Thursday, February 5, 2009

You are your child's best advocate!

I was blessed by Bev Bos's message I today. If you are not familiar with her name, I encourage you to read any of her books.

For the past several years I have encouraged parents to be their child (ren)'s advocate, telling them how special and unique their child is and how it is our job to encourage and develop them as special and unique individuals. Unfortunately our society (public schools) is most often providing environments where children are being taught in a "one size fits all" style of teaching and curriculum. I believe most teachers want to provide for individual learning styles and personalities but the requirements of the job do not make this so possible.

My son's Patric's school years experience, elementary and now in high school has been an ongoing struggle to help teachers appreciate who he is was and is, an energetic, super friendly, always happy, talkative, hard to keep focused, needing extra help kinda kid.

Bev's message shared a quote by Docia Zavitkovsky, some of you might remember Docia as a past President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She coined the line, “our job is not to get children ready for school, but to get schools ready for children.” I was so tickled when I read this because it is so similar to the truth I share over and over with parents and told myself (and many teachers) over over again in my sons life.

"it is not your child's job to change for the teacher, it is the teachers job to change for the child"

I encourage all parents - be your child's advocate. We certainly provide our children with clear, healthy and consistent boundaries with love AND nurture, develop and encourage the wonderful unique human being that your child is!

To Ms. Zavitkovsky and Bev Bos, thank you for sharing your wisdom

PS - I haven't forgotten about sharing and Im sorry!

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