Here are some of the things that I know about children:

1. When a child is met with a rebuke it sets the child back. A cruel word, a slap, a rude push, even sarcasm, can stop learning for a brief time. Depending on how severe the rebuke is will set the time it takes to recover. Some children will stop learning forever when bad things happen.

2. Children have amazing minds. You must listen to what they have to say. Often they know more than you do. Children are in tuned to spirits that adults are not privileged to.

3. They need to draw every day. Eye-hand coordination is learned faster. You can not teach them to draw. When I was teaching, I always told my students that I could not see into their heads and I had no idea what they saw or what they were thinking. Children actually think sometimes that adults know what they are thinking. So this was always an enlightenment for them that I could not read their minds. This I know: Art can not be taught. Tell them to look and always draw their own dreams.

4. Children need to be held and touched in a loving manner. They need their backs rubbed and feet rubbed and fingers held and faces kissed.

5. Laughter and play and reading and sunshine are very important also. Being outside a good part of the day should be a requirement of the school system. Turn off the TV. Go outside.

6. Teach them what you know and what is important to you.

MORE LATER...............