Ethics and Character

CAN COMICS TEACH CHARACTER?

Can Comics teach character? Of course they can! It’s all about the STORY!

At my art presentations to kids, whenever I ask the question, “Does anyone here like cartoons?” I get a howling “YES!” from everyone!

The overwhelming popularity of events, such as Comic-Con, are proof that comics and cartoons hit a universal nerve: The Good Guys vs. The Bad Guys.

WHAT DO SUPERHERO COMICS TEACH US?

Superheroes are primarily good examples of courage in the face of adversity, the willingness to bring the bad guys to justice, and protect the innocent. Although the milieu is outlandish and supernatural, it always encompasses a full range of human strength and weaknesses. We are left with the sense that even though we ordinary humans don’t have the power to move mountains or fly, we can still be a force for good in this world. We can still be heroes. That’s what superhero comics teach us.

In the end, superheroes represent human values.

At the heart of each of us is the desire to be victorious over our problems. We need good examples. Superheroes provide an example of strength over tribulations.

The common man, living a life of ‘quiet desperation’, needs hope. Characters like Spiderman, Superman and all the rest highlight the angst we ‘stuff’ in order to tolerate the inane humdrum pace of our lives and for a brief moment give us a sense of power. That little shot of adrenaline provides a boost as a catharsis to get us to FEEL again.

COMIC CONVENTIONS PROVIDE FELLOWSHIP FOR ‘BELIEVERS IN IMAGINATION’

Thousands flock to comic conventions all over the world.

Comics answer the deep need in the human psyche for a Higher Power – someone to take charge. If we can’t identify with Superheroes in real life, then we can at least enjoy the feeling in our imagination.

Nothing comes into being without imagining it first. The fellowship at Comic-cons everywhere gives ‘believers’ a place to join in kinship with others to affirm the value of imagination in concrete form.

EDU DESIGNS is working to spur the character and imagination of children through our media and teaching tools.

Please join with us in our mission.

Every little bit helps!

Warm Wishes,

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon, Founder of Edu Designs and GoMommyGO®

We need your help! Every penny of your donation goes towards our non-profit’s mission to create media for children’s character development and education. Not a single cent of your gifts go for salaries!

CAN A KID CHANGE THE WORLD? You BETCHA!

At seven years old, I wanted to help people.

I imagined that “helping people” meant becoming a doctor.

Then one day, I heard some kids swearing and yelling at each other on the street. I asked my mom, “Why do they act that way?”

She said, “It’s probably because that’s what they hear at home.“

As she shared how the experiences we have as children shape our character, I realized many people walking around need more than just physical help. They need work on their emotional health, too.

Children model the behavior they see around them.

I considered maybe I should become a Psychologist, instead of a doctor.

Then I got the idea: If they would just start them out right in the FIRST place, they wouldn’t need fixing up!

To my young mind, being a good mother became the best way to change the world for the better.

My mom had always said things like, “As a twig is bent, so grows the TREE!“ and,“The hand that Rocks the cradle, RULES THE WORLD!” I was lucky she was a patient and loving model to follow.

At seven years old, dolls were not enough. I wanted a REAL baby to care for. But how was I to get one? I was too little to have one myself.

Gazing up at the sky that night, a shooting star raced across the sky. This was my big chance! I closed my eyes and wished for a baby brother.

A few months later, I noticed my mother’s tummy looking a little bigger, so I asked her, “Mom, are you getting fat?”

And she said, sadly, “No – I’m afraid I might be pregnant”.

“YAY!” I shouted, “A baby!”

But she didn’t smile, and added, “Well… Your father isn’t very happy about it. He wants me to get an abortion.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“That’s where they take the baby out.”

Horrified, I cried, “NO, Momma, NO! Don’t DO that! I’ll help you take care of the baby! I’ll change diapers – I’ll wake up in the middle of the night – ANYTHING – Just don’t take the baby away!“

After a few minutes of me pleading, she finally assured me that she wouldn’t get rid of the baby. She told me that though she wanted to please my Poppa, it was illegal, [back in 1956] and she didn’t want to do anything against the law.

Then, on the verge of tears, she blurted out, that my father hadn’t wanted me, or my sister, EITHER – because the hospital bill would be $350 – and that was a lot of money back then.

Wait a minute…

MY DAD WANTED ME TO BE AN ABORTION, TOO?

Those words fell like a knife deep into my heart. It was a terrible thing to tell a child, but my mom must have been in great distress to say it.

I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want me. But when I first came into the world, I had nothing practical to offer. All I had was love to give.

I adored my father – and when he’d hug me, it felt like heaven in his arms. He’d never never actually acted as though he’d wished we hadn’t been born – but the thought of it sent my world reeling.

But from that moment on, I resolved to never need anything from him, or to be a burden to anyone. After all, I reasoned… people could kill you if they didn’t want you around, so I’d better be useful. I became the ‘always ready to help’ kind of kid, figuring if I was indispensable, they wouldn’t want to get rid of me.

And even after I grew up, if Poppa would ask if I needed anything, I would thank him – but politely refuse, because deep down inside, I still felt I would be a burden if I accepted.

My twig had been bent.

When my little brother was born, I kept my promise and did all I could to help my mother – by feeding, cleaning and watching him – even when I was tired, or wanted to do something else.

I’d tell myself, “Real mothers have to do this kind of stuff, so I’d better get used to it.”

I determined to make it my job to teach my little brother everything I knew, though I was only a kid myself. And that little boy soaked it up! He became SUPER SMART! He was always inventing things and grew up to become an engineer – like my dad.

PLUS – my brother became closer to my father than ANY of the other kids in the family.

My dad grew up, too, and finally realized his kids were some of the best things that ever happened to him.

And ME? I went on to be an artist, like my mom. And a mother – of seven children. After all, I’d had lots of practice already!

It was a long road to where I could finally ask for help from others, though.

It was when my kids came along that I learned how precious I was as a baby – and worth all the work.

Seeing how much I loved them made me realize I was worth loving.

I learned that there is always help available if you need it.

All you have to do is SEEK, ASK and KNOCK.

The answers are there when you need them.

The Present is the only way to the Future.

And what a GIFT it IS.

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon
Director, EDU DESIGNS
Creator, GoMommyGO®

Tweet to @G0MommyGO

By the way. . .

Make sure you take advantage of all the free resources I have available on GoMommyGO®:

2 – FREE Illustrated Behavior charts on GoMommyGO (the 8 1/2 X 11 charts you download, customize and print up yourself)

2 – When you click on any image on THIS PAGE it takes you to what the images mean.

