By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

Here are a few words of caution to parents who have children in schools that use violent punishments, a.k.a. paddling. They need to anticipate disingenuousness on the part of educators and administrators who typically do not invite dialog with the public on this topic. When drawn into discussions about "discipline," school officials are apt to trot out those familiar, well-rehearsed, stock responses, the purpose of which is to divert criticism and lull parents.

MYTH - Corporal punishment is used only after all other means have failed and is governed by strict guidelines.

FACT - The number of pupils beaten will always be grossly underestimated because school administrators are savvy enough to AVOID saying things that might alarm the public or draw attention to themselves. Furthermore, What does 'strict guidelines' mean? More often than not, violent punishments are used as a first response for trivial offenses. Guidelines, where they exist at all, exist more on paper than in practice. As a general rule, reliance on fear, force and violence in educational settings is inversely proportional to the level of competence of the educators involved. The least competent tend to be the most violent. They are also the most resistant to reform and most rejecting of other methods to correct unacceptable behavior.

MYTH - Teachers' right to resort to corporal punishment must be retained because certain students can't be controlled by any other means.

FACT - Violent punishment causes far more bad behavior than it corrects, if it corrects at all. The more some children are subject to educator violence, the more misbehaved they become. The very act of physical punishment destroys trust and engenders hostility toward the institution that is supposed to be serving them. As for children who conform outwardly due to fear of punishment, they are receiving an education mainly in one subject area: the abuse of power. Some of them will put that lesson into practice at the earliest opportunity.

MYTH - Well-behaved children have nothing to worry about.

FACT - Wherever pupil beating is allowed, all children worry about it. They know that punishers typically act on impulse and are rarely, if ever, called upon to justify their actions before or after the fact. A steady diet of fear and anxiety impedes learning and, moreover, is dangerous to children's health.

MYTH - This method of pupil management has been in use for many years and it is overwhelmingly supported by parents and the public.

FACT - It is true that violent pupil management has been used throughout recorded history. But today, only the most culturally backward places continue to use it. In almost the entire democratic world, violent punishment of schoolchildren is illegal, and nowhere is it making a comeback. The dwindling number of parents who approve of these methods are themselves the products of such a system. Naturally, they feel reassured when they see teachers at school modeling the same bad behavior that they use on their own children at home. Violent parents and violent teachers alike delude themselves when they claim that their methods are universally approved.

MYTH -- It works.

FACT -- If it worked, why do punishers have to keep punishing? And why are our maximum security prisons filled with violent felons who were reared and educated by these very same methods? Parents tend to trust educators who, after all, are highly trained in their specialty and are licensed by the state. And virtually all parents want to believe that those who take charge of their child at school are motivated by genuine, nurturing feelings toward the child. Educators recognize and pander to this powerful, natural desire. Deliberate vagueness about the details serves the needs of both parties: the practical needs of the educators and the emotional needs of the parents. Responsible, thoughtful parents, however, need to bear in mind that they are delegating their most important responsibility to total strangers - strangers who have their own agenda, who vary widely in their level of competence, who operate with minimal supervision and with near-absolute impunity. Few people would hand over their car keys in the same circumstances, with the same degree of trust. Readers who visit the state education Web sites listed below and look for the word "paddle" or the phrase "corporal punishment" will come up empty-handed. One would never guess that in these school systems children are beaten in their pelvic area with wooden weapons between 1/3 and 1/2 million times annually according to the most conservative estimates. Some researchers estimate the number of legal pupil beatings in the 22 pupil beating states at about 1 million per year. Small wonder nobody's talking!

States which allow corporal punishment:

ALABAMA
Office of the Superintendent of Education
Alabama Department of Education
Gordon Persons Office Building
50 North Ripley Street
P.O. Box 302102
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
Tel.: (334) 242-9702 FAX: (334) 242-9708

ARIZONA
Office of the Director
Arizona Department of Education
State Capitol
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Tel.: (602) 542-5460 FAX(602) 542-5440

ARKANSAS
Office of the Director
Arkansas Department of Education
Four State Capitol Mall, Room 304 A
Little Rock, AR 72201-1071
Tel.: (501) 682-4204 FAX: (501) 682 1079

COLORADO
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80203-1799
Tel.: (303) 866-6808 FAX: (303) 866-6938

