Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have all heard the traditional African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” In Alaska they take this one step further and say, “Raising a graduate is everybody’s business.” They recognize it is the responsibility of the entire community to be involved in providing the elements necessary to ensure success for our students, and so must we as we embark on education renewal.
When a student is successful, the entire community benefits. Children first need a solid grounding in early childhood development to ensure the full capacity to realize the potential of school-based learning. Without this foundation, there could be disappointment through even the best education programs.
The system they progress through must also reflect and address the issues that affect the ability of students to learn. A sole focus on building schools and student-teacher ratios and lesson plans is not adequate. Children who are hungry, tired, distracted or hyperactive are unable to pay attention and learn.
I am happy to see a focus on self-regulation, a method that students can be taught to ultimately help themselves to optimize the state they are in, in order to ensure they are solidly in the learning zone in and out of school.
In addition to self-regulation, social and emotional learning is now recognized as critical to effective learning and development of life skills that optimize lifelong learning and success. Social and emotional learning is a process through which people learn and apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. It is based on the understanding that the best learning takes place in supportive environments that make learning challenging, engaging and meaningful. Social and emotional skills are critical to being a successful student.
These skills are taught through effective classroom instruction, positive activities in and out of the classroom and strong parent and community involvement. All parts of the child’s social environment must be involved in providing the conditions that support learning. Besides teachers, parents and family, public leaders and every person in the community must work towards the same goal: healthy, emotionally stable, curious children, excited to learn and help each other learn.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted