The year we have presidential elections is always an exciting time as we are afforded a unique opportunity to see democracy in action. I personally enjoy following the primaries, campaigns, and the election itself. This uniquely American process gives us a special opportunity to teach citizenship to our students. As we watch the candidates campaigning and make our decisions on our choice for each public office there are some obvious lessons for us that apply to public education.
First, preparation is essential to success. To win, a candidate must study his or her material, practice presenting their points of view, and be organized. Those who do not prepare do not last long in the race for office, and the same can be said for our students. As we enter the second half of this school year it is obvious that those students who were prepared last semester did well and those who have prepared for quarter three are off to a good start. Attendance is critical…when a student is absent he or she always misses vital education. While we make every effort to help students make up missed work, makeup is never as good as being there. Being on time is equally important. Students who arrive late not only miss some training themselves but also disrupt a class already in progress. Keeping up on class work and homework assignments is essential if a student is going to excel. Finally, organization is crucially important. Each student is provided an agenda booklet that contains a calendar that students should use. While we all forget something occasionally, “I forgot” is never a good excuse for late or missing work. Learning to organize and plan are essential life skills and high school is an excellent place to build these skills.
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