FLORIDA
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Florida Department of Education
Capitol Building, Room PL 08
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Tel.: (904) 487-1785 FAX: (904)488-1492

GEORGIA
Office of the State Superintendent of Schools
Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334-5001
Tel.: (404) 657-0516

IDAHO
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Idaho Department of Education
Len B. Jordan Office Building
650 West State Street
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720
Tel.: (208) 334-3300 FAX: (208) 334-2228

INDIANA
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Indiana Department of Education
State House, Room 229
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798
Tel.: (317) 232-6665 FAX: (317) 232-8004

KANSAS
Office of the Commissioner of Education
120 South East Tenth Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1182
Tel.: (913) 296-3202 FAX: (913) 296-7933

KENTUCKY
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Kentucky Department of Education
Capitol Plaza Tower - 500 Mero Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
Tel.: (502) 564-3141 FAX: (502) 564-5680

LOUISIANA
Office of the Superintendent of Education
Louisiana Department of Education
626 North 4th Street, 12th Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
Tel.: (504) 342-3602 FAX: (504) 342-7316

MISSISSIPPI
Office of the Superintendent of Education
State Department of Education
550 High Street, Room 501
Jackson, MS 39201
Tel.: (601) 359-3512 FAX: (601) 359-3242

MISSOURI
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Missouri Department of Elementary
& Secondary Education
205 Jefferson Street, 6th Floor
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Tel.: (572) 751-4446 FAX: (573) 751-1179

NEW MEXICO
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
New Mexico Department of Education
Education Building
300 Don Gaspar
Santa Fe, NM 87501-2786
Tel.: (505) 827-6688 FAX: (505) 827-6520

NORTH CAROLINA
Office of the State Superintendent of Public Education
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Education Building
301 North Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-2825
Tel.: (919) 715-1277 FAX: (919) 715-1278

OHIO
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Ohio Department of Education
65 South Front Street, Room 810
Columbus, OH 43215-4183
Tel.: (614) 466-3304 FAX: (614) 644-5960

OKLAHOMA
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Hodge Education Building
2500 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
Tel.: (405) 521-4887 FAX: (405) 421-6205

PENNSYLVANIA (Some school districts ban corporal punishment)
Office of the Secretary of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street. 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Tel.: (717) 787-5820 FAX (717) 787-7222

SOUTH CAROLINA
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
South Carolina Department of Education
1006 Rutledge Building
1429 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Tel.: (803) 734-8492 FAX: (803) 734-4426

TENNESSEE
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Tennessee Department of Education
Sixth Floor, Gateway Plaza
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243-0375
Tel.: (615) 741-2731 FAX: (615) 741-6236

TEXAS
Office of the Commissioner of Education
Office of the Texas Education Agency
William B. Travis Building
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701-1494
Tel.: (512) 463-5825 FAX: (512) 463-9008

WYOMING
Office of the State Department of Public Instruction
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue, 2nd Floor
Hathaway Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
Tel.: (307) 777-7675 FAX: (307) 777-6234

Information courtesy of Jordan Riak http://www.nospank.net

By Barbara Freedman-De Vito

Introduction

As a parent who wants the best for your children, there are undoubtedly many things that you already do every day to help your children succeed in school. The purpose of this article is to provide some practical ideas for you to try. Some of these suggestions may be new to you, many will be familiar, and some are just plain common sense but, hopefully, they will all serve as reminders of the many simple steps you can take that are too often taken for granted or forgotten about, due to the hectic pace of everyday living.

Read to your kids, whatever their ages

First of all, read to your children. We all know that this is important, but I'd like to point out that reading aloud should begin in infancy. It can contribute to your baby's developing attention span and receptive language skills. In addition, I'd like to encourage parents to read to growing children, even once they are able to read on their own. Don't stop once your kids are in elementary school for, whatever the status of their reading skills, hearing a good book read aloud is an experience apart.

Being read to allows children to focus more on the descriptive passages and the action, rather than having to struggle with understanding every single word. It also allows them to hear great children's stories that are beyond their current reading level, and it's a wonderful way for a family to share a magical experience. Choose a children's book that can also be enjoyed by you as an adult, and have a family reading session each evening or each week. A classic children's story, such as "The Wind in the Willows," or the Harry Potter books might be perfect for your family,
depending on the ages and interests of your children.

