
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 27, 1994                   TAG: 9403250017
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By Kat McClinton
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PROGRAMS TO HELP KIDS NEED PRAISE, NOT CRITICISM

A year ago with the cooperation of Christiansburg Middle School parents, teachers and administration, I implemented a program called Black Americans Dedicated to Success - BAD. This program was designed to enhance the academic performance of the school's African-American students.

For the most part our efforts were applauded. But there were a few people who seemed to find fault and displeasure with the program. And it's to those few that this message is directed.

Sometimes there are those of us who see a need for change, and we find ways to bring about that change. At Christiansburg Middle School before the BAD program started, only 10 percent of the African-American students were on the Honor Roll compared to over 38 percent Anglo-Americans.

This statistic was very unsettling to me, so I went about trying to make a change. Now our school has more African-Americans on honor roll than all other secondary schools in the county combined.

But a few did not like the fact that such a program existed. And because of their dislike and criticism, my teaching job has at times been very difficult. They shared their negative thoughts with some students. Those students have misconceptions about the program and my involvement, and that has hindered their learning in my class. I know there are always going to be people who find fault with others' good intentions, but I hope this message conveys how hurtful unnecessary criticism can be.

Because I saw a need to make a change in a particular situation, another program has been implemented called Future Leaders Achieving Greater Success (FLAGS), which will help other students at the school become more successful and raise the total honor roll numbers. My teaching partner, Wayne Carlson, named that group, which works along the same premise as BAD.

For those of you who found fault with my efforts and communicated that fault to the students I teach, you could help bring about positive changes by putting more of your efforts toward praise, understanding and help, rather than detrimental criticism.

Kat McClinton, a teacher, lives in Christiansburg.

by CNB