3 – TIPS for PLANNING AHEAD

4 – What to do when you need to give CONSEQUENSES for bad behavior.

The charts above are FREE, but if you’d like to support my work please feel free to make a donation. If you do, you can download 100 BEHAVIOR CARDS that help you get Organized! I wish I’d had these cards when MY kids were little! I didn’t have a printer back then, and had to draw each one by hand.

EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® are there to help, providing materials for parents and teachers who can’t afford them.

Please donate!

HOW KIDS LEARN EMPATHY

Why is it that some people seem to have more empathy than others? And some seem to have none at all. How did we get this way? Is it nature? Is it nurture?

Neuroscientist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, author of “Mirroring People, the new Science of how we connect with others” tells how scientists have discovered the brains’ capacity for what they call ‘mirroring’: the ability to feel something that happens to another as though it’s happening to us!

According to Dr. Iacoboni, “…whenever you expose kids to any form of violence, through media, through video games or through films, then you put these kids at risk of expressing violence with their own acts because they’re going to imitate that.“

What we call ‘empathy’ happens when our brains light up in the same areas in our brains that mirror what the other person is feeling. One of the earliest scientific observations found a monkey’s brain fired up seeing someone licking an ice cream cone as though he were eating it himself!

Dr. Iacoboni says, “All in all, we come to understand others via imitation, and imitation shares functional mechanisms with language and empathy.”

To me that sounds like: “MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO!”

Most of us are innately wired to feel for each other.

It’s no wonder that most spiritual faiths embrace some kind of teaching that expresses “Treat others the way YOU want to be treated”.

But how can we teach that to children?

What kids need is more GOOD examples.

Our kids will only be teachable for a little while, and they are learning from YOU things that are ‘more caught than taught’. Dr. Iacoboni said, ”The way we understand other people’s feelings is by simulating in our brain the same activity we have when we experience those emotions.”

Turn off the TV and involve them with the day to day things that you need to do. Let them ‘mirror’ what YOU are doing. It’ll be more fun if you work together. They’ll learn to help and their fun will be so much better when they are done. And they’ll be proud of themselves.

I know you care about educating children for good character, or you wouldn’t be reading this.

If you ARE a parent, here are some links you can use to help you find things fast on GoMommyGO®:

1- FREE Behavior charts on GoMommyGO (the 8 1/2 X 11 charts you download, customize and print up yourself)

2 – When you click on any image on THIS PAGE it takes you to what the images mean.

3 – TIPS for PLANNING AHEAD!

4 – And what to do when you need to give CONSEQUENSES for bad behavior.

Many thanks for reading and caring about the future adults around you! For your gift of any amount, we have something special for you – Click here to find out what it is!

Kids and Parents need all the help they can get.

EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® are there to help, providing materials for parents and teachers who can’t afford them. We need YOUR help to do that!

Please donate!

CAN YOU SPOIL A BABY?

Before you get worried wondering, the quick answer is:

“NO”. You CAN’T spoil a baby.

There are many reasons.

Babies need consistent Loving Attention. Not only for physical survival but for the emotional security and intellectual development to build a strong foundation for the rest of their lives.

BEING A BABY CAN BE VERY STRESSFUL

I remember. Here’s one of my memories of infancy at around a month old:

In a dimly lit room, lying on my stomach in my crib, I awoke to sounds of people laughing in the other room. I wanted to go out and enjoy the fun, but I couldn’t get up. Just lifting my head took a huge effort, so I called out for someone to come and get me. Sadly, no one heard me. I cried out over and over, to no avail until I became so exhausted I fell asleep again. I awoke later as my Mama was coming into the room. She picked me up and smiled. I was exhilarated and thought, ‘Finally! Now I’ll get to see all the people and find out what made them laugh!’ But when we got to the other room all the people were gone! I was disappointed. Funny how a baby can be aware of more than we realize!

Remembering how it felt to be a baby made it easier to identify with my children’s needs when I became a mother. Especially their need to be seen, heard and known.

I found scientific affirmation of my impressions from Dr. Gabor Mate. He calls the instinctive hunger to be SEEN, HEARD and KNOWN the need for ‘Attunement’.

If we are ‘Attuned to’ as infants, we will have greater inner security, an all-important anchor to keep us steady through hard times, and an increased ability to comfort others. Attunement can prevent ADHD in children as well as Anxiety in adults. [1]

Carl Rogers calls it, “Unconditional positive regard”, wanting the best for our offspring from the deepest part of ourselves.

That kind of love can never ‘spoil’ anyone.

The joy on this baby’s face demonstrates the happiness and emotional security kids can experience when they have good communication and feel ‘attuned to’ by their moms.
(Thank you to my friend Candi Alvarez Matz for allowing me to share this lovely photo.)

Dr. Claudia M. Gold, best known for her work promoting children’s mental health, writes, “the science of early childhood tells us that the brain grows in relationships.“

“When a parent gazes into her baby’s eyes, she literally promotes the growth of her baby’s brain, helping it to be wired for a secure sense of self…” [2]

“The brain makes millions of synaptic connections every minute. It is in infancy that the parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation have the most rapid development.” [3]

Whoever is taking care of the baby should give that baby everything it needs. In others words, feel free to ‘spoil’ your baby.

When it feels loved and wanted, given “Unconditional Positive Regard”, the person that emerges from that child will succeed in relationships through all of it’s life.

And long before, you, the caregiver, might even find yourself smiling like the mom in the picture above.

“The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world.” Old Adage

If not the entire world, then certainly the world of that child.

Wishing you ‘unconditional positive regard!’

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon
Director, EDU DESIGNS
Creator, GoMommyGO

Footnotes:

[1] http://drgabormate.com/preview/scattered-minds-u-s-scattered-chapter-twenty-five/
[2] http://claudiamgoldmd.blogspot.com/2013/09/investing-in-early-childhood-means.html
[3] http://claudiamgoldmd.blogspot.com/2010/11/diagnosing-autism-in-infancy.html
[4] Attachment Theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory

MOONLIGHTING AS A MOM

One of my kids said one day, “Mom, how come you never yell at the baby?”

Before I could answer, my oldest girl piped in, “That’s easy. When babies are little you need to be nice to them, so when you yell at them when they’re older, they know you still love them!”

At first I laughed, and then it made me stop and think. Had I been yelling, then?