Encourage independent reading and library use

Offer quality children's literature to your growing children and encourage them to read on their own - at their own level and at their own pace. Fiction and nonfiction can both open up new worlds of knowledge and experience and help prepare kids for success in school and in adult life, and don't forget that online children's stories are an exciting new resource to add to your reading repertoire.

Take your children to the local public library. Be sure that each member of the family has his or her own library card. Help your children see the public library not just as a place associated with homework and drudgery, but rather as an exciting doorway to interesting information and adventure. Encourage library book borrowing related to any special topic that interests your kids - from astronomy to adventure stories, from fact to fantasy.

Get your kids to participate in some of the special free extra activities and programs that are regularly scheduled in many public libraries, like storyhours, craft projects, films, and summer reading clubs. Take your children to museums, concerts, puppet shows and the like. Expose them to any forms of entertainment and cultural enrichment that you may be lucky enough to have access to.

Develop effective research skills and good study habits

Help your kids develop research skills that will serve them well, not only on school projects, but later in daily life as an adult. For instance, if you're planning a family trip, let the kids conduct library and Internet-based research on possible destinations, sites of interest, driving or flying routes, and how to dress appropriately for the climate of your destination spot. If you're thinking of buying a new car, let your kids take part in your consumer research, comparing different car models according to a variety of pertinent criteria.

Nurture good study habits and self-discipline. Set aside a regular, daily study time for homework in a quiet, well-lit room. Be sure that your kids have a study environment that's sound physically, as well as conducive to mental concentration. A quiet room is important, but so too is good lighting, a chair that provides good back support and access to all the materials that your children need to complete projects. Supply them with pencils, erasers, rulers, and so forth.

Encourage kids to keep their desk or other study area neat and well organized. This will prevent lots of time-wasting searches for materials and will really pay off as your children get older and their school assignments become more complex. Good organizational skills, which include the
arrangement of physical objects, plus the logical structuring of the steps involved in completing any given project, can last a lifetime.

Take an interest in your kids' day-to-day school life

Take an interest in your children's school projects. Encourage them to show you reports they've written or pictures they've drawn. Make them see that you care about what they're doing and about how they're doing, but don't make them feel like they're constantly being monitored or judged. Don't add pressure, just give them plenty of support, encouragement and praise for jobs well done. Provide them with the resources they need (such as Internet access, library time, books and magazine articles) to do a good job on school assignments, but... resist the temptation to do the school projects for them.

Take the same approach with everyday homework. If your child's having trouble with a math problem, review the rules, explain the procedures, and check the results, but don't just give a child the answers. The learning process is more important than a list of correct answers to hand in to the teacher.

Go that extra mile

Among the most precious gifts that you can give to your children is your time. Put them first and make time for them. Build a happy, stable home environment, full of love and security, and you've already gone a long way towards helping your children thrive and succeed both in school and in life. Be involved in the big and the small events that make up their daily lives. Offer your support, encouragement, resources and love. Be there for them, no matter how busy your professional life is or whatever other commitments you have. Before you know it your children will be grown up and what they'll become depends largely on you. For their sake, as well as for your own, make the most of their childhood.

There are no pearls of wisdom here, just a refresher course in things that we've all heard a million times, but don't always stop to take them to heart. They're so important that they deserve our attention, to periodically remind us of what really counts in life.

By Stephen Lamb

A picture might spark one thousand words, but a great medical model needs no explanation. Whether you are a doctor or a teacher, trying to explain the intricate human body with a lot of medical terms may cause confusion. The solution to this problem is an accurate model that effectively displays every last vein and vertebrae.

Plastic surgeons may find that an abdominal model is of great help while trying to describe an abdominoplasty procedure to a patient, while a general surgeon may find that a model of a cancer-ridden lung will help ease the mind of a restless patient. Additionally, these models are perfect for showing both adults and children the way that the body works during a regular check-up. All parts of the body (including the skin) can be easily explained with the help of a well crafted model.

Likewise, an expertly constructed anatomical model can be a useful teaching tool. Both university professors and elementary school teachers will gain a large response from their class by using these interactive models. In order to help clarify all parts of the body to students, model training aids are also a great help. These training aids include injection teaching models; venipuncture training arms; gallstone models; kidney stone models; and a wide range of patient care simulators.

Conveying the numerous parts of the body to your audience is a lot easier when you have a colorful model on hand. From a complex eight-part model to a simplistic one-part model, anatomical models are the perfect way to take a peek inside the human body without using a scalpel.

