Ethics is an essentially communicative action that progresses through an intricate methodology arbitrated through a deliberate dissemination of ethical values Educational leadership is especially concerned with the integrity of the processes of ethical decision-making and achievement that leaders and followers collectively put into practice. Such ethical dimensions of leadership have been broadly examined in educational capacities relating to the positions of school administrators, but many experts, such as American Association of School Administrators (AASA) director, Paul D. Houston, are still not satisfied with the results. Houston recently offered the following statement in the School Administrator journal: “Character education and the teaching of values has been an ongoing discussion for some time. We have seen schools introduce programs to teach it, school boards veer sharply away from dealing with it, acrimonious debates around it, and politicians on both sides demand it. Yet it always has been central to what we are about, and we have hurt ourselves by losing sight of the centrality of character in our work”.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find any evidence that conclusively tells us whether the American educational system is effective at promoting ethical behavior or not. While the meaning of education has broadened due to Americans’ increasing access to an expanding world of information, the methods necessary towards helping students succeed in contemporary society with well-developed academic skills as well as the capacity for adequate ethical decision-making, has not evolved according to modern needs. This is of great concern in many respects, especially considering the expanding need in contemporary society for increasingly serious moral instruction.

The ethical issues that school leaders must deal with on a daily basis vary considerably with the times. Yet schools have consistently been viewed throughout history as a “moral institution” designed to propagate and endorse issues of high morality and appropriate ethical decision-making. Educational leaders are frequently forced to make decisions that place more value on some morals than on others. Because of this, and because of the limited power of the student voice in the overall conduct of educational leaders, the leader’s conduct must be consciously moral and ethical. Hence to truly maintain status as an ethical educational leader, the responsibility to promote ethical conduct must be rooted not so much in technical expertise, but in basic human understanding.

Communities continually claim to want stronger school leaders with visions for change that do not rest comfortably amid the status quo. They want leaders who are not afraid of change and who understand that the ethical dilemmas today’s youth are far more extreme than in the past. The educational leader’s personal ethical standards are therefore paramount in facilitating the creation of a thriving, well-adjusted and morally grounded new millennium generation.

Leslie Anne Bruce said she knew from the moment her only son muttered his first word that homeschooling would be in his future. So far, she has had no regrets. Shane has remained healthy from childhood diseases, viruses, peer pressure and all other distractions that bombard many students who attend traditional schools.

By the time Shane reaches the twelfth grade level, his mother is confident her son will be ready for college.

According to recent statistics, her choice may have been a wise one.

Shane is one of more than a million Americans who are enjoying academic freedom in the privacy of their homes.

Since religion is not taught in public schools, homeschoolers are able to open a religious or spiritual study manual alongside an English Literature textbook.

Although less than one percent of all homeschoolers take the SAT, they score higher than the national average in both verbal and math, according to the National Homeschool Association. Those who take the difficult ACT, the exam required by all ivy-league institutions, homeschoolers’ average composite score is 22.8, compared to the national average of 21. A perfect ACT score is 36.

Richard and Marcella Burns of Imlay City, Michigan, have taught each of their nine children from their home. They also offer, from personal experiences, a video course for the struggling homeschool parent. At their web site, which can be searched for, the Burns family shares with potential homeschoolers the advantages and pitfalls of alternative education.

Homeschool Mall Central is a recommended web site to locate many homeschool resources. In addition to elementary and middle school curriculum,features study resources in art, religion, character, foreign language, history, language arts, math, music appreciation and science. It also offers educational software for homeschool planners.

Getting started is perhaps the most difficult challenge. There is an excellent site aimed at helping parents make education fun for their preschoolers. For instance, you’re playing in the sand with your five-year-old. You’re showing him/her how to make a road for cars. A hole is scooped out to make a hill. Water is poured into the hole to make a lake. Although your preschooler may not know it, the youngster is actually learning the basic principles of geography.

Homeschooling may not be suitable for everyone. But with school violence and class overcrowdedness topping daily news, alternative education is an area worth exploring.

