Another death by adolescence

Three Killed, One in Coma
Charlotte, NC
July 27,2008
©Marcey J. Walsh 2008

Another death by adolescence. In Albemarle, NC, three are teens dead and one in a coma after a late night crash on a local highway. Their car struck a second vehicle in the side at an approximate speed of 85 mph in a 55 mph zone. Four more families grieve, another community pulls together for support and comfort and still no one has an answer for why it happened and how this "accident" could have been prevented.

More than 500 teens have died on the roads of NC over the past three years. As a mother myself, I ached for the parents and family of every one.

As someone who works with thousands of young people every year, I also struggled with my anger. Given what we have learned in the past five years about neurological development of the brain, the question is not if, but rather when and to whom this will happen next. These are intelligent kids, often at the top of their class. They end up in a losing situation because we, as a community didn't tell them what they need to know in a way they can understand and use to protect themselves.

This is tough, people. Since we know why this happened and how to help teens prevent it, can these really be called accidents? Just as someone needs to eventually tell every teen about sex and alcohol and drugs and the gritty reality of what's "out there." Someone needs to tell them about what's "in there."

• · Tell them that, although they are wonderful and brilliant, the risk assessment part of their brain isn't finished yet.

• · Tell them that young people have wonderful ideas, but that, although they look like adults, they have a dangerous decade ahead when they will make life changing decisions before they are "playing with a full deck."

• · Tell them that the truly brilliant among them will, as they grow and become independent; honor the brain they WILL have by tapping into the brains of older mentors before acting.

Telling this new information is important, but we also must model in every classroom, at every dinner table and in every situation one unchanging truth: that survivors look AND listen before leaping. Cars, drugs, smoking, alcohol - they have a lot to decide about and they count on us to give them the information they need.

We have learned so much, it's only fair to tell them. Accidents happen; tragedies don't have to.

Why Teachers are Essential in Todays Economy

I love Google News. I can set it to fill my startup page with articles on topics I’m interested in, like education! Despite cultural differences, articles from all over the world reinforce daily one consistent truth: no matter what continent, no matter what country, education is considered the catalyst for change.

Today, even I was floored! This time, two articles on the same day from opposite sides of the globe highlighted a basic difference in attitude toward effective education. These submissions are of differing scope and purpose of course, so draw your own conclusions, but I was struck speechless (an unheard of event for me!) by the difference in perspective - long term vs short term- reflected in the pieces.

I hear a long term, national commitment with a specific goal proposed in one article and a general “oh no, we’re really in trouble now”” approach in the other. with no As teachers, we see these articles in U.S. headlines every day. We know we have great kids and dedicated teachers and administrators. We need a specific “’sticky” goal to rally and guide us out of the current problem. I long for a “man on the moon by the end of this decade” kind of goal. ) To be “sticky “ a goal has to be easy to visualize and easy to communicate. NCLB just doesn’t do it for me.)

I don’t know about you, but I have chills reading such a firm commitment to long term educational growth from a country we have to compete with in the global market. Teachers, know that what you do is essential! Lots of food for thought.

Not sure how long the links will be useful, but check the articles out.

Low Education Scores Could Slow U.S. Growth

Let Education Be Our Revolution

Orange County Public Schools Rock!

Orange County Public Schools
Orlando, Florida

Marcey just spoke to standing room only crowds in Orlando! Her two sessions on"Moving Kids to Learn" packed the room for programs on math and science applications that "teach with the brain in mind." .

Elementary, middle school and even a few dynamic high school educators stood in the back and sat on the floor to laugh and learn to develop kinesthetic activities that reaches all their types of learners.