Educated Child A Parents Guide From Prescho

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.

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