Education, the real homeland security

NEW: inmaricopa.com is pleased to be bringing you, on a regular basis, timely, useful and informative information by local experts. Articles will focus on health, substance abuse prevention, education, computer technology, business information and getting along in the world today.

With our current economic situation and the dimming prognosis for a quick recovery, a question to be considered is “where can parents invest their limited resources to maximize potential for their family’s future?” The housing market, stocks/bonds, gold or how about baseball cards? Investment options are endless, but any guaranteed assurance of a return on an investment would be speculative or may even be criminal.

We are saturated with statistics about the difference a college education makes in an individual’s earning power over the course of a lifetime. We see those figures, and we are motivated to either make a personal change or to help impress the value of a solid education on our loved ones.

Maricopa Unified School District will be offering parents a three-part series, featuring techniques and resources on how to make education fun and a priority for our children. Contributors will include our talented staff members from the curriculum department, academic coaches and administrators.

The education of a child is the sole responsibility of school professionals. Most parents when considering this statement may either concur or, more realistically, challenge the concept that the accountability for their child’s education is primarily the role of schools. To avoid this philosophical debate, let me simply say that academic achievement should be a collaborative process between the home, school and the community.

If we believe that a quality education is a major contributor to a fulfilled life, then we must make it a priority 24/7. In parenting we understand that children need consistency and structure. What is being taught in the home should be supported by the school and/or community. The same effective educational strategies that work at school should work anywhere and even though those strategies may not look the same delivered in different situations, the consistency shown during the delivery will help to increase the potential for real success.

Let’s start with reading skills. (These questions are not designed to solicit guilt, but to offer encouragement. It is never too late to start!) Do you consistently read to your child or grandchild? Superintendent Dr. John Flores calls this “lap time,” and he stated, “Research suggested at least 3,000 hours of reading before a child enters kindergarten.” Are books, children’s magazines or even comic books available or gift options? Do your children see you reading? I personally made reading a priority for my daughters, and I attribute much of their academic success to their love of reading.

Director of Curriculum Krista Keesling shared one of her favorite links for helping parents of kindergarten through third graders. This document from the Arizona Department of Education, which was constructed to help any child caregiver, offers extremely practical advice like:

What to do at home?
What to look for in your child’s classroom?
What should your child be able to do by the end of their school year?

Just one page from the kindergarten home activities suggests having your child make up imaginative stories, retelling stories based on a family photo album or digital photo file, telling stories about your life’s experiences and carefully monitoring TV viewing and video gaming.

Quality monetary investing aspires to meet aggressive long range financial goals. Educational investments are no less important or easy to achieve, but those investments will help to secure your child’s future and, ultimately, their dreams.

Tom Beckett is the Director of Public Relations for Maricopa Unified School District. He holds a BME degree from Grace College and an MFA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as well as an Arizona Superintendent’s Certificate, and has served in various educational roles in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Arizona. He can be reached at (520) 568-8100, ext. 1003.

Submitted photo

Have a topic you’d like to see addressed by a guest expert? Please email it to inmaricopa.com for consideration.