February 10, 2006
Local editorials
Boys’ success in parents’ hands
There is only so much schools can do, but parents can help a great deal
Parents of boys certainly weren’t surprised to read in Sunday’s newspaper that youngsters of the male gender sometimes have trouble concentrating on schoolwork.
It’s not news to them that girls are better at sitting quietly and following directions, or that boys have the edge when it comes to math and science. But the fact that boys are lagging behind girls in reading and writing and that girls have made gains in math and science relative to boys
may be cause for concern.
State education officials suggest that schools may need to tailor instructional styles to better meet the needs of boys. That’s fine as far as it goes, but there is only so much the schools can do.
The essential nature of boys hasn’t changed — only their performance on standardized tests and the number of boys who enroll in college. So what has changed?
Maybe — just maybe — boys’ preparation for school leads something to be desired. And that’s where the parents come in.
The statistics are there for parents to see.
Boys lag behind girls in reading and writing — critical skills for success in college and in the working world. Girls now outnumber boys on college campuses.
The answer is quite simple. Parents, start now. Read to your sons from the earliest possible age. Let them see you reading. Take them to the library. Enroll them in summer reading programs.
If they are more interested in math and science, that’s fine. But make sure they know that reading and writing are still essential. Even rocket scientists have to be able to read well and to write clearly and concisely.
And while you’re at it, put some reasonable limits on the time they spend playing video games. Hand-eye coordination is a fine skill, but we haven’t noticed many colleges handing out scholarships for high scores in Grand Theft Auto.
Help is on the way
Thieves by their very nature lack compassion for their victims. Fortunately, that’s not true for the community at large.
Jo Sebby, founder of the nonprofit Eaglehorse Foundation, recently discovered that $3,000 in equipment, including 10 children’s saddles, had been stolen. Eaglehorse provides training in riding and caring for horses for 20 low-income children, some on scholarship.
There’s no money in the foundation’s budget to replace the stolen saddles and tack. So, unless help arrives from elsewhere, many kids will miss benefiting from the fun and confidence-building instruction provided by Eaglehorse.
But help appears to be on the way. After a story in Wednesday’s Mail Tribune, both the newspaper and the foundation received calls offering to help. Sebby reports she has had offers of saddles and some cash donations.
We hope our readers will join in that effort. If you have children’s saddles or other horse tack no longer being used, please consider donating it to a worthy cause. If you don’t have equipment, you can always send cash.
Don’t let a thief spoil an important opportunity for kids in our community. Send your donations to Eaglehorse Foundation, 1100 W. Valley View Road, Ashland, OR 97520, or call Sebby at 621-8935.
