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3 crucial reasons to teach art in schools

3 crucial reasons to teach art in schools

Teach art in schools

To teach art in schools can be obvious to some. How can we go without? What if kids have an artistic talent to be discovered? For others, the debate can go the other way. Why is art important to teach? If student time and school budgets are stretched, is it more important to focus on math and reading, and cut art altogether?

Of course, art comes in various forms when taught at school. It can be visual art, yes (like painting, graphic design, photography or sculpture). But it can also include theatre, dance, music, poetry and writing. Some may even say it includes languages, baking, decorating or esthetics training. And so, the debate over whether it’s important to teach art in schools can bring up specifics.

However, we won’t be getting into those specifics in this article. Instead, we’ll point out reasons art, in general, is important to teach, for the value it brings to wholesome education.

See related:

1) Art teaches kids skills they can use in other disciplines

This article, expounds the effects of budget cuts to arts programs. The creative process involved in producing art is integral to learning. Kids don’t just learn how to produce art for art’s sake. The author puts it this way:

If we teach kids loads of math and science but don’t encourage their creativity, they aren’t going to grow up to be great engineers and scientists and inventors and discoverers

“…Creativity is about helping to solve the world’s many problems.”

In essence, the need for art in relation to subjects like math and science can be seen with the recent STEAM movement. That is, turning the acronym, “STEM”, which stands for “science, technology, engineering, math,” into “science, technology, engineering, ART, math.” Thus, “STEAM.”

We’ve written about these topics in more depth at the following links:

2) Art can teach students’ brains how to think, and develop

This author for the Huffington Post explains that art in the form of music, is just as important as math when it comes to learning “life skills,” and principled lessons.

Googling this subject, you’ll find no shortage of scholarly or expert ‘proof’ that art is important to brain development. Here is an explanatory quote from one article on ascd.org (an education organization’s site):

From fine-tuning muscular systems to integrating emotion and logic, the arts have important biological value. For their unique contributions to brain development, the arts must take center stage in schools.”

3) Art can give kids the opportunity for self-directed learning, without boundaries and criticism

When kids at school engage in art, there is a lot of experimentation involved. Sure, with music, they start with learning notes and how to read structured sheets of ‘instructions’ on where to place their fingers, or how long to hold a note. And in painting, they are taught how fractions of colour mixes create new colours (do we sense some math learning here?). But once those basic skills are taught – whether by trial and error or with a teacher – more advancement can be made in their creations.

Then, kids can make their own decisions of what they want to produce. They can also learn that ‘anything goes’ when it comes to creativity. They can self-critique. They can learn how to fix their mistakes and still make something beautiful. They can also avoid the fear of failure and, for once, not be told they got the answers wrong. This article expounds on those aforementioned points in more detail.

In short, with the above considered, it seems art can help with the development of a child’s confidence, enabling them to take charge without limits. It’s a balance to structured learning, which is also needed for character development, wouldn’t you say?

To conclude: art doesn’t have to be an either-or decision

We know art is important in school. While it may not seem like it can translate into a person’s ‘important’ career (which is false, by the way), it can still have an impact in education. And, as we’re seeing, instead of art being it’s own, separate class, some educational curriculums are incorporating it into the way other subjects are learned. This falls right into the path of using different learning styles to help students grasp information.

That way, teaching art – and allowing it to enhance learning – doesn’t need to fall under the pressure of budget cuts or student time.

See more posts from our education blog!

5 signs to recognize autism spectrum disorder in your teen

Autism spectrum disorder in your teen

With early intervention and an increase in awareness about autism spectrum disorder, many children are being diagnosed as babies or in their toddler years. Since autism is typically discovered in early childhood, many parents don’t expect to have to look for signs as their child ages. Yet, sometimes signs of autism can go undiagnosed until your child is older and begins to experience some noticeable signs as well as learning difficulties. Below are five signs that your teen may have autism.

Withdrawal from social situations

One of the difficulties that people with autism may find hard to overcome is the ability to read other people’s’ signals and emotions. This may cause them to find it difficult to fit in or adjust to what is expected of their age. Because of this, they may often avoid engaging with students their age for fear of being bullied or ridiculed. While teens may withdraw from peers for a variety of reasons, an avoidance of social interaction should be looked into.

More literal interpretations

Teens and adults with autism spectrum disorder are known to have trouble interpreting metaphorical speech, or ‘street talk.’ They can often take phrases literally. So, watch out if your Autistic teens has difficulty understanding sarcasm or idioms. This may be due to communication issues that stem from being more comfortable with structure and ‘exactness.’

Difficulty with complicated or multi-step directions

Teens with autism spectrum disorder may suffer from ADD or ADHD. They may have a hard time staying focused through longer, or multiple instructions. Typically focus can be held for two-step directions. But more than that may cause them to withdraw, or move onto something else.

Showing symptoms of mental health disorders

People with autism spectrum disorder have a higher rate of other psychiatric disorders. The most common psychiatric disorders associated with autism are anxiety, ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, and schizophrenia. Teens with autism can be particularly affected by anxiety disorders, especially when they are in social settings.

Having difficulty with school curriculum

As teens enter into high school, curriculum tends to become more difficult. Teens with autism may begin to exhibit learning disabilities as the curriculum becomes more demanding. However, teens with higher functioning autism often have average, to above-average IQs.

If your teen is exhibiting signs of autism spectrum disorder, it is important to have them properly diagnosed. Intervention as early as possible is important to help your teen to be successful at school, as well as in their life outside of school.

How can we teach social competence to teens?

Teach social competence to teens

In follow up to our article on ‘What is social competence in teens? Why is it important?’, we thought it would be important to delve into the practical matter of being able to teach social competence to teens. It’s one thing to know you need it, it’s another to learn how to get it.

If your child’s ability to make friends has become a concern, it may be wise not to ignore your ‘gut’ when it comes to teaching social skills, or encouraging them in your child.

In our last article on this topic (see link above), we mentioned that popularity may be related to higher levels of social competence. We also learned that the better social life a child or teen has, the more likely they are to form healthy relationships as adults, and avoid mental health issues they may be predisposed to.

So how do we balance out the extremes of social skills in teens? How do we ‘level the playing field,’ so that all kids have the chance to make friends and, eventually, become well-functioning citizens of society?

According to this extensive article, kids and teens need to be taught social competence. And it doesn’t stop there; they need to practice it, just like any other learned skill that becomes habit. (We realize the design of the aforementioned article looks questionable and abandoned, but its content seems worthy of note for consideration).

Below we will discuss some strategies for teaching social competence in teens.

Get kids involved in sports or games to promote social competence

According to this article, playing sports – you guessed it – builds good “sportsmanship.” It makes sense. In sports kids learn how to follow rules, how to be fair, and how to limit their actions to the rules of the game. They also learn how to work in teams, and how to respect opponents (or at least, we would hope that is the case with the coach in charge).

This can happen with other games too, especially when multiple players are involved. Board games, for instance, can help with this skill as well.

Many times, this may involve a parent engaging their child in extracurricular activities outside school.

Teach lessons on diversity in the classroom, or advocate for them at your local school

If your child’s classroom teacher is not doing so already, you can ask them to teach diversity. This is especially beneficial if differences are becoming a problem in the school’s social environment. Becoming accepting of those who are different than you is a skill in empathy, and a way to promote inclusion for better social experiences.

We wrote some articles all about this:

Read books and use educational material dedicated to the topic of social skills training in adolescents

Sometimes, social skills need to be taught very literally. What may seem obvious to some (like saying “please” and “thank you”), won’t be obvious to others. There are materials out there that you can use to teach social skills to adolescents. Here are some we found:

On teaching empathy:

https://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/blogs/edutopia-taran-lesson7empathy.pdf

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/quick-guide-teaching-empathy-classroom/

On helping kids form friendships:

https://www.education.com/reference/article/children-develop-social-competence/

Posters and classroom material (or consider making these yourself with the class):

Kids’ books on ‘Social Thinking:

https://www.socialthinking.com/Products

https://www.freespirit.com/gifted-and-special-education/survival-guide-for-kids-with-behavior-challenges-thomas-mcintyre/#

Group activities to promote social skills training (linked to above also):

http://www.behavioradvisor.com/SocialSkills.html (scroll to find these)

Plus you’ll also want to read up on the more research-based information on this topic, which is provided online by organizations such as this one:

http://www.casel.org/library-search/?type=Book

This will equip you, as the teacher, to know what you are aiming for, and when the desired outcomes are achieved.

Set a good example, by forming adult-like social competence

You may not enjoy hearing this, but if your child is suffering from a lack of social competence, it may have to do with what is happening in their home environment. The articles we’ve linked to in this article, and our former one on this topic, mention that aggression can be ‘learned’ from parents. How a child is raised can affect their behaviour.

And, it also appears that less-strict parents may produce kids with more social competence. However, as this article points out, balance is needed with any parenting, and social context could make a difference in outcomes.

Seek professional help for social skills training

If your child or teen is showing signs of problematic behaviour, it may be wise to consult a professional, as we mentioned in our last article on social competence. There are family therapists, for instance, who can help with individual children, parenting advice or otherwise. A doctor may also be able to help you assess potential neurodiverse conditions that could explain outlandish, unexpected and impulsive behaviours.

Don’t give up on social competence training!

Remember that learning social queues comes with time. You may realize that even as an adult, you are still learning about behaviours that were probably a mistake, and that you won’t want to repeat in your future relationships. Kids and teens are learning too. They are forming identities and realizing who they are. So, if your teen hasn’t transformed their personality overnight, remember that this may be a slow process. It may take some life lessons to fully form a mature adult out of them.

That said, don’t give up on the resources and tools you can use to teach these skills early in life. You may save your child a lot of frustrations by helping them learn from your wisdom!

What is social competence in teens? Why is it important?

Social competence in teens

When kids reach their preteens or teenage years, as a parent, you may wonder how they are handling their new life circumstances. Are they making friends? Are they overwhelmed by school? What is their social life like? Social competence in teens is an important issue.

For those whose kids may be shy, or reluctant to make new friends, the fear of rejection and bullying may be ever more present.

But for the so-called ‘popular’ kids, what makes them so? Is it really their clothes and looks? Their high skill in sports? Their outgoing personality? Their grades? Their good hygiene?

Well, some are in fact saying their likability may have to do with social competence.

Humans are social beings. And so, the peer support system that our teens have around them is important. Yes, your kid may like being alone, playing video games, painting art, or perfecting their musical skill. But that doesn’t mean they won’t need social relationships later in life. Learning social competence as teens is just as important as any other skill, we would argue.

Articles can point to it’s ability to affect mental health in adulthood. And, the social experiences kids have can determine whether their mental health is ‘triggered’, according to the nature vs. nurture theory. So it goes without saying that healthy social skills, and the ability to form social support groups, can go a long way in a child’s future.

We should make note that while this may be a common topic among caregivers of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other neurodiverse conditions, it is surely not exclusive to that group. Many kids and teens may need help developing their social competence.

What is social competence in teens? Parents and teachers need to understand it before it can be taught!

As you do reading on this topic around the web, you’ll notice that the scale of ‘normal’ social ability can change over time, and in specific circumstances. If your child is just shy, you might have nothing to worry about.  Maybe they prefer one-on-one relationships with a few close friends. That’s ok. Don’t expect that social competence should mean being captain of the rugby team, or student council president.

Researchers have put together some expected behaviours that can determine if a child is socially competent or not. They can do this with surveys like this one, or by asking parents. Here are some examples of publications that address the issue:

In general, you can see some patterns emerge, such as:

  • Being respectful of others’ opinions.
  • Ability to ask to join in on play, and being a contributor, rather than overtaking the game.
  • Following rules, such as in sports.
  • Being helpful and accommodating to others, while also not being ‘stepped on’ in the process.
  • Including others in games or activities.
  • Aiming to resolve conflict, rather than promote it.
  • Forming bonds with close friends.
  • Accepting differences, such as in culture, or other diversities that may appear in a classroom, for instance.
  • Having a sense of empathy, and emotional intelligence (which is related, but could go into another article on its own).

And so on. The opposite would be things like bullying, yelling, demanding, impulsive reactions, selfishness, or other characteristics we may associate with very young toddlers, who need to be taught that these are unacceptable social norms. Isolation and signs of depression can be symptoms of rejection in social situations, and as parents, we should be acutely aware of these signs. They may lead to bigger problems otherwise.

See related on our blog: How depression affects teens’ learning

Social competence can be learned!

As you can see, having the right social skills training while you’re young can help to promote positive relationships as an adult. This could affect work relationships, friendships and romantic relationships – all crucial aspects of ‘adulting.’

If you’re worried about your child, don’t be (at least not yet!). While you may feel that your teen is just ‘the way they are,’ it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. There are ways of teaching social competence, which we hope to delve into in a future article. If you do feel there may be a deeper problem, we would suggest getting in touch with a therapist or behavioural expert who may be able to make a professional assessment.

3 benefits of ‘slow reading’ as a learning method for comprehension

Learning method for comprehension

Reading, and knowing what you’re reading can be two different things. According to this exposing article, ACT examination results (used in the USA for college entry) are revealing that many high school students are not equipped for university-level coursework when it comes to reading comprehension skills of “complex texts.”

The answer to this problem may be in what is referred to as ‘slow reading.’ That is, taking the time to read without the Internet’s presence, without distractions and…slowly of course! It may be time for teachers and parents to begin encouraging ‘slow reading’ as a learning method. Some say it should be in school curriculums.

As many have commented online, the ‘quick and easy’ Internet of our world today makes it feel too cumbersome to learn a topic in detail. When you Google a question, you often don’t even have to click to read an article anymore – Google’s search results pages are showing question answers immediately. And, much of the internet is written for quick consumption too, as noted in the article linked-to above.

Is this a way to learn comprehension strategies? Will our future generations know the importance of taking time to understand a topic fully? Will they be able to ‘connect the dots’ in a story plot line, even if it’s on paper and not a TV show? Can they pick up on sub texts? Can they ‘get’ the metaphors they are reading? Do they know what cultural phrases and sayings mean today, and in history? Did they ask themselves a question at all, while reading?

‘Slow reading’ advocates would say the art of comprehension is dwindling. So, in this article, we’ll give 3 benefits for teachers and parents to encourage slow reading as a learning method:

1: ‘Slow reading’ is challenging, and that’s good; it helps you analyze

According to the video on this Wall Street Journal article, slow reading can increase your ability to analyze. Just like slow food, the digestion of material is better for you. You get to know the topic you’re reading, and you get to form opinions about it too. Dare we say: that might lead to new ideas in this world?

It’s hard these days to sit down, read, and do nothing else but delve into your book. The accomplishment in itself can be a practice in ‘de-connecting’ and winding down.

See related articles:

2: ‘Slow reading’ can teach you new things, creating more ‘ah ha’ moments

Think about it: when you read in-depth, you become more aware of more topics in a detailed way. We’re not talking about trivia knowledge. In reading, you may learn something new in one ‘ah ha’ moment, even though that moment was just a blip in time compared to the rest of your reading session. Teens who read in-depth topics will be able to connect those ‘ah ha’ moments, by memory, to lessons they’re learning in the classroom at school.

Need an example of how this plays out in education? In one of our past articles on this blog, we wrote about, “6 Science lessons using chickens as the common theme.” You’d be surprised how many topics in science that the thought of a mere chicken can bring up. But knowing more about individual topics can help a person put them together, and see their relatedness,. This results in a more comprehensive view of our world.

Making connections between subjects relates to interdisciplinary learning. And, this is what STEM and STEAM education are all about these days. They ‘connect the dots’ between the applications of science, technology, engineering, art and math. Knowing these topics in depth – that is, reading and learning about them carefully – can bring about great inventions, as we’re seeing in the Maker education movement.