This method of using questions to teach and evaluate performance is called the Socratic Method. Based on Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher and teacher, who was a mentor directly or indirectly for both Aristotle and Plato. Socrates taught his students in a manner that was beyond some of the conventions of the time. The method involved questioning. While classically and still today we find many teachers and professors or educational instructors presenting lectures, as far back as Socrates we find questions being used as a key learning tool.

Questioning students not only allows the teacher to evaluate the level of understanding but also provides for feedback, fine tuning the levels of teaching, dealing with misconceptions early, as well as improving the educational material presented. Perhaps one of the most key thoughts beyond all the information above is very simple. Teaching is learning. To teach is to learn. Good teachers learn and adapt to their students, and expand or refine their teaching material as they learn about themselves as well.

Students help teachers redefine their own horizons and levels of knowledge. The Socratic Method of teaching raises questions and provides a powerful system that can useful across the board for so many purposes.

One of the most useful facets of the Socratic Method of questioning is that it allows for quick evaluation of what a student does and does not know. Many parents and teachers do use different methods of questioning, however fail to ask appropriate questions or use an inappropriate style. Many fail to ask open ended questions. Instead they assume the answer. For example: “Susy, you know what circumnavigation means, right?” Little Susy may nod her head yes and still not understand what Magellan did with his ship in sailing the world. It would be better to ask a more direct question: “Johnny, what does circumnavigation mean?” Or you could ask for a practical example: ” Johnny, what does circumnavigation mean, using an example from history?” (or from something you just studied such as Magellan’s explorations around the world).

Many children will not ask what a specific vocabulary word means and will just assume the meaning or remain silent, which can lead to miscommunication or problems later with basic concepts. The same is true for math concepts and much more. Failure to provide an adequate number of questions using open ended questions fails to challenge the student and incorrectly assesses their ability. Now here is another thought. Most students want to be challenged. It gives them a sense of positive reward or feedback to answer questions correctly and can also be a motivational tool.

Questions allow the instructor to continually adapt the material and level of the lesson to better meet the students needs. Some students do better with practical examples while others do better with definitions. By questioning students and seeing where their strengths and weaknesses are one can provide better educational material. In addition some concepts or examples are not effective. Some questions are too difficult, too confusing, too ambiguous, and if put on a test, do not measure the students true knowledge but only reflect that the question may be confusing. Fine tuning lessons can be very important.

Finally, to teach is to learn. This is very important and is the reason why so many teach. In many cases students shed new light on a subject with their questions, asking something from a different angle then was ever expected. This results in new answers or creative thought and expands everyones knowledge of the subject. As the teacher and the student interact and teach and learn with a back and forth rhythm, more is discovered about the whole process, and the student is drawn out into an interactive form of learning that is more healthy and exciting than any boring, dry, dull lecture can be. They are a part of what they are learning and in their own way they are teaching. To teach is to learn. That is the lesson, part of the continual paradox that we find particularly with the Socratic Method. To find the answers we must ask questions, and those very questions are perhaps one of the most important tools of teaching.

Dr. Maria Montessori was an education pioneer a century ago. She achieved levels of academic success for developmentally disabled children and previously overlooked children from lower socio-economic groups that had not been considered possible. Montessori’s approach was based on the simple concept of tailoring education to children’s natural tendencies instead of imposing rules of the adult world on them. Montessori observed that children are extraordinarily curious and physical, and she sought to reward these attributes instead of condemning them.

Montessori teachers believe that if a child is properly guided to enjoy learning up to age six, he not only becomes at ease with himself and his surroundings, but also continues to be confident and curious throughout the school years. A great myth surrounding the Montessori method is that it is unusually strict or boring or is based on bizarre principles, when in fact the method demonstrates that the simplest and most natural principles of all will lead to the most happy and well-adjusted young students.

Rather than completely unstructured play or a totally controlled environment with a teacher and silent, listening students, Montessori schools strike a balance in which children are the most comfortable. In a Montessori classroom, children are less frustrated than in other schools because everything is accessible to them. Tables and chairs are constructed for preschoolers, and all of their games and projects are placed in open shelves at their eye level. Their classrooms are highly organized so that children can feel comfortable knowing where everything belongs. Much of the usual frustration and confusion of living in an adult world is eliminated in this way so that the children can concentrate on learning.

