Megaskills: Building Our Children's Character and Achievement for School and Life

378 Pages·2008·1.9 MB·English

by  Dorothy Rich Ed.D.

Over
The classic guide to childhood achievement, 300,000 Updated
MegaSkills® 5th
taught in more than 4,000 schools books sold
Edition
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Specially designed for school-aged children, this cornerstone guide provides you with
hands-on techniques and kid-friendly activities to teach children the MegaSkills that are
essential to success in school and life: e
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• • •
Confi dence Motivati on Problem-Solving
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• • •
Effort Respons ibility Common Sense
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• • •
Initiative Persever ance Focus
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• Caring • Teamwo rk • Respect New!
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Along with the age-specifi c activities, this guide contains academic objectives for each
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MegaSkill, tips for getting the best from technology, MegaSkills report cards for parents
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and children, research notes, and a wealth of additional resources.
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Includes message from Bill Bradley.
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ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1215-4
www.sourcebooks.com ISBN-10: 1-4022-1215-1
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Printed in Canada
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MegaSkills®—for a lifetime of achievement
“We defend our children best when as a “Rich’s volume is a ‘must’ for parents, educators,
community and as a nation we make it possible and those interested in helping children become
for all parents to express their love, their interest, more caring, confident, lifelong learners.”
and involvement in their children’s development —Edward Zigler, PhD
and education. That’s what Dorothy Rich and Sterling Professor of Psychology,
MegaSkills are all about, and while millions of Emeritus, Yale University
parents still need to be reached, this book has
given us a head start for thousands of families
“These MegaSkills, as Dorothy Rich, founder of
across the nation.”
the Home and School Institute, calls them, are
—Marian Wright Edelman also the foundation of self-respect and the moral,
President, Children’s Defense Fund ethical and spiritual codes that guide us through
life.”
“This book translates research about when and —Hillary Rodham Clinton
how children learn into practical actions that can
be used in every home. I know from our own
“MegaSkillsought to be on television. Since it’s
Educational Testing Service Study, ‘The Family:
not, read this book.”
America’s Smallest School,’ the critical role that
—John Merrow
the family and the early years play in every
Executive Editor,
child’s education and development. This book
The Merrow Report
shows families how to build children’s
achievement, and it is keyed to current research.”
“Parents have responsibilities in the education of
—Richard Coley
their children. The MegaSkills program enables
Director, Policy Information Center
school administrators and families to meet their
Educational Testing Service
responsibilities to each other and to their
children.”
“I consider this program one of the most
—Bruce Hunter
important in the country, if not the whole world.”
Associate Executive Director, American
—Bettye Caldwell, PhD
Association of School Administrators
Professor Emeritus,
University of Arkansas
for Medical Sciences
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MEGASKILLS®—PRACTICAL, CREATIVE, A LIFESAVER!
“Dorothy Rich continues to do the impossible. . . “School principals urge all parents to become
This new edition of MegaSkills is outstanding in partners in their children’s education. . . .
every way. The advice in this book when put MegaSkillsprovides very doable methods for
into practice by teachers and parents will have a schools and families to help their children
profound influence on future generations.” succeed.”
—Phillip Harris —Samuel G. Sava
Executive Director, Association for Former Executive Director,
Educational Communications and National Association of Elementary
Technology School Principals
“As a researcher, I know the value of this “This revised and expanded edition of
program. There is evidence in educational MegaSkillswith its new emphasis on readiness is
research that a program like this really works.” especially important to the national education
—Herbert J. Walberg goals and to literacy so that children will enter
University Scholar, school ready to learn and eager to read.”
University of Illinois at Chicago —Susan Roman, PhD
Dean, Graduate School of
“Dorothy Rich knows what parents want and Library and Information Science,
need, and in this book, she provides it. She puts Dominican University
this knowledge into action by providing
programs every parent can use and every child “Let’s salute MegaSkills.It’s bigger and better
can benefit from. We salute her and MegaSkills.” and more helpful than ever.”
