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20, 1997
P age A5
Children’s rights signed into law
This
School Year,
Expect
the Best
T his is a good tim e to talk about
an im portant elem ent to help ch il
d ren su c ce ed in sch o o l. T h a t e le
m e n t is e x p e c t a ti o n ; it e x e r ts a
trem endous influence on w hat kids
are able to achieve in school. T ake
a w ide w alk around a rich field o f
research and y o u ’ll see that schools
can im prove student learning when
they urge teachers and students to
set their sights high— and m ean it.
W h ile ju s t ab o u t ev e ry school,
teacher, and parent w ould say that
they do in fact hold high ex p e cta
tio n s fo r th e ir c h ild r e n , w h a t is
d e c la r e d m ig h t n o t tr u ly be
believed. It is the b e lie f that m oves
the child.
T eacher expectations o f students
tend to be self-fulfilling. T he pow er
o f b e lie f in y o u by so m e o n e you
respect becom es a propelling force
to believe in yourself. Y es, you can
d o this. B ut w h en stu d e n ts a r e n ’t
expected to do w ell, it turns out that
m ost often they d o n ’t.
Just as stu d en ts’ b elief in them
selves can translate to low o r high
p e rfo rm a n c e , te a c h e r b e lie fs and
b e h a v io r s to w a r d s t u d e n t s c a n
a f f e c t h o w s tu d e n ts p e r f o r m in
school. R esearch show s changes in
t e a c h e r s ’ n o n v e r b a l b e h a v io r
d e p e n d o n w h a t th e y b e lie v e o r
assum e about students. W hether or
not it’s intentional, teachers sm ile,
lean to w ard the stu d e n t, and look
d ire c tly at th e m m o re fre q u e n tly
w hen they believe they are interact
ing w ith so m eo n e o f high ability.
B ut rese a rc h e rs rep o rt that highly
effec tiv e te ac h ers are ten acio u s in
their high expectations for all their
students— they d o n ’t care w ho they
are, w here they com e from , or w hat
their fam ily circum stances m ay be.
D o esn ’t m atter— they are expected
to do w ell in school.
It’s a curious thing: In our co u n
try , m any o f u s th in k th a t in n a te
ability is w hat m akes us successful
ac ad e m ic ally . H ig h a b ility eq u als
Governor puts pen to law protecting children at home
G ov. John K itzhabor has signed
into law three landm ark bills from
the 1997 L egislature that stress the
rights o f children to a safe hom e and
provide m ore tim ely help to y o u n g
sters w ho have been abused and ne
glected.
T his is the first tim e that certain
c h ild re n 's rights have been spelled
out in state law.
S enate Bill 689 is know n as the
"B est Interest o f the C hild" bill. It
provides a consistent fram ew ork for
the ju d icial and child protection sys
tem s to determ ine w h eth er a child
h ig h p e r f o r m a n c e — lo w a b i lity
equals low perform ance. A nd, like
th e c o lo r o f o u r e y e s a n d s k in ,
th a t’s w hat it is, and th a t’s that. But
in m any other countries, hard w ork
and effo rt are b eliev ed to be w hat
m akes the d iffe re n c e in acad em ic
achievem ent. H igh expectations for
all govern the approach, and if kids
a re n ’t succeeding, it’s no, because
th e y ’re not sm art en o u g h to do it,
i t ’s b e c a u s e th e y ’re n o t w o rk in g
hard enough at it.
A nd in te r e s tin g ly , d e s p ite th e
propensity o f teenagers to com plain
about dem anding teach ers, a 1997
national survey by P u b lic A g en d a
sh o w e d th a t A m e ric a n te e n a g e rs
e q u a te d h a rd w o rk w ith s u c c e s s
and sa tisfactio n , w ere not pleased
by th o se te a c h e rs w h o d em an d e d
le s s , a n d r e s e n te d it w h e n ru le s
were not enforced.
