The Educated Child
Description
Just as William J. Bennett's The Book of Virtues has helped millions of Americans teach young people about character, The Educated Child delivers what you need to take control. With coauthors Chester E. Finn, Jr., and John T. E. Cribb, Jr., former Secretary of Education Bennett provides the indispensable guide.
Championing a clear "back-to-basics" curriculum that will resonate with parents and teachers tired of fads and jargon, The Educated Child supplies an educational road map from earliest childhood to the threshold of high school. It gives parents hundreds of practical suggestions for helping each child succeed while showing what to look for in a good school and what to watch out for in a weak one.
The Educated Child places you squarely at the center of your young one's academic career and takes a no-nonsense view of your responsibilities. It empowers you as mothers and fathers, enabling you to reclaim what has been appropriated by "experts" and the education establishment. It out-lines questions you will want to ask, then explains the answers -- or non-answers -- you will be given. No longer will you feel powerless before the education "system." The tools and advice in this guide put the power where it belongs -- in the hands of those who know and love their children best.
Using excerpts from E. D. Hirsch's Core Knowledge Sequence, The Educated Child sets forth a state-of-the art curriculum from kindergarten through eighth grade that you can use to monitor what is and isn't being taught in your school. It outlines how you can help teachers ensure that your child masters the most important skills and knowledge. It takes on today's education controversies from phonics to school choice, from outcomes-based education to teaching values, from the education of gifted children to the needs of the disabled. Because much of a youngster's education takes place outside the school, The Educated Child also distills the essential information you need to prepare children for kindergarten and explains to the parents of older students how to deal with such challenges as television, drugs, and sex.
If you seek high standards and solid, time-tested content for the child you care so much about, if you want the unvarnished truth about what parents and schools must do, The Educated Child is the one book you need on your shelf.
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Persons
Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America's most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast, he is also the Washington Fellow of the American Strategy Group. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books. Dr. Bennett served as the secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Ronald Reagan and as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George Herbert Walker Bush.
Content
Acknowledgments
Before You Begin
Introduction
You Are Your Child's Most Important Teacher
Lessons That Good Schools Teach
Will Your School Educate Your Child Well?
Our Schools and Our Culture
Ten Principles for Parents of Educated Children
Part I: The Preschool Years
Chapter I: Fostering a Love of Learning
Your Love, Protection, and Care
Your Time
A Positive Learning Environment
An Attitude That Values Learning
Early Moral Training
How Young Children Learn
Chapter 2: Getting Ready for School
Kindergarten Readiness List
Getting Ready to Read
Making Your House a Book House
Choosing Books for Children
Thirty Great Books Every Preschooler Should Meet
Setting a Good Reading Example
Reading to Your Child
Reading Rules of Thumb
Checking Out the Library
Getting Ready to Write
Learning to Speak and Listen Well
Getting Ready for Arithmetic
Preschool Science
Building Motor Skills
Resources to Help Your Preschooler Learn
Chapter 3: Character Education in the Early Years
Forming Character for School Success
Discipline in the Preschool Years
Social Skills
Helping Your Child Learn Self-Reliance
Chapter 4: Day Care and Preschool
Day Care
A Word About Day Care Licensing
Preschool
Is Preschool Necessary?
Looking for a Good Preschool
Staying Involved
Part II: The Core Curriculum
The Importance of a Solid Core Curriculum
Checking on Your School's Standards of Learning
How to Use This Book to Examine Your School's
Curriculum
Ten Signs of a Good School
The Core Knowledge Sequence
Chapter 5: English
What Good Schools Teach -- and Why
Reading
Writing
Speaking
How Do You Recognize "Great" Literature?
How Are Schools Doing?
The English Curriculum
The Primary Grades
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Good Books for the Primary Grades
How Well Read Is Your Primary Grade Child?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
What If My Child Has a Reading Problem?
The Intermediate Grades
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Good Books for the Intermediate Grades
How Well Read Is Your Intermediate Grade Child?
Wellsprings of Western Literature
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Junior High
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Good Books for Junior High
How Well Read Is Your Junior High Schooler?