See related: How taking a break from studying can create those “ah ha” moments

3: ‘Slow reading’ helps you understand other people

In this article about ‘slow reading’ by the Guardian, an argument is made that the practice is about being able to understand what an author is saying, at a deeper level. This is the point brought up in the first article we linked to above, where we learned that students are not ready for college-level reading based on ACT analysis. The author says,

One can’t rush by phrases from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden—such as, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately”—and still follow the meaning of the work. Readers must stop for a moment, even if only to shake their heads and mumble, “Huh?” They insert a hesitant question before moving on. What does he mean, “deliberately”?”

When you have to understand what another person is saying, whether or not they are being blunt with you, it helps you also understand what they’re going through, who they are, and the reason for saying what they say.

This can lead to greater interpersonal skills. A good, slow read of a text can help with that. After all, the more ways we know how to say things, the more ways we will be able to understand them.

‘Slow reading’ doesn’t have to wait, but it does have to be scheduled

Given the movement of ‘slow reading’ is all about ‘unplugging’ from our electronic world, it’s no wonder the activity is being encouraged as something you schedule. It’s something you make time for, not that you necessarily do on your own automatically.

As teachers and parents, we can incorporate ‘slow reading’ into classroom or family time. For teachers, we also found this resource to help students learn about reading comprehension, so they know what the goal of ‘slow reading’ time is.

Whether reading on a tablet, Kindle or on hardcopy paper, comprehension is important. The more you do it, the better you’ll likely become at it. While ‘purists’ of the ‘slow reading’ movement may disagree with our comment on using an electronic device, we would simply say: do what you know won’t tempt you! That is, if you’re bound to go online while reading on a tablet, then don’t use one for this activity.

Parents beware: fentanyl overdoses are killing our ‘good kid’ teens when taking drugs ‘innocently’

Fentanyl teen overdose
Photo Credit: marc falardeau Flickr via Compfight cc

From the ‘90s and 2000s we remember the ‘just say no’ campaigns against drugs. Whether they worked or not, at that time, addiction was a fear, and rightly so; drugs could ruin promising lives.

Today, however, we’re dealing with a more serious issue, layering on top of our fears of addiction. Fentanyl is being found in modern forms of common street drugs like heroin and cocaine because it’s cheap to synthesize. It’s also deceiving people into thinking it’s a less harmful choice because it’s sold as a prescription drug and used in ‘real’ medicine.

But fentanyl is 50-100 times more lethal than other drugs. It’s killing our ‘good kid’ teens. Deaths are happening in a single dose. This article on PBS.org shows a side-by-side picture of the lethal doses of heroin and fentanyl. A picture is worth a thousand words, and you’ll certainly get that idea when seeing the comparison visually. Deadly fentanyl almost looks like a few grains of salt.

Messages against drugs today are not just about surviving addiction or suffering brain damage: they’re about whether or not your ‘experimenting’ kid is going to die tonight.

Fentanyl overdoses are happening to teens we wouldn’t expect them to happen to

The scary thing is that these overdoses are happening to the teens we least suspect them to be happening to. Whether you think your kids are at risk or not, it’s important your entire family knows this information. Don’t think the headlines about our opioid crises don’t apply to your ‘good kid.’

Remember: fentanyl is taking one dose to kill. Just one. That’s one bad decision, or one ‘trick’ that a teen is taking something else, when in fact it’s laced with deadly fentanyl.

Fentanyl teen overdose stories in the news are real, and telling of an opioid crisis among our kids

If we sound strong, we hope to be. Type the words, “fentanyl teens” into Google and you’ll get no shortage of news stories telling the tale that is now becoming common: ‘teen dies of fentanyl overdose.’ Don’t believe us? Think it’s just a USA thing? Nope. Here are some Canadian news articles to get you started:

“She did not get the risks”: Esquimalt teen dies in suspected fentanyl overdose – this article tells the story of a teen who died because she believed in a world where someone could pay their dealer $20 extra “to make sure there’s no fentanyl.” In other words, the kids might know about the dangers of fentanyl already. They just might not think they will be a victim.

