NATIONAL
INITIATIVE TO SAVE BLACK YOUTH FOCUSES ATTENTION ON PARENT AND SCHOOL
PARTNERSHIPS
Dr. Stephen Jones, author
of "Seven Secrets of How to Study"
Philadelphia, PA
- (4/8/04) Parents and schools play a vital role in helping students
to succeed in the 21st century. Together they must balance a student's
motivation to learn with technology and with the traditional K12
education process. The shift in this balance is already reshaping how
students learn. Many parents are not in touch with the rapid changes
in technology and they feel left behind. Students no longer learn math
using one method - it literally changes from one school to another.
Parents and schools need help to negotiate the rapid changes that are
occurring. The truth is that schools and parents must prepare their
sons and daughters to adjust to constant change throughout their
lives.
Parents and schools must be aware that computers will continue to
play a significant role in the education of future generations. In the
21st Century it is hard to imagine life without a lap top computer,
DVD players, MP3 players and cell phone. A student can be entertained
at the push of a button 24 hours a day seven days a week. While these
items may be used to inspire learning, they can also distract a
student's attention away from experiential learning. Students are
spending a lot of time in a passive learning environment rather than
an active learning environment. This is where parents and school can
form a partnership to improve the learning possibilities of nation's
youth.
Dr. Stephen Jones, author of Seven Secrets of How to Study,
comments, "I've talked with school administrators and I've visited
schools to show parents how to improve the academic performance of
their students. I've discovered that parents are not attending PTA
meetings due to uncertainty about how to communicate with teachers and
administrators. Some parents assume that they will have problems based
on their own elementary, middle and high school experiences. While the
age of parents gets younger, schools must begin to use demographics to
create information that is relevant for a younger parent. Sending a
letter home with a child or teenager is not a sufficient means to
motivate parents to take part in their child's education."
Dr. Jones insists that schools should use a different approach to
reach out to students and their parents. "Why not have each school
produce a CD or DVD that provides an introduction to the school. The
disk could be updated each semester. This CD could also point to the
school website for information about special events, meetings and to
provide their opinion about student needs. Parents have concerns and
they need a vehicle to relay their concerns to the school. I suggest a
periodic telephone survey to get a true sense of the challenges that
parents are facing at home. Enlist the help of seasoned parents who
can offer suggestions when they call a parent."
Dr. is using his National Initiative to Save Youth and new book
"Seven Secrets of How to Study" to help parents and schools to bridge
the gap in academic preparation of students. The "Seven Secrets of How
to Study also encourages students to become active participants in the
learning process. Parents and schools need this type of resource for
students who are not prepared for the challenges they will face in
college or trade school. Very few books are written to meet the needs
of parents and schools.
To purchase the book, call 215-753-1000 or visit
www.sevensecrets-books.com
