One week from now, on Sunday, Oct.11, the Jefferson City News Tribune is printing the last scheduled submission of this column.
The first installment was in October 2011 and there has been one each week since then.
In the last four years we have explored several topics in this space. For this week, there is a potpourri of items for your consideration:
A GOOD READ - News journalist and former Miss America Gretchen Carlson wrote an encouraging book called "Getting Real" (published this summer). In it she wrote about working through difficulties, persevering and being what you want. She wrote that setting goals is important, saying, "I found that the process of pursuing a goal to be exhilarating ..." She also told of how she still envisioned trying other endeavors in the future and added that, no matter what, "I'll never stop growing."
ANOTHER GOOD READ - Recently I finished reading "Finding Your Element" by Sir Ken Robinson (published in 2013). The subtitle is "How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life." Robinson writes about how a person should find the kind of work and the kind of activity that means the most to him or her. One of his insightful comments was, "... it tends to be difficult to find happiness unless you feel that what you're doing is significant in some way." He also said schools should help students have choices about what they learn and should be allowed to pursue many of their own interests within their education.
THERE ARE MANY MORE GOOD READS - For the record, I've found many more than two good books this year. It seems there are many on my reading list that keeps growing.
HELPING STUDENTS READ - And speaking of reading, at Jefferson City High School we are encouraging students to read whenever they have time in their focused academic study time (FAST class) or, for that matter, whenever students have a few minutes any time during the school day. Students can bring a magazine or book from home to read, as long as it's school appropriate. Many teachers have been making reading materials available as well. Quite simply, we want students spending more time in a book and less time texting friends. But that is not to say we are against technology. In fact ...
TECHNOLOGY - At JCHS we see the benefits of the digital world and are trying to get students to use it to enhance their education rather than using it as a diversion from their education. You may have read or heard about how each freshman and sophomore student has an iPad that is meant to be used as an important part of classroom learning and research. (Eventually, every student in grades 9-12 will have an iPad assigned to them). Teachers have had training on how iPads can be used as tools to aid in classroom learning and they continue to have further training each Tuesday.
WRITING - It is clear that students everywhere need to be writing more as a part of their education, but it is often something that has traditionally been relegated to the English department. Writing, however, needs to be a part of almost every aspect of education. The January 2012 issue of Principal's Research Review had some interesting facts along those lines, stating that research has identified a connection between writing opportunities and the student's mastery of the material. It said, "Writing to learn deepens student understanding by extending students' thinking." In short, writing helps students organize and clarify their thoughts and their understanding. It enhances learning.
WORK ETHIC - At JCHS and in every high school in the country, we need to foster within the students a sense of commitment to the work that they do each day, and not simply with schoolwork. That dedication should apply to any other endeavor. In our country we have a diminished concern for producing good quality work and good customer service. Quite simply, not enough people in the work place take pride in what they do. Others don't work at all. To help address this, students should learn to be good employees. Ann Landers once wrote "... folks who do hiring look for young people who have a spark. They want someone around who looks energetic, eager, and rarin' to go."
WISDOM - Along the same lines, good breaks and opportunities generally come to those who are the most dedicated or the most dependable. Ann Landers also wrote, "... the harder you work, the luckier you will get."
WISDOM - Our young people also need to understand that not everything will be given to them. Most of us know that getting what we want is not always easy but many teenagers don't. Mark Twain once said, "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."
MORE WISDOM - In addition, we must convey to our young people the importance of displaying a good demeanor and being considerate of others. Theologian, physician and missionary Albert Schweitzer once said, "Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate."
Wise insights indeed. Next week, a final word.
David Wilson, EdD, is the associate principal at Jefferson City High School. You may email him at [email protected].