Liberal Arts Education: It really is the best option out there...

Three years ago this August, I began my freshman year with the misconception that “all colleges were created equal” to some degree or another.  Sure, I knew my choice was a good one and that Furman was prestigious, challenging, and unarguably considered the best school in the state of South Carolina.  Still, I figured that in four years, I would be a “college graduate” just like all of my friends who chose state schools or less challenging institutions of academia.  In the end, we would all have a diploma and be venturing on to graduate school or the world of work.  Sound a little naive?  Let’s just say I didn’t quite understand what I was getting myself into.  Looking back on my choice for college, I can now say that the “world” I chose to enter proved to be a life changing experience that I would not trade for anything. I’m pretty sure it’s going to come in handy in the future too...

 I soon found that there was a little something different about being a Furman student and that there was something different about this thing they call a “liberal arts education”.  In my immature state of mind that I then called the age of eighteen, I had absolutely no idea how a liberal arts education would change my perception of myself, my studies and future goals, and the world as a whole.  Now, as I am on the brink of beginning my senior year, I know that the experiences I’ve had at Furman are going to open huge doors for me and for my peers.  This kind of education is something to be excited about, something that will set us apart from all the other applicants and faces when we enter the real world that so eagerly awaits us.    

So what exactly is it about places like Furman?  I can honestly say that liberal arts universities offer a supportive foundation for just about anyone, whether you’re outgoing or reserved, conservative or liberal, northern or southern.  Perhaps the greatest part about the whole experience comes when you combine all of these diverse characteristics and populations together into one student body.  In an effortless manner, some form of “the perfect recipe”  is cooked up as each student, professor, and faculty member balances the other out.  Further contributing to this equilibrium is the irreplaceable sense of community that you can find at just about any corner of campus.  

Sure, the college experience can feel so foreign and “far away from home” when you pile on the inevitable stress of exams, growing up, and figuring everything out. That’s part of the game we call life, and as young emerging adults, we certainly are in the midst of it.   And I’ll admit, college isn’t always picture perfect and everyone isn’t always running around with a smile on their face and bragging about their effortlessly earned 4.0 GPA.  However, I can say that Furman and schools with similar ideologies provide the necessary means of support for the ups...and the downs that a student inevitably encounters during college.

So, maybe its the rose garden, perfectly placed trees that line the Furman mall, or the aura of it all that makes this place so special.  Maybe its the professors that truly care about their students’ future endeavors and serve as mentors to numerous students on a regular basis.  Maybe its the sense of community, the opportunities for Greek Life membership,the on-campus clubs, the philanthropic involvement, or the support of the Greenville community.  The bottom line is that there’s something special about a liberal arts education and about this place we call Furman.  It’s something anyone can benefit, learn, and grow from.  It’s something that takes a hold of each person it encounters and changes who they are. It really is something to talk about.  

image found at: http://puka.cs.waikato.ac.nz/custom/cic/collect/cic-hcap/index/assoc/p673.dir/Campus%20(Furman%20Mall%20roadway),%20Furman%20University-large.jpg

Teaching Language in our Schools: Let's get it "Write"!

In this day and age, abbreviations and acronyms are becoming more and more common in the workplace, about town, at home, and in our schools.  Each generation has their own “language” of sorts that people of other ages cannot fully grasp.  There’s the groovy slang from the 70s, the punk lingo from the early 90s, and a new, emerging language from the texting and instant messaging generation that includes just about any child from age five to age eighteen.  Some adults can listen to two youngsters have a conversation and have no idea what is going on, which can be a little scary...

 While it is important for society to keep up with the new communication trends of our children, it’s also vital that we teach traditional methods of language learning in our schools.  Writing and reading have traditionally been at the core of the curriculum of any school and are important elements of a child’s education.  Some would argue that the jobs of tomorrow won’t really require their employees to have good writing skills (especially with the constant technology booms going on).  However, I really think that writing is an art that will always be cherished--- and needed by society.  We need language to survive--proper language that is.  

Traditional writing and print media may be trends of the past, but thats why we love them.  There’s nothing quite like walking to the end of the driveway on a Sunday morning to get the paper or picking up the latest edition of your favorite magazine.  Writing offers us comfort and sometimes makes us feel a little nostalgic, whether we think back to writing creative stories in grammar school or sitting on our Dad’s lap as a child while he read the latest sports section.  Writing is not something that will “die out”, whether we’re talking about print or web media. Blogging on the web may be a little more of a relaxed form of media, but it’s still important that our students have the traditional foundations in the subject of writing in order to blog, tweet, or plurk.   