To build independence and confidence, children are not forced to participate in activities that do not interest them. While one child may be very interested in sorting and stringing beads, another might be much happier looking at books or painting. With fewer struggles for control between the students and teachers, the children have fewer reasons to act out, and become proud of their accomplishments instead of ashamed of what they could not do well.

Far from being an unsupervised free-for-all, a Montessori education is well rounded, including not only math, art, and geography, but also housework and social skills. Children will be guided to clean up their own messes with child-sized tools, and learn the powerful effect of polite phrases like “please,” “thank-you,” and “excuse me.”

When conflict occurs between students, they are taught that anger is a natural emotion, and they are guided to learn the words to express their feelings instead of being afraid of them or resorting to physical violence. Students are expected to put each project away before they chose another, so that other children may find it easily. In the Montessori method then, children are closely supervised, but treated with respect. In turn, the students are respectful and busy, uninterrupted by the usual frustrations and power struggles.

The learning tools themselves are ideal for the preschool and kindergarten age groups because they are all interactive with the children’s senses. Instead of having to grasp mathematical or language concepts with their minds alone, these children are presented with different sized blocks to line up and letters made of sandpaper. This physical interaction with their surroundings keeps the children interested, and delivers information in a form that they are naturally programmed to consume. Imagine a child outdoors digging in the dirt, grabbing at leaves, and jumping down the sidewalk. This is the kind of activity a Montessori classroom combines with academics so that children consume knowledge like candy.

Do not be discouraged by the lofty ideals, thinking that these must be expensive private schools. Montessori is only a method of teaching that any preschool can employ, so there are always Montessori schools at all levels of tuition costs. Teachers also go through intensive and ongoing training in the method, so parents can be confident that these are professionals who are passionate about nurturing their children. Still, quality care depends on the individual, so be sure to visit a few schools before you choose one. A good Montessori school will have a calm and busy atmosphere. You should not hear teachers shouting or see any bored or outcast children in the corners. Decide if a Montessori school is right for your family by visiting one today. You are guaranteed to be welcome to tour their classrooms. Montessori schools care for your family, and for your child’s future.

Learning is the ability to take in new information through our senses and process and store the useful bits for further use. Proper storage makes for proper memory. Intelligence is the ability to use this stored up information to respond appropriately to any present situation. In order for a human being to learn well and act intelligently therefore the processes of receiving information, sorting it out and storing it must not be interfered with. Interference can occur at different stages:

a) interference with the receiving- too much unnecessary noise and other signals going in at the time of learning.
b) Difficulty comparing and contrasting the new information with already stored up information- not sufficiently clear cues stored with the information for easy checking.

c) Inability to respond appropriately at the moment- the brain is shut down, or one feels like one cannot think well at the moment.

Learning can be interfered with by both internal and external factors. The internal factors can be actual physical damage to the brain at birth or later, chemical imbalances or damage to the nervous system. The external factors could include the learning environment (structure of the classroom, physical comfort), the material to be learned and the method of presentation and practice.

One of the major internal factors interfering with learning that is not paid enough attention to is feelings or emotions. For every situation we experience there are emotions attached to it. These emotions get tangled up with the information and prevent the storage process from taking place effectively. If these emotions, especially negative ones, are not cleared out they get triggered repeatedly by similar situations. Each time the emotion is triggered it interrupts the sorting and storing processes again. New information coming in at the present time gets added to the tangle instead of being stored properly. These negative emotions and tangled up data take up our space that should be clear for fresh thinking, learning and being creative. Remember how difficult it used to be to pay attention in class when you were anxious, worried or upset?

