Bob van Ee, a DAD

Executive Director West Michigan DADS

mail to: West Michigan DAD [west_michigan_dad@live.com]

West Michigan DADS Space (Files/links/empirical research)

http://westmichigandads.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

West Michigan DADS at Yahoo, some files, communication conduit, Bulletin Board

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/westMichiganDADS/

West Michigan Cyber File Back up ¨C Public version

http://cid-3b9db9890be2e412.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/West%20Michigan%20DADS%20files

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Dads @ fathers.com - National Center for Fathering [mailto:dads@fathers.com]
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 9:31 AM
To: west_michigan_dad@live.com
Subject: Why You're Critical to Your Child's Education | fathers.com weekly

 What's New ...

In a recent Washington Post article, Patrick Welsh, a high-school English teacher in Virginia, wrote about some disturbing trends he sees in his classroom. Most of the kids at the Welsh's school are African American, and many of them are doing very poorly in his class. In one moment of frustration, he asked his students, "Why don't you guys study like [some other kids]?" One of the kids shot back, "It's because they have fathers who ... make them study." Welsh then asked the class how many of them lived with their fathers, and not one hand went up. Many community activists and school administrators talk about race as a big factor in educational performance, and others mention economic issues -- and those are factors. But in this article, Welsh concluded that father-absence is a common root cause and may be the real issue that needs to be addressed. Read more.

Big Savings ... and Benefits

Amazon claims to have the best prices anywhere, and as you shop online, you can support the National Center for Fathering -- at no extra cost to you -- when you use our shopping page. (Please bookmark fathers.com/shop.) Find a gift, or do what others have done recently and use our Amazon link to get fathering resources, college textbooks, dinnerware, jewelry, electronics, wedding gifts, sports equipment or groceries. Thank you for your support!

To Think About ...

There are many complex forces influencing a child's academic performance, so today's message may risk oversimplifying the issue. One factor is that students are expected to have a certain amount of basic knowledge as they enter each level of their education. And kids with a difficult home life aren't as likely to get those basics. So they're always trying to catch up and they have a more difficult time performing at their potential.

That leads to the father factor. Dads tend to push their kids a little harder and hold them more accountable for their education. Many moms are very dedicated, and they tend to be more supportive and nurturing. The point is not that moms are failing, but that kids stand a better chance when both parents are involved. See research on dads and education.

So, dad, you're an important part of your child's education. And one of your roles is to challenge him and encourage him to do his very best in school. He may need that from you. But what about children in your community who don't have a dad? How do they get their encouragement? This is where our WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) program serves a dual role. It allows dads to be in school to assist and promote their kids' education, and it creates natural opportunities to encourage other kids. The National PTA has recognized this, and has included WATCH D.O.G.S. in its MORE Alliance.

In the Trenches ...

We're kicking off our year-end match challenge. In the midst of these challenging economic times, our Board of Directors and a group of our close friends has offered to help us capitalize on the opportunities ahead by committing $280,000 and challenging you to match their gifts to the Center. We make special appeals like this only two times each year, but we do want you to realize that, as a non-profit organization, we rely on donations from dads like you. We hope you'll consider the benefits you've received from this weekly e-mail, our website, radio broadcast, or programs like WATCH D.O.G.S., and give generously. Particularly in challenging times like these, we count on gifts of $10, $25, $100 or $1,000 to help fund the programs and services that we offer for free. Check our progress and please consider a gift today.

ACTION POINTS for Committed Dads

¡ñ   Ask about your child's favorite and most difficult class. Share about yours when you were that age.

Check out our Dad's Store. For the holidays, we're offering free UPS Ground shipping to U.S. addresses for orders of at least $15. Many resources are already discounted. Use coupon code HOL9. (Free shipping ends 12/15/09.)

¡ñ   Check in with your child every month or so to get some higher-level feedback on how he's feeling about school in general, including friendships and other involvements.

¡ñ   Volunteer for a day as a WatchDOG at your child's school -- or find out how to start the program there. Watch videos about WATCH D.O.G.S. here.

¡ñ   Ask your child, "If there's one thing I could do to help make your school experience better, what would it be?" Then see if you can address that issue.

¡ñ   Identify an unfathered child and make a point to encourage him or her in educational pursuits.

 v:shapes="_x0000_s1029">Does your family have movie nights at home during the holidays? There are several helpful websites that provide activity guides and talking points that parents can utilize with their children or teens after watching particular movies. These are a great way to make the most of those opportunities with your kids. (Just make sure the movie -- and the tools you use -- line up with your values.) See the curricula at F.I.L.M. (Finding Inspiration in Literature and Media) and Movie Nights at Plugged In Online.

Make the Championship Fathering Commitment.

If you aren't yet a subscriber, you can sign up here.
(It's free!)