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson When our children were young, my wife and I were just intent on seeing that they got a good education . But we only had two real options to choose from in those days — public schools or private schools . Today, there’s a third alternative, and it’s more than a little intriguing to me. The fastest-growing educational movement in the world today is the “Home Schools” phenomenon. More than 1.5 million American parents and multiple millions more in other countries have opted to teach their children at home. Most do it for just two or three years, but for some, as long as 12. The movement is now old enough to allow for comparisons, but the results, in most cases, have been remarkable. Universities are now enrolling their first big wave of home-schooled children, some of whom are the brightest and most well-adjusted students on campus . And standardised tests are verifying the efficiency of home-style learning. Some critics have worried a...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Very few children today learn to write properly , whether in school or at home. But it’s a skill that they can learn if we take the time to teach them. The early development of my own writing career, which now includes a dozen books or more, began when I was in elementary school . My parents encouraged me and helped me grow in this area. I remember writing a letter to a friend when I was nine years old, after which my mother sat down with me and suggested that we read it together. I started the letter, “ Dear Tom , how are you? I am just fine.” My mum asked me if I thought that sounded a little boring. She said: “You haven’t said anything. You used a few words, but they were without meaning.” I never wrote that phrase again, although that is the typical way a child begins a letter. Looking back, I can see how, even at an early age, my mother was teaching me to write. It’s not that difficult or time-consuming, to encourage or teach our c...

Image by Grufnik via Flickr By Dr James Dobson Have you noticed that routine panic is becoming a way of life for today's families? But guess who's the inevitable loser from this breathless lifestyle? It's the little guy who's leaning against the wall with his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans . He misses his father during the long day but Dad's all tired out. Besides he has a briefcase full of work to be done. Mum had promised to take him to the park this afternoon but then she had to attend a school meeting at the last minute. Children just don't fit into a to-do list very well. It takes time to introduce them to good books. It takes time to listen once more to the bruised knee episode from the playground and talk about the bird with the broken wing. These are the building blocks of esteem held together with the mortar of love. But they seldom materialise amidst busy schedules. Instead, crowded lives produce fatigue , fatigue produces irritability , ...

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr By Dr James Dobson We talked last time about the life-long consequences of divorce on children , but what about parent-child separation that occurs for reasons other than divorce? Recent research confirms that the consequences of any parent-child separation are severe. In one study of fathers whose jobs required them to be away from their families for long periods of time, the children tended to experience numerous specific reactions, including anger, rejection, depression , low self-esteem , and inevitably a decline in school performance. I think I understand at least in small measure, the pain of that separation. In fact I experienced it for a short time when I was six years old. My mother and father left me with my aunt for six months while they traveled. Even today I can remember vividly the evening they left. I sat on my mother's lap while she told me how much she loved me and how she and my father would come back for me as so...

Image by Terry McCombs via Flickr By Dr James Dobson There's a fancy word for kids who don't do well in school. We call these kids underachievers. I would make three recommendations that can reach some kids: 1. Since most underachievers are terribly disorganised, help him establish a system for studying. Turn off the television set and make sure the proper investment in homework is made. 2. Stay in close contact with his teachers and know what's going on in school. I promise you that your son or daughter will not keep you so informed. 3. Seek tuition to provide the one-on-one help that may make the difference. There are some hardcore underachievers who seem determined to fail in school. For them no amount of pushing will get them motivated. In those cases I recommend that you go with the flow and accept the child just as he is. Not every youngster can be squeezed into the same mould, and it's a wise parent who knows when to race the engine and when to let it idle. F...

By Dr Bill Maier "I send my kids to a good school . Isn't that enough?" You'd be surprised how many parents think that way. But when it comes to the education of our children , the buck stops at home. Too many parents sit back and let the schools do all the work. Many don't feel qualified to teach, so they leave it to the teachers to decide what's best for their kids. Others may be intimidated by experts and afraid of getting in the way. But the truth is, schools need our help in order to be effective. And our kids need to know that we care about their education. Good teachers understand how important it is for parents to be involved and they actively seek help and advice. Schools are always looking for volunteers or field trip chaperones. Many schools use parents as classroom assistants or playground monitors. So, if you've got the time, why not call your child's teacher today and volunteer your services. You'll be surprised how much they...

