How to Become Smart and Good: A Blueprint for Parents, Caregivers and Teachers K-12

By Dr. Marion L. Newman

A proven, researched-based blueprint to raising children with high intellectual ability and high moral character.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Dec 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483421391

Book preview

How to Become

Smart and Good

A blueprint for parents, caregivers and teachers k-12

Dr. Marion L. Newman

Copyright © 2014 Dr. Marion L. Newman.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2140-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2139-1 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 02/02/2015

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

Section 1    Academic Environment At Home

Section 2    Social Development At Home

Section 3    Academic Preparation At School

Section 4    Becoming Good; Socialization At School

Section 5    Winds Beneath Our Wings

Some Closing Thoughts

References

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my children, grandchildren and wife. Each of my children – Marion (Trey), Jarahn, and Kimberly – has been a blessing from God beyond measure. My grandchildren – Ryan, Kaleb, Kaelyn, Cameron, Bryce, Julia and Avery – seem to be dashing toward even higher heights. Any inspiration that they may receive from this work would be an added bonus.

Most of all, I wish to honor my spouse, Virginia, who is a prime example of what a good parent should be like. The research based practices outlined in this book correspond closely with what seemed to come natural for her.

We are each gifted in unique and important ways. It is our privilege and adventure to discover our own special light.

James L. Hymes, Jr.

PREFACE

Since time immemorial, parents have always desired for their children to become smart and good. In today’s global knowledge economy, it is increasingly important to provide children every opportunity to get ahead. Smart kids get scholarships, career advantages, and so forth. Smart students solve problems and put ideas together in new ways. Smart students are able to read with understanding and write with clarity and expression. They are usually a step ahead of their fellow classmates and sometimes even their teacher.

Further, smart kids invent things. Maybe your smart kid will solve a problem in the world or your community. So there is a lot of virtue on becoming smart.

It must be acknowledged that at least 70% of an individual’s intelligence comes from genetics. In other words, nearly three-fourth of your intellectual capacity is the result of who your parents happen to be. But that leaves over 25 percent of a child’s capacity being affected by outside factors in the environment. The difference is primarily the extent to which the child lives in an enriched and stimulating home environment during the early years.

Research has also found that the average person only uses less than 1 % of 1% of his capacity to learn. That means, there is a whole lot of room for everybody to get a whole lot smarter.

The good news is we know what it takes to successfully educate a child at high levels. As Ron Edmonds, the father of the Effective Schools movement, so cogently puts it:

I now believe that we can successfully educate each student whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know all we need in order to do this. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t thus far.

All we have to do is be resourceful with what is already known. This book is designed to serve as a catalyst and guide in those efforts.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people 1 Thessalonians 5:15, NLT

Having your child develop intellectually at high levels notwithstanding, it is even more important for the child to be of good moral character. There are too many people who use their advanced intellect for destructive and evil purposes. As the saying goes: To educate a person in mind but not morals is to educate a menace to society. Names like Osama Bin Laden and Jeffrey Dahmer immediately come to my mind. The same child that makes us proud by using his creative genius to find a cure for an illness or solve other societal problems can on the other hand bring misery and destruction to the masses and hurt and shame to his parents.

The good news once again is that we have all the resources we need to not only raise children who are smart but also of high moral character. For example, we have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines that provide high quality images of the brain. Those images reveal the experiences and inputs that have a positive effect on the developing brain and those experiences and inputs that exert a negative impact. Positron Emission Tomography (PET), clinical studies, an exploding field of neuroscience and the list goes on are all at our disposal.

We also have our own life experiences as a rich treasure of information. In my case, those past experiences include raising three very smart children who all are also of high moral character. Each one has also excelled in his/her chosen career. Marion (Trey) is a top notched engineer and entrepreneur in Charlotte, N.C,; Kimberly is a teacher par excellence in Atlanta, Ga; and her twin brother, Jarahn, is a distinguished attorney in Jacksonville, Fl. Best of all, each one has a strong religious faith that is used as a guide onto their pathway and lamp unto their feet.

It is a rewarding adventure in life as you strive to raise bright children with high moral character that is grounded in a living faith. Like any successful venture, it will require determination, discipline, and godly wisdom.

THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS: TEACHER TEACHER TEACHER

The degree to which the child succeeds in becoming smart and good will depend in large measure on three sets of teachers: the parents (the child’s first and most important teacher); other caregivers (such as daycare, grandparents, other relatives); and the classroom teacher. This book can serve as a blueprint for those sets of teachers throughout the process. The journey to smartness and goodness will not be easy; but in the end, you will be richly rewarded for having made that decision.

This blueprint for success is divided into five major sections:

1. ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AT HOME

2. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT HOME

3. ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AT SCHOOL

4. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AT SCHOOL

5. THE WINDS BENEATH OUR WINGS

The sections are not absolute in that they often, if not usually, intertwine. Indeed, social/emotional development affects academic development and vice versa. The blueprint Is research based with a major focus on the field of neuroscience and practical, everyday experiences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marion L. Newman, PH.D earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Secondary Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina. He has over 30 years of exemplary educational experiences having served as a teacher, principal, district level administrator, university professor, and educational consultant. Other books written by Dr. Newman include Maximizing Student Learning: Feel the Magic and the manual THE HSAP ADVANTAGE.

Let’s get started.

FOR THE PARENTS: SECTIONS 1 AND 2

SECTION

1

ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT AT HOME

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

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Learning is the preface of doing, and if it is done well, it results in wisdom

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"50 % of a child’s capacity to learn is formed by age 3."

TEACHER #1………(and most important)

THE PARENTS

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A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never outgrows it Frank A. Clarke

PRENATAL PERIOD

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The foundation of a baby’s intelligence is being built while he is still a fetus. This stage of the baby’s life is very critical because this is where the raw material of his intelligence and personality is being formed. Fetal brain development has long lasting effects on the child’s personality.

A developing fetus is very sensitive to stress and poor nutrition. Most brain cells are produced between the fourth and seventh month of gestation. Therefore, it is especially critical during the prenatal period that the expected mother gets a well- balanced diet daily and keeps her stress level as low as can be.

While pregnant, the expectant mother can support her baby’s healthy brain development when she:

• Eats foods that are good for her – fruits, green vegetables, grains, dairy foods

• Gets daily exercise – just walking each day is good for the mother and child.

• Has regular checkups with a health provider – Ask about taking vitamins.

• Gets help if she is feeling a lot of stress – The baby needs a calm environment.

While those four things support the healthy development of the brain, there are also things for the expectant mother to avoid. Leading the to-be-avoided list is inadequate nutrition.

INADEQUATE NUTRITION

The lack of calcium, iron, iodine, and other minerals lead to a baby’s learning disabilities, delays in language development, behavioral problems, delayed motor skills development, and a lower IQ. For example, the baby needs codine to make thyroid hormones, which is essential for brain development. Iron is needed to make red blood cells that transport oxygen to the baby, affecting the baby’s brain and body