EDUCATION

Children (and parents) behaving reasonably

ìDonít be so stupid!  What did you go and do that for?î  The words seemed to come out of Mikeís mouth automatically. Moment later, seeing the tears smarting in Joshís eyes, he wished he could undo those few words. 

Mike knew the humiliation he had felt whenever his father had uttered these words, and heíd vowed never to say or do anything to make his own son feel stupid, dumb or unloved.  ìSorry, Josh.î  He gave his son a hug.  ìLetís see if we can work this out together.î

Mike could hardly believe how easily his fatherís words had become part of his own way of thinking about himself and of responding to Josh.  When he thought of how much heíd wanted to be loved and approved of by his dad, it made sense that dadís words had such a big impact ñ even now, years later.

As parents, we want our children to behave reasonably, to be able to learn and develop happily, but how often do we consider what we unwittingly teach them by the sometimes unreasonable ways in which we speak to them?  Our children need us to help them develop positive ways of thinking about themselves and their abilities.

New services for children

The St. John of God Foundation has been successfully running playgroups for children with speech and language problems from Girrawheen and Merriwa. Parents with children between the ages new born to six years have found this service to be very beneficial in helping develop communication skills in their youngsters.

This year the service has been extended. One of the new additions is speech pathology screening for all children between the ages of three and six years.

Parent workshops are also run on a monthly basis. Workshops are intended to help all parents facilitate development in their children. Limited numbers of speech assessments are also being offered.

All services are co-ordinated by a speech pathologist and referrals from community organisations, parents and other institutions are all welcome.

In order to book for any of these call 0401 489 653.

Kumon gives children a head start

Liza and Bill Chatterton, like all parents, wanted to give their five-year-old the best start to her learning and development.  After doing their research they enrolled their daughter, Emma, in the Kumon English Programme at the Rockingham Kumon Education Centre. Kumon aims to give young children confidence, help to increase their concentration and aid in gaining an enthusiasm for learning.

Emma has been a student of Kumon for the past three years and is one of its many success stories! Due to her success in English, Emma is now enrolled in the Kumon Maths Programme. She spends no more than 30 minutes on her Kumon work but that little bit each day allows her to move swiftly ahead in her class.

Emma has the skills to read her favourite stories, like ëHansel and Gretelí and ëThe Little Mermaidí, by herself. The individualised Kumon programme designed for Emma has developed her motivation to try her best and know that she can do anything she puts her mind to.

Emma says she enjoys going to her Kumon Education Centre twice a week because her supervisors, Lesley Lambert and Bruce Cooper, are fun and really nice to her.

Kumon Education Centres are located across the Perth metropolitan area. For more information call 1800 458 666 or visit www.kumon.com.au.

EQ courses boost family harmony
by Victoria Carlton, International Centre for Excellence1

Over the last year we have helped many children with emotional intelligence difficulties. These children have often been bullied, have low motivation and tend to have a negative attitude towards themselves and their schoolwork. Low self-esteem is often associated with learning difficulties and we always try to improve self-image within the first few weeks of learning therapy.

ICE is holding another EQ4Families course for parents who would like to improve family harmony on 7 July. Emotional Intelligence is far more important than IQ and really does determine our success levels. Families with high EQ levels are able to help motivate each other and ìpull togetherî.

Parents with high EQ are more able to cope with crisis situations, motivate their children and help them deal with anger. They are also able to become ìemotional coachesî and help all family members understand their feelings and become more positive.

We also have ongoing EQ4Kidz classes to help children become more emotionally intelligent. They are led through four modules specifically put together to raise their EQ. Courses are run during term and holiday sessions.

Children with high EQ are more likely to succeed with schoolwork and ìself-coachî. They are able to handle bullies, motivate themselves and form goals and follow-through.

Please call for details of our EQ courses or our tuition services on 9478 3323

How is my child really going at school?
Julia Gilmore (M.Ed.,B.Ed.Dip.Tch)

ìSam hates reading and writing stories but he loves to draw and build his Lego creations!î

 ìBree lacks focus and is really disorganised.  Her essays and assignments are very poorly written.î

ìWe know that Jo can do better at school.  She seems to be lazy and just likes to cruise along, but sheís very bright.î

Parents are often concerned about their childrenís school performance, especially in the areas of reading, writing, spelling and maths. There is a big difference between a student who is struggling because of learning difficulties and one who is ìlazyî, ìjust cruisingî or developmentally delayed.  Even highly intelligent students can be performing at very low academic levels.

Student portfolios and reports give very little of the relevant information that most parents really want to know, such as the actual levels of performance in key subject areas. One option for parents of primary and secondary students is to have their child assessed professionally by an experienced specialist teacher. One hour per week at the centre or in the home can make a huge difference.

Julia can be contacted for advice or help about primary or secondary students on 9402 5080.  Website: www.a1learning.q-net.net.au 

Kingsway Christian College prepares students for life

Equipping students for life in a changing and challenging world is a primary objective of Kingsway Christian College. Students are provided with a rich variety of learning experiences in which they may develop their whole person - the academic, emotional, physical, social and spiritual.

In 2004 Kingsway TEE students performed within the top 5% of the state. Excellence is the hallmark of Kingswayís educational programmes. These fully accredited programmes provide students with clear pathways into further study and employment.

Kingsway Christian College has a current enrolment of over 1,100 students on two campuses. The Darch campus caters for students from kindergarten through to Year 12, whilst Merriwa campus caters for kindergarten to Year 7.

Kingsway Christian College reinforces the Christian values taught at home. Its goal is to provide excellence in Christ-centred education in partnership with families, whilst keeping Christian education affordable.

The College is now interviewing for years 2007 and 2008. Limited places are available, especially in years 6, 7 and 8. For comprehensive enrolment information please contact the Registrar Mrs Peta Ramsey on 9302 8777.

Drama classes developing your childís full potential

Children who take drama classes get more than stagecraft in the hands of the right teacher. Encouraging children to think for themselves in a world that is full of passive entertainment is vital for a childís development today.

In a safe and inspiring environment, children get the opportunity to express themselves, build their self-confidence and their communication skills.

Place a shy, nervous child in a friendly situation within a small group of similarly aged children and the child to be him or herself. Or put the opposite kind of child in the same group and ask them to work with the team and you will have two winners. ìShyî becomes confident, and ìpushyî becomes more cooperative.

Ask either one to improvise with props, music and a theme, and the results can be startling ñ even hilarious. The benefits can be seen immediately, in better behaviour and better school results.

If you would like to know more about the Just Kidding programme for children run by Come to Your Senses, ring Ingrid Klaasenholm 9255 4887 or 0421 173 351.