‘These drugs are killing our kids’: Why teen brains are more vulnerable to fentanyl and opioid addiction – this article shows the startling graph of the spike in fentanyl overdoses in 2016. It also tells the story of a teenage girl who died in a Port Moody, B.C. Starbucks bathroom because of fentanyl and heroin. And, the story of a 23-year-old who beat addiction in his teens, but later died from an overdose.

Pills laced with fentanyl found near teen who overdosed, police confirm – this is the story of a grade 9 Ottawa student who died of a fentanyl overdose after two days in hospital. The only warning sign? “A few typical teenage issues.” And apparently, a counsellor was not enough. Kids need to know, ‘real and hard,’ how serious this opioid crisis is.

What should parents and teachers do about fentanyl education among teens at home and at school?

You may feel like, as the parent, your kid won’t listen to you. It’s a common fear. But there are ways to go about the conversation. And part of that is forming the right relationship with your teen.

Apart from having ‘the talk,’ there is more you can do as a parent or teacher at school to give fentanyl education to teens.

Firstly, get educated about it yourself. Below are great resources to understand ‘what is fentanyl’? And many questions surrounding it:

http://www.projectknow.com/research/fentanyl-and-teens/

http://www.fraserhealth.ca/media/Overdose_SchoolToolkit_FINAL.pdf

http://globalnews.ca/news/2158422/fentanyl-101-the-facts-and-dangers/

Proactively educate teens on fentanyl dangers. Prevention is the best cure. And by that we don’t just mean telling kids not to do drugs. But know that most people taking opioids don’t know they are. In cases where they do know, it may have started out innocently, as pain medication. In fact, this article on Vox explains that more people are dying as a result of what starts as prescription opioids, than other recreational drug use.

Make sure your school is utilizing educational methods to keep teens aware of the risks of fentanyl. Remember, it’s not detectable, and not all drug sellers will say fentanyl has been added to their questionable products. Kids also should not assume that if a pill looks like a prescription, it is one.

Make sure teens know about precautions when using drugs. While we know it’s hard to make it sound like you’re ok with kids doing drugs, this point of education can save lives. Since the teens are likely to make choices due to peer pressure, or because they’re just unaware of the risks (like the stories above), these points can at least keep them in check:

  • Get a hold of Naloxone (THN) kits. These can save lives if someone is overdosing. According to this article, even non-drug-using parents should have these, just in case they’re in a situation they’ll be needed.
  • Never do drugs alone. Try to have a designated ‘no high’ person present.
  • Know the symptoms of a fentanyl overdose.

And, a big one….

Teach teens to get their drugs tested for fentanyl before taking them. There are centres that will do this, such as Insite in Vancouver, online, or at certain pharmacies. You can advocate to have more centres offer these cheap, or free tests.

As parents and adults, let’s set examples for our kids when it comes to drug use

We’re going to end this with an opinion, by mentioning that during our research on this topic, we read about unsuspecting adults taking drugs, and dying of overdoses too. Of course, no one thinks it will be them until it happens. Recently a North Vancouver couple died of an overdose, leaving behind a two-year old. We found other stories of parents taking drugs around kids, which are too tear-jerking to mention here. But you can find them if you look.

When things like this happen, we have to wonder, why? Why waste life? For what? And, if they had survived, would they be indifferent about their decision? Would they do it again?

While articles above do explain that teen brains are developing, and thus can be more harmed by drugs, it doesn’t exempt adults from the responsibility of making those decisions wisely too. We’re even reading of marijuana laced with fentanyl – not a lot, but it’s out there. What seems innocent, and just some fun, may not be. Kids brains are not yet fully developed. But adult brains should be. Adults are in a better position to make mature decisions.

Teens are going through a hard time. While you may not play the role of being their ‘best buddy,’ you can set an example for them when it comes to drug use. If they see you behave irresponsibly with prescriptions, or with recreational drugs, expect that it will have an impact on their attitude towards them too.