Since you are the Science Cheerleader, I thought you’d like to know about Buzz Aldrin’s forthcoming book for the next generation of scientists and space explorers, “Look to the Stars.” The book will be released in May of this year.

Continued success with your good work. Best, Wendell Minor

I also agree that it is necessary for students to read, understand, and vote intelligently. Teachers are responsible for cultivating these behaviors but parents are also important in reinforcing these principles at home. Let’s face it, teachers spend the majority of the day with children and we play the role of parents from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. Text book teaching is not the only thing we are responsible for. We must also teach children how to be humans. We teach civility and discipline to children on a daily basis through their interactions with children and adults. Teachers help develop a student’s character and at time that becomes much more important than any lesson plan that is scheduled to be taught on any given day.

Children will be motivated and focused if an energentic teacher is in front of the classroom. Deeming a child “lazy” is lazy on the part of the teacher. It is the responsibility of the teacher to stimulate and excite the student in the classroom. If the teacher fails at that task, they should not be in a classroom. Teachers should be excited about their curriculum and respective discipline. If they are excited, the children will be excited. Medication is, at times, necessary. However, these children are the minority—few and FAR between. Curriculums should be hands on. Students will not be excited about reading from a text book; you must stimulate the students and then they will remember the concepts. I truly believe a student passing or failing depends on the person in the front of the classroom.

No one goes into the education field to be a millionaire. Individuals go into education to change lives. I do believe there are bad teachers and individuals who have no business being in a classroom. A specific “$40,000″ figure for a starting salary will not change this behavior. I believe that education degrees are important but what is more important is a degree in a given field of study. You want the person teaching your children to KNOW what they are talking about. You can teach someone how to handle a classroom and students. You cannot teach someone basic principles of math of science.

Whether I teach in a public school or a private school, the education I am providing will not change. Whether I make $40,000 or $100,000 a year, the education I am providing will not change. What matters is how a teacher teaches. What matters is how a teacher relates to the students. When the children are motivated, focused, and excited to be in a classroom THEY WILL LEARN. And I believe that responsibility falls on the shoulders of the individual teachers, and that is no easy task.

Thanks for reading. The comment about looking for an easy “A” came from one of my teacher contributors, but her experience was not unique, I found. Several teacher friends pointed to student requests to do “extra credit” when their basic work wasn’t any good or complaining about science/math tests being “too hard.”

I would appreciate your thoughts on the impact of Ritalin and the medicating of restless students. I absolutely agree with you that focused challenges can keep ADD kids out of trouble. 30 years ago, I probably would have been diagnosed as such and put in the medical corner, if Ritalin been available. Fortunately, I had an expectation of discipline and self-control (from my parents) and an expectation of achievement from several caring teachers. Put the nervous energy to work, and kids might discover that they LIKE learning. Wacky concept.

Again, thanks for reading.

/b

~Michael Sandler (Author of College Confidence with ADD)
http://www.TheCreativeLearningInstitute.com