—Arnold Fege —Marguerite Kelly
Founder/Director, Public Advocacy Author, The Mother’s Almanac Series
for Kids
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MEGASKILLS®—A LIFELINE FOR TODAY’S FAMILY
“Dorothy Rich really getsit. She understands that “As a psychiatrist, I am deeply concerned about
parents don’t need a lot of psychobabble or theory what is happening to children today. Many
or ‘defensive’ what-to-do-when-you-have-this- parents simply don’t know how to relate to their
problem stuff. We’ve preached for years that kids. In my view, MegaSkillsand the programs
parents need an offense—what to do to reach of the Home and School Institute are essential
certain goals with kids. The goals are MegaSkills, elements in helping parents and children grow
and Dorothy Rich gives us the plans.” together, living and learning.”
—Richard and Linda Eyre —Foster Cline, MD
Authors of Teaching Your Children Author of Parenting with Love
Valuesand Three Steps to the and Logic
Strong Family
“Our children need thinking skills, they need to
“MegaSkillsoffers every child the chance to be know how to solve problems, they need the will
educationally advantaged. If our country wants and the drive to learn. MegaSkills shows parents
students and citizens who can lead us how to help their children prepare for life in the
successfully into the next century, we should all twenty-first century.”
listen to Dorothy Rich.” —Douglas J. Besharov
—Jane Healy Resident Scholar, American
Author of Endangered Minds Enterprise Institute
“The role of the grandparent is probably more
challenging today than ever before. Dorothy
Rich provides a real help in this book. I think
every grandparent will welcome MegaSkills.”
—John Rother
Policy and Strategy Director (AARP)
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In School and in Life—
The Best Gift You Can Give Your Child
MegaSkills®
(cid:2) Confidence: feeling able to do it
(cid:2) Motivation: wanting to do it
(cid:2) Effort: being willing to work hard
(cid:2) Responsibility: doing what’s right
(cid:2) Initiative: moving into action
(cid:2) Perseverance: completing what you start
(cid:2) Caring: showing concern for others
(cid:2) Teamwork: working with others
(cid:2) Common Sense: using good judgment
(cid:2) Problem Solving: putting what you know and what you can do into action
(cid:2) Focus: concentrating with a goal in mind
(cid:2) Respect: showing good behavior, courtesy, and appreciation
These are MegaSkills—the values, the abilities, the inner engines of learning that
determine success in school and beyond. We know they are important. We now know
they can be taught and learned, using the activities in this book. MegaSkills is not
about getting an A on tomorrow’s test. It’s about getting an A for life.
Also by Dorothy Rich
MegaSkills® for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond
Co-authored with Beverly Mattox
MegaSkills®
How Families Can Help Children Succeed in School and Beyond
MegaSkills®
The Best Gift You Can Give Your Child
MegaSkills®
Building Children’s Achievement for the Information Age
What Do We Say? What Do We Do?®
Vital Solutions for Children’s Educational Success
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MegaSkills®
Building Our Children’s Character and
Achievement for School and Life
EXPANDED EDITION
Dorothy Rich
A Message from Bill Bradley
Former Senator and author of The New American Story
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Copyright © 1988, 1992, 1997, 2008 by Dorothy Rich
“A Message from Bill Bradley” copyright © 1997 by Bill Bradley
Cover © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover photo © Jupiter, iStockphoto/LUGO
Cover design by Kiryl Lysenka
Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
MegaSkills curriculum series is a registered trademark of Dorothy Rich
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including
information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—
without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with
the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or
other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of
Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their
respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.
Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.
P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.sourcebooks.com
Originally published in 1988.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rich, Dorothy.
Megaskills : building your child's happiness and success in school and life / Dorothy Rich.
p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-2076-0
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Children—United States—Life skills guides. 2. Child rearing—United States. 3. Education—Parent participation—
United States. 4. Success in children—United States. I. Title.
HQ792.U5R533 2008
649'.7—dc22
2008007536
Printed and bound in Canada.
TR 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To my parents, who taught me the most important things
I know about MegaSkills
To the leaders and parents in the MegaSkills Workshop Program
in almost four thousand schools in forty-eight states who taught
me how MegaSkills works for them