In two previous columns, I shared thoughts regarding the importance of ongoing discussions about the need for clear goals in our school curriculum. I also expressed the view that there are common traditional values that are important if our children are going to be successful and happy in the adult world, and we must all endeavor to teach these values.
In this column, I would like to reinforce the belief that there is a legitimate and appropriate core curriculum for all children, but I would also like us to reflect on the importance of seeing our children as individuals. Many years ago, I was given a copy of an interesting parody called "The Animal School" that I read periodically for balance. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming, in fact, better than his instructor; but he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This continued until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But average was acceptable in school; so nobody worried about that except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but he had a nervous breakdown because of so much makeup work in swimming.
The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class, where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the treetop down. He also developed charlie horses from overexertion and then got a "C" in climbing and "D" in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class he beat all the other to the top of the tree, but he insisted on using his own way to get there.
At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceedingly well and also could run, climb and fly a little, had the highest average and was valedictorian.
The illustration may be somewhat exaggerated, but it makes us think about the unique strengths of each child and how we must be careful that we don't neglect an area of giftedness while attempting to strengthen a weakness.
During the fall semester, Jackson R-2 School District students expressed their special gifts in many areas. Whether the achievement was in an advanced placement chemistry class, writing a poem, in a vo-tech class, in athletics, in music or in journalism, students received a taste of what it feels like to shine.
It is our responsibility to set the student up for success. This requires that we know the child well. For this reason, an ongoing goal of mine is to see more desirable pupil-teacher ratios. Smaller classes will provide an opportunity for more one-on-one contact with each child. We will continue to seek ways to provide this opportunity at school, and I hope you parents and grandparents will seek ways to set aside regular periods of one-on-one time at home.
The work of psychologists such as J.P. Guilford in the 1960s and 1970s and the recent work of Harvard's Howard Gardner interest me because they have studied learning from the premise that we are not merely smart, average or dumb, but we are complex combinations of different types and levels of intelligence.
This will come as no surprise to most of you, but we are all special in our own way. Our differences may irritate and sometimes confuse us, but our strengths combined make strong schools, communities and nations. As we begin a new year, let's celebrate the diversity of our children's abilities and interests and share in the work of seeing that every child is successful.
Dr. Howard Jones is superintendent of Jackson R-2 Public Schools and writes a monthly column for the Southeast Missourian.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.