I MOONLIGHT – AS A MOM

All I ever dreamed about was being a mom, changing the world one kid at a time through love and understanding. But after the first two kids, financial pressure forced me out to earn a living. I eventually found a job in animation.

It was fun drawing Scooby Doo and the Smurfs. However, my new career was taking a huge chunk of time away from my relationship with the kids and my duties at home. I cried every day I had to leave them at my mother-in-law’s. I was giving my ‘all’ to someone else’s celluloid dreams, while my original aspirations of child-rearing got squeezed into a corner.

SHOVELING MUD UPHILL

By the time I was a mother of four, just getting out the door in the morning was a big challenge. But after a full day’s work at the office, I’d come home to the other full-time job of meeting the children’s needs. Fatigue gave way to dread as the never-ending cycle of mealtimes, dishes and laundry piled up before me.

“How do OTHER mothers DO it?”, I agonized.

DON’T DO THIS!

My mind raced down the ever looming to-do list in my head. I became a task oriented robot, numb to my feelings, and everyone else’s. But I could only hold back the pressure for so long.

One day I finally exploded at the kids and then ran into the bathroom, horrified at myself, “I USED to be such a NICE person!”

In my desperation, I knew I had to figure out a way to organize myself.

Afterwards, I apologized to the kids. “You don’t like it when mommy yells, do you?” They all shook their heads.

“I don’t like it either. I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to stop yelling. But I’m gonna need a little help from you guys.”

GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW

My husband, the kids, and I had our first family meeting that night. We brainstormed, we discussed our goals, what we all wanted as a family (peace, no yelling, sharing chores, etc) and how we should be treating each other. We agreed on a set of rules for good behavior.

This became our family ‘Constitution’, which was taped to the wall for all to see. Our Constitution not only expressed the crucial needs we had as parents, but it included important concerns the kids themselves came up with. Chores were one thing. Gripes that needed to be aired were another. “Don’t stick your tongue out at people”; “Don’t kick each other”; etc, were suggested by the kids themselves.

We continued adding to and refining our constitution with each weekly meeting. As time went by, the additions taped to the wall were becoming too numerous. We eventually boiled good behavior down to one phrase, “TREAT OTHER PEOPLE THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED”. This turns out to be a thought even young children can appreciate.

LET THE CHART BE YOUR GUIDE

When it came to chores, we wrote them all down on pieces of paper and put them in a hat. We took turns drawing them out one at a time (even me) till all the chores were handed out. If a child got a chore that was too hard for him, we exchanged it with someone else’s, until each person had a chore or two they could actually handle.

For instance: 4 year old Mike was too little to vacuum, but he was able to pick up around the house. Johnny, who was 6, could then do the vacuuming.

I created a chart for each child showing which task they had, with spaces to mark when it was completed. It too was taped to the wall. Time proved that some fine tuning was needed. We’d assess our progress at our weekly meetings, and switch or add chores as needed. And the charts would be updated.

As an incentive, at the end of the week we would all go to the 99 cent store or the Dollar Tree and they’d each get to pick out ONE thing. Any thing they wanted! No one would get ‘paid’ unless they had done their ‘jobs’. For me this method was enormously helpful. It was always necessary to be the CEO, but I was now able to stay cool, calm and collected and simply remind each kid of what they had agreed to do.

I’d say “Oh, I see you left your shoes on the floor. You want your treat this weekend, right? Go put them away so I can give you your good mark!” Then I’d smile. Reminding them was enough. (At least until they became teenagers.) 😉

NO YELLING NEEDED

The reason I invented the Good Behavior Charts on GoMommyGO® in the first place was to keep myself under control, along with the kids. It became a guideline to follow, a system that SHOWED the kids what I needed from them in a way THEY could understand and remember. They learned what it was to feel needed and important, while I got the help I needed so I could pay attention to what I really wanted: A good relationship with the kids.

GET YOUR OWN PLAN:

After the kids grew up I put my charts on the web so every parent can use them too.

Here’s how to get the charts you can customize from 90 different images. My gift to you.

Go to http://www.gomommygo.com/thankdontspank.html

My next article will have secrets to improve your relationships.

CHEERS!

Ruth

KIDS NEED ART IN GHANA TOO!

Eric-Ansah-cropped — Eric Ansah, Director

THANKS to ERIC ANSAH, the director, and others from the Reward Foundation Ghana, this Non Profit Org is helping kids expand their opportunities through Art, Music, and other cultural and educational activities in Ghana.

EDU DESIGNS founder, Ruth Elliott’s, donated the use of her Art Textbook, SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT to help kids! They need your help, too! Contact Eric at: info@rewardfoundationghana.org

SEE OUR LAST ARTICLE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING HERE: http://www.edudesigns.org/blog/school-kids-in-ghana-are-using-our-art-book/

Please check out their new website, too.

http://rewardfoundationghana.org/

All of us are very proud to be a partner in their great work.

I hope you’ll be inspired to help them too!

Volunteer opportunities are listed on this page:

http://rewardfoundationghana.org/?page_id=61

Contact Eric at: info@rewardfoundationghana.org

Harriet Beecher Stowe Wrote A Book without A Washing Machine!

I felt a creative ache inside of me for years. I wanted to write a children’s book. I had an idea, I had the talent. But with seven kids, and laundry my constant companion, I felt constantly discouraged.

“When will I ever get a chance to write?”

Then came the year my 11 year old daughter Lisa had to choose an author to research for 6th grade. She picked Harriet Beecher Stowe*. And what a lot I learned from Lisa’s report.

large_Stowe-quote-410x341

Harriet Beecher Stowe, like me, had seven children. Unlike me, she had NO running water, and NO washing machine! And yet, she still managed to write over 30 books, including ‘UNCLE TOM’S CABIN’. Without a typewriter or computer.

Then it hit me.

“What’s MY excuse? If she can write a book, I can too!”

And that’s when I started work on my first children’s book:

THE RICHEST KID IN THE POOR HOUSE. In the story, a boy is disappointed with his family until he gets a hamster who doesn’t appreciate him. By the end of the story he learns a lesson that changes his attitude from Greed to Gratitude.

Read more by clicking on the picture of the book.

There are only a few copies left, so if you’d like one, order it before they’re gone.

Stories can inspire us to overcome our obstacles.

Maybe someone needs to hear YOUR story.