It w ould be silly to suggest that
ju s , h av in g hig h e x p e c ta tio n s fo r
students is all th a t’s needed for stu
d e n ts to su c c e e d . In th e c a rry in g
out o f any school day , teaching and
learning is an eno rm o u sly com plex
p r o c e s s . W h ile a ll s tu d e n ts c a n
le a rn , th e te a c h in g a n d le a r n in g
p ro ce ss
in d e e d
v a r ie s .
As
re s e a rc h e rs d is c o v e r m o re an d
m ore about how w e learn, and how
this new know ledge can be applied
to help all kids succeed, it enlarges
the co n tex t and th e co n ten t o f the
learning experience.
High expectations are a launching
pad, a base from w hich to aim for
the stars, even though— like a space
c a p su le se e k in g its d e s tin a tio n —
there are adjustm ents and course cor
rections on the way to achieving the
student-learning mission.
T h is c o lu m n is p r o v id e d a s a
p u b lic s e r v ic e b y th e N o r th w e s t
R eg io n a l E d u ca tio n a l L a b o ra to ry,
a nonprofit institution w orking with
schools a n d com m u n ities in Alaska,
I d a h o , M o n ta n a , O r e g o n , a n d
W ashington.
d ep e n d en t o n th e state fo r ca re
should be in state custody, be re
turned hom e or be placed p erm a
nently w ith an o th er family.
“ O regon is on record today as
saying that children are our top p ri
ority," said G ov. K itzhaber. " W e ’ve
issued that w ak e-u p call: It’s not all
right to m istreat our children. N o r is
it acceptable to let them bounce in
and out o f state custody. W e m ust
protect them w hile w orking hard to
strengthen th eir troubled fam ilies.”
The new law requires courts and
the State O ffice for Services to C hil-
dren and Fam ilies (S C F ) to respond
to a ch ild ’s needs w ithin the c h ild ’s
sense o f tim e Until now decisions
about w hether a child should b e
com e a w ard o f the state, return
hom e or be perm anently placed else
w here w ere m ade on a tim eline serv
ing adults involved in the process,
including ju d g es, parents, and child
w elfare w orkers.
U nder the new law , a child either
w ill be safely back hom e o r w ell
along the road to adoption or p erm a
nent guardianship w ithin 15 m onths
o f being identified as needing state
Star
struck
Fortner National Football
league tightend Bob Adams
meets with kids at the
Clackamas Town Center
where he was endorsing the
book “New Slant on Life. “
acl to school vision checks offered
The Pacific University College o f
Optometry Eye and Vision Centers are
again providing a program o f free back-
to school vision screenings for all ages
including infants, pre-schoolers, school-
age children, and adults.
According to eye doctors, vision
screenings arc especially beneficial in
assuring proper development o f learn
ing skills for infants and children if,hey
are received prior to or early in the
school year. Screenings take about 30
minutes and provide important infor
mation about clarity o f vision, eye health,
and eye coordination - factors that are
essential for good vision and healthy
eyes. Screenings are especially benefi
cial for younger children whose learn
ing skills -- such as reading and writing
- and self esteem in the classroom
depend on good v ision and healthy eyes.
Screenings are also available for area
schools, businesses and community or
ganizations through Pacific’s off-site
ook bags filled with supplies
School hasn’t started yet and they
are already putting papers and pen
cils in bookbags at K ing E lem entary
School, 5906 N .E. Sixth. O nly this
tim e it is the adults getting ready for
school.
T he C osco Corp, donated 800
protection. C urrently, O regon ch il
dren spend an average o f m ore than
30 m onths in the state system b e
fore adoption.
“ T h is le g isla tio n p u ts a c le a r
tim efram e around our goal o f help
ing children stay safely w ith their
own fam ilies or placing them with
another safe, stable fam ily," said
K ay T o ra n , d ir e c to r o f S C F ,
O reg o n 's child welfare agency. “ SCF
and parents m ust w ork diligently in
the first 12 m onths to turn around an
abusive hom e situation or see that
the child finds a safe hom e."
bookbags and the supplies to fill
them ,to K ing students.
