The fourth R is integral to learning and academic success.  A song about school days mentions Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic.  These three subjects , basic to academic and social progress, are regarded by all as foundational.    Yet, in spite of technological advances and audio-visual aids, many students have not mastered the fundamentals for success in life.  What did the school of yesteryear - a generation or more  ago - possess that surfaces as  a deficiency in many students who attend school  in the twentyfirst century?

          Values were the keystone for schools in bygone days. Many schools today still believe in good moral values.  However, in 'Golden Rule' days,  respect for adults and each other was reinforced
daily.  Take a look at the present society, riddled with crime and other  problems.  Trace the cause to the source.  Love is central to any good relationship.  Yet, in the stuggle for survival, the rule is simple:" Do evil unto others before they render evil and injustice to you!"  Practicing the Golden Rule is not easy now  because those who are kind and loving are regarded as weak.  Nevertheless, love and its fruit is the final victor in the controversy of life.  Thus, when the germ of love is a contagion, there is an epidemic of goodness.  After all, the child is father of the man according to Alexander Pope.


          Resources are more abundant today, yet many students - some attending junior and senior secondary schools- function at pre-primer, first, second and third grade level.  How did they get that far with such functional disability?  The Grade Level Assessment Test (GLAT) should have identified them by fourth grade and some action taken to correct the malfunction by grade six.  Henry W. Longfellow in The Builders says to leave no yawning gaps when building for the future.  Teachers at all levels in the Bahamian educational system are striving for excellence; but one of (if not) the greatest need is suitable text and workbooks.  When such books are located, the bookstores need to profit and cover their expenses, so the books are unaffordable for most students.  Some students purchase the text and or workbook; but unless strong arm, drastic measures are taken, the majority of the students in public schools lack what is needed to reinforce basic skills.

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The Fourth R Exposed
          Some students attend after-school classes or programs.  After I discovered Hooked On Phonics and Hooked On Maths, I purchased them for a hefty sum.  When I told my sister about the program, she bought the whole package from me.  Before long, I was involved in an after school program with students who were desperately in need of help with basic skills.  We made sure that they completed their homework; then we reinforced whatever they were learning in school.  One student was a challenge.  At first, I tried traditional methods.  He was like the slow loris.  Then my sister found an abacus.  With it as an aid, he was able to race through his Arithmetic homework with 100% accuracy!  For some reason, he was not able to master the phonic sounds as quickly.  Fortunately, the program has flash cards; and through individualized instructions and reinforcement in small portions, he started to show signs of learning.  The four  days a week practice helped him to develop  memory; and motivators stimulated his interest.

          Resources need not be limited to books or other material.  Resource persons are needed to assist students.  Sometimes students or others  are unable to find information on a particular topic because no books are available or the seeker does not know where to look.  Often, students can benefit from a  resouce person who is  a catalyst.  By taking the time...caring... such persons enable some students to experience a renaissance.  Morale support can be utilized to reinforce 'excelsior!'  Striving for excellence can be a communal effort.  What do you think would happen if a small group, business or corporation sponsored a class unit instead of a school?  What if the sponsor helped that unit to scale heights unknown by whatever strategy was best for the set?  Adaptability is seen in nature.  In my front  yard, a tree that I was advised to cut down has produced one spike- a bunch of fruits.  The flowers around it was blooming; and it imitated their example!  I did not discover the truth for a long time.  Do you think that students can adapt to academic success via such a sponsor or even committed parents?
          Do you know the rote memory that some educators consider obselete?  Well, children of yesteryear had no problem with memory, unlike some of the students today.  They sang their multiplication table and did not have to depend on counting their fingers.  They knew the information
by heart.  When my modern day niece was having problems with Mathematics, I diagnosed the problem then issued an ultimatum.  We would stay awake until she had mastered her multiplication tables from two to twelve.  She escaped with leniency as students decades before her had to learn multiplication and square root tables up to twenty  as well as countless factoids!  That night we did not lose any sleep because she was keen.  Mastering the tables and reinforcing other concepts was beneficial.  She completed high school at fifteen and Junior College by seventeen!  Many students would straighten up and fly right in Mathematics if they knew their times tables and reinforced their knowledge of that subject.

          Skills are honed through real life situations.  One time my brother picked up some vegetables that were on special; and the cashier checked them at the regular price.  He brought this to her attention; and we waited patiently while she attempted to correct the situation and credit us the difference.  Thanks to Mental Arithmetic, I was able to determine the answer quickly.  Even with pencil and a calculator, it took her about five minutes.  Accuracy is important to a cashier; so I am happy she checked and double checked her answers.  However, what happens in a situation when there is no paper or calculator?  Students need to be trained for such moments.
          Have you ever heard the expression fowl scratch?  That term aptly describes the handwriting of some modern day students  .  Penmanship, in the past, promoted pride and accuracy.    Granted, some people have difficulty forming their letters properly because they need to speed.  Or, maybe their handwriting is an ideal sample for a graphologist.  At one time, poor penmanship was believed to be indicative of someone who would be a doctor.  While it may be a sign of high intelligence for some people who become doctors and even  outstanding leaders, many students today who thrive on poor handwriting are below average.  The handwritng is a smokescreen for poor spelling and in some cases, poor sentence sense.