Writing is also informative and relays information to the world regarding just about anything.  There is going to be a high demand for our children to fill the shoes of professionals in the fields of public relations, advertising, and writing.  We need to enable them with the necessary skills to do this.  This is the responsibility of our schools and parents.  So, lets keep the curriculum well-rounded and keep the subjects of writing and reading at the core.  And parents, maybe that second bedtime story is a good idea after all.  Keep in mind that a child who can read well can also write well.  And I’m not talking about writing a text to their BFF about the latest OMG drama.  I am talking about the good ‘ol traditional way of writing that we have historically loved and craved as a social means of communication.  So, let’s encourage it and teach our children about this amazing, informative art that can really enable them to do great things, whether they end up being the next New York Times best-selling author or working in a science lab.  A child needs good language skills in order to survive no matter what their future goals may be.

Being Positive Role-Models: Did you Know you Were Being Watched?

Life happens. We "get comfortable" with our surroundings, accustomed to how our lives inevitably play out, and sometimes, we mess up. It is our human nature to make mistakes, to do things without thinking, and to be irrational. No one goes through life like a superhero, coming out unscaved and rising into the air with a golden aura glowing around them. Well, as "cool" as this mental picture may be, life isn't that easy and things aren't always perfect.

It's okay that we make mistakes. This is part of life and we cannot avoid it. However, we must strive to live our "best lives" possible and to set a good example for others. Life is a stage and we are the actors. We are being watched by many audiences, whether we like it or not. Now I'm not talking about being the victims of C.I.A. investigations or telephone tapping. Let's not get too paranoid here. I'm talking about being watched by our children, the age group that is perhaps the most responsive to their surroundings as they are learning the most "life lessons" from others due to their progressive state of development. Children are like sponges, retaining everything they hear and see. Not only do they take notice of adult's actions, but these experiences stick with them for the rest of their lives. This common societal complex shouldn't scare us and shouldn't make us shy away from children.

Rather, this complex should make us more careful of how we act around our children. We have to constantly be "on-guard", monitoring what we say and do and how the little ones perceive us. Often times, actions speak louder than words. Parents can say just about anything, but "walking the walk" is ultimately what children are concerned with. During childhood development, a child's senses are almost always turned on, just waiting for the next stimulus to respond to. We have to make sure that they are taking in positive examples of how to live a good life.

The same is true for teachers. Students react to the demeanor of a teacher, whether they are aware of it or not. If Mrs. Q is having a rough day, snapping at her students, and giving up on tasks because of her frustration, the students will sense this. Bad attitudes can hinder the development of individual students, a classroom, and a school. Teachers wonder why their students are acting a certain way, saying inappropriate things, or misbehaving in class. They (and all adults) are constantly searching for quick-fixes to these problems.

The truth is that any behavior a student exhibits was most likely learned, at least to some degree. Changing our own behavior can serve as a form of intervention, having a huge impact on the student and young people as a whole. Sometimes, we really have to examine our own personalities, inadequacies, and negative tendencies in order to properly provide effective means of support for our children. So ask yourself, how can I improve "me" today? Even by working on one quality, we can make huge progress.

image found at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/lewisclark2/education/ForTeachers/TeacherStudentDesk.jpg

Building a Sense of Community in our Schools

Children thrive in settings outside the school. This includes the home and settings for extra-curricular activities. They are “themselves” and are comfortable when they are in the peace and quiet of their home or running around the soccer field on a crisp fall day. Often times, some of the most innovative thinking occurs here (even though most educators who hate to admit it…) because children are in their comfort zone. These environments offer the proper balance of structure and freedom of expression that our children need.

For a lot of students, completely different experiences accompany their time in the classroom. As soon as many children enter the classroom, their shoulders heighten and they are on-guard and hoping to avoid mistakes, negative attention, or any behavior that will result in the dreaded “call home”. This is really no way for our children to be experiencing school and it isn’t going to help their development on an individual, social, or academic basis. Considering the great amount of time students actually spend in the classroom, we really need to make sure that our schools are nurturing, encouraging, and comfortable environments for the students and that they actually promote learning and success.

This goal is the responsibility of all school professionals. Building this sense of community begins with having an administration who is willing to put a great deal of hard work and dedication into making sure students are at ease and making them feel “at home” while they are in the classroom. This involves collaboration among the administration, teachers, and faculty. Building a community always starts with a foundation. Here, the foundation is the unique make-up of educational professionals within the school. If they collaborate effectively, a lot can accomplished.