T hroughout the day on Friday, a
team o f volunteers filled the bags.
The assem bly line w as constructed
in the school cafeteria.
On the first day o f school each
screening program.
Pacific University’s Eye and Vision
Centers offer weekday, evening and
weekend hours, with locations through
out the greater Portland area. For more
information and to schedule a screening
at the Pacific University Eye and Vision
Center near you, call 357-5800.
This wise book is the wonderful continuation
stu d e n t at K in g w ill r e c e iv e a
bookbag.
You can still jo in this volunteer
effort or cheer on the sidelines. C o n
tact Joe M alone, principal o f King
E lem entary a, 916-6456, for m ore
inform ation.
of the bestselling Wouldn't Take Nothingfor My
Even the Stars Look
Lonesome is Maya Angelou
Journey Now.
POWELÜS
talking of the things she cares about most,
imparting the lessons o f a lifetime.
BOOKS
t
’T -
■ -
O v e r / m illio n
Save money
on your
water-sewer
The C om m unity Energy Project
will be holding a free w ater conser
vation w orkshop.
Find out how to save m oney on
your water, sewer, and plum bing
bills. All participants will receive a
free w ater conservation kit w orth
$25. These m aterials can help you
save $80 or m ore per year on your
w ater-sew er bill.
Topics include: understanding a
w ater-sew er bill, detecting w ater
leaks, repairing leaky faucets and
toilets and using w ater conservation
materials. To register, please call
the C om m unity Energy project at
2 8 4 -6 8 2 7 .
College prep institute
talks with students
Incoming high school seniors who
are interested in attending college are
invited to take part in the Senior PLUS
Institute, which will take place Aug. 27-
28 at Portland State University.
Jh e Institute, sponsored by Educa
tional Talent Search/Projec, Plus takes
place from 9 am . to 3 p.m. each day in
the auditorium o f Shattuck Hall, 1914
SW Park Ave.
K
A
I S
E
R
P
E
R
M
A
N
E
N
T
I s e it & N e w B o o k s
E
1005 W Burnside,
downtown Portland
503-228-4651
www.poW ells.com
RANDOM H O U St
Free Vision
Screenings
OFFERED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL
H O N O R S
E
n c o u r a g e s
K aiser
P e r m a n e n te
is
e n r ic h e d
A N D
D
iv e r s it y
by
th e
c o n t r i b u tio n s
of
individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds W e’re enhancing our
workforce to better reflect the people we serve
To review current job openings, come by our Employement Office, 500
NE M ultnomah St., (use first Floor, Grand Avenue entrance) Portland, OR
97232. Or, call (503) 813-4700 Before being considered as an applicant,
candidates are req u ired to com plete an on-line application O n-line
applications accepted M-F, 8am - 3:30pm
KAISER PERMANENTE
An Equal Opportunity Employer
More than ever, children depend on a healthy visual system and good eye health for development of
essential learning skills such as reading and writing.
As a community service, Pacific University College o f Optometry Eye and Vision Centers and affiliate
clinics, provide free vision screenings for infants, pre-schoolers, school-age children, and adults. Al
though screenings do not take the place of a complete vision exam, they do provide important informa
tion about visual clarity, eye health, and eye coordination .. information key in identifying and treating
the vision and eye health problems of children Eye doctors stress the importance of regular vision care
prior to or early in the school year to detect and treat vision problems before children fall behind in
their school work.
Our free vision screenings take about 30 minutes and do not cause discomfort Screenings may be
scheduled during evenings, weekends and regular business hours Interpreter services can be arranged
upon request. We also provide vision screenings for schools, businesses, and community organizations.
To schedule an appointment and for more information alxnit other vision care services, please call.
NEW
E V E N IN G
A N I)
W E E K E
I)
PACIFIC UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY EYE & VISION CENTERS
NORTHEAST PORTLAND
248-3821
5329 NE MLK Jr. B lv d , Portland