Thank you for struggling,

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struggle

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon

Founder of EDU DESIGNS

Creator: GoMommyGO®

BUILDING BRAINS AND HEARTS THROUGH THE ARTS

Since we are an all volunteer organization, we get no salary. 100% of your donation is Tax Deductible, and is used to create media for children’s character. Please help! When you do, you’ll receive a free download of Ruth’s Art Textbook for Kids!

What Will They Say When You’re Gone?

nobodyliveshere-02

I suffered panic attacks when my mother-in-law came to visit.

She was a perfect housekeeper and I wasn’t. Of course she had only had ONE child, and I had seven.

I’d always put my kid’s emotional needs first. The house could wait. But she never quite understood that, and I could always feel her judging me for it.

One day, in a moment of inspiration, this came to me:

tombstone

Around Halloween that year I gave a talk to a Middle School youth group.

I told them about my predicament and showed them the joke.

I asked, “I wonder if we died today, what people would remember about us?”

I showed several cardboard tombstone ‘cutouts’ with sayings on them:

“He was Good at Video Games “

“She had lots of friends”

“She was Pretty”

“He was Tough”

Then I showed them a photo of a beautiful young lady and asked if they knew her. They all said they didn’t know.

“Actually you do know her,” and I revealed it was Wilda, the elderly receptionist in the front office.

They were shocked.

One girl said,

“I LOVE WILDA! But I never knew she was so pretty once!”

So I asked. “Why do you like Wilda so much?”

“Because she’s so nice.”

The other kids agreed.

Next, holding up a blank tombstone, I said,

“Maybe it’s a good idea to think of the end from the beginning.

What do you want people to remember about YOU after you are gone?”

They all got the message – that externals don’t last.

But that’s not the most important part.

The kids appreciated Wilda a lot more the next time they went to the office.

A few years later she went home to be with her Lord.

But she left a mark on all who knew her:

She showed us that LIFE IS PRECIOUS.

WHY? Because she made us feel we were.

You never know when we will be ushered into eternity.

I like what John Jolliffe said:

“The way you feel about yourself is both your punishment and your reward. YOUR job is to become the kind of person YOU can love.”

I’m doing the best I can before I ‘croak!’

froggy-croak-anim-GIF-tiny

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PS – Incidentally – if you know someone who loves art – there’s still time to get a complimentary copy of “SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!” my Art Textbook for Children. Just fill out the form on this page: http://www.edudesigns.org/blog/artbook/

And please leave a review of the work our non-profit is doing for kids!

I appreciate it so much!

THANK YOU.

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon

Founder of EDU DESIGNS

Creator: GoMommyGO®

EDU DESIGNS wants to be a Great Non-Profit!

EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® help children all over the world to be better people in so many ways.

EDU DESIGNS brings Art back into schools.
No one can deny the power of Art to shape our hearts and minds.
That’s why we donate our materials to schools and teachers who can’t afford them.

GoMommyGO® offers tools for parents to do the best job they can, and for free.
We get no salary for what we do. Our reward is the joy we get!

If you missed our latest message, “HUGS PLEASE!” take a look:
http://www.edudesigns.org/blog/hugs/

Now EDU DESIGNS has a favor to ask.

EDU DESIGNS wants to be a Great Non-Profit! We would like to earn Great Non-Profit’s 2014 Badge to display on our website. And you can help.

Please go to the Great Non-Profit website:

http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/edu-designs

See what others have to say about us. Then post a few words about why EDU DESIGNS iis a Great Non-Profit.

It will only take a minute, but it will mean a lot to us.

http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/edu-designs

When you do, I’ll send you a free download of my Art Textbook for Children, “SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!”

Just go to this link: http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/edu-designs

THANK YOU!

Warmly,

Ruth

PS – There’s more about my Art Textbook, “SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!”, here: a $9.99 value – PRICELESS!

Just click on this link to leave a review, and get your copy.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

00_ruthsign-sm

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon

Founder of EDU DESIGNS

Creator: GoMommyGO

EDU DESIGNS

GoMommyGO

MILK MEN TO THE RESCUE…

When I hear the words, ‘MILK TRUCK’, three uncanny stories come to mind. Absolutely true. Two are from my own life. Take the next ‘step beyond’ to see what happened.

Milk Man in Houston, Texas Saves a 7 year old Girl

One day at the ripe age of 7 years old, I got out of school an hour earlier than my brother and sister, and walked home to an empty house. I went to my neighbor’s, hoping to play with them, but they weren’t home, either. Thank goodness their swingset welcomed me, remembering how they had always told me I could use it, “…any time”.

Having just seen the movie, Trapeze, with Burt Lancaster, I figured this was my big chance to practice what I had seen him do. Sitting on the trapeze bar I’d get a good swing going, then hang by my knees and then slip down with my ankles wrapped around the chain so I could hang swinging by my feet. I was getting pretty good at it, when I got tired. Normally I would just drop to the ground onto my hands and knees. However, this day I was wearing sandals, not my usual sneakers, and as I tried to get off the trapeze bar, the strap of my right shoe caught the bottom loop of the chain, and I was stuck – hanging upside down by one foot!

Terrified, the sudden realization hit me: I was alone. Who could help me?

Without my siblings or neighbors, I yelled and cryed out to God or anyone who would listen, hoping someone would find me.

Within minutes, someone did. A Milkman driving by saw me!

He helped me down, and as I was thanking him profusely, my brother ran up to me, sweating from head to toe, huffing and puffing, “I was two blocks away… when all of a sudden I saw a picture of you… like on a TV set… in front of my eyes! You were hanging upside down from the swings, screaming!”

I couldn’t believe it! My brother Mike and the Milkman had each unknowingly ‘heard’ my prayer.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Milk Man in NYC Saves a Lady from Bleeding to Death

The second time a milkman came to the rescue was years later when I moved with my pregant sister into in a 4th floor walk-up apartment in New York City. We had no electricity and no telephone. One night, she suddenly started miscarrying and hemorrhaging profusely.

“Oh, God!” I thought. “What should I do?” The neighbors across the hall were gone, and I had no way of getting her to the hospital.

In a panic, I flew down the four flights of stairs to the street, waving frantically to cars going by, but no one would stop. In desperation, I went out into the street and yelled to the next vehicle I saw, a Milk truck! I told the driver in tears that my sister was bleeding to death and needed a ride to the hospital, a couple of miles up the street. He got right out and rushed to help her into to his truck, and took her to the hospital in time – and she lived!