AWARE SAGA He regrets backing new exco in his sermon Alicia Wong alicia@mediacorp.com.sg SENIOR pastor of the Church Of Our Saviour Derek Hong has issued a public apology for using the pulpit to give backing to the Association of Women for Action and Research's (Aware) executive committee in their dispute with the group's previous leadership. "My actions on the pulpit have aroused some tension in this saga," he said, "I now stand corrected. I undertake to be more sensitive to similar situations in the future." Hackles were raised recently when he encouraged female churchgoers to "be engaged" and support Aware president Josie Lau and "her sisters" in the women advocacy group, in a weekend sermon posted on the church's website. Last Sunday, the pastor also invited his congregation to pray for Aware president Josie Lau and her husband, who stood next to Mr Hong on stage. "I regret that this matter has caused concern and unhappi...

By Dr Bill Maier Kids today have more homework than ever. They definitely need some guidelines to help them get through it all. Here are some ideas you might want to try. First, set aside a specific location for homework. A kitchen table can be distracting, especially if it is near a window. If possible, set up a desk that is private and well-lit, away from noise and activity. Make sure your children have all the books and resources they need at their fingertips. Second, help them get organised. Get them a good file, with separate pockets and pages for each class, and teach them to track their assignments on a daily planner. Finally, get them into a regular routine. Doing homework at the same time and place each day eliminates arguments like, “Can’t I do it after dinner?” Sometimes, the best way to solve “homework hassles” is by establishing a few good homework habits. From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 05-May-2009

SEXUALITY EDUCATION Don't just leave it to schools or authorities Letter from Woon Sook Yi I REFER to "Content of sessions was appropriate" from Ms Sum Chee Wah, director of Education Programmes, Ministry of Education (MOE) (April 29). I write as a parent of three children. I can tell the scope of subjects taught in school from its textbooks. However, family values cannot be adequately taught in school. A child's identity is largely shaped by his or her family values and upbringing, moral and religious beliefs included. A child's growth encompasses his or her emotional, physical and mental needs, as well as awareness of his or her sexuality. All these needs should be fundamentally addressed at home. Therefore, I would suggest that the MOE relook its scope on guiding students over such non-textbook, sensitive issues. Sexuality education in particular. Sexuality education delivered by external parties, who are also shaped by a value system, cannot be neutral or bala...

Anybody knew about this alleged unwholesome sex education by AWARE, not to mention their endorsement of "pink parents" concept, a family unit made up to 2 gays or 2 lesbians, and an adopted child? Would be good to come out in the open… ----- AWARE'S SEXUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME Letter from Sum Chee Wah (Ms) Director, Education Programmes Ministry of Education (MOE) WE REFER to recent claims and comments about Aware's sexuality education programme in schools. Sexuality education conducted in MOE schools is premised on the importance of the family, and respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities on sexuality issues. The aim is to help students make responsible values-based choices on matters involving sexuality. Core programmes are delivered by teachers but schools do collaborate with other agencies in delivering additional modules. However, in doing so, schools must ensure that programmes run by external agencies are secular an...

Below is an article lifted from Today daily, a comment to a comment to a comment on additional lessons to schoolchildren conducted during school holidays. I agree with this one. Do you? ----- More lessons are not always better Letter from HO KONG LOON I REFER to the letter “Why lament extra school lessons?” (May 29) by Goh Kian Huat. The writer does not understand what goes on in our schools. Generally, in the education sector, the perception is that more is better. The reason is obvious: School heads favour teachers who go the extra mile, giving extra lessons being one of the requisites. Teachers conduct supplementary and remedial lessons during term time. In some instances, these extra lessons are held three times a week, each one lasting two to three hours. I know of a school where extra lessons were held on weekends. Even so, during term time, many teachers are finding it increasingly difficult to teach students who are inattentive, disruptive, noisy, quarrelsome, lazy or just indi...