Timing is everything when you are a musician, a gardener, a car mechanic, a trapeze artist, and yes, even a parent! Everyone, practically, is tied to some need for timing. Being both a musician and an artist, I have an internal struggle: the musician wants perfect timing, while the artist has no concept of time when lost in creative thought.
Our school differs from the state public schools when it comes to the time for children to attend school. Due to sheer numbers, the public schools must limit entry dates to a set date and not deviate from it. We, on the other hand, have the ability to judge a child’s readiness for school and make the determination best for that child. Many bright children have been spared boredom in a typical pre-school classroom which borders on day-care service. (Note: some preschool programs and day care facilities do offer fine “learning programs.”)
Educational programs over the years have tried to mandate a certain age for the accomplishment of skills by children, only to find that not all children fit in that box! Individuality is an important concept that must be paramount when timing a student’s learning path. It requires keen observation, knowledge of the progression of skills, and much daring on the part of the teacher. When we step outside of the typical box, we are on our own…accountable for the positive or negative outcome for that child.
I am a firm believer that a child can learn anything if the teacher puts it into a concept which is familiar to that child. I think children have a natural desire to advance on to new concepts rather than do the same old thing over and over again. Thus, it is important for educators to spend the extra time developing that new level of learning for that child. Immediately it becomes apparent that not all children learn at the same pace, and a “one size fits all” approach to learning just doesn’t work for all students.
The hardest part of matching timing to a student’s needs, for me, is trying to pick a point of entry or departure for older remedial students. The student doesn’t want to work in activities which are “young” or beneath his age. However, finding activities of lower-order skills which are presented at a seemingly “teenage” level, is a task that is very hard. Often a teacher must just write her own activities. This is, however, probably the best solution since the teacher knows that student’s particular needs best.
The other “timing” problem I face is that of the “hurried child.” This child wants to write cursive writing before he or she can even recognize the complete manuscript alphabet. The purpose of printing in manuscript is to properly form letters for an easy transition to cursive connected writing. The print in manuscript also better matches the world of print around the child which he/she is trying to learn to read. If the child and the parents of that child will relax and wait for the proper timing, cursive writing will be easy and certainly more legible.
Brain research has given us information such as the need for teens to start school later in the day. Some timing such as this is often just not possible due to various restraints. Research also shows that students read faster in the morning, but comprehend better in the afternoon, although at a much slower rate of reading. So, when should a reading class be scheduled? I’ve had reading classes at both times of the day. The research has proven true. But the question remains: which is more important for the student…faster completion of work, or better understanding of the work?
In summary, I spend a lot of my life dealing with issues of timing. Do I solve problems with one basic line of reasoning? No…I have to look at each case individually. Then, I must look at timing issues such as schedules, student maturity, parent desires for that child, and my own available time. Then, I do a lot of praying! I have had a lot of success…but I have also had failures. So, I will keep working for a better solution…and I will do what I can to help each student of mine to overcome timing issues.
- Kay