I never knew his name, or saw him again to thank him in person, but I can’t count the many times I thanked him in my heart. I know God answered my prayer through him that night.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Milk Man in Bristol England Feeds 300 Orphans

GeorgeMueller

In the early 1800’s, an orphanage ran out of food. They had nothing to feed the 300 children under George Müller’s care*. It was time for breakfast, and the children were hungry, so he told everyone to sit down, fold their hands and pray, thanking God for what He would provide.

Soon there was a knock at the door.

It was a Baker, who said that God had woken him up at 3 in the morning telling him to quickly bake bread for the orphanage. Could they use it?

Why, YES, they could!

Shortly after that came another knock at the door.

A Milkman’s cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage – and without refrigeration the milk would spoil before he could fix the wheel. Would they please take the milk?

Why, YES, they would!

That morning, a Milk man and a Baker had unknowingly been the vehicles to answer the prayers of those children. Each with different gifts he was given. One Bread, one Milk. But both with the ‘Milk of Human Kindness’.

Whatever your image of a Creator, God or Heavenly Father, no one can deny that, the ‘Milk of Divine Kindness’ is active in our lives, listening and answering when we cry out. You never know when you may be called upon to deliver some of that ‘Milk’, too!

*http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/church-history-for-kids/george-mueller-orphanages-built-by-prayer-11634869.html

EDU DESIGNS creates media for the heart and mind of children. Since we are an all volunteer non profit, we don’t get paid for what we do. But the rewards! The rewards are “Out of This World!”.

Any funds donated are used to create and distribute materials to improve children’s character and education through the Arts.

You can see a bit of what we do here:

– EDU DESIGNS is bringing Art back into the schools, providing materials for children’s character development and education through: http://www.edudesigns.org/

– Free Parenting Tips and Illustrated Behavior Charts through GoMommyGO. We are listed as a Resource on Autism Speaks for children with special needs: http://www.gomommygo.com/

My earthly dad used to say that folks accused him of being a generous man. But he would say, “Oh NO! I’m NOT generous at all – you see, it makes me FEEL so GOOD to give, I feel like I’m being VERY selfish!”

I’d like to share something with you today. The download of my Artbook for kids, called, “SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!” normally sells for $9.99, but I’d like to give a copy to anyone making a donation of any size. After you donate through the button below you’ll get your free download!

Thank you!

EMAIL me if you have any questions: director@edudesigns.org

Hope makes the DIFFERENCE between LIFE and DEATH!

mouseprayer

I heard a story once about an experiment with two mice to see how long they could swim in a bucket of water…

When the first mouse was put in the bucket he drowned after just a few minutes.

When they put the second mouse in the water they saw him start to flounder around the same time the first one had. But this time they reached down and lifted him up out of the bucket for a second – just long enough to let him see over the bucket – and then returned him to the water again. He swam for almost a half hour more before he finally lost strength.

It seems cruel to even think of doing an experiment like that.

I do hope they let him live.

But the message that came out of it was clear:

The second mouse, that was LIFTED up, was given a moment of HOPE, where he was able to see ABOVE the bucket, and that made all the difference.

We MUST have something better to look forward to, or WE WILL sink.

Do you remember how much fun it was to do art and music in school when YOU were a kid? New pathways were growing in your brain as your imagination was stimulated!

Due to budget cuts today, many children in schools don’t get that chance to do art anymore, despite clear proof that the arts improve cognitive development – and make an impact FAR greater than having a picture to put on your refrigerator door.

ruth Here a wiggly group of PreSchoolers gets to learn about Art AND Music!

Lifting people up – ‘above the bucket’ is something EDU DESIGNS does with tools to Improve children’s character through the arts and stories.

GoMommyGO© (part of EDU DESIGNS) gives practical tools and HOPE to parents struggling with the awesome responsibility of shaping their child’s life in their most vulnerable years.

Have you heard the saying, “THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, RULES the WORLD”? We really DO have the power to influence the next generation to be better human beings. It is idealistic. And being a parent can bring out the best in us. But when you ARE a parent, you know that raising children can bring out the worst in YOU at times, too. WE NEED HELP!

struggle

Notice the word ‘STRUGGLE‘?

Raising my own seven children proved to me how much structure and support children need to be able to develop to their best ability, and how much I needed to learn. When I first created my behavior charts it gave me the structure I needed not to yell and scream at my kids. And when it DID work so well I thought, “Why isn’t someone doing this for all the mom’s out there who can’t draw?”

Nobody can do it alone. We all need each other.

If we struggle together it will lighten the load for all of us.

Imagine This: If just ONE person was made happier today because of something YOU did, and and if each person helped ONE OTHER person, everybody would touch EVERYONE’S life eventually. So don’t give up.

Do your best. Don’t worry about the rest.

“Everything comes out in the wash”, as my mom used to say…

“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” ~ Peter Marshall

Never miss an opportunity to do a good deed. ~Ruth Elliott

Ruth Elliott, Director, EDU DESIGNS

PO Box 2664, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729

EDU DESIGNS

GoMommyGO

Me and Mr. T!

Mt. T. and Me in 2003!

When my son Jon was 11 years old he wrote a letter to Mr. T after seeing ‘The A Team’ on TV. Mr. T wrote him back a long personal letter, telling him to study hard in school, stay away from drugs and alcohol, take good care of his body and trust in the Lord!

I was so impressed with his kindness and generosity to take the time to write him! Somewhere in the recesses of our garage I still have that letter.

Years later in 2003 I was working at Cartoon Network and got to meet Mr. T. personally. I thanked him and told him how much his letter had meant to my son, who had taken it to heart at a time when he was receptive.

As soon as Mr. T. heard I had 7 kids he couldn’t stop telling me all about his mother who had 12 kids! He was thrilled to share with me how she kept him on the right track by consistently being a source of encouragement, wisdom and strict discipline to all of them.

Such enthusiasm and energy! He went on to share how he was so happy to be alive after overcoming cancer, and proud he had gotten his hair back. He kept pointing to the top of his head and rubbing his hair, saying, “Look at that hair!” You can read more about the amazing struggles Mr. T had to overcome here.

I was so happy I got to meet him. What an inspiration he is, and proof again of the powerful impact a mother can have on her children.

I made this little sketch of how I managed to get through it all when my kids were little…

How can we teach our children to find happiness?

…and learn to be content?

The simple answer is: By OUR example

Be in the present…
Be joyful.

Need to get your kids to help you? Check out my free Illustrated Behavior Charts, so they can share in the ‘Family Service’, too!

