Local schools adapt to moment of silence law

By Shannon Tebben-Sandoval
Published: Monday, December 3, 2007 12:12 PM CST
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Times correspondent

PEKIN - Area school administrators say the recent enactment of the revised Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act has gone virtually unnoticed in the midst of their busy school days.

The October bill - passed after legislators voted to override a veto by Gov. Rod Blagojevich - changed state legislation that already allowed for a moment of silence in schools if teachers and students wanted to participate, and instead mandated the quiet time.

There are no sanctions written in the law for districts that don’t comply.  

But both Pekin superintendents say the revision hasn’t changed much.      ”We tried to keep it low-key,” Pekin Grade School District 108 Superintendent Bill Link said. “We weren’t trying to create an image that we were encouraging prayer or trying to impose our belief systems on anybody, it was just the fact that this is something we’re mandated to do now and we’re going to be doing it. We leave it up to the discretion of the kids, and that’s why we encourage the parents to talk to their kids about it too.”            

“We didn’t give any directions,” said Pekin Community High School Superintendent Paula Davis. “We just want to give the kids the opportunity to take a moment and use it as they see fit, whether they’re doing silent prayer, whether they’re trying to organize their thoughts for the day, we’re just taking a moment in the day to give students an opportunity to collect their thoughts.”

PCHS conducts its moment of silence after announcements that are read at the beginning of second hour.            

Pekin grade schools have a moment of silence - typically about 10 to 20 seconds long - at the end of their morning ceremonies or announcements.            

Previously, District 108 teachers and staff regularly asked for a moment of silence on certain notable anniversaries, such as Sept. 11, or for more school-specific occasions.

Both districts worked to educate students on the ways they can utilize their quiet moment and District 108 sent notes home to parents as well.            

“It really hasn’t had a major impact on what we do or caused us to do something different, it just really became a part of what was already there,” Link said. “I think at each level the teachers have done a really good job of helping the kids understand what it is and really working with them in that respect.”

Critics charge the change is a thinly veiled attempt at introducing mandated school prayer.  

Chicago-area talk show host and atheist activist Rob Sherman filed a lawsuit against Township High School District 214 in suburban Chicago, where his daughter attends school, claiming the law violates the U.S. Constitution.            

A federal judge in Chicago issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the state superintendent from enforcing the amended law, and set a hearing in the case for Dec. 14.            

Link said several challenges to a similar Virginia law have been upheld in the courts there, and he believes the criticisms revolve around the wording of the law, which specifically uses the word “prayer” in both the title and wording of the statute.            

He said he’s read about a possible movement to remove that wording in the hopes of resolving the controversy.                       

Meanwhile, Pekin students continue to observe the moment of silence, and Link points out the law is still the law while the case is under review. 

And superintendents of both districts say they have not received any feedback from parents, students, or teachers - either positive or negative - about the change.            

“I don’t think we’ve made an overly big deal about it,” Davis said. “The law was put in place, we complied with the law as written.”

LESSONS ON VIRTUES What parents should NEVER DO:Fragment from the methodology of the PROJECT Kind Book: Educational books for children: a unique approach to Education …

There is no set formula on how to raise children. Each child is different. Each child is unique, so parent’s relationships with their children are unique. There are things which are counter productive when talking with a child. It is question of what parents should not do under any condition.

If we want to bring up the child with a good understanding of moral values and a good discipline, we, must first develop the child’s consciousness, to do it’s best in the task to generate in the child’s mind the positive image of his/her self. And we must avoid anything that can destroy this positive image. Unfortunately, out of ignorance, anger, annoyance, irritation and sometimes desperation parents use lawful methods in raising their children .As we remember the commandment “Thou shall not sin” so too we should remember to avoid using any of the following methods:

DO NOT MAKE NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO HUMILIATE THE CHILD Sometimes we question the child: “How this idea did come to your mind? Can you do anything better? Do you have a head on your shoulders etc? Every time we make a negative comment to the child we erode his/her confidence.