Memorizing Poems and Prose
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Issues in Language Arts Education
Phonics Versus Whole Language
When Should Students Start to Read?
Should Schools Group Children by Reading Ability?
When Should Children Learn to Write?
What If the Teacher Does Not Correct Spelling?
How Important Is Penmanship?
What Is the Place of Western Literature in the English
Classroom?
Why Are Children's Classics Being Slighted?
Is My Child Really Learning to Understand Literature?
Should Children Study Much Grammar?
Should Schools Be Sticklers About Proper English?
Warning Signs of a Weak Language Arts Program
Teaching Reading, Writing, and Literature at Home
Helping Your Child Learn to Read
Help with Phonics
Building Reading Comprehension
Resources That Help Your Child Learn to Read
Helping Your Child Learn to Write
Gauging Your Child's Interest and Progress
Chapter 6: History and Geography
What Good Schools Teach -- and Why
The Intellectual Function of History
The Civic Function of History
The Moral Function of History
History Lessons That Good Schools Teach
The Place of Geography in the Curriculum
What About Economics?
How Are Schools Doing?
The History and Geography Curriculum
The Primary Grades
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Is Your School Teaching Historical Literacy?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
The Intermediate Grades
Fourth Grade
How Are American Fourth Graders Doing?
Fifth Grade
Does My Child Know the Map?
Sixth Grade
Is My Child Geographically Literate?
Is Your School Teaching Basic Economics?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Junior High
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
How Are American Eighth Graders Doing?
Is Your School Teaching Literacy in American History?
Is Your School Teaching Literacy in World History?
Is Your Child Learning How American Democracy Works?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Issues in the Teaching of History
What Happened to the Story in History?
"Expanding Environments"
What Is "Social Studies"?
How Important Are Facts in History?
Dates Your Child Should Learn
What Is the Place of Multiculturalism in History Class?
How Much Western Civilization?
Is It America the Beautiful -- or the Bad?
Warning Signs of a Weak History and Geography Program
Teaching History and Geography at Home
Teaching History at Home
Resources That Help Your Child Learn History
Teaching Geography at Home
Resources That Help Your Child Learn Geography
Teaching Civics at Home
Teaching Basic Economics at Home
Chapter 7: Art and Music
What Good Schools Teach -- and Why
How Are Schools Doing?
The Art and Music Curriculum
The Primary Grades
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
The Intermediate Grades
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Junior High
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
How Strong Is the Fine Arts Program at Your School?
Teaching About Art and Music at Home
Resources That Help Your Child Learn About Art and Music
Chapter 8: Mathematics
What Good Schools Teach -- and Why
How Are Schools Doing?
The Mathematics Curriculum
The Primary Grades
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Does Your Child Know Basic Math Facts?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
What If My Child Is Falling Behind?
The Intermediate Grades
Fourth Grade
How Are American Fourth Graders Doing?
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Does Your Child Know Basic Math Facts?
Why Does My Child Keep Counting on Her Fingers?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Junior High
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Does Your Child Know Basic Math Facts?
How Are American Eighth Graders Doing?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Issues in the Teaching of Mathematics
What Is "New" New Math?
Is Memorization Outdated?
How Important Is Practice?
What Is the Role of Calculators in Math Class?
What Is "Discovery Learning" in Math?
What Is "Real World" Math?
How Important Is Getting Exact Answers in Math?
Does the Teacher Know Enough Math?
Warning Signs of a Weak Mathematics Program
Teaching Mathematics at Home
Math Homework Counts
Memorizing Math Facts
Resources That Help Your Child Learn Math
Math Activities Around the House
Chapter 9: Science
What Good Schools Teach -- and Why
The Value of a Solid Grounding in Science
How Are Schools Doing?
The Science Curriculum
The Primary Grades
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Is Your School Teaching Science Literacy?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
The Intermediate Grades
Fourth Grade
How Are American Fourth Graders Doing?
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Is Your School Teaching Science Literacy?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Junior High
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Is Your School Teaching Science Literacy?
