Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.
by Julia Hanschell
Imagine if every school focused on impacting change in their students on a holistic level; providing a multi-dimensional structure for academic, emotional, psychological and social support.
Their aim would be beyond academics – to grow independent thinkers, passionate achievers and global citizens who are committed to a quest for excellence, thereby making a meaningful contribution to society.
Imagine if schools concentrated on nurturing leaders worth following with all parties playing a valuable and vitally important role in growing children up to be the best version of themselves.
Imagine if all teachers constantly invested in their professional growth – improving skills, talent, creativity, and qualifications in their field of specialty. Imagine multi-disciplinary teams working together in ensuring each student’s journey to achievement. Imagine the benefits of annual performance reviews of teachers. Imagine the gold standard.
Parents are a child’s best resource and support at home is fundamental to a student’s success.
Imagine all parents supervising and helping to organise the independent study of their child: ensuring the daily review and preview of work, completing or catching up, researching, storing notes and tests for revision purposes.
Children are children; the temptation of entertainment will surely impact academic improvement. Imagine if every student is provided with a study area that is conducive to concentration, free from distractions, gaming technology and social media that sidetrack production. Imagine support in self- regulation; rules to ensure students do not focus on social media communication while studying.
Imagine parents checking that their child keeps abreast of homework tasks, and helps them to manage what is required, ensuring adequate time is set aside for high quality completion and meeting deadlines. Imagine parents using their network to ensure that children have a resource system to support them in work they find difficult.
Imagine close, authentic communication with teachers, ensuring that students do not evade or avoid independent tasks that are expected of them as part of their personal quest for learning.
Negative underage behaviour, like cyber-bullying, is widespread and deviously camouflaged. Imagine parents being hyper aware of the signs of peer-pressure; cognisant of any relationships that have the potential of negatively impacting their child’s academic progress or psychological wellbeing.
And tolerating none of it.
Imagine the benefits of extra-curricular interests which add value to advanced study or job applications. Imagine mandating physical activities, community service, performing arts or music to complement the sedentary academic work of students.
Many students are kept awake by taking their electronic devices to bed with them. Imagine adequate, meaningful sleep. Imagine the increased brainpower through a healthy diet.
Imagine if students saw school as their job. Imagine their success through their commitment to the expectations of the job: time, care, effort and dedication to progress, excellence and quality production of work. Imagine what every student can achieve through meaningful test corrections.
Excellence is the result of the collaboration of all parties involved in the student’s life. Imagine the impact little aids, like an electronic timetable, could make. Together the team has a platform that can ensure accountability and extend guidance and support.
Dilution of focus by entertainment or irrelevant social activities will negatively impact acquisition of knowledge, competency, proficiency and academic growth, thereby stymying potential. Imagine if students understood that study time is part of their daily job.
Imagine if students embraced their ‘road-blocks’; a natural part of learning when a task is difficult. Imagine if students are compelled to find a solution, ensuring that they master the challenges of a ‘road-block’ using the same inventiveness, creativity, motivation and initiative that they would use to circumvent a social curtailment.
Imagine if students acknowledged that to a great extent, success or failure is predominately in their hands, driven by attitude, which often must be modelled by others. Failure to start or fear of failure will never occur if there is help available. There is always someone a student can ask for help.
Often, test anxiety is a natural response to lack of academic preparation, evasion or giving up. Imagine if teachers and parents, together, strategized to combat anxiety.
Finding their passion and discovering their purpose starts with a problem that students must solve. Nothing is learned from what is easy or correct. Imagine if the student approached every task as a creative, and dedicated problem-solver.
Imagine if everyone did what they wanted to, third; did what they needed to, second; did what they must, as a priority. Imagine there being zero reluctance. Zero excuses.
Imagine if we all acknowledge that sacrifice pays dividends. Self-control buys free time. Strong organisation provides control. Imagine free time increasing exponentially as good habits are formed. Imagine guilt-free, abundant leisure time.
Global competition is unrelenting and each student has a destiny, a purpose. Imagine how these could emerge. Imagine there being no compromise.
Every minute of every day we all have a choice. Imagine choosing mindfully. Our excuses for all-round, low-level participation will become a debt our students, our children, can never repay. Imagine what no excuses will achieve. Just take a moment and imagine what needs changing and what you can change. Imagine the Power of One. That’s all it takes to begin.
Julia Hanschell can be contacted on smartstudying @gmail.com.