In order for learning to take place the learner must be feeling good, and this does not only mean that she must not be tired, hungry, depressed, frightened, confused , bored, etc. We all carry around feelings of invalidation, being criticized or humiliated or embarrassed. Nine out of every ten experiences in any young person’s life leaves her with some amount of these feelings, as subtle as they may appear or as much as the young person attempts to hide it or not be aware of it. From very early in life humans are not allowed to completely release these feelings- crying is interrupted from babyhood, raging to release anger is definitely not tolerated and labeled as bad behaviour or rudeness, shaking to release fear or giggling to release embarrassment are considered silly. Yet these are how our bodies naturally deal with and release emotions.

As parents and care-givers you could support your children through school by:

1. Listening to your children with full attention. Set aside special time to do nothing else but listen with delight. Don’t interrupt . Don’t be judgemental verbally or otherwise. Don’t invalidate their feelings. Encourage your child to express his feelings – of hurt, anger, embarrassment, fear, boredom. It is especially useful to set aside time to listen to your child at the end of each school day.

2. Playing games. Young people release a lot of their emotions through playing. Active games that encourage positive physical contact and loud noises are best, e.g. pillow-fighting.

3. Role-playing. Watch them “play teacher”. They use this as a safe way to act out their frustrations that are blocking their mental well-being.

4. Setting goals with them and helping them to monitor their progress. Help them to set up a realistic study schedule.

5. Providing as many different learning experiences as possible- outings, trips, informative television viewing, appropriate movies, conversations with resource people.

6. Rewarding them for improvement and performance not just for achievement. Don’t demonstrate disappointment when the child does not seem to live up to your expectations.

7. Love them “in spite of” and “just because”.

JROTC is a high school elective that some schools even offer as an alternative to physical education. The basic curriculum of this class involves a heavy emphasis on American military history, military customs and courtesies, safety and first aid and physical fitness. The interesting spin to all of this is that the lessons are mostly taught by the students themselves- the cadets, who hold rank and follow a chain of command.

There are four levels to the program. The first year covers the basics, the second year emphasizes the basics, the third year offers leadership opportunities and the fourth year offers added leadership and responsibility. For students who join the program late, they just start off as advanced as they can. The structure of these JROTC units is much like that of the military, only on a much smaller scale. This structure also depends on the sponsor service, whether the school’s unit is modeled after the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard.

The cadets are supervised by retired military personnel who choose to work with the kids, emphasizing the importance of confidence, organization and authority. These retired military people also have to complete courses is education to become an instructor.

Cadets attend high school at normal hours, rarely having to show up earlier or stay after school unless they choose to. The only mandate is that they come dressed in their proper uniform once a week, and that day of the week is specified so that all the cadets can be formally inspected.

These cadets learn how to march, too, and if they’re really good at it, they can opt to join their unit’s rifle drill team and/or color guard. These teams compete with other area units very often, teaching the kids not only how to be fiercely competitive, but also a lot about comradery and team work. For many schools, joining JROTC is one of the few ways to travel out of state, as units have dozens of competitions throughout the country they can choose from to participate in, funds willing.

There are JROTC units in high schools in nearly every state- even in Hawaii, and there are usually no prerequisites to join the program.

After high school graduation, any student who spent at least two years in JROTC, if they choose to enlist, has the chance of being promoted a rank above their peers upon the completion of training camp. Pretty much, though the JROTC program is a small-scale model of the military, the incentives are on the large-scale of what is offered in the U.S. military.

The students who take JROTC usually graduate high school with a much fuller experience of life and all its lessons that those students who did not participate. They learn social skills and time management, and it gives them a chance to try their hand at several tasks so they can see what they’re really good at. You don’t necessarily get that from any high school course.

One of the common rites of passage that children pass through while growing up is the period of a few years sometimes when they take private music lessons. The teacher might come to your home or your child might go there or study at another location, such as the school after hours. Parents should monitor these lessons to be sure that they remain productive and that your child has a successful working relationship with the instructor. Here are some signs that it may be time for a change.

1. Your child is not making progress. Each pupil is unique and learns at his or her own pace. But over a period of weeks or months, parents ought to be able to discern a sense of progress as the child moves from simple to more sophisticated exercises and pieces. If your child is not making progress, it may be time to discontinue lessons temporarily or look for another instructor. Sometimes personalities just don’t mesh as smoothly as one would like. You could ask the instructor for a progress report first to see how he or she feels about the child’s musical development, but keep in mind that a music teacher may be tempted to offer reassurances in order to keep the position.

