by Kelly Knowlden
Here is a story worth hearing.
Ben Carson was eight when his mother was left to raise the children on her own. Because the family was very poor, his mother sometimes took on two or three jobs at a time in order to provide for her boys. Some days the boys would not see her because she would go to work at 5:00 AM and come home around 11:00 PM, going from one job to the next.
Both Ben and his brother experienced difficulty in school. Ben fell to the bottom of his class, and be- came the object of ridicule by his classmates. He developed a violent and uncontrollable temper, and was known to attack other children at the slightest provocation. Convinced that something needed to change or else Ben would end up like the other boys in the projects, his mother determined that limited television and reading good books would be to her son’s advantage. So she made her boys read two books per week and write a book report for each!
“At first, Ben resented the strict regimen. While his friends were playing outside, he was stuck in the house, forced to read a book or do his homework. But after several weeks of his mother's unrelenting position, he began to find enjoyment in reading. Being poor, there wasn't much opportunity to go anywhere. But between the covers of a book he could go anyplace, be anybody, and do anything. Ben began to learn how to use his imagination and found it more enjoyable than watching television. This attraction to reading soon led to a strong desire to learn more. Carson read books on all types of subjects and found connections between them. He saw himself as the central character of what he was reading, even if it was a technical book or an encyclopedia. He read about people in laboratories, pouring chemicals into a beaker or flask, or discovering galaxies, or peering into a microscope. He began to see himself differently, different than the other kids in his neighborhood who only wanted to get out of school, get some nice clothes, and a nice car. He saw that he could become the scientist or physician he had dreamed about. Imagining the possibilities, Ben improved in his schooling and went on to graduate from high school with honors.”1
Today Ben Carson is a renowned neurosurgeon who has received more than 50 honorary doctorates, won many awards, and recently spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast. He credits reading as a major turning point in his life.
1 A&E Networks
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
"Why do we have to learn this?"
by Kelly Knowlden
This is a great question! It gives us a chance to combat the “hollow and deceptive philosophies” touted by our culture. Think of it this way: if there had been no sin, how would people think about education? Would it be drudgery, or would all people instead see life as too short to understand how the world works? [Even if they lived forever!]
In our utilitarian society, man has decided that if something is not useful immediately, then it is not pursued or becomes thrown away. Likewise, in education, the usefulness of a specific subject has become the measure of its worth. Gone is the brain-stretching inquisitiveness that pursues all avenues of thought simply because God has given us this world to explore and rule. Gone are the standards of education that holds open all doors to knowledge as long as possible before devoting oneself to a specific academic pursuit.
Now add to that hollow philosophy the deceptive whispers to men’s souls that THEY must determine whether something is useful. If each student is trying to determine the worth of what is studied, you can imagine the curriculum they would pick!
Our ability to hold out for students the wonder of God’s world, the delight in learning as much as possible about it and emphasizing that NOW is their opportunity to learn, will fortify their souls against the cultural shouts of “What use will this be to me?” and “Why do I have to learn this?”
This is a great question! It gives us a chance to combat the “hollow and deceptive philosophies” touted by our culture. Think of it this way: if there had been no sin, how would people think about education? Would it be drudgery, or would all people instead see life as too short to understand how the world works? [Even if they lived forever!]
In our utilitarian society, man has decided that if something is not useful immediately, then it is not pursued or becomes thrown away. Likewise, in education, the usefulness of a specific subject has become the measure of its worth. Gone is the brain-stretching inquisitiveness that pursues all avenues of thought simply because God has given us this world to explore and rule. Gone are the standards of education that holds open all doors to knowledge as long as possible before devoting oneself to a specific academic pursuit.
Now add to that hollow philosophy the deceptive whispers to men’s souls that THEY must determine whether something is useful. If each student is trying to determine the worth of what is studied, you can imagine the curriculum they would pick!
Our ability to hold out for students the wonder of God’s world, the delight in learning as much as possible about it and emphasizing that NOW is their opportunity to learn, will fortify their souls against the cultural shouts of “What use will this be to me?” and “Why do I have to learn this?”
Monday, February 4, 2013
Celebrating Books
by Kelly Knowlden
Mrs. Julie Knowlden has served the school as a volunteer librarian for many years. She gives time to this project as she is able and this year is doing some “book advertisements” during the month of February. She will be visiting each classroom on Fridays through March 1 to promote selected books that are excellent reading material for that particular grade or grades. This past Friday, she read portions of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Let’s Roll, Leah’s Pony, and The Wing Shop to various grades. The goal in doing this is to inspire children’s curiosity in reading good books.
We will celebrate our Book Week from February 25-March 1. More details will follow. However, let me mention once again one of the books that will KILL your child’s love of reading. It is Facebook. Here is why. The medium is the medium. It is an electronic relationship with others that swallows large amounts of time and allows one to “design” themselves and their presentation of self to others. Then they can have inane conversations that resemble relationship but have no real “face” time so that others can really see what you are saying (reason for emoticons). It ought to be called “Faceless-book.” Please also note that though students insist that Facebook is private, colleges and employers hire people to do searches on Facebook to find out about potential students or employees. Anything they download is public domain— including pictures, quotes and words. If you have not checked out your child’s Facebook lately, you’d better. I have been on some (unknown to them) and think that some students are leading double lives. Of course, by now you’ve noted the addition to the 2013-2014 Student Handbook concerning Facebook.
The reasons for reading are numerous and we will be noting several of them in the next few weeks leading up to our week of fun celebrations. Student’s lives will be richer for the characters they meet in books. We read to all our children until they were out of the house. The memories of doing so are sweet in those shared experiences. I would not trade them for one faceless moment on the computer.
Mrs. Julie Knowlden has served the school as a volunteer librarian for many years. She gives time to this project as she is able and this year is doing some “book advertisements” during the month of February. She will be visiting each classroom on Fridays through March 1 to promote selected books that are excellent reading material for that particular grade or grades. This past Friday, she read portions of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Let’s Roll, Leah’s Pony, and The Wing Shop to various grades. The goal in doing this is to inspire children’s curiosity in reading good books.
We will celebrate our Book Week from February 25-March 1. More details will follow. However, let me mention once again one of the books that will KILL your child’s love of reading. It is Facebook. Here is why. The medium is the medium. It is an electronic relationship with others that swallows large amounts of time and allows one to “design” themselves and their presentation of self to others. Then they can have inane conversations that resemble relationship but have no real “face” time so that others can really see what you are saying (reason for emoticons). It ought to be called “Faceless-book.” Please also note that though students insist that Facebook is private, colleges and employers hire people to do searches on Facebook to find out about potential students or employees. Anything they download is public domain— including pictures, quotes and words. If you have not checked out your child’s Facebook lately, you’d better. I have been on some (unknown to them) and think that some students are leading double lives. Of course, by now you’ve noted the addition to the 2013-2014 Student Handbook concerning Facebook.
The reasons for reading are numerous and we will be noting several of them in the next few weeks leading up to our week of fun celebrations. Student’s lives will be richer for the characters they meet in books. We read to all our children until they were out of the house. The memories of doing so are sweet in those shared experiences. I would not trade them for one faceless moment on the computer.
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