The building process doesn’t stop here. Teachers are responsible for implementing strategies in their own classrooms that will promote this sense of belonging and community. They must get to know their students on a one-on-one basis and truly care for them, just as their mothers and fathers do. Teachers who fill parent roles can have a huge impact on the academic, social, and personal development of a child.

In addition to this individual focus, teachers should implement team-building activities into their lesson plans so that each class feels like a family (at least to the greatest degree possible). I know, you are probably wondering where this fits under state standards or how it will help with achievement testing. However, it actually can lead to progress in these areas. Team-building and bonding with peers leads to higher levels of self-confidence and self-efficacy. If children accomplish tasks in groups, they are more likely to succeed on an individual basis. Everything really goes full circle here.

So, I think it’s time we start implementing a “community-like feel” in our schools. There is really no need to make school the structured and high-stress environment that society has built it up to be. If we could foster a sense of community in more schools across the nation, I think a lot of progress could be made. It is proven that children thrive in supportive, comfortable environments that bring out their best qualities. They also learn a lot from things they truly love and are passionate about. Shouldn’t we make our classrooms more equipped to foster this kind of support? If we do this, children are going to learn a multitude about themselves, their growth and potential, and how they can contribute to the community-like feel other children are craving to be a part of.

There's an Epidemic Out There....

There is a startling epidemic affecting children in the United States and it doesn’t involve fears of swine flu or other influenzas. There is no scientific cure or medication for the epidemic but it can be fixed if the proper interventions are put in place and each individual (and their family) strives to make progress. I’m talking about the childhood obesity epidemic, a problem that has received a great amount of national (and international) attention but hasn’t been solved or even improved for that matter. And things are getting worse. According to KidsHealth, one in three children is considered overweight or obese and this number is likely to increase (or even to double) in the coming years.

Why exactly is this happening? Just a few decades most children were perfectly healthy in terms of their BMI and weight and few children were considered obese at an early age. The answer is really a combination of forces. Society can be blamed for some of this as ‘big-macs”, “super-sizing”, and other high calorie options have become the social norm, much to my dismay. Some argue that increasing levels of technology, especially computer and video games, has led children to lead more sedentary lifestyles. While these are both true and are supported by evidence and research, there is really nothing we can do about these societal traps. The changing of society (for better or worse) is largely driven by consumer trends and our children cannot escape these trends as they spend the majority of their young lives in constant exposure to the media. Oh, and don’t forget the constant exposure they have to their peers, which can often be negative in terms of leading a healthy lifestyle.

So, what exactly can we do to end this inevitable downfall of the American child? The answer lies in developing positive relationships with adults who lead healthy lifestyles. There are two main role-models that can deeply influence a child’s health habits. The first of these is the parent. Let’s face it: children learn from their parents whether they are good role-models or not. Furthermore, children are highly responsive to their environment, especially during the early stages of life. These children “are what their parents eat”. We really need to start by teaching good nutrition and health in the home, which is something I really cannot stress enough.

The intervention I am advocating doesn’t stop here. Think about your own upbringing for a minute. Besides your parents, who were the most influential adults in your young life, say during the elementary years? I would pretty safely bet that nine out of ten people would say their teachers. Now I am not saying that teachers need to be health freaks, implement nutrition and exercise tips into the math lesson for the day, or tell their children so many “health” facts that they end up feeling like a walking food guide pyramid. Let’s not go to extremes. I’m rather saying that teachers should incorporate movement into their lessons and allow children to be active. Sitting in a desk all day certainly isn’t helping the childhood obesity epidemic. In terms of nutrition, I know that cupcakes and cookies are childhood favorites and are often brought to class for birthdays and special occasions. But why not encourage parents to send healthy treats for the class or just in their child’s lunch box? Let’s begin to take some baby steps in reaching our goals for teaching children to live a healthy lifestyle.

Of course, this form of intervention should be taken seriously.... but not too seriously. We shouldn’t encourage a generation of health freaks to contribute to the already growing number of teenagers and adults with eating disorders. We shouldn’t encourage excessive exercising or dieting either. I’m not asking for leaps and bounds but rather for small changes. Small steps can lead to big successes (or turnarounds in this case). Life is really all about moderation. If we could all just have balance in our lives, things would run pretty smoothly. I know this is a lofty concept for many (and I admit, for me), but taking steps towards this goal is what counts. Life is about progress and we must delve into its inevitable succession of stages. We have to take things one day at a time. If we could all do this, just think of the possibilities….