Ruth Elliott

Director, Edu Designs

director@edudesigns.org

How WONDERFUL!

How wonderful! Just rediscovered! Can’t believe it took me this long to share it!

Back in 2010 Shirley Smith’s TV Show, “Talk About Parenting, LIVE” welcomed me to talk about EDU Designs and GoMommyGO. Though it aired a while back it has a lot to say about what we are doing to help kids!

Visit EDU Designs website: http://www.edudesigns.org/

& GOMommyGo’s Website: http://www.gomommygo.com/

& Shirlee Smith’s website: http://www.talkaboutparenting.org/

Thank you Shirlee for your great contribution to the ‘ART’ of Parenting!

Ruth Elliott

Director, Edu Designs

director@edudesigns.org

PS – Discover some other gems here, too! http://www.edudesigns.org/news_on_Character.html

Emotional Connectedness leads to Greater Intellectual Capacity in Children!

What is ’emotional connectedness’? And how does it help our brain power?

In Dr. Gabor Mate’s book, SCATTERED (How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates and What you can Do About It), he reveals how children engaged in an activity that includes emotional connectedness display higher levels of activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, where self regulation and intellectual ability develop.

This means they will develop better concentration and self control!

In simple terms, when our emotions are engaged and recognized by another, we feel connected and can absorb information faster.

Art has a magical way of helping us relax and feel our emotions.

That’s exactly what happens at my Art Presentations! The children have a wonderful time drawing and participating – and learning! Recently, some teachers came up to me and remarked that they had never seen their students so FOCUSED and ENGAGED.

The ability to ‘focus and become engaged’ in an activity is the opposite of Attentional Deficit Disorder.

Dr. Mate says:

“…many children with ADD are capable of focused work in the presence of an adult who is keeping them company and paying attention to them… attachment promotes attention, anxiety undermines it. When the child is not concerned with seeking emotional contact, his prefrontal cortex is freed to allocate attention to the task at hand… The warmth and satisfaction of positive contact with the adult is often just as good as a psychostimulant in supplying the child’s prefrontal cortex with dopamine. Greater security means less anxiety and more focused attention… Where this need is satisfied, ADD problems begin to recede.”

This is something I have instinctively felt for years, that children need engagement from others in a positive emotional context. Seeing it in action, and getting confirmation from the teachers was tremendous!

It’s nice to know we’ve been on the right track all along.

I want all children to develop better self control and focus, as they increase their intellectual ability. I feel so strongly about it that I created an art book that includes everything I learned in 30 years – and it won’t take you 30 years to learn it! Share it with a teacher or child you know!

Read more about the book here.

Did you know that our non profit helps build character in many ways? Our Art presentations inspire not only the children and their parents but the teachers who are empowered to bring art (and joy) back into the classroom.

Thanks to your support, we are able to do this.

I’m so grateful for any help.

Ruth Elliott

Director, Edu Designs

director@edudesigns.org

Some people are only GOOD for being a BAD EXAMPLE – or: “How I GOT my own way by NOT getting my own way!”

Peanut Butter Sandwich and Apple on Top — My PBJ never made it to lunch in good shape...

Every day in Elementary school I ate the same thing for lunch: an apple and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which of course would get squashed by the apple before I could get to it.

At lunch I sat next to a chubby little red haired girl who, along with her frown, always had a gourmet meat sandwich she would nonchalantly pull out of her fancy designer lunch pail with a huge dessert of 2 hostess cupcakes, Twinkies or Ding-dongs.

I drooled.

At home we would have to share if we had dessert. So, seeing that she always seemed to have extra and wasn’t getting any skinnier, one day I mustered up the courage to ask her,

“Since you have two cupcakes, would you share one with me?”

But she recoiled in horror, saying,

“NO! There’s only enough for me!”

No matter how politely I would change my phrasing, each time she would consistently reply in the same manner. Day after day this hurt me terribly, as I pondered her insensitivity and the cruel injustice of the world.

But it did teach me two things:

1- There are mean people in the world.

2- Your job is not to become one of them

And when the light bulb went off in my head, I knew what I had to do:

WALK AWAY and

SIT somewhere ELSE.

I found some nice kids to sit with. They didn’t share their lunch either because they only had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too! But we all smiled, and shared laughs instead.

Hoping to get that other girl’s goodies had been a trap for me that ruined my happiness for as long as I hung out with her. You don’t have to HATE your enemies, but you shouldn’t have to hang out with them either!

So – What did I learn from my new friends?

1- IGNORE GOODIES.

2- Choose nice PEOPLE to hang out with instead.

They may be hard to find, but not impossible!

BEING one of the nice people? Well, that’s harder.

However, being RIGHT all the time is even HARDER!

Yeah…like that’ll work…

If you’ve already chosen PEOPLE over GOODIES – the Next CHALLENGE is:

How do you spot REAL love from others when you see it?

1- Real love is a ONE WAY street – which means it goes in ONE direction – from the inside OUT, expecting nothing in return.

2- Real Love is KIND, FORGIVING and PATIENT with our shortcomings.

3- Real Love looks out for OUR best interests.

4- Real Love never gives up on us, even when we DO make mistakes

5- Real Love tells us the truth.

LOOK for those LOVING individuals to hang out with.

Learn to recognize them hidden in the crowd of ‘me-first’ types out there.

Then WHAT TO DO with the SELFISH ones?

Ignore them.

They are probably already ignoring YOU. Giving more won’t help.

They paid attention to what you could give them, not what they could give you.

And WHAT TO DO WITH the PAIN?

Ouch. It still Hurts.

I read somewhere that people who are truly loving or very funny have usually been hurt deeply in their lives.

It seems so unfair.

But think again:

We’ve ALL been hurt at one time or another!

So why isn’t EVERYONE very funny or truly loving?

BECAUSE WE All make CHOICES in how we react!

How Do YOU React When YOU Are Hurt (and don’t get YOUR own way)?

That doesn’t work EITHER!

Here are a few reactions to choose from (See if you can guess which DON’T work!):

1- Become angry and mean yourself. (Like in the picture above, my daughter once said: “Unforgiveness is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies.”)

2- Conclude that ‘love isn’t worth it’ – and build a wall to sheild yourself from your need to be connected with others. Call it ‘strength’.

3- Become a doormat. Go along to get along, hoping the mean ones will stop hurting you if you are ‘nice’ to them.

4- Retreat into a fantasy world where you imagine if only you were perfect, then you would deserve to have your needs met. Strive for that unattainable daydream.