How Are American Eighth Graders Doing?
Questions to Ask the Teacher
Issues in Science Education
Is Your School Teaching Enough Science?
Is the Curriculum Challenging?
Does the Teacher Know Enough Science?
What Is the Best Way to Test Students in Science?
Should Schools Teach Evolution?
Are Science Lessons Getting Too Green?
Warning Signs of a Weak Science Program
Teaching Science at Home
Teaching Your Child to Think Like a Scientist
Science at Home and Beyond
Resources That Help Your Child Learn Science
Part III: Making It Work
Chapter 10: Helping Your Child Succeed in School
Teaching Your Child Good Study Habits
Teaching Your Child to Study Actively
Helping Your Child with Homework
Warning Signs of a Weak Homework Regimen
Tests and Testing
Types of Tests
What Are the "Standards" in Standardized Tests?
Preparing for Tests
Test-Taking Tips
The Anti-Test Bias
"Authentic Assessment"
Warning Signs of Weak Testing Methods
Grades and Report Cards
Grade Inflation
Grade Aversion
Warning Signs of Weak Grading
What If My Child Isn't Promoted?
Warning Signs of Academic Trouble Ahead
Getting Involved at School
Great Ways to Get Involved
Volunteering at School
Signs of Schools That Welcome Parents
Good Teacher Relations
The Parent-Teacher Conference
Working Out Problems with the Teacher
Your Principal and Your School
Getting to Know the Principal
Grading Your Involvement
Chapter 11: Special Needs and Special Gifts
Children with Disabilities
What Is "Special Education"?
Identification and Evaluation
Learning Disabilities
ADD and Ritalin
Developing a Plan
Deciding on the Placement
Looking Out for Your Child
Where to Get Help and Information
Gifted Children
Options for Gifted Students
Being an Advocate for Your Gifted Child
Where to Get Help and Information
Chapter 12: School Problems
Low Standards and Expectations
A Fifth Grader Asks Her Own Questions
Are Your Child's Textbooks Challenging?
How to Gauge Your School's Expectations
Warning Signs of Low Expectations
Fighting Low Expectations
More About Home Schooling
More About Charter Schools
Bad Teaching
Warning Signs of Bad Teaching
Poor Discipline
What Good Schools Do
What Parents Can Do
Warning Signs of Discipline Trouble at School
Chapter 13: Along with Academics
Character Education
How Schools Teach Good Character
Signs of Good Character Education
Does Your School Live by a Character Code?
Teaching Character at Home
Character-Building Books
Where to Get Help and Information
Character and Faith
Health and Physical Education
What Good Schools Teach
Keeping an Eye on the Health Program
Physical Fitness and Health at Home
Extracurricular Activities
Summer Learning and Fun
Chapter 14: Temptations and Troubles
Drugs and Alcohol
What Parents Can Do
Signs of Drug Use
Teaching Your Child to Say No
Supervising Older Kids
What Good Schools Do
Questions to Ask About Drugs and Your School
Where to Get Help and Information
Sex and Sex Education
Principles to Look for in Sex Education
What Parents Can Do
Where to Get Help and Information
Television and Your Child's Education
Establishing Good TV Habits
Internet Safety Rules
Chapter 15: Current Issues in Education
Outcomes-Based Education
Education Standards
Skills Versus Knowledge
Multiculturalism
Discovery Learning
Teachers as Facilitators
Developmentalism
Multiple Intelligences
Cooperative Learning
Self-Esteem
Choice Among Schools
Public Versus Private Schools
Public Charter Schools
Home Schooling
For-Profit Schools
Religion and Schools
Social Promotion
Tracking
Class Size
Spending on Schools
School Uniforms
Year-Round Schooling
Computers in the Classroom
Teacher Training and Certification
Teachers Unions
Bilingual Education
Chapter 16: Parents and Education Reform
The Education Establishment: The Blob
Special Interest Groups
The Anti-Blob
Ways to Bring About Change
Tips and Warnings
Good Books About Education Reform
Good Web Sites for Parent-Reformers
Notes
Index