Increasing Global Awareness: We're Really all Connected...

It finally dawned on me. I was sitting in the middle of the Piazza Duomo in Florence, Italy late one November evening this past fall. Nearing the end of my four month study abroad adventure, this once "foreign city" had quickly become home. I was going to be sad to leave it. My emotions and newfound cultural understanding hit me all at once. For twenty years, I had lived a simple life and wasn’t too concerned with other cultures. As long as things were "okay at home”, everything was just fine in my book.

Now, as I sat there people watching and drinking my Italian Espresso, I could truly say that I realized how important it is to have an understanding of other cultures. It’s not just about me. It’s not just about the neighborhood I called home for eighteen years. It's not just about the liberal arts university situated in a tiny plot of land in the upstate of South Carolina that I attend. There really is much more to our lives, to our existence.... to mankind.

Our mere existence, our “call to duty”, and our existential questions about life all have global implications whether we realize it or not. Being abroad, traveling the world, and emerging myself into cultures unlike my own proved to be one of the most gratifying opportunities I’ve had in my twenty one years. It allowed me to ask “those questions”. It allowed me to grow, flourish, and see things in a way I never thought possible.

I’m asking that we push beyond our localized view of the world, one that I too held for so long. The "life equation" isn’t complete until we move past this view. We need to teach our children, peers, and colleagues about global awareness and encourage them to accept that there’s something else out there. After all, the world would be a pretty great place if everyone approached life with this kind of open-minded ideology, now wouldn’t it?

Teaching our Children to Think Outside the Box: The Importance of Arts Education and Other Forms of Expression in the Classroom

"Education is one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought." -Bertrand A. Russell philospher and writer

We know all the traditional, authoritative terms related to the field of education. They are the ones that make us cringe at the very thought of them---tests, standards, grades, report cards, rules, disciplinary actions---the list could go on forever. These are the things we have nightmares about as children (or, as adults ) and that come with a negative connotation in most classrooms across the nation. Although the sometimes harsh standards listed above serve as the "foundation" of our schools, they are also the things hindering our children from educational progress in many ways. Most people would be scared to admit this fact, but it's true on a number of levels. So, call me crazy, but I think it's time to start thinking "outside the box". From my perspective, "outside the box" thinking goes far beyond language arts and math class and reaches the more expressive elements of the school curriculum---elements that far too often go unnoticed.

It's not just me who's craving this kind of movement (but just for the record, I do love unconventionality). Our kids are craving creative approaches to education and the chance to express their unique personalities, strengths, and abilities. We all know that kids love music, art, dance, and drama. It is a known fact that children are more responsive to creative means of expression like these. Students thrive off of movement, interactive activities, and hands-on experiences. They want to express themselves and they don't want to sit in a desk all day like a marionnett waiting for the next string to be pulled by their "puppeteer". So, why do we continue to place our focus on standards, discipline, reading and math? Sure, these are the foundation a child's education and many children will go on to have careers that require this kind of traditional ideological background. We have to teach these fundamental subjects and there is no avoiding this. I am just asking that we delve into the more expressive means of education and make them an integral part of the school day and therefore, part of our childrens' lives.

Have you ever thought about the great number of actors, singers, and artists in the world? Well, whether you want to admit it or not, there are a good number of them. These professions make our world an interesting (and rather lively) place. They provide a sense of culture for small and large communities alike---a culture that we thrive off of and a culture that defines who we are as individuals, communities, cities, and states. The arts provide freedom of expression and show how far we have come in terms of social and cultural progress. So, I think it's time we start encouraging students to express themselves (artistically) so they can futher add to this growing cultural phenomenon in generations to come.

We don't want to create robots. Nobody likes boing people. (or at least, I hope not). So, lets allow our students to express themselves and stop pushing conformity. This goes for teachers in all subjects because freedom of expression can be an integral part of any classroom. I think we really can take collaborative steps to promote expression and freedom in our schools if we begin to make small shifts towards this lofty goal. If we do this, think of what an even more interesting place this world would be! So let us be artistic, expressive, and unconventional in our approaches to education. Afterall, this is just about the best way to grab our students' attention. We must promote freedom of expression in the classroom so that one day our students can make great contributions not only to society, but to the sense of culture that is embedded in our everyday lives and defines who we are as human beings. So, it's time to break the status quo, to think outside the box, and there is no better time to start than now.

image found at: http://www.madison.k12.ky.us/ms/clubs/stlp/projects/thearts/assets/artlogohome.gif