2. Your child dreads each lesson. While some disinterest in formal study is natural, obvious distaste for the lesson or the instructor may be an indicator that something is wrong. Ask your son or daughter specifically what is liked or disliked about the lesson format or about the teacher. Instead of criticizing his or her opinion, be a patient listener and provide a neutral environment in which concerns can be aired. Sometimes the personalities clash or perhaps the pace is too fast.

3. The teacher lacks instructional aptitude. This can be revealed in a number of ways. From a discreet position in the next room, like the kitchen, if lessons are given in your home, observe the interactions that occur between teacher and pupil. Is the teacher clear in explaining lessons and expectations? Do you see evidence of patient guidance? Does the teacher expect more from your child than someone of his or her age is able to give?

4. Is your child ready to music lessons? It may be that your son or daughter is not musically inclined or perhaps is trying to juggle too many other things in a busy schedule to give serious attention to musical instruction. Is that is the case, you can always stop the lessons now and pick them up again later, perhaps in a year or so, when your child shows more eagerness to practice and schedules have wound down a bit.

5. Has school instruction changed to add or enhance music study? Perhaps a new teacher has come on board and offers after-school lessons. Or your child may be getting enough instruction during the school day so that he or she isn’t interested in continuing private lessons. Maybe the school music teacher has added informal classroom instruction or performance on certain days of the week and your child no longer is that interested in private lessons.

Just because you start to pay for private lessons doesn’t mean you will have to do it forever. Evaluate the sessions periodically for factors like those outlined above. Be prepared to make changes if need be to protect your child’s best interests.

Most of us like to sing, whistle, or hum from time to time. Even small children enjoy chants, jingles, and poem recitations. Language and music just seem to go together naturally. But even music alone can positively benefit many aspects of a child’s life. That is why it is important for parents to help nurture their children’s interest in music.

Music can help kids think better. A study showed that high school students who listened to classical music for about ten minutes before a test achieved higher scores than those who did not hear the music. While researchers aren’t sure how it works, some believe that the metrical forms of classical composition and performance have an organizational impact on children’s minds. Why not put on a little Vivaldi or Bach in the car on occasion, especially during the drive to school? Then check your kids’ quiz and exam scores by comparing them to grades earned on non-classic music days.

How about playing some foreign music at dinner? Russian dances or Gypsy folk tunes can awaken your children’s interests in different cultures. You might even prepare a few facts about the type of music being played, like its origins or the instruments that are used. It might likewise be interesting to say something about the culture from which the music comes. Your children might be able to pick up a few words of the foreign language by listening to the music more than once.

Take your kids to hear professional musical performances. There are concerts for children or even local bands they might be interested in hearing. As they grow older, try a light opera or a professional touring group to expose the family to various types of musical influence. Don’t forget to check out musical performers while on vacation. For example, stop to admire the street musicians and jazz performers in New Orleans. Or point out the subway guitarists in New York. Wherever you go, there is likely to be some local musicians who can add to your children’s musical knowledge.

Consider giving your child a few private lessons. Pay a retired music teacher or local performer that you know and trust to come and teach your child something about a particular interest or vocal performance. Even a few weeks of learning chords or practicing finger exercises can leave a permanent impression on young children.

Study music together. Buy used guitars and teach yourselves how to play familiar tunes. Or practice on the piano until your and you can play a duet of Christmas songs. There are many ways to explore and share this fun pastime as a family activity, so keep your eyes on ads for used instruments or inexpensive group lessons.

Keep music available as an entertainment option. Play the radio or walkman during the day. Have some new CD’s in the car for your next road trip. Visit the library to borrow musical recordings that you are not yet ready to purchase. Letting the kids listen to a variety of music can help to calm their spirit, keep them smiling, and reinforce an informal learning process. If you try it, you’re going to like it!