5- Immerse yourself in work, activities, food or substances to try and numb the pain.

In case you haven’t figured it out, NONE of these work! Wasting our energy trying to protect ourselves from the pain actually ‘protects’ us from FINDING the nice people in the world who DO exist and who WOULD love us, warts and all.

Though PAIN is unavoidable, there IS an AUTHENTIC secret to HAPPINESS you can take hold of NOW (even if you don’t get the Ding Dong or Twinkie for lunch).

(Pay attention, parents, so you can spring this on your children the next time you’re in the toy aisle at Wal-Mart):

It’s called: ‘GRATITUDE’.

It’s already been Scientifically verified that GRATITUDE makes you HAPPIER, but here is MY analysis of the 2 step process, (proven by years of not getting my own way)!

I love what Tim Hansel once said:

“Pain is inevitable, but Misery is Optional”

Well? Now YOU have a CHOICE to make!

Ruth Elliott

Director, Edu Designs

director@edudesigns.org

PS – If you’re on Facebook, Please ‘LIKE’ my page! Then check out some quick videos from a class where I taught kids how to SHOW EMOTIONS through EYES and SHOW EMOTIONS throughBody Language!

LOVE is a Messy Business. Is it WORTH it?

This Love stuff is pretty insecure…

First they love you, then they don't! — How many times have we wanted love and not gotten it? A million? A trillion?

LOVE is a MESSY BUSINESS!

Scary, too. The risk when we decide to open our heart to another. We have no guarantee it will ever come back! There is nothing so agonizing as the pain of love not returned.

So – shall we STOP giving? Keep that box of chocolates for ourselves until someone else gives us one of theirs? Or avoid love altogether and return to a safer existence of order and control?

Some people say, “THERE JUST ISN’T ENOUGH LOVE IN THE WORLD”

I think it’s more likely that there’s plenty of LOVE, but people are just stingy with it!

Regardless of their religious persuasion, most people would agree that ‘God is Love’. God created us, so it belongs to all.

The great teachers of the world have given us the same truths:

Buddha taught us to purify ourselves and have compassion for all creatures.
Jesus Christ asked us to love all beings as we love ourselves.
Rabbi Hillel taught us: “Not to do to others what we wouldn’t want to be done to ourselves”.
Krishna taught us to see the Divine in each and everyone in the world.
Mohammed taught us to submit to the will of God and be his instruments.
St. Augustine said, “To love each person as though you had love for them alone, and to love all, as though all were one.”

If only we could all do that. But how?

LIFE IS GOD

Leo Tolstoy said, “The most important thing, and a difficult one, is to LOVE LIFE, for life is God, and to love Life, is to Love God.”

Pascal said, “Love has reason, that Reason does not know.”

But, people are afraid of the unknown…

Woody Allen said, “Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die.”

In the 1958 movie, “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness”, the character played by Ingrid Bergman feels her heart calling her to serve the poor in China. Everyone tells her she is making a mistake if she doesn’t plan her life better. But her emphatic response is,

“The planned life is a closed life. It can be endured perhaps, but not lived!” Luckily, she follows her heart, and finds more security in the unknown.

Joseph Campbell said, “We must be willing to get rid of the life we had planned to be able to have the life that is waiting for us.”

“Love is giving the other person what they need the most when they deserve it the least.”

The MYSTERY of Love is that the more we GIVE, the more we GET

You can’t CONTROL love, but you can let yours out. And your store will grow as you do.

Someone said: “If all else fails you can always get a pet.” Love even crosses the boundary lines of species.

Speaking of dogs, Groucho Marx said, “The best friend outside of a dog, is a book. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”

Whatever you do, LOVE is NEVER wasted. It makes the world a better place, and WILL come back to you, somehow, some way.

All you can do is:

Jump in and pour forth what YOU have to give,
Don’t worry about getting it back from the same place you gave,
Then watch – and see what happens!

And by the way, I need some of it too, if you have any to spare.

We’re all in this together – this leaky boat called Life. So while we’re here, let’s try not to poke holes in the other guy’s side of the boat!

I'm You TOO!

Love to you,

Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon

Director, Edu Designs, Creator, GoMommyGO ®

Email me at: director@edudesigns.org

If you’re on Facebook, please ‘LIKE’ my page!

EDU Designs and GoMommyGO are reaching around the World!

EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® REACH AROUND THE WORLD to HELP KIDS!

While mailing off some materials to the island of Malta recently I suddenly realized how far we’ve come. Since 2007 people all over the world have been getting benefited by the materials EDU Designs and GoMommyGO® provide. So I decided it was time to celebrate – with a MAP – showing a quick view of the many states, countries and people represented by our scope of influence. Even though I’ve never been to all these places physically – virtually, I have!

Are YOU in a place we haven’t been yet? Sign up for our free Newsletter and See how we can help! Visit http://www.edudesigns.org/ to examine our work with the Arts and Character Education. Even if you are not in our local area, check out what we can do for you.

If you have children or are a caregiver, you will definitely want to take advantage of the Free tips and Behavior Charts Illustrated by Award Winning Animation Artist Ruth Elliott.

And Thank YOU!

PS – Did you know that EDU Designs stops BULLYING, too, with free posters you can download and print in any size? Just click on the link, & scroll down.

Kids will be glad you did!

Thanks again.

🙂

Finland’s Education Phenomenon

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcC2l8zioIw&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]

“The Finland Phenomemon” (Trailer)

Excerpt from “The Finland Phenomemon: Inside the world’s most surprising school system”, By E.D. Kain, Forbes, May 2, 2011

The Finland Phenomenon, from documentary filmmaker, Bob Compton, follows Dr. Tony Wagner through Finland’s extraordinary school system. It’s a short, to-the-point documentary, but it had quite an effect on me, if only because it illustrates so succinctly why our recent approach to education reform is so wrong-headed.

In Finland there are no standardized tests. In fact, there is really very little testing at all. Finnish teachers are not monitored or rated based on test scores, and teachers (as well as their students) have a great deal of autonomy. It is a system built on trust, and the film really drives home the notion that trust – rather than faux accountability – leads to real results, leads to teachers and students and members of government all wanting to live up to the trust given to them rather than simply scraping by.

Read the full article at Forbes.