By Patricia Hawke

Chicago public schools have been going through a transformation designed to take the district's mammoth high schools and turn them into more intimate, student-focused environments. Educators and administrators seem to love the concept. And deep-pocketed philanthropists think it's a great idea too. Various groups like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation have invested $26 million to the small schools concept.

For urban areas like the Chicago Schools, there's a lot of research to support the idea that teen learners do better in an environment where people know them and have regular contact with them. So over 20 of the Chicago Schools have been transformed to high schools that house 500 students or less. Elementary schools have a limit of 350 students.
The recent controversy is because the 2006 state test results for Chicago Schools did not show the expected rise in test scores that everyone hoped to see. But there were a lot of positive effects. Teachers report that the small schools have a climate that is better for teaching and learning. Drop-out rates are lower and graduation rates are higher in Chicago Schools that have switched to the new model. But what about the test scores? If academics aren't affected are the smaller schools working?

My answer is- definitely. The fact that school climates are changing is a really big deal. Failing students in Chicago Schools usually live in low-income areas and have a history of school failure. So getting them to come to school, and to graduate is an important first step. And even if those students graduate with low test scores or low grades, the high school diploma and the options it opens up can be life changing. And an improved climate at the Chicago Schools will have long-term affects as well.

One of the biggest benefits of small Chicago Schools is that it fosters relationships between teachers, students, and parents. This closer communication helps the attendance rates because smaller schools are more likely to alert parents of student absences. Smaller schools could the best thing that the Chicago Schools have done in years. That doesn't mean it's the total solution, but it's a great start.

As for why Chicago Schools didn't show improvements on the Prairie State Assessment Test, well it actually makes sense. Keeping the low-achieving-would-be drop-outs in schools probably lowers test scores overall. But that's OK, because they are where they need to be and getting a better chance at life than they would as drop-outs. Lifetime income for Chicago Schools students rises incrementally when they have a diploma.
All students in Chicago Schools, and all children in the world, thrive when given attention and when they feel that someone cares about what happens to them. Smaller schools simply make sense. I hope that the Chicago Schools have the sense to keep them around.

By Patricia Hawke

Portland Schools started to make some significant changes to the diet of its children in 2006. At that time, Portland Schools eliminated all soda, sports drinks and junk food from vending machines in the schools. This was part of the district's wellness policy in response to some federal nutrition mandates for schools receiving federal subsidized lunch money. But the Portland Schools went even further than just taking the junk food out of vending machines.

The Wellness Advisory Committee recommended significant changes to school lunch menus, advertising and fundraising sales. And Portland Schools listened. Fundraising items like doughnuts and candy cannot be sold until 30 minutes after school ends. Lunches at Portland Schools include more local and fresh produce, often grown at the school itself. And the district removed any ads for soda or sports drinks and replaced them with healthier images. Why does this put Portland Schools ahead of the curve?

The Oregon House voted, 46-11, to ban the sales of most junk food in all schools by fall of 2008. The mandate is expected to pass in the senate and has the approval of Governor Ted Kulongoski. Rep. Scott Bruum, R-West Linn, has stated that studies show that obesity in this country has tripled in the last three years. National attention given to the statistic of 1 in 6 children being overweight, and of a huge increase in childhood and Type II Diabetes also added to the sense of urgency.

The fact that Portland Schools have already addressed the issue is helpful in more ways than one. The current bill doesn't affect school lunches, as that program is federally mandated. Also, other Oregon districts will now face a financial loss from partnerships with Coke from having the vending machines in schools. Portland Schools have already dealt with that.

Sugar, sodas and junky food have also been shown to have a severe impact on the behavior of many students. Some react with sugar highs, other with lethargy from a lack of protein and healthy whole grains, fruits and vegetables. The Portland Schools' model has an answer for that. Abernathy Elementary School really made the grade for good nutrition. It was one of many Portland Schools to make changes, but the alterations there were huge. The school started a made-from-scratch kitchen, a hands-on school garden, and many educational programs. Portland Schools funded the pilot program through grants and district support.

If the largest school district in the Pacific Northwest made these changes voluntarily, many parents are asking what's taking the rest of Oregon so long to catch up with Portland Schools. Of the opposing votes to last week's bill, some representatives said they were against letting the state make decisions for individual districts. Well, Portland Schools seem to be making their own decisions, and the parents and teachers seem pretty happy about it.

