The Problem
Technological Electronic Over Stimulation
We are undertaking an experiment in child rearing. Never before in history have children been raised with so much exposure to audio visual electronic stimulation. Children are growing up today saturated by mega doses of TV, movies, video games, computer screens, Ipods, cell phones, instant messaging, pyro technic explosions, Internet surfing and so on. Technological over stimulation is changing the way our children think, feel, behave, communicate and learn.
School Work is Harder Than Ever Before
schools today are demanding that children learn harder and more difficult academic material at earlier and earlier ages. The flood of technology and increased complexity of academic work contributes to and complicates the problem that many children have with concentration and attention.
Adult Frustration
The teachers and parents of children who work under their potential often believe that the problem comes from laziness, a bad attitude, being spoiled or a lack of motivation.
School Work Often Leads To Frustration and Avoidance
Many children today have difficulties in very specific areas. School work today demands sustained concentration, memorization and persistence. Children today often want things to come fast and easy. They get frustrated when school work gets confusing or too complicated.
The Cover Up and Distraction Strategy
Many children create elaborate and effecitve strategies to hide their difficulties with school work and belief that they are ‘dumb’. They would rather parents, teachers and adults believe that they do not care or want to do school work rather than discover that they can not do school work.
Difficulties with Motivation and Self Discipline
Teachers today believe that students do not have the motivation and self discipline that students used to have. Teachers must use
Learning How to Learn
Many schools do not directly teach children how to learn. Schools often teach students what to learn and hope that this will lead to learning how to learn. This approach worked better in the past when children had more motivation and self discipline. This approach is still adequate for many children. However, today’s schoool work, competition for college acceptance and tough job marketplace demand that children develop a strong and effective foundation of learning, communication and success skills.
Inner Strength and Positive Values
We live in a tough unforgiving world. International global competition has made finding a job, earning a living and building a career much harder than ever before. In order to live a happy, healthy, good life today our children need resilience and strong motivation. Our children need powerful inner strength to embrace challenges. Our children need strong values, self confidence and good decision making skills to avoid negative influences and create the positive life we want for them.
The Importance of Success Skills on Motivation
Many people believe that motivation is the key to success. Motivation, however, is only a part of success. Even if we are intensely motivated to do something, we may not be able to achieve our goal if we do not know how to achieve it. For 5 milltion dollars we would be very motivated to break through a wall, but without knowing the proper Karate moves to get through, that motivation would not help us to get the money. The 10 Minute a Day program builds the Success Skills that our children need to succeed in school and life. There is no motivation like success. The more are children are able to achieve, the more motivated they become. Success coupled with motivation is a powerful tool.
Children Today Often Get Frustrated and Turn Off to School Work
Children today want instant results. They want things to come fast and easy. They live in a ‘McWorld” of constant activities and stimulation. School work, however, takes sustained concentration, problem solving, thinking and perisstence. Children today mistakenly believe that the definition of intelligence means knowing the answer. They see the “Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, pick on me!” student sitting next to them with his or her hand shooting up and assume that he or she is intelligent. When children do not know the answer right away or have trouble trying to understand something, they assume that they are dumb or stupid. When children today get frustrated trying to learn something new they feel humiliated and embarassed. Humiliation and embarrassment has been shown to be more feared than death. Consequently, children today often turn off to school work to hide their insecurity and avoid frustration and humiliation.
For more information call or e-mail Dr. Rodger Goddard at (973) 763-0991 or drrgoddard@msn.com