Making Education Relevant

The 2011-2012 school year has begun.

Have you noticed how different kids' backpacks are these days? And no, I'm not talking about the size or style - I'm talking about what's inside.

When I was in my primary and secondary years of schooling, my back-to-school shopping list contained items like #2 pencils, highlighters, fat pink erasers, a spiral-bound planner, a 2-inch binder, several reams of ruled paper, and maybe some folders and dividers.

All of these things were necessary to keep track of old and new assignments, in-class notes, daily handouts, and the coveted semester syllabus that would only be handed out once: don't lose it!

But things have changed. Kids now have smart phones and computers, electronic text books and digital calendars. Assignments are posted online, and papers can be researched and completed without setting foot in to a library. Students can skype their foreign academic pen-pals in real time instead of waiting weeks for paper mail.

Other parts of the world - different cultures, languages, methods of learning and teaching, ways of thinking and living have become so immediate and accessible that change in every realm (including the contents of a backpack!) now occurs at the speed of light.

The question these days, then, is not "how can we make kids focus and learn in a manner that follows tradition and present society " but "how can we make what we've learned from tradition and history relevant to an ever-changing social and economic educational environment?"

A lecture I attended a few months ago that focused on "educating students with learning challenges" played this animate by Sir Ken Robinson. The goal was to illuminate the concept that it's not that the kids with learning challenges are failing in our system, but more that our system is failing those kids - and more truly, all kids. Check it out!

Another thing I learned from the lecture, is the importance of Private SAT tutoring and how it can tremendously increase the mental preparation of a child. The SAT is a test that has changed over the years, becoming more and more focused on logic and reasoning, thus increasing the difficulty

Football Season, Fandom, and Fall Commitments at School

Going back to school is hard. You have higher expectations from teachers, parents, private SAT tutors, and coaches, and the stakes grow each academic year. Coming after the ease of summer, the fall tends to be an intense time.

Complicating these pressures is the incredible excitement of football season. Being a serious football fan is a serious commitment – at least 4 hours on Saturday and/or Sunday and perhaps more.

Growing up a diehard Michigan and Patriots fan, missing a game was just not an option. Unfortunately, neither was missing any homework assignments or sports practice.

Here are my battle tested tips for staying on top of your academic life while still being an awesome fan:

1. Keep your fan focus sharp. Don’t get sucked in by games that don’t REALLY matter to you. Knuckle down and do your homework during the other games – that will allow you to kick back and relax when YOUR team is playing. Doing your homework while your team is playing is like being the dad on his Blackberry at his daughter’s soccer game – be present!

2. Know your schedule. Is your team playing a night game? Early game? Know this so you can plan accordingly. You don’t want to procrastinate on your homework until Sunday afternoon only to realize your team is playing the night game. That leads to either doing your homework during the game, staying up way too late after, or not doing an assignment – all subpar outcomes. Being a good fan is like being a good student – you need to know your due dates.

3. Take advantage of commercial breaks. The NFL loves commercial breaks and so should you. Commercial breaks are a great chance to mute the TV and go through a set of flashcards or vocab words. There are probably 20 four minute commercial breaks during each game – great opportunities to get some quick studying in.

4. Use the TiVo if you have to. Sometimes, missing a game is unavoidable and totally necessary. School and extra-curricular commitments should always take priority in your life. Lucky for you, there is always the TiVo as a lifeline. If you have to go this route, remember to turn off your phone, email, and don’t go to ESPN.com!