If you believe your child has inherent musical talent or is ready for private piano lessons, your next step will be to find a suitable instructor. Hiring the wrong kind of teacher could turn your child away from piano study or instill incorrect habits that will be hard to break later. The following tips may help you find a competent instructor for your child’s piano study.

1. Ask your child’s schoolteacher. Sometimes teachers know of tutors or instructors who are willing to give personal lessons at their home or come to yours. This might be the school’s music teacher or even a retired performer or instructor. The school is a good place to start, since music is often an important part of the core curriculum or extracurricular studies.

2. Check the classifieds. Search the newspaper ads under “education” to see if instructors are advertising their tutorial services. If you find one or more that you are interested in, call to ask a few questions about qualifications, scheduling availability, and cost. Then set up an interview to meet face-to-face and determine whether this person will work well with your child. You will probably want to meet with two or three people and do some comparing of personalities and skills.

3. Ask around. Perhaps your family members or friends have been successful in finding a good piano instructor for their children. If so, ask for contact information or see if they will find out whether the teacher is taking new clients. As always, make arrangements to meet with the teacher to see if it appears that he or she can work productively with your child.

4. Allow your child to meet the teacher as well. Observe how they interact. Of course there will be the natural politeness that comes with introductions. Note whether the teacher seems to like kids and if she displays patience in answering your child’s questions. Does she or he appear to be the kind of person who can work with kids or does the person seem more comfortable with adults? If the teacher’s piano will be used, are there strict rules about hand washing and touching the keys?

5. Ask about the curriculum. What will the instructor attempt to teach your child? How will this be done? How long will lessons be, and how frequently? How should payments be made–monthly? Weekly? What happens when your child misses a lesson due to illness–will you still have to pay for the lesson time? What should your child expect to learn within six months or a year? While the goals may vary, you should be able to get a reasonable idea.

While you can merely hire the first instructor you happen to meet, it is probably better to take your time and find someone who seems best suited to work with your son or daughter. Adding another duty to your child’s schedule will come with its own stress, so try to head off potential problems by choosing a teacher who cares about kids and who wants to help your child develop his or her musical skills.

As with just about all hobbies, some kids are just not going to be interested in art. It is important to not force a child into any kind of activity that they are not interested it. They will not gain any appreciation of the subject and will be more likely to fight against it.

The best way to make a child learn an interest in something is to take it slow and find what aspects of the hobby are more likely to draw the child’s attention. Work with their interests in order to get them to enjoy the activity and through that have a greater respect for it.

In viewing art the simplest way is to expose them to it and let them find what draws them in. Everyone favors different aspects of art and children are no difference. The more a child is exposed to the more likely the child will be to find something that interests it. Do not worry if at first a child seems to be uninterested in any form of art. It may take a few exposures for a child to find anything that attracts them. Look for pieces of art that express what you know to be the child’s interests or pieces that you know the child will recognize. This will help the child to feel familiar with the art quickly and through that have more of an interest in it. More than likely they will prefer the simpler pieces over the complex at the younger ages. There will be times where the child just is not into art and one must be ready to accept such a situation. It is best to allow a child to be uninterested in art above pushing such a thing on them.

There is a misguided idea that all children enjoy doing art projects. This is not true. Some children just are not interested in creating art for whatever reasons. Once more it is a mistake to force them to work on art projects if they really have no desire to do such. Some children will just have no desire to even color in coloring books. There is nothing wrong with the child, they just have no interest in coloring. There are ways that a parent can encourage children with little interest in art projects to do them. The real key is to make it fun. Have the materials available and let the child decided if they wish to work on the project. Try to the keep the project interesting and when possible have them fit in with the child’s interests. If the child gets bored, then let the project be done for the time being and move on. Just makes sure that when a child is working on an art project that it is fun for them. They will have no interest in art if they are not enjoying it.

If you wish to try and get your child to have an interest in art, or anything else, you need to find ways to make your child want to follow those interests. Look for things that will attract them to it without you having to push it on them. Have a level of exposure to the subject available and make it so the child has control over just how much involvement they have. This way the child can develop they own respect and interest in the subject. All the parent needs to do is be there to answers question and help them to gain more exposure as they ask for it.