          Writing is a discipline that is as demanding and intense as any other -  art, music, dance,science, technical and vocational.   It commands time, thought and talent.  Presentation and style are basic.  The access to communication is writing; and until every desk is equipped with a computer or typewriter,   legible handwriting is an essential skill and asset.  Now, there are many students with perfect penmanship who are literally lost for words.  They can fill tomes with what they have to say; but they go blank when they have to transfer the thoughts to paper.  Why? There may be many reasons.  Here is one:

          Creating with words is the same as writing;
          Writing is the same as creating with words.
          Creating with words is like building a wall.

Some people know how to create with words but they have not grasped the concept of building a wall.  Besides  having a foundation, a wall is constructed one block at a time.  It is a process, a discipline, a reinforced habit. 
          Reinforcement has its reward.  Have you met students who have attended music lessons for  years and are still in grade one?  Would you consider it a waste of time and funds for parents  to continue to invest in music lessons? Do you know that latent talent can spring to life with the right stimulus?  A keyboard, introduced during a poetry lesson to demonstrate rhythm, created a dazzling effect.  Some students are now practicing regularly.  In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king.  Students crave recognition; and any avenue that can help them to reach that goal is worthwhile.  The  keyboard practice can produce dividends during a talent extravaganza.  Some members of the school band, who are enjoying  accolades  now for their first class performance, have told of how their interest in playing drums was ignited.  Now they spend long hours  practicing ; but it is a joy.

           Several decades ago, students had to memorize long poems and passages from literature.  At that time, it may have seemed difficult and meaningless; or they may have recognized future worth.  Most people from that era can still recite the Psalm of Life.  Some may remember snippets of The Old Armchair, The Village Blacksmith, All the world's a stage, or quotes like "More things are wrought by prayer..."," Water,water all around but..." or the gist of
Grumble and Cheery.  Those who relished the days of recitation find that elocution is still in vogue. They can create a love for reading and reciting by being a raconteur or promoting speaking skills.  Children like to hear about the past , especially unwritten history.  Many of them imitate too and establish a heritage... a legacy for literature and learning.  However,  literature is more than recitation.  The ultimate goal, literary appreciation, is a non stop generation.  Nobody knows when writers  are born; but everyone knows when they make their debut.  The rise of a literary star can be as secretive as yeast in dough and as tasty as hot rock oven bread.
          Although the hickory stick or bamboo cane of yesteryear may have been used as a pointer like the laser pointers of today, it doubled as an effective tool for pointing students to the right path.  Who dared to come to class without the proper learning tools - a sharp pencil, ruler, pen, ink and notebook at least?  Was anyone foolish enough to forget to complete homework  or make an excuse concerning why it was not done?  Which student was brazen enough to disrespect teachers or any adult?  Was stealing and willful vandalism tolerated among the student population?  What happened to  noisy, chatting students who were audacious enough to disrupt a lesson?  Do you know that if  dam slipped out of the mouth of a youth, it had to be qualified as the mother of a lamb or a bridge?  Which adult dared to allow  young  people to use the other one that was regarded as profane?  Those who did not hear were made to feel... to understand the importance of discipline. Parents were informed whenever students were punished for misconduct.   It was no secret that parents inflicted another punishment to reinforce the ideal standard.  The second punishment was an insurance against  repeating such  undesirable behaviour.

          Some regard the discipline of the past as physical abuse, a vicious cycle of violence and a deterrent that fostered fear.  All of the above may be true.  Now, examine the benefits.  Did students learn their lessons?  Were they delinquent and vandals? Did they use obscene language in the presence of teachers and to their annoyance?  Which student of bygone days dared to fight another student and  was effrontery enough to ignore the instruction of teachers to desist from such violation of school rules?  Now that the hickory stick has been removed, students feel free to pull a knife on another student.  During rumbles,students may produce weapons, including missiles.  Rock and bottle do not have any eyes but they are missiles.  Such  incidents do not make headlines because the youth are juveniles and nobody was hospitalized or killed.  Years,months or weeks later, there  may a headline because the homicide statistics has risen again.  Solomon says to discipline a child when he or she is young.  Whatever form it takes, Solomon says it is a lifetime investment  that can bring shame    or honour to a family.
          Reinforcement, whether negative or positive, served the school of yesteryear well.  Education was more precious than the Hope Diamond or the Crown Jewels... a rare commodity.  Through reinforcement, education can be restored to its niche as a revered icon.  Adverisers know the importance of reinforcing their message.  Spammers flood email boxes, creating a responsive audience with trigger words such as free and act now in repeated links.  There are pop under windows that  subtly await your exit.  The subliminal or even overt reinforcement is simple: Buy this product!

          Education is a consumable yet progressive product.  It must be touted as the lifeline to each day, the mainstay for the present and future.  True education is a myriad of intelligences that  are anchored in Reading,Writing and Arithmetic. Reinforcement, the fourth R, enables the three Rs to maintain the rigidity of success in the face of many challenges.
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