SOME PARENTAL ADVICE
Adults and children share valuable back-to-school wisdom
Back to school brings new friends, new routines and new things to learn. The citizen visited W.E. Gowling Public School on Tuesday to ask parents and students what they’ve learned.
Q What advice did you get from your parents about school?
Finn Ketchum: Do your homework.
Q What surprises you the most about school today?
Moira Teed Ketchum: Grade 3 doesn’t have cursive (writing) anymore. I was surprised. It’s like a secret language now with adults. Cameron Ketchum: Kids figure out a lot on their own.
Q What advice did you get from your parents about school?
Aron Howard: None. Lee Howard: What did we talk about today? Just having fun, right? Aron: Yeah.
Q What surprises you the most about school today?
Lee Howard: The calmer I stay, the calmer everyone else stays.
Q What advice did you get from your parents about school?
Charlotte Crossman, Victoria Crossman: (No answer)
Chris Crossman: Just have fun.
Q What advice would you give parents?
Christine Rakobowchak (mother of Charlotte and
Victoria): You should join the parent council to keep informed about what’s going on in school.
Q What surprises you the most about school today?
Christine Rakobowchak: The weird new way of doing math, using number lines. We used to just count until we couldn’t count anymore.
Q What advice do you give kids about school?
Principal Mary Conroy: The best advice is to look for ways they can challenge themselves to try something new, or find new friends to play with, or try something that’s on the edge of their understanding that they want to get their toes into. Try new things. Be fearless.
Q What would surprise parents the most about school today?
Mary Conroy: There is more of an emphasis on thinking and learning to adapt to new situations, to develop the resiliency we need to understand life’s challenges and life’s problems.