By Barry Hoffman

Hillary Clinton almost wrested the Democratic nomination for president last year. In endorsing Barack Obama she spoke of being unable "to shatter that highest hardest glass ceiling this time [but] thanks to you it's got about 18 million cracks." Clinton did for women what Barack Obama did for blacks. Women were no longer content to remain second class citizens; playing second fiddle to males and acting submissive to them.

Just as significantly as Clinton being a woman was the fact she had flaws . . . more than a few. It was her complexity that made her so compelling. She was someone women could identify with, not the perfect female heroine with the sizzling body and glowing personality. Women saw a lot of themselves in Hillary Clinton and supported her despite her failings.

Adolescent girls now more than ever need literary protagonists they can identify with - warts and all. Too often females are secondary characters (significant, yet subordinate). The Harry Potter series revolves around, well, Harry Potter (ironically proving a woman can create compelling male characters).

Adolescent girls, so confident in elementary school, face an identity crisis and a battering to their self-esteem beginning in middle school. As an educator for 28 years I'm the first to admit teachers are often to blame (girls aren't as capable in math and the sciences far too many teachers believe. It's rubbish, but that's what pre-teen and teenage girls are taught to believe). Parents aren't as involved as they should be so adolescent girls don't get encouragement from the home.

Girls at this age need to read about others like themselves. They need to read about other girls who lack self-confidence, are full of contradictions, are childish, headstrong, selfish, jealous and bitchy. They need to see, too, that these same literary characters can be confident, inspiring, compassionate yet strong. They need role models who are able to make almost impossible choices and live with the consequences; female protagonists who can lead and accomplish as much or more than their male counterparts.

Teens have to read about girls who get knocked down, bloodied and battered, yet get up to fight another day. They need literary protagonists they can say, "That could be me. I'm not a freak. Others have the same self-doubts and insecurities as I have. I'm not alone . . . and I can prevail."

Girls need strong-willed and flawed literary role models to shatter stereotypes that hold them back. Boys protect girls. They strut their stuff when their girl is challenged or endangered. Women couldn't fight in wars until recently and even now can't fight in combat units. Girls are nurses (not even doctors, for the most part) in relative safety behind the lines helping to patch up the wounded.

And we can't ignore the double standard when it comes to sexuality. A girl who is sexually active is a slut or "easy." Yet, sexually active boys are studs. On the other hand a girl who doesn't let her boyfriend get to second or third base (much less home) is a tease. Is it any wonder girls are confused? Sexually, regardless how an adolescent girl responds she faces negative connotations, yet for boys to be aggressive is "manly."

Where are literary role models to counteract these stereotypes? Far too few exist. And with the vast number of heroic males literature only reinforces stereotypes males have of females and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Boys lead and protect. Girls follow.

Authors need to follow the example of Hillary Clinton and provide flawed, complex yet heroic female protagonists. We need female characters who refuse to submit to their male counterparts. Female characters adolescents can identify with.

By Patricia Hawke

Colorado has a reputation as one of the healthiest places to live in the country. Lots of skiers and healthy outdoors types usually come to mind. Denver Schools are doing their best to make that perception a reality. Denver Public Schools Student Services and the Nutrition Center have created a unique health initiative to bring information and medical attention to needy children in Denver Schools. The Nutrition Center is run by the University of Denver and is aimed at providing communities like Denver Schools with ways to improve the problems of childhood obesity and malnutrition.

With community funding from the CU Cancer Center, and partnerships with other community educators, Denver Schools offer a variety of nutrition and medical programs. The Center for Human Nutrition provides Denver Schools' 3rd and 4th graders with classes on healthy eating and behaviors. The Denver School Based Health Centers now are present in 7 high schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 elementary schools. These centers are placed in areas with higher poverty and increased risk. Counseling, pregnancy care, and private health care reach the corners of the Denver Schools District with the greatest need.

These partnerships between Denver Schools and community businesses reach even further than school boundaries. The Colorado Nutrition Network used the collaboration to create an educational program in the Denver Schools community aimed towards at-risk residents. Denver Schools expect these programs to have far reaching effects that will impact concerns like dropout rates and student test scores.

Many reports linking childhood obesity to diseases such as diabetes make the Denver Schools initiative a program watched by many around the country. It is considered a national model and offers resources and assistance to other school districts that wish to implement a similar program.

Denver Schools also benefits from a University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center program that may contribute to the future health of students at Denver Schools for years to come. Each year high school students in Denver Schools can apply for one of the Summer Cancer Fellowships Programs to do research and clinic work at the Health Sciences Center. The National Cancer Institute funds this program that benefits many students at Denver Schools each year.

Denver Schools also team with University Hospital to provide middle school children with an opportunity to shadow a hospital employee for a day. While these programs may not address every issue that Denver Schools face, they are positive steps away from raising children who watch TV, play video games and eat junk food to the exclusion of all other activities. Denver Schools are clearly aware of the correlation between household income and poor nutrition. They are one of the few districts in the county that have taken active and effective steps to slowing down and reversing this trend. Teachers, principals and superintendents nationwide will watch Denver Schools to assess their results and mimic their actions.

By Sudhakar Ram

"To aid life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself, that is the basic task of the educator". Maria Montessori.

It was a normal school class - noisy, a little chaotic. A few students paid attention to the teacher standing over them. But most of the kids pushed and shoved and screamed at each other. Two or three just stared off into space.

Next door, in the Montessori classroom, it was a different story. No pushing. No shoving. It was quiet and orderly. Children picked up materials and worked on their own, with minimal assistance from the specially-trained teacher. When finished, the kids put the materials back where they had found them. A four-year-old cut carrots by herself. The children exuded a quiet confidence and a natural eagerness to learn.

My encounter with the Montessori method of education grew out of an article on education that I wrote as part of my "Resurgent India" series a few years back. I was invited to visit the Sri Ramacharan Trust in Chennai, a local NGO that had introduced the Montessori method in Corporation schools in the region. When I visited a range of classrooms - some traditional, some Montessori - in a government school in Saidapet, I was truly amazed by the stark contrast.

The spirit behind this endeavor was a feisty lady - Mrs. Padmini Gopalan - and her colleagues. An inspiring leader, Mrs. Gopalan took it upon herself to convince the government to allow her to try this experiment. She claimed existing classrooms, installed her own Montessori-trained teachers and assistants, and began running classes in a whole new way. Under her able leadership, the Trust now runs almost 20 Montessori programs in schools and Balwadis in Chennai.

Having studied different education models over the last eight months, my wife Girija and I are yet to find a better system than the Montessori method. I have devoted the last month reading up on Montessori methods. The more I learn, the more I am amazed by the depth of insight that Maria Montessori has generated in the area of children's education.

A medical doctor by training, she first applied scientific learning principles to the education of disabled and mentally challenged children in her native Italy. She found that she could get these children to be on par with normal children in their reading and writing abilities within a few years. That set her thinking about how normal children could do much better, too.

Montessori tried to get the government to apply her scientific education principles in public elementary schools. Not surprisingly, the governing bodies in Rome would not give her access to these schools. Montessori, however, got the opportunity to set up a day- care center and school in a poorer district in Rome, where the parents were quite happy to have their pre-school children taken care of during the day. This allowed her to experiment with all aspects of the education system, starting with the classroom design and the furniture. She spent the close to 50 years defining and refining the Montessori method - a dedication and commitment that is difficult to find in any other system.

We can see the philosophical essence of the Montessori method in one particular story. In a public park in Rome, Maria saw a baby of about a year and a half, a beautiful smiling child, trying to fill a little pail by shoveling gravel into it. There was a smart and loving nurse next to him. Since it was time to go home, the nurse was exhorting the child to finish his work. When that had no impact, she herself filled the pail with gravel and set the pail and the baby into the carriage with the fixed conviction that she had given the child what he wanted.

Maria was struck by the loud cries from the child and by his expression of on his little face. She realized that the little boy didn't want the pail of gravel; he wanted to fill it himself. It was part of his self-development. This is what happens to children all their lives, Maria thought. They are not understood because adults judge them by their own adult measures; and the adult, trying to help, lovingly helps him do this; but the child normally is looking for the learning opportunity and not the object itself.

I am puzzled why the Montessori method, the most scientific system of education that mankind has developed, remains largely ignored. With its ability to handle large class sizes and mixed-age classrooms, this system seem ideally suited for the Indian context. Please share your own insights of why the Montessori system has not found more widespread appeal.