Excerpt from “Education in Finland”

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2 December 2011

The Finnish education system is an egalitarian Nordic system, with no tuition fees and with free meals served to full-time students. The present Finnish education system consists of well-funded and carefully thought out daycare programs (for babies and toddlers) and a one-year “pre-school” (or kindergarten for six-year olds); a nine-year compulsory basic comprehensive school (starting at age seven and ending at the age of sixteen); post-compulsory secondary general academic and vocational education; higher education (University and Polytechnical); and adult (lifelong, continuing) education. The Nordic strategy for achieving equality and excellence in education has been based on constructing a publicly funded comprehensive school system without selecting, tracking, or streaming students during their common basic education. Part of the strategy has been to spread the school network so that pupils have a school near their homes whenever possible or, if this is not feasible, e.g. in rural areas, to provide free transportation to more widely dispersed schools. Inclusive special education within the classroom and instructional efforts to minimize low achievement are also typical of Nordic educational systems.

Read the full article at Wikipedia.

Excerpt from : The Children Must Play: What the United States could learn from Finland about education reform”

By Samuel E Abrams, The New Republic, January 28, 2011

While observing recess outside the Kallahti Comprehensive School on the eastern edge of Helsinki on a chilly day in April 2009, I asked Principal Timo Heikkinen if students go out when it’s very cold. Heikkinen said they do. I then asked Heikkinen if they go out when it’s very, very cold. Heikkinen smiled and said, “If minus 15 [Celsius] and windy, maybe not, but otherwise, yes. The children can’t learn if they don’t play. The children must play.”

In comparison to the United States and many other industrialized nations, the Finns have implemented a radically different model of educational reform—based on a balanced curriculum and professionalization, not testing. Not only do Finnish educational authorities provide students with far more recess than their U.S. counterparts—75 minutes a day in Finnish elementary schools versus an average of 27 minutes in the U.S.—but they also mandate lots of arts and crafts, more learning by doing, rigorous standards for teacher certification, higher teacher pay, and attractive working conditions. This is a far cry from the U.S. concentration on testing in reading and math since the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002, which has led school districts across the country, according to a survey by the Center on Education Policy, to significantly narrow their curricula. And the Finns’ efforts are paying off: In December, the results from the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an exam in reading, math, and science given every three years since 2000 to approximately 5,000 15-year-olds per nation around the world, revealed that, for the fourth consecutive time, Finnish students posted stellar scores. The United States, meanwhile, lagged in the middle of the pack.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama outlined his plans for reforming U.S. public education, including distributing competitive grants, raising test scores, and holding teachers accountable for student achievement. But there is much Finland can teach America’s reformers, and the rest of the world, about what outside of testing and rigid modes of management and assessment can make a nation’s schools truly excellent.

Read the full article at The New Republic.

Excerpt from “An Interview with Henna Virkkunen, Finland’s Minister of Education”

By Justin Snider, The Hecklinger Report, March 16, 2011

The Hechinger Report: It’s well-known that Finland’s teachers are an elite bunch, with only top students offered the chance to become teachers. It’s also no secret that they are well-trained. But take us inside that training for a moment – what does it look like, specifically? How does teacher training in Finland differ from teacher training in other countries?

Virkkunen: It’s a difficult question. Our teachers are really good. One of the main reasons they are so good is because the teaching profession is one of the most famous careers in Finland, so young people want to become teachers. In Finland, we think that teachers are key for the future and it’s a very important profession—and that’s why all of the young, talented people want to become teachers. All of the teacher-training is run by universities in Finland, and all students do a five-year master’s degree. Because they are studying at the university, teacher education is research-based. Students have a lot of supervised teacher-training during their studies. We have something called “training schools”—normally next to universities—where the student teaches and gets feedback from a trained supervisor.

Teachers in Finland can choose their own teaching methods and materials. They are experts of their own work, and they test their own pupils. I think this is also one of the reasons why teaching is such an attractive profession in Finland because teachers are working like academic experts with their own pupils in schools.

Read the full interview at The Hechinger Report.

Excerpt from “Finnish Lesson #3: What we can learn from Educational change in Finland”

By Pasi Sahlberg, The Pasi Sahlberg Blog, November 5, 2011

…the first lesson that Finland offers to other educational reformers is that whole-system reform can be successful only if it is inspiring to all involved and thereby energizes people to work together for intended improvement. I often use the thinking of Martin Luther King as an example of an inspiring dream that moves people. Dr. King’s dream was not that his country would have a 5-percent annual economic growth rate. That wouldn’t have inspired many people. Similarly, making a country number one in PISA rankings doesn’t excite too many educators. The Finnish Dream since the 1970s has been to provide a good public school for every child in the country. This goal inspired many and was a source of energy that was needed to push through necessary political and educational changes. It was powerful enough to bring different people and political groups to join forces for fulfillment of this dream. The Finnish Dream looks like the dream of John F. Kennedy in 1961: to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. It was challenging, required hard work and political consensus, but in the end rewarded the entire nation through its outcomes.

Second, some observers have concluded that the secret of Finnish educational success is its well-trained teachers. Yes, it is true that teachers and leaders have higher academic education in Finland than in many other countries. But that alone is not the way to whole-system change. What is significant in the Finnish approach is that it has focused on improving the professional knowledge and skills of teachers and leaders as a collective group, not only as individuals, which is the common practice in many current reform programs elsewhere. Finnish teachers learn to work together with other teachers…

Read the full post at The Pasi Sahlberg Blog.

Finland’s Education Phenomenon, contributed by EduDesigns correspondent C. G. Blick, December 16, 2011

Ruth Elliott, EDU Designs Director

Edu Designs is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which produces and distributes multimedia materials for the education, motivation and character development of children.

Ethics and Character

WHAT DO SUPERHERO COMICS TEACH US?

COMIC CONVENTIONS PROVIDE FELLOWSHIP FOR ‘BELIEVERS IN IMAGINATION’

Thousands flock to comic conventions all over the world.

MY DAD WANTED ME TO BE AN ABORTION, TOO?

CAN YOU SPOIL A BABY?

BEING A BABY CAN BE VERY STRESSFUL

“When a parent gazes into her baby’s eyes, she literally promotes the growth of her baby’s brain, helping it to be wired for a secure sense of self…” [2]

What is ’emotional connectedness’? And how does it help our brain power?

Art has a magical way of helping us relax and feel our emotions.

The ability to ‘focus and become engaged’ in an activity is the opposite of Attentional Deficit Disorder.

It’s nice to know we’ve been on the right track all along.

Here are a few reactions to choose from (See if you can guess which DON’T work!):