DO NOT THREATEN Sometimes we say: “If you do this again - you will receive from me!” Or “if you kick your little brother, I will kick you too!” Each time when we threaten the child, we, without realizing, teaching him to become afraid of us or even hate us. Threats are absolutely useless - they do not improve the behavior of the child.

DO NOT EXTORT PROMISES The sequence of such actions at times happens to be like this: the child has done something what he was not supposed to do. Imagine, mum tells him: “Please, promise me now, that you will never do it again.” In response she, certainly, receives the promise. And half an hour later the child will repeat the same action. Mum is offended and upset: “You have promised! Why did you do it then? Why?” But she does not know that a promise means nothing to a small child. The promise, as well as the threat, is more relevant in the future. But the child lives only in the present. If he is sensitive and conscientious, exhortation of promises will develop in the child the own fault syndrome each time he/she breaks the promise. If he is not sensitive, it will teach him cynicism: when the words and reality differs from each other.

DO NOT SPONSOR UNDULY (excessively) It belittles the child in his own eyes. Excessive trusteeship gives him the idea, that he cannot do anything. Many parents underestimate the ability of the child to do something independently. It is necessary to accept as the motto: “Never do for the child what he can do for himself “.

DO NOT SPEAK TOO MUCH Unduly long explanations mean to the child: “You are not capable of understanding simple things, so listen, I shall explain to you”.

DO NOT DEMAND IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE Imagine your husband tells you: “Dear, leave everything and prepare for me a cup of coffee this!” Would you like this demand? In the same way it is not pleasant to your child for anyone to demand things from him. We, at least, should give him in advance notice; ” In ten-fifteen minutes we are having dinner together” We expect him to protect a little: “Oh, mums, I’m still. Playing!” Unconditional submission is appropriate for a puppet, but it does not help in creation of an independent mind.

DO NOT PAMPER THE CHILD In this case it is a question of permissiveness. The child will feel that the parents are afraid to be firm in observance of borders, that they are afraid to say “no”. It instills confidence in the child, that all rules are not firm (a rubber-kind) - they will stretch just under a little of pressure. It can work within the home, but outside of the home bitter disappointments await such a child. To indulge the child, you deprive him the opportunity to grow into a person who can adapt in any situation.

BE CONSISTENT IN YOUR RULES For example, On Saturday mum is in a good mood and thus allows her child to break all rules (or some of the rules). But on Monday when the child does the same thing, she “leans on him, like a ton of bricks (i.e. she reprimand, scorn etc).” Imagine yourself in the place of this child. How well would you learn to drive a car, if on Monday, Tuesday and. Thursday red light means “stop”, and on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - means “go”? Consistency is necessary for the child. He should know what he should expect. Confusion in following the rules (allow this one day and forbid the same on another day) does not promote good discipline, on the contrary it confuses the child and he won’t know what to expect from his parents next time.

DO NOT MORALIZE It instills a feeling of fault in the child and helps to develop a negative self-image. All of morals finally are reduced to one for the child: What you have done is bad. You are bad because you did this. How could you do such a bad thing after doing so many good ones? Reprimanding and critisizing children on a regular basis decreases the child’s self worth. If one were to tape all the criticism on a recorder and then play it back to the parents, they would be amazed. There are so many inappropriate words and methods they use in speaking with the children! They will hear the threats, sneers, constant grumbling, and certainly, moral lectures. Scientifically it is proven, that under such ‘strain’ the child becomes ‘disconnected’ (doesn’t pay attention anymore). It is his unique way of defense which he quickly masters. Certainly, the child cannot be disconnected completely and eventually feels guilty.

DO NOT DEMAND THINGS THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE OF THE CHILD Do not expect a two-year-old child to obey the same like a five year old. This instill in the child, feelings of hostility toward you. You demand from him mature behavior which he is not capable of understanding. This will badly affect the development of his consciousness.

With respect, on behalf of the Authors of 50 books for children and educators (www.kindbook.com): the methodology of the books is a unique approach to education. The Series of classroom lessons. Each lesson begins with a preface for the teacher, suggesting a goal or purpose for the lesson. This is followed by a fable or legend and by discussions questions. Finally, the lesson is reinforced with a list of creative activities.

Related Articles - children, books for children, kids, education, pedagogy, upbringing, Lopatina, moral education, books for schools,

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 More Families Are Choosing to Homeschool Their Children

By Mimi Rothschild

It comes as no great surprise that more families in America are choosing to homeschool their children.  Parents are realizing the benefits of homeschooling, especially after they endure year after year of a deteriorating public school system.  The numbers have been steadily increasing annually because parents can more easily run a homeschool with the creation of state-of-the-art online academies like The MorningStar Academy and the diligent work of legal groups like the Home School Legal Defense Association. 

In an article earlier this week, Georgina Gustin of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes a closer look at the homeschooling movement.  Her findings are very telling and not the least unexpected.  Below is just a snippet from the article.

“In 1999, according to federal statistics, there were 850,000 homeschooled children in the United States. In 2003, that number rose to 1.1 million. Some estimates put the figure today as high as 2.4 million,” writes Gustin.

Imagine the number of homeschoolers in ten year and fifteen years?  It’s exciting for me to think about, especially when looking back only ten or fifteen years ago when homeschooling families faced legal problems from school districts and states.

Read Georgina Gustin’s article about the homeschooling movement in America here.

 Nine year old Caroline Haroldson of Oregon will start her school year like most fourth-graders, the day after Labor Day.  What makes her school year a little different is that she will be traveling across the United States for six weeks on an educational journey. 

But how can she do this?  Easy, home school!

Home schooling allows families to have extremely flexible schedules.  The relaxed home school environment allows home schooling families to take vacations, or in this case an educational journey, any time of the year.  Home schooling also encourages learning to take place outside of the classroom.  This sort of pro-learning attitude has helped guide some of the greatest minds in history, including: Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, C.S. Lewis, and Abraham Lincoln.

Another interesting fact is that more tourist destinations, resorts, hotels, museums, and the travel industry in general are reaching out to home schooling families because they often times travel during slower months; just something to consider when your home schooling family plans an educational journey this year.

Read more about Caroline’s journey here.

 By Mimi Rothschild

Many parents decide to home school their children for academic and religious reasons.  Another, often times hidden, advantage of home schooling is the fact that families have extremely flexible schedules, as noted by Susie Aasen, a veteran home school mother, in The Olympian.

Home schooling families can take vacations anytime of the year and aren’t at the mercy of the local school district.  Also, home schoolers are brought up in a learning friendly environment and are taught that learning happens everywhere.  Therefore, vacations are really just an extension of the home school education.

View Susie Aasen’s article here.

What sort of educational trip is your home school family taking this year?

 The Boston Herald recently reported that over 500 illegal weapons were found on Boston Public School grounds last year.  Is that scary or what?  It gets worse though.  The report also states that student assaults have jumped up from 13 percent from the previous year.  Public Schools in Boston are no place for students to learn.  Read some of the disturbing quotes and experts from the article below.

“No kid is going to be focused on learning when they’re focused on protecting their own life,” said City Councilor Stephen J. Murphy, chairman of the public safety committee.

“15-year-old India Jessamy described an environment at Roxbury’s New Mission High School in which weapons are the norm, from girls concealing butcher knives in Timberland boots to the boy who pulled out a gun last October and stashed it in a drawer between classes.”

“School isn’t about learning,” said Jessamy.

“For every weapon taken, there’s one that’s not,” said Brian Simoneau, attorney for the school police union.

How can any student succeed in such an atrocious and dangerous learning environment?  These student are just trying to survive, no actual learning is taking place.  Public schools can no longer protect students nor educate them; it is time for parents to pull their kids out!

What are the public schools like in your town?

Read the rest of this startling article on Boston’s Public Schools here.