MegaSkills: How Families Can Help Children Succeed in School and Beyond. - book reviews

MegaSkills: How Families Can Help Children Succeed in School and Beyond

At last! Here is a practical, no frills book, easy to read and full of suggestions for helping children succeed in school and life. Its author is Dorothy Rich, founder and president of the Home and School Institute in Washington, D.C., where she has been an innovator in the tough task of getting parents and teachers to work together to nurture children's achievements. MegaSkills is packed with ideas based both on common sense and an astute blend of educational psychology and pedagogy which result in what Rich calls "home teaching recipes" that produce these skills.

Rich defines MegaSkills as the values, attitudes and behaviors that determine success in and out of school, and she lists 10: confidence, motivation, effort, responsibility, initiative, perseverance, caring, teamwork, common sense, and problem solving. Rich postulates that we are graded on these qualities all through life. Their power is built daily in small increments, and her book provides simple ways to assure that practice of them will make perfect.

In one section, Rich explains "What to Do and How to Do It" for each MegaSkill. Each chapter begins by contrasting a school skill and a life skill, with an example to illustrate how these skills are transferable. For example, skill Number Ten, Problem Solving, offers these contrasts:

Now - In School: Harriet is always coming up with new ways to solve old problems. She gave the class ideas for setting up the science exhibit.

Later - On the Job: Mrs. Short is a woman of ideas. She figured out how to substantially increase company revenues by designing a new product distribution system.

Following this are recipes that underline the two basic ingredients of problem solving: practice in asking and answering questions and practice in making decisions. Several recipes are given for each age group (divided into ages 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12).

The decision-making recipe for 4- to 7-years-olds, for example, calls for having the child pretend that the following things are happening:

"You are lost on your way to a friend's house.

"You can't find your key and no one is home.

"You are teased on your way home from school."

The recipe continues with directions for the adult:

"Ask children to think of as many ways to solve these problems as they can. Don't reject any ideas even if they sound farfetched. After they have mulled over three or four different solutions, let them pick one way that seems best."

In contrast, here is a decision-making recipe for older children:

"As kids grow older, they need to be aware of the many decisions they make every day... about clothes, friends, jobs. You need thinking minds.

"Talk with your youngster about some important decisions you have made in the past. Examples: Buying a car, changing jobs, getting married. Tell about the things you considered before making these decisions. Were there good and bad consequences? Were you happy with your decisions? Would you make the same ones again?

"Making decisions usually involves looking at the pros (the pluses) and the cons (the minuses) of a situation. Together consider the pros and cons of skipping school, eating a lot, spending money. What is gained? What is lost?

"Whenever possible, try to let your youngsters bear the consequences of their own decision making - good or bad! Talk about what could be done next time.

"Encourage children to become planners: What would they do if they were teachers? Fathers? Mothers? Exchanging roles gives them a glimmer of teachers' and parents' points of view.

"Ask for children's advice in choosing the best place for a vacation. Discuss the reasons for their choice and the factors that determine the ultimate decision, such as time and money. Children need to face these realities of life. Providing this practice will help."

Rich addresses what parents can do at home to reinforce their children's foundation in the 3Rs - "Let 'em Eat Shapes," finding hidden letters all around the kitchen on appliances and groceries, "Round Robin Story," "Building, Writing Memories," a "Math Walk Through the House," and "Math Bounce." These are ingenious games that will delight a child yet give him or her practice in building MegaSkills.

The author challenges parents, yet provides dozens of clues that reveal creative, refreshing and rewarding paths to take. She explores the special needs of children with handicaps, as well as the special need in all of us for creativity. Thus, she includes recipes for music, art, dance and movement, and field trips.

Rich concludes with suggestions for completing a Home Report Card focusing on new skills learned/old skills improved; accomplishments; self-understanding; relationships with others; the best and worst things of the year; and ideas for next year.

This report card is an excellent way to underscore the value of the home teaching recipes. There is also a quiz for parents to take - and it is a wonderful way to catch oneself being a good parent!

MegaSkills contains much for parents and for anyone who works with parents of children under age 15. This very inexpensive publication promises a bountiful return to its readers in helping them to understand what children need at home to reinforce the education they are receiving at school. What is presented ties in to schoolwork, is serious yet fun, is easy to do, takes little time, and costs nothing!

COPYRIGHT 1989 U.S. Government Printing Office
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group