By Don McKay

Most parents will agree that a good education is important. It is equally important that certain values come first in the implementing of what is being taught. For instance most parents would object to sexual education at a kinder garden or 1st grade level. Why is that? Obviously, the child has not under gone any changes, nor should the children of the world at this age be sexually active. This is a legitimate reason. The child also is not likely to understand what sex really is. This same line of thought can also apply to things they are currently being taught in schools today. Should elementary children be taught to drive a car? I would hope not! Should they be taught to be violent? Should they learn about war? Should they be taught how to get a job? For an elementary school child the answers should be no! So how is it that our schools and teachers find it relevant to make our children say the Pledge of Allegiance?

When I went to register my son for Pre-K the kinder garden kids were about to say the Pledge of Allegiance. As I listened they were being coached by the school principle and there were words they all had trouble pronouncing. The Principle corrected their grammar as they were reciting, but I had to ask myself do they know exactly what they are pledging? In the Pledge of Allegiance there are 6 words that 100 % of all kinder garden and 98% of all 1st grade kids can't understand. Even if a great teacher taught the meaning of each word could a mere child reason on his or her Allegiance? If you asked a 5-year-old child "What is democracy?" They would probably look at you and lift their shoulders and say, "I don't know!" So why is it being taught at such a young age? Are our children being conditioned to be model citizen or patriots? This is exactly the case. Countries around the world use such conditioning to win over the spirit of their citizens.

Should any child be forced to say the Pledge Of Allegiance? Most certainly not! If you don't understand a contract that you signed should you be bound to its terms? Apparently the courts in many states believe that a contract is only valid if both sides agree to its terms, and if both parties do not understand the terms, then the contract may be as valuable as toilet paper. So, if a child has to wait until he or she is 18 years old to vote, then the burden of his or her allegiance should not be called to question until age 18 either. What if the child is from another country and has duel citizenship? How can they pledge allegiance to both countries. According to the King James Version of the Bible at Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. As long as we have our freedom then we all should be able to choose when we understand not before we understand. To do so could be ignorance on our part.

By Kelly Keenan

Has your child shown interest in modeling? If so, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before you start heading out to casting calls and looking for a reputable kids modeling agency to represent your child.

Does My Child Have "The Look"?

Art directors and producers often seek a certain "look" for each campaign or commercial. They might seek a girl with blond hair for one advertisement, and boy with black hair for another advertisement. A child who has a perfect look for a particular toy advertisement might not have the right look for a clothing advertisement.

Regardless of how you define your child's look - beautiful, cute, or unique - it's unlikely he's going to have the right look for every modeling job. This doesn't mean your child isn't suited for modeling, but it does mean he's probably going to be more suited for certain jobs than he is for others. Fortunately, an experienced kids modeling agent will tell you about casting calls for modeling jobs your child is right for.

Is My Child's Personality Suited for Modeling?

Child models have to deal with many people, so if your child has an outgoing personality and doesn't often shy away from people, he might be well suited for modeling.

When you consider your child's personality, also consider his usual disposition and behavior. Think of sets for photo shoots and commercials as places of business. There are numerous professionals on each set and each professional is trying to do a particular job. Will your child work well in that kind of environment? Will your child's usual behavior disrupt progress? Or will your child's personality, disposition, and behavior lend themselves to smoothly and efficiently completing the job?

Does My Child Have Any Special Talents?

While not every casting call will call for a child with a particular talent, some casting calls might. If your child has a special talent, it can help give him a leg up on the competition.

Of course, your child's modeling agent will be aware of any talents your child has and will tell you about any casting calls that call for that talent!

How Much Time Can We Devote to My Child's Modeling Career?

The more time you and your child can devote to his modeling career, the higher his chances of getting jobs.

Think about your child's daily schedule. Is he in pre-school? Elementary school? Does he participate in after-school activities?

Also think about your daily schedule. Do you work, and if so, what are your usual hours? Do you have other children, and if so, do you have a spouse, family member, or friend who can take care of them while you're away at casting calls and photo shoots?

Of course, you must remember that your child needs time to be a kid, too! As you're thinking about the amount of time you'll both have to dedicate to his modeling career (including preparing for and attending casting calls and photo shoots), make sure you're thinking about how much time it all